CIRCE - Bela and Arpit

[Arpit]

Bela and I embark on our first buddy read with Madeline Miller's popular novel Circe. This book is a fiction based on Greek Mythology blended with fantasy. Though I like mythology, it will be my first take with Greek mythology. Have read lots of good reviews about this book, hence looking forward to read it. This is going to be our first book of the year.Hope it gives a positive start to the year :)
Anybody who is interested in reading or has already read is welcome to join the discussions.

[swatreads]

i would like to join. Can i?

[Arpit]

More than welcome :) I started yesterday night. Didnt read much though.. only 4 pages.

[swatreads]

Thank you:) i had read a bit of it last year and got distracted with other books and forgot about this one :D Also i dont remember what i read so will read from the beginning... Oh cool!! I'll start later today:)

[Bela]

@Arpit... Thnx fr starting the thread .
Really looking forward to reading Circe together. It’s been on my shelf since last year. Hopefully the first read fr 2020 will live up to its expectations. 😊

I too read a few pages yesterday night. Can’t wait to dive into it more.

[Bela]

@Swathi... welcome to the Circe club. The more the merrier 😊

[swatreads]

Thank you Bela :) looking forward to read it and discuss with you guys :)

[Bela]

Hey guys ... how are you doing with your reading? I read a couple of chapters. Amazed to read about the titans n the Olympian gods in a new light . Till now whatever little I read about them, always showcased them as powerful, kind hearted gods. But here they are portrayed as such heartless beings. My heart goes out to Circe. Just goes to show that even gods are not exempt from discrimination.

[Arpit]

I am 3 chapters down. I know I am slow.Will try to cover over the weekends.

One of my motive to pick this book was to get proper introduction to Greek mythology. The initial chapters itself have so many interesting characters. Interesting to note that Greek gods are also based on natural elements like in Hindu mythology.

[swatreads]

i read a couple of chapters too... yes the Gods are so full of themselves and arrogant here. i felt so bad for Circe and also Prometheus

[Bela]

Had to put my reading on the back burner as I was out of town fr a couple of days. But managed to get in a few chapters today.
After Aeetes, it was Glaucos who broke poor Circes heart! It was so selfish of him, but then that’s what mortals are right ? The story seemed so depressing since the start that I was wondering if there was any end to her suffering . And then came the exile ! Which actually turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Circe. I don’t want to reveal more in case you guys haven’t reached there yet.
So what’s up with you two? What’s your take so far ?

[Arpit]

I am at around 90 page mark. Since the beginning, she was abhorred for her ugliness and the fact that she was just a nymph unlike the other children of divine origin. Her siblings Perses and Pasiphae are so mean to her all the time. Though her father, Helios, doesnt show any apparent liking to her either but I have an inkling that he will encourage her in discovering hidden powers of sorcery. I am reading about the characters on wikipedia side by side to know more about them. The book is a fiction but the events are as described in the Greek mythology.

Yes the exile is a boon to her. Its where she will master the art of sorcery. Lets see what mysteries the land of Aiaia holds.

[swatreads]

i couldn't read much... my new semester at college started today so was pretty busy. I'm free on weekend so probably will try completing it then :)

[Arpit]

No worries Swathi.. take your time.

[swatreads]

Thanks Arpit:)

[Bela]

Halfway through the book yet can’t get over the tyrannies of the so called gods. I cringe every time I read another exploit of Perses or Pasiphae or Aeetes or some other god. Do they real have to be so cruel to prove their might over the mortals ? Or is it that their power comes from the intensity of the mortals’ prayers? I mean , why can’t they just be good and behave like gods for gods sake !

I am glad to see that Circe is finally coming into her own at Aiaia. She’s accepted her powers as a pharmaki really well. And she’s learning to understand others better. She’s not as naive as she was earlier. But every time she finds a little happiness, there is someone to snatch it away from her. Why can’t people let her live in peace ? I can feel her loneliness at times.

[Bela]

Hey guys, where have you been? How’s it going with both of you?
I am already done with Circe and waiting for you to catch up.

[Arpit]

I am on page 240 now. Not getting much time to read at home. Reading 10-15 pages a day for past week. I lost interest in the middle with the story going nowhere but it has again got interesting after arrival of Odysseus. He is certainly a charming character and it remains to be seen whether he will be able to pull out Circe out of her miseries.

[Bela]

You are right Arpit. The book did seem to drag a bit in between but then it picked up pace again. You are in for some interesting time ahead .

[Carol]

I recently finished reading Circe so was interested to read your comments. I thought Miller is a true wordsmith and her descriptions are lyrically beautiful. I did not find it a page turner though and I think that was probably because it seemed more like narrative non-fiction rather than fiction. Whenever there was conversation the story became more 'alive'. I have only a sketchy knowledge, however, of the Greek/Roman myths, so I perhaps missed many of the classical allusions. Definitely a 5 star read though for its wonderful descriptive quality.