I want to preface this review by saying that I read Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles and absolutely loved it, but that I also knew from that book and going into Circe that I wasn't a massive fan of her writing style.
so where TSOA shone, I think Circe fell a bit flat, but that will certainly not be the case for everyone who reads this book.

I think that Circe is a really interesting character. her story, her deeds, and her misfortunes make for a really entertaining life that she lead and a really fascinating character to learn more about. while I had fun reading this, I don't think this retelling did her justice. I think that a fantasy/YA-ified retelling isn't a good conduit for the stories of the gods, as fantastical and insane as they are. it's incredibly tough to write about hundreds of thousands years passing in a "normal" way, and to paint the picture of her transforming her crush into a god because she could as serious. the appeal of these ancient greek stories that surround the gods is that they're ridiculous and out of this world, and when you put them into a book that's meant to say they're actually happening and actually serious, it just loses some of the power of the original stories.

Madeline Miller's writing style is very detached. it works in some books like TSOA (

Patroclus HAS to be detached from reality and ignorant to what Achilles is doing and how insane he is, because Patroclus HAS to love Achilles, without that love, he has nothing. additionally, for them both to be mortal, neither one is summoning monsters or doing magic. they are fighting to survive. so a detached style fits that book and the actions a bit better

), but in Circe it just made it feel a bit bland. I didn't get the emotions that I wanted, and the adventures just didn't hit as hard as they did in her other book. it was still meaningful and had purpose, but I didn't love it. 

if she ever releases another retelling of a hero or a man/demigod, I'll probably pick it up. but I wouldn't gravitate towards a retelling of a god.