Eight years after author Madeline Miller released her creative, feminist portrayal of the the Greek goddess and sorcerer Circe, comes “Mestra,” Miller’s take on the story of the shape shifting daughter of the King of Thessaly, first noted in Ovid’s “Metamorphosis.
Part horror, part adventure, part suspense, it’s also the story of a father-daughter relationship gone terribly wrong. And it’s a morality play: are we bound to save a family member whose curse has been befallen them through their own hubris and arrogance? Miller reimagines a powerful female figure whose gifts and talents are worthy of celebration.
Miller joins host Robin Young to discuss the book, as well as Miller’s debilitating bout with long COVID-19, and her delight that the recent Barry Nolan “Odyssey” movie has brought the Greek classics back into the mainstream.
This article was originally published on WBUR.org.
Copyright 2026 WBUR