Circe
by Madeline Miller · Narrated by Perdita Weeks
Editorial book review — not a firsthand listening review. Audio performance is not scored; verify the selected edition at the retailer.
"A patient, sensuous retelling that gives Homer's witch a self of her own."
Banished to a lonely island for crimes against the gods, Circe spends centuries learning sorcery, outlasting mortal visitors, and crossing paths with figures from Greek myth including Odysseus, the Minotaur, and her own fractious family. Madeline Miller builds a slow, interior epic out of a character who was a minor obstacle in the Odyssey.
The novel's pleasures are patience and voice: Circe's long solitude is rendered with real texture, and her transformation from overlooked nymph to formidable witch feels earned rather than declared. Readers unfamiliar with the source myths will still follow the story easily, though those who know the Odyssey will catch extra resonance in how Miller reframes familiar scenes.
The English Audible edition is narrated by Perdita Weeks and runs about 12 hours 8 minutes. This is an editorial assessment of the book, not a review of that narration. Recommended for readers who enjoy mythological retellings with a strong, singular narrative voice.
