Madeline Miller seems to write in such a timeless way that is simultaneously modern and representative of a recreation of older text. I've enjoyed Circe and Son of Achilles even more because of her elegant use of words, and after reading certain lines, I just have to pause for a second and reread how beautifully she is able to craft a sentence. As for the character and storyline development, I really enjoyed how Circe grew throughout this book. I admittingly tend to have a problem with female leads in novels because of how they are portrayed as outlandishly strong-headed and overly brave and ruthless. For Circe, I had to read through her weak stages to see her finally develop into a woman of character and passion. It also gave me a glimpse into motherhood, which I thought Madeline Miller portrayed beautifully. And lastly, I love how Miller really put in perspective the meaningfulness of being alive and being human. This was a really enthralling read for me (but admittingly, for me, not as enticing as her other work -- Song of Achillies).

"He does not mean that it does not hurt. He does not mean that we are not frightened. Only that: we are here. This is what it means to swim in the tide, to walk the earth and feel it touch your feet. This is what it means to be alive.hfgf"

“When we are young, we think ourselves the first to have each feeling in the world."