Courtesy of: The Gaurdian
Posted April 28, 2019
Big Congrats to Madeline Miller, who’s Circe, a twist on the story of the witch who seduces Homer’s Odysseus, has been named to the shortlist for the 2019 Women’s Prize for Fiction – the most prestigious annual book award celebrating and honoring Women’s fiction. Founded in 1996, the Prize was set up to celebrate the originality, accessibility and excellence in writing by women and to connect world-class writers with readers everywhere. Madeline won the prize for her first novel, The Song of Achilles, in 2012.
In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft.
When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe’s place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home.
There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe’s independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love.
