Stories of Circe & Achilles as told by Madeline Miller

Circe

Though Achilles was Miler's first book I got to Circe first and was immediately hooked - the environment she created with her words was ethereal and other worldly. Circe is a book that's set in dense fog with the light only on the sentence you are reading- it was intense but so ideal for the story - a journey into one's self.

The story itself was new to me, never had heard this name in greek mythology, apparently it is common knowledge in the context of the sirens but was a first for me. Circe, born of a sea nymph and a god is a sorceress allows her emotions (jealousy) to dictate on whom and how the powers will be unleashed; is harshly punished. Exiled for eternity to solitude on an unnamed island, she builds her home and spends eternity honing her sorcery. A never-ending story as Circe is immortal. Her life and encounters with others are documented in this book to one point of arrival - her tryst with Oedipus. The story seemed very personal to Miller, the inner monologues of Circe, her struggle with standing up for herself and battling the law of the gods, her assertion of independence despite the desperate need for a loved one; all too real. At many points the author and the muse seem like one.

Circe's life on the island is filled with experiments of understanding the flora and fauna in order to create remedies and potions, musings on the nature of her emotions and most importantly, her weaving; on which she says, “the simplicity and skill at once…your hands must be busy, and your mind sharp and free".

It was love at first read for me, and I am sure the second read will happen momentarily.

The song of Achilles

The tonality in this book and the environment are not as palpable as it is in Circe. The language is lighter and straightforward. The layers in Circe and the multiple interpretations and allusions are missing. The tone is ideal for this story - teenage love.

A love story at its best and a justifier of selfishness (in the name of love) at its worst.

Again a new story for me, told in the voice of Achilles' lover, Patroclus (Miller follows this narrative though many others go only as far as calling Patroclus a companion of Achilles'). It is a love of two young boys discovering and acknowledging their sexuality and homosexuality. Patroclus's constant awe of Achilles physical prowess, God-like beauty (son of a mortal king and a sea goddess) and rockstar music abilities is juvenile (not in a good or bad way) and sweet. Their learning together, growing up with each other and the importance given to understanding each other makes us believe they are grown men and not young boys. The relationship is really well articulated and relatable.

Achilles is know to be the best warrior of his times and is prophesied to die young but famous - seems a bit millennial to me. Patroclus and Achilles brooding mother's job becomes to fret and worry about the prophesy. The subsequent war that they get pulled into to 'rescue' Helen of Troy (fun note: Otto Skutsch has advanced the theory that the name Helen might have two separate etymologies, which belong to different mythological figures respectively, namely *Sṷelenā (related to Sanskrit svaraṇā "the shining one") and *Selenā, the first a Spartan goddess, connected to one or the other natural light phenomenon) makes for the rest of the book, ending on as human a note there is.

It was a story to know and to build/add to my own network of Greek mythology. The expectation was set with Circe so was a bit disappointed that I couldn't find a way to go deeper with this book.

Waiting for her next book. Miller is a master at creating the 'mahoul'.