Book 38 Circe

 

Circe by Madeline Miller fulfilled the category “Book about Witches” for the PopSugar 2022 Reading Challenge. Oh my God, the books about witches that I read… Way too many, to say the least. I also read The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike, and Dark Witch by Nora Roberts. I had Circe down for “Book about the Afterlife,” but “Witch” made better sense.

Let me mention why I read and reread for the category. I wanted a brilliant story to share, but I wanted to check some items off my TBR list. The Witches of Eastwick was a magnificent film with a stellar cast. I dove into the novel expecting Cher and Jack Nicholson. The book and movie were not the same. Only about a half-dozen times have I liked the movie more than the novel (Practical Magic, Fight Club, Umbrella Academy, and now The Witches of Eastwick.) The story didn’t have an adversarial relationship between the witches and Jack. I thought the women taking power was the best message in the film. The book didn’t have that. So I grabbed another.

Romance, I thought! I’ll read a Nora book. She always has great witches in her books. Dark Witch failed to thrill me. The premise is about an ancient curse between a witch and a warlock. The family must come together again to save themselves from the dark power. Iona Sheehan goes to Ireland to start over. She has no plans for her future, but she has ties to the region. She meets her cousins and gets a job at a local horse farm. There are huge sparks between her and her boss. But honestly, the story didn’t thrill me. I wonder if it was the reader for the audiobook. She tended to scream out the spells the witches cast and read the Irish accents oddly. So I read another book. 

I had Discovery of Witches also on the list. Looking at the twenty-four hours of listening time curdled my stomach. Not that I’ll never read that one, but with two already under my belt, I worried about another dud. I put it aside and grabbed Circe for the afterlife prompt. It didn’t fit, but Circe was undoubtedly a witch.

Finally! 

I enjoyed this retelling of classic Greek mythology. We learn who Circe really was, from her beginnings to her rise to power to her choice of where she belongs in this world. I loved her journey, growth, and the woman she became. The book is perfect for the prompt, as Circe doesn’t understand her powers and grows into them. She becomes a witch because she explores who she is and how she can use her power. She must deal with gods, men, and monsters. I love how the story tied so many myths to the woman.

For all the witches, here’s a quick recount:

The Witches of Eastwick by John Updike Four Savory Spells because it’s not anyone’s fault the movie is better.

Dark Witch by Nora Roberts Four Calling Spells ending with “so mote it be” because it’s not Nora’s fault the reader was meh.

Circe by Madeline Miller Five Little Piggies to go with tradition.