Galatea
Ratings218
Average rating3.9
I fully admit I read this to keep up with my Goodreads goal for the year. It's also been on my to-read list ever since I finished Circe and Song of Achilles, so it wasn't entirely picked for ulterior reasons. I'm actually glad I gave this a chance, it was very short but also very engaging.
It takes the name from a Nereid from mythology, but as far as I can tell, the rest of the story has nothing to do with the actual (fairly sparse) story. It's actually more like a perspective-flipped Pygmalion, which is acknowledged by the author in the afterword and in other reviews here.
It was actually kind of a super creepy story that I expected to go a different way. I kept reading (for the half hour or so I spent with it) to find out where things were headed, and didn't even mind that it's a bit lacking in depth.
So, not only did it keep me and my arbitrary Goodreads goal afloat another week, I actually really enjoyed it. Definitely read either Circe or Song of Achilles first if you haven't yet, but this is a nice little bite-sized story after you're done with those.
Galatea is an incredible short story. The story is based on a Greek tale Metamorphoses. A (male) sculptor creates a (woman) sculpture so beautiful it comes to life and they live happily ever after. She has no agency, nor a name.
Millers version is told from the woman’s point of view living with a controlling man. It feels like it could be a Colleen Hoover story, yet keeps its fantastical tone of Millers other works.
The afterward ties directly to this theme:
For millennia there have been men who react with horror and disgust to women's independence, men who desire women yet hate them, and who take refuge in fantasies of purity and control. What would it be like to live with such a man as your husband?
Rating Description:
1.0 - DNF/Despise
1.5 - Almost DNFed and wish I had
2.0 - Almost DNFed but had redeeming qualities/just boring
2.5 - Alright with lots of notes
3.0 - Alright with notes but I'm not raving about it
3.5 - Technically good but I'm not raving about it
4.0 - Technically good, and/or I enjoyed it a lot
4.5 - Loved it, I wanted to highlight lines in the book but still with notes
5.0 - Loved it, I wanted to highlight lines in the book, and notes are very positive
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This was a well-done story. If it was longer, I would probably love it as much as Song of Achilles. But, alas, it is just a short story.
Despite the length, it did give us a compelling look into the life of a woman so trapped by her “husband”. The man was not only controlling, he was a woman hater who sees value in women so long as they fit in the extremely narrow parameters he sets for them.
This book was not just a retelling. It’s a commentary on the wild and harmful rhetoric and philosophy of the red-pill movement. This isn’t just about incels. It’s about men who use women and then blame them for being used.
Short and sweet. Galatea in about 30 minutes creates this tragic tale that gets you hooked and ends so quickly you're left wanting more.
A nice starter course before I get to Circe and Achilles
oh this was amazing. I loooooved the afterword and I'm so glad she included the context of the original myth and why she wrote this!!!!
Beautiful and dark, with all the complex emotions (cough trauma responses) under the surface that I've associated with Madeline Miller's work since first reading Circe.
Look, Madeline Miller is at the forefront of mythological retellings and I intend to read everything she writes. Galatea is a short story, but it packs all of the depth and perspective of Miller's full-length novels. It's the perfect size for the story, but it also just makes me wish there was another story to follow it. Alas, we'll just have to keep waiting.
“The term ‘incel' wasn't in wide circulation when I wrote this, but Pygmalion is certainly a prototype.” LMFAOOOO
beautifully written, extremely sad. Madeline Miller's retellings capture the beauty and simplicity of greek myths while totally rejecting their premises, it's awesome
Upped star rating from 4 to 5. The story is more powerful the longer I think on it.
Well I’m not exactly sure what the purpose of this was. It’s incredibly short, so I’m glad I got it from the library rather than spending money on it. It’s hard for it to not feel like a money grab. It’s also one of those “look how terrible men are” stories. It’s supposedly feminist while Galatea herself seems to lack a brain. Which, I get it, she’s a statue, but you can’t have it both ways. There was some unnecessary vulgarity I thought. It’s okay for a less than half hour read.
This is a VERY short story reimagining the myth of Galatea and Pygmalion - and honestly the afterward is what makes this short story worth it to me. I recommend it as a must read for that.
Format read: hardcoverReading time: 1hTags: historical fiction, trauma, Greek mythology, retellingOwn a copy: yesReread likelihood: 0/10What a strange read. Like most people, I'm a fan of Miller's work (especially [b:The Song of Achilles 13623848 The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357177533l/13623848.SY75.jpg 16176791]), but this short story was just weird and off the mark. Miller's story is a contemporary retelling of the Pygmalion myth. In the original myth, Pygmalion, a sculptor, creates the perfect woman out of ivory as a response to his disdain for prostitutes. Aphrodite brings his creation to life, and the two marry and have a child (and live happily ever after).By comparison, this short story is told from the perspective of Galatea (the statue-turned-human) as she is interned in what appears to be a psychiatric hospital. We learn that her husband, Pygmalion, has put her there after she tried to escape from him. Pygmalion is shown to be an abusive, controlling man with a penchant for young girls below the age of 15 (yikes).This story is hailed by many as a feminist take on the myth, but Galatea's brand of feminism is strange at best. She grovels, begs, and apologizes to the male doctor and her husband continuously, which you could argue that she's “playing the game” when she does so, but it comes off as cringeworthy instead. She often returns to her ‘original state' of being a stone statue as a sort of defense mechanism, but this only seems to be contrary to the feminist message she is supposed to embody. As for the ‘twist' at the end, I'm not sure it's as impactful as what it pretends to be. Galatea sacrifices herself for her own freedom, which is ironic. Murder is hardly the feminist response we want to encourage. Though she is portrayed as a loving mother throughout the story, the ending contradicts this as she now leaves her daughter orphaned. All in all, this short story just wasn't it for me in terms of what I've come to expect out of Miller's work.
Short and exquisite. The feminist twist needed for the myth, or truthfully, the only way it should be told.
TWs: Abortion, abuse, rape, suicideSuper short read that I tried before reading [b:The Song of Achilles 13623848 The Song of Achilles Madeline Miller https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1357177533l/13623848.SY75.jpg 16176791] and [b:Circe 35959740 Circe Madeline Miller https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1565909496l/35959740.SY75.jpg 53043399] this year! It was short yet vivid, haunting, and saddening. Would have loved a little more of a “punch” as I felt like it was lacking something.. Enjoyed the writing regardless!
Only complaint is that I wish this had been longer! Although works really well as a short story and very poignant. One of Madeline Miller's earlier works that I intended on reading on Kindle, though I was lucky to be gifted the beautiful hardcover edition this year.