From a side character to a protagonist in her own right, Circe takes center stage in Madeline Miller’s feminist retelling of Homer’s Odyssey.

Throughout the novel, we see the young goddess flourish—if you ignore a few bumps in the road—into a powerful sorceress. Miller masterfully expands the titular character’s identity from an obstacle in Odysseus’s path to an individual with hopes and dreams, like you and I.

Without spoiling the book, I can tell you that Circe’s story truly begins when she bestows immortality upon a mortal man she’s besotted with, only to have him fawn after a beautiful nymph. Wrought with rage, she transforms the nymph into a horrific monster. Zeus, fearful of powers that may be more powerful than the gods, exiles her to a deserted island of Aiaia, where she is to live out the rest of her immortal life.

I would rate Circe 5/5 stars hands down! My favorite part of the book is the complex relationship between Circe and her son, Telegonus. She just wants to keep him safe from all who seek to harm him because he is her only family member that doesn’t disregard her or treat her poorly. On the other hand, Telegonus grows up to be an unruly teen wanting to be free from his controlling mother. And Circe must come to terms with the fact that she will live forever while her mortal son will age and die.

My only criticism is that for such a “feminist” book, the titular character doesn’t have many positive relationships with women. For most of the significant male characters that Circe interacts with or befriends, she beds them before they leave Aiaia. However, it is understandable because her character can’t deviate too much from the source material.

If you are a fan of Greek mythology and/or enjoyed reading The Song of Achilles, this book is 100% for you.