Circe

I feel like I've heard almost nothing but praise for this and Song of Achilles over the last few years. Song of Achilles has been on my list for a good while, but I happened on this in a little free library so I read it first.

Once I began approaching this as a series of short stories, rather than a single novel, I started having a better time. I think the chapter layout of this robs it a little, because while there are threads that weave throughout, big chunks of the book have nothing to do with the others. It felt like 3-4 short stories.

It probably sounds bad, but I feel like the novel didn't really hit its stride until just before Odysseus appeared. Perhaps that is because the mythology of Odysseus's interaction with Circe provides a firmer scaffolding. Perhaps I'm just too attached to the Odyssey. Who's to say?

Certainly, the back half (and more particularly the final third) is the best part of the book. The first third felt very slow, very boring. Hearing of the gods and titans is fun, but I found Circe kind of annoying, and not very interesting. That said, we definitely get a lot of character growth out of Circe throughout. The Circe at the end is not the Circe at the beginning and this is one of the better character developments I have seen written. Perhaps I enjoyed the final third so much because of all the things set down in the first 2/3rds that I found only passing.

I will probably read Song of Achilles when I can find some time. Once I got through the first third, the book came into its own.