Well, there are multiple reasons why I struggled with this one (even though it's beautifully written!), which honestly disappointed me BIG TIME because I absolutely loved The Song of Achilles. :(

Disclaimer: I'm not that deep into Greek mythology and yes, I'm aware that the patriarchy is obviously a topic here as well. But this is still an adaptation, so I feel like the author could've taken a few liberties here and there. ☝🏻🤓

Which brings me to my main issue: Circe being male-centred. 🫠 Maybe it's because I was expecting the story of a naive young woman who makes a lot of mistakes, learns from them, grows into her power, embraces her magic and eventually realizes that she does not necessarily need anyone and that she can love herself, yada yada yada …

But instead, I felt like I got a naive young woman making a lot of mistakes, kinda repeating them and not really seeming to learn from them (in a time span of a few decades, mind you!) and whose entire likability is built almost exclusively on the reader pitying her because everyone treats her so, so terribly. (Which, in general, is a storytelling „technique“ (?) I tend to dislike a lot, especially when it feels, to me, as overdone as it did here) Aaaand, on top of that, she throws herself at every man who shows her even the slightest form of affection. 🤪

Please don't get me wrong: finding love and being empowered can absolutely coexist! But to me, Circe came across as the type of person who always needs someone else in her life to feel complete and fulfilled and personally, that just doesn't read as a particularly strong character to me. Even now, thinking about her, I can't really tell you who exactly Circe really is. Like ... what makes Circe Circe? :/

On top of that, I felt like the witchcraft aspect (and again, Circe as a character and her personality) came way too short, since the story focused a lot on other Greek myths. Which is fine btw, just not what I expected! She just wasn't the powerful, feminist, whimsical protagonist I had been hoping for. 🙃

⚠️ ⚠️ Minor spoiler ⚠️ ⚠️

Oh and I also need to get one more thing off my chest: I found more than one of her decisions throughout the book highly questionable, so I often couldn't relate to her, like at all... I mean … the endgame love interest?!?! Bro, if you'd ask me, Penelope is the real victim in this book, cause wtf. 💀😂