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While I’d read and enjoyed this author’s other romance, I honestly was not sure what to expect from this one, and whether I’d end up liking it at all. It’s got tropes I’m not necessarily into, so I was worried that I might not end up liking the book because of their execution. I think I still would’ve enjoyed the book more had there not been certain aspects that came about due to those tropes, but I actually ended up having a super fun time with this book overall, and genuinely enjoyed it!
My biggest issue was just how tense I felt throughout the book, and this became especially true near the end. So much of my head was tied up in how this was all going to blow-up that I started being less able to enjoy what actually was happening on page. I just couldn’t stop worrying about the future!
What’s actually really funny though, is that what I feared never even came. I actually love how this book tackled the issues that were unique to this trope. It dealt with the consequences in a way that didn’t dominate the book in the end, but also didn’t minimize them either. It was so unique in how it did this too, and I still just really appreciate it all. I was also just so immensely relieved, too!
I also thought the romance was fun here too. It’s definitely not the most compelling on an emotional level for me, but there definitely was chemistry, and I enjoyed the book enough based on that alone honestly! It did make me slightly less invested in the endgame of the relationship, but in the end that didn’t really matter too much either. It was just fun and quick and enjoyable, and everything I wanted out of it actually!
Overall, I really enjoyed this romance, and I’ll cerntainly be keeping my eyes out for more in the future!
My biggest issue was just how tense I felt throughout the book, and this became especially true near the end. So much of my head was tied up in how this was all going to blow-up that I started being less able to enjoy what actually was happening on page. I just couldn’t stop worrying about the future!
What’s actually really funny though, is that what I feared never even came. I actually love how this book tackled the issues that were unique to this trope. It dealt with the consequences in a way that didn’t dominate the book in the end, but also didn’t minimize them either. It was so unique in how it did this too, and I still just really appreciate it all. I was also just so immensely relieved, too!
I also thought the romance was fun here too. It’s definitely not the most compelling on an emotional level for me, but there definitely was chemistry, and I enjoyed the book enough based on that alone honestly! It did make me slightly less invested in the endgame of the relationship, but in the end that didn’t really matter too much either. It was just fun and quick and enjoyable, and everything I wanted out of it actually!
Overall, I really enjoyed this romance, and I’ll cerntainly be keeping my eyes out for more in the future!
“He showed me his scars, and in return he let me pretend that I had none.”
Stars (Out of 10): 9.5/10 Stars
Favorite Character: Circe!
Spoiler Free: Madeline Miller has done it again! I don’t know how she manages to write so beautifully, but this book has been no exception to the trend. She manages to both retell the myths in an enticing way as well as connect it to modern times, and this was especially the case in Circe.
In comparison to [b:The Song of Achilles|11250317|The Song of Achilles|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331154660l/11250317._SX50_.jpg|16176791], the story covers a much broader span of time, and involves many more myths and powerful characters. The story is also less focused on one specific set of events, but rather covers so many that Circe’s growth throughout all of them is the true story. It almost feels like an anthology at points, lots of small tales and stories, just connected by a larger, overarching theme. However, even with this difference in plot, the emotion behind the story, and how much the ending affected me, was still in line with Song of Achilles.
The character of Circe was a very interesting one to explore. She didn’t seem to belong in any societal sphere, not fully belonging with mortals due to her immortality and not fully belonging with the gods due to her lack of “godliness” and power, and not fully belonging with the other nymphs due to her lack of beauty. She was the outcast in almost every situation, and her desperation to be accepted was one many could relate to. It also led to a very nice starting point for a novel about acceptance and growth, and seeing this change was almost more beautiful than the words it was written with.
Like I mentioned above, in terms of world and plot, the story seems to tie in a large variety of tales and myths. In almost all of these mini-retellings, Circe was always a minor player within them, making her mark gradually over time rather than through a single heroic tale. This led to the existence of a multi-faceted character with a very interesting history, a history which often came back into play over and over. It felt like a living and breathing entity, her history, and played a large role in shaping her actions and reactions, and I loved that.
I also love how, as Circe grows and learns to be more confident and accepting of who she is, the story seems to center more on her as well. Yes, she has always been the focus of the story, but not necessarily the focus of the events she acts within. As the story goes on, and Circe becomes more assertive, she also begins to assert her place within her story, and mythology as a whole. We start getting Circe-centered stories, and she flourishes within them.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book, from its writing to its character development, and cannot wait to see what Madeline Miller writes next!
Careful! Spoilers beyond this point!
Spoilers:
Stars (Out of 10): 9.5/10 Stars
Favorite Character: Circe!
Spoiler Free: Madeline Miller has done it again! I don’t know how she manages to write so beautifully, but this book has been no exception to the trend. She manages to both retell the myths in an enticing way as well as connect it to modern times, and this was especially the case in Circe.
In comparison to [b:The Song of Achilles|11250317|The Song of Achilles|Madeline Miller|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1331154660l/11250317._SX50_.jpg|16176791], the story covers a much broader span of time, and involves many more myths and powerful characters. The story is also less focused on one specific set of events, but rather covers so many that Circe’s growth throughout all of them is the true story. It almost feels like an anthology at points, lots of small tales and stories, just connected by a larger, overarching theme. However, even with this difference in plot, the emotion behind the story, and how much the ending affected me, was still in line with Song of Achilles.
The character of Circe was a very interesting one to explore. She didn’t seem to belong in any societal sphere, not fully belonging with mortals due to her immortality and not fully belonging with the gods due to her lack of “godliness” and power, and not fully belonging with the other nymphs due to her lack of beauty. She was the outcast in almost every situation, and her desperation to be accepted was one many could relate to. It also led to a very nice starting point for a novel about acceptance and growth, and seeing this change was almost more beautiful than the words it was written with.
Like I mentioned above, in terms of world and plot, the story seems to tie in a large variety of tales and myths. In almost all of these mini-retellings, Circe was always a minor player within them, making her mark gradually over time rather than through a single heroic tale. This led to the existence of a multi-faceted character with a very interesting history, a history which often came back into play over and over. It felt like a living and breathing entity, her history, and played a large role in shaping her actions and reactions, and I loved that.
I also love how, as Circe grows and learns to be more confident and accepting of who she is, the story seems to center more on her as well. Yes, she has always been the focus of the story, but not necessarily the focus of the events she acts within. As the story goes on, and Circe becomes more assertive, she also begins to assert her place within her story, and mythology as a whole. We start getting Circe-centered stories, and she flourishes within them.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book, from its writing to its character development, and cannot wait to see what Madeline Miller writes next!
Careful! Spoilers beyond this point!
Spoilers:
Spoiler
The ending! Oh my goodness! While I kinda expected it to happen, especially the closer we got towards the end of the story, the way it was written still gave me goosebumps. It was such a gorgeous scene, and a fantastic way to draw together Circe’s story, that I didn’t even mind we didn’t get the answer to what happens after she drinks the potion, and we can only move on off of the assumption that it went well. But I don’t mind that this time around. Circe’s dreaming of the rest of her life, as a mortal, was enough of a epilogue even if that is not exactly how it goes.
This is now the third book I've read of Ali's, and safe to say, it's my favorite. I've adored all of Ali's past books, as they keep being exactly what I needed at the time, but this one really takes the cake for me!
First off, I'd love to thank Netgalley and the publisher so much for giving me early access to this book! As always, all thoughts and opinions are still my own, and I read an earlier version of the book, meaning some things may have changed between this version and the published version!
I feel like anyone who was worried that Ali's stories would begin to feel too formulaic after Love on the Brain needs to read this book. It really feels like Ali is really coming into her own with this book, and showing her strengths and capabilities as a romance author, beyond the fantastic fanfic we know her for! While Love, Theoretically is still very much an 'Ali' book, it also shows her potential for range and variation in her characters and plots, while still keeping a strong, connected feel to her books. Jack and Elsie are not just another copy of Adam and Olive, but their own characters in their own right, and I love how deeply this book explores and proves that to us.
In general, there is so much more depth here. In her author's note, Ali says this book is the most academic one she's ever written, and she's right! There is even more focus on this side of the characters' lives, and it comes to life as more than just a background that the romance takes place in. But somehow, Ali also manages to balance this with a strong romance as well, blending the two together in such a way that they manage to hold each other up. I also feel like this book has so much more emotional and character depth as well, on an individual level. Elsie is a people-pleaser, consistently putting her pieces together in different ways to best make the people around her happy. She's a thousand different Elsies, a mosaic of Elsies, and it's honestly heart-wrenching to see her start to see herself, know herself, and choose herself. And it's also beautiful to see the line of Elsies begin to fall away, and become just Elsie. I always thought that the strongest aspect of Ali's books would be the romance, but honestly, I love what she did here with Elsie's character, and I'd recommend it just for that part alone (though I of course adored the romance as well!!!)
Ali's past works have already made me a lifelong fan, but this book truly cements that. I'm left excited and refreshed and feeling so whole and happy. This book was just a wonderful way to spend an hour, an evening, a whole day, and I'm left brimming with excitement for all her future works (and excited to see everyone else fall in love with Elsie and Jack just like I did!)
First off, I'd love to thank Netgalley and the publisher so much for giving me early access to this book! As always, all thoughts and opinions are still my own, and I read an earlier version of the book, meaning some things may have changed between this version and the published version!
I feel like anyone who was worried that Ali's stories would begin to feel too formulaic after Love on the Brain needs to read this book. It really feels like Ali is really coming into her own with this book, and showing her strengths and capabilities as a romance author, beyond the fantastic fanfic we know her for! While Love, Theoretically is still very much an 'Ali' book, it also shows her potential for range and variation in her characters and plots, while still keeping a strong, connected feel to her books. Jack and Elsie are not just another copy of Adam and Olive, but their own characters in their own right, and I love how deeply this book explores and proves that to us.
In general, there is so much more depth here. In her author's note, Ali says this book is the most academic one she's ever written, and she's right! There is even more focus on this side of the characters' lives, and it comes to life as more than just a background that the romance takes place in. But somehow, Ali also manages to balance this with a strong romance as well, blending the two together in such a way that they manage to hold each other up. I also feel like this book has so much more emotional and character depth as well, on an individual level. Elsie is a people-pleaser, consistently putting her pieces together in different ways to best make the people around her happy. She's a thousand different Elsies, a mosaic of Elsies, and it's honestly heart-wrenching to see her start to see herself, know herself, and choose herself. And it's also beautiful to see the line of Elsies begin to fall away, and become just Elsie. I always thought that the strongest aspect of Ali's books would be the romance, but honestly, I love what she did here with Elsie's character, and I'd recommend it just for that part alone (though I of course adored the romance as well!!!)
Ali's past works have already made me a lifelong fan, but this book truly cements that. I'm left excited and refreshed and feeling so whole and happy. This book was just a wonderful way to spend an hour, an evening, a whole day, and I'm left brimming with excitement for all her future works (and excited to see everyone else fall in love with Elsie and Jack just like I did!)