Madeline Miller tackles the Pygmalion tale with her latest, "Galatea," an e short due out from Ecco on August 13.In the story, told from the perspective of Galatea herself and set ten years after her creation, we discover that all is not well with Galatea and her husband. She has been imprisoned and is under the careful watch of a doctor and his nurse assistants, none of whom believe she was created from stone. Her health is supposed to be fragile (a ruse of sorts meant to keep her captive). But Galatea longs for freedom and the company of her daughter. How does one escape a man who has become a monster, though?
I must admit this is one tale that I don't have much familiarity with. I know of the various adaptations and plays but have never seen any of them to date, so Miller's tale was not only a fresh perspective but something of an introduction to this story for me.
I loved Galatea as a character in Miller's version of the story. Not only do you get a vivid description of how she experiences the world - as a person brought to life from stone - but her internal dialogue, the thoughts she keeps safely hidden away from others while manipulating them outwardly, is especially entertaining.
I would say that I look forward to more of this kind of thing from Miller, but that means that I have to admit (ashamedly) that I've not yet had the pleasure of reading Miller's award-winning debut, The Song of Achilles! In the wake of reading "Galatea," The Song of Achilles has become a must for my TBR. (There's an excerpt of The Song of Achilles included with "Galatea" to give you a taste of what to expect.)
Rating: 4/5
4 comments:
Really glad to see your review of Miller's new offering, because I've been eying it. I read SONG OF ACHILLES and loved it.
I just glanced at my TBR pile and now feel faint. Man, I better pick up the pace! I've been reading Virginia Woolf's ORLANDO and JACOB'S FOLLY by Rebecca Miller, a great combo.
What's next for you, Becky?
I am so indecisive of late, Georgette! I started a Philippa Gregory title - I'd had high hopes of getting into the Cousins War series before the show starts this weekend (and that didn't really happen). I've got a book of short stories by Michael Marshall Smith that I'm ready to dive into and I have a ton of enticing stuff for review but I'm having a hard time settling on one in particular!
I know that feeling, it's like your brain is overloaded by too many choices.
I read Michael Marshall Smith's THE STRAW MEN and THE INTRUDERS. I like that guy.
Ooh I did not know that she had released another story!! Must get my hands on this. I read Song of Achilles recently and it was really good.. I love classics story adaptions! Thanks for the heads up :) Great review!
Laura @ What's Hot?
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