Circe is like step-mother porn written by Greek bards.
Every year the bards update it using rumors, war stories and pressure from powerful Gods. The only difference between a 21st century 4K video and this is that the first will get you horny while the later will question your humanity and you'll think hard about how lucky we mortals are from immortal Gods.
The prose is beautiful like a diamond necklace worn by the most beautiful brides. The writing is lovely and characters, strong and unique. Feminism plays a central theme. Love is the reason for everything — war, suffering, death and happiness. Love connects all emotions. Love soars above every emotion.
Circe isn't a 30 min video you can skip to the juicy parts.
Circe is almost 21st century Odyssey compressed in ~400 pages. From her birth to death, from her first love to last, from her first child to her last, from her first tear to a river of them, from her first bout of insanity to being consumed in madness, from her first wonder to amazement, from her first time being Caesar to her being Brutus, from magic to witchcraft, from abuse to laughter, from herbs to fruits, from freedom to exile, from Godhood to being free.
Circe is a strong book and I respect the mature and important topics the author manages to touch. I would like to write just about two of them.
It made me understand more of the suffering of women in the male dominated world. My village is a burning example why we need strong laws for equality of women. My village is traditional, superstitious and very very anti feminist. Women are not free in my land and the tales I hear send shivers down my spine and the horrors undress me naked. Misogyny is free instead of equality.
My village needs a witch — no, witches and powerful witchcraft to end the tyranny and give justice to the fallen angels.
Second, mortality. Humans are mortal thus life has reason, dreams and emotions. Nothing makes sense when time doesn't trouble you — in fact neglects you. We humans are lucky to be caressed by time and I believe death is just another way of time saying that it loves us all dearly.
I know this is just too deep and philosophical given that I started this review with a cringe one-liner hoping you would stick till here and before you go I would like to end this with an even cringer one.
Do yourself a favor and rather than getting a month of subscription of your favorite porno — get this book and indulge yourself in some enchating Greek Mythology, fine writing like expensive wine, exquisite tales of war and treachery, enough incest for your lifetime, magic to hunt monsters in your nightmares, a better understanding of women to up your dating skills, unethical life tips for your unfair life and an ultimate climax that is just drop dead gorgeous.
Ankit.
October, 2021.