Goodreads is the largest online home for readers, with book lovers regularly checking in to note the status of their TBR lists and review their recent reads. The interactive bookshelf behemoth lets readers track their own reading progress while also connecting with other bookworms and stay on top of the latest book news.
Recently, Goodreads shared its rating and shelving data with ScreenRant, allowing them to quantify some of the best books of the last decade. With an average rating of 4.22 stars, along with 1.4 million ratings, 140,000 reviews, and 3 million shelvings, author Madeline Miller’s epic mythological retelling novel, Circe, can officially be called the Goodreads “Best Fantasy Book of the Decade.”
Circeis a feminist, epic and mythic retelling of mythology from the perspective of Circe, the sun god Helios’s daughter. After she is born, Circe is looked at as strange and weak and nothing like her powerful parents. After turning to the mortal world, she discovers she possesses the forbidden power of witchcraft. Zeus banishes her to the island of Aiaia, where Circe hones her craft, and transforms from her once timid self into a fully autonomous sorceress who crosses paths with many of the most famous figures in all of mythology.
Upon its release in 2018, Circe was a number one New York Times bestseller, a number one Indie bestseller, received a starred review from Publishers Weekly, a starred review from Library Journal, and was on several notable anticipated lists. The Sunday Timessaid the novel was, “poised to become the literary sensation of the summer, as much for the quality of its writing as its timeliness.”
Madeline Miller was inspired to write the novel due to her own personal disappointment in the character of Circe’s treatment in mythology, specifically in The Odyssey. “Odysseus has told his story for the last 3,000 years—it was time for Circe to speak for herself,“ the bestselling author said of her sophomore book.
In 2019, Circe was optioned by HBO Max for an eight-part mini-series to be written and produced by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver of Jurassic World, Avatar: The Way of Water, and Mulan. As of 2026, the production is stuck in development limbo and there have been no further updates.
Related: ‘Full of Heart and Wonder’: GMA Book Club Names a Genre-Blending Must-Read for May 2026
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This story was originally published by Parade on May 19, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
