Review | Galatea by Madeline Miller

I’m so bummed out this wasn’t a full novel … because it easily could have been. It was fascinating.

Galatea is a short story written Madeline Miller — yes, that Madeline Miller — that reinterprets the myth of Pygmalion.

According to the original story, Galatea was a statue carved by Pygmalion of Cyprus. Pygmalion falls in love with the statue … and Aphrodite winds up bringing it to life. The two fall in love, are joined in eternal mawwiage, and live happily ever after.

To which Miller said: Really? Hold my beer.

The story — though exceptionally short — is both brutal and haunting. Like Circe, it offers a gritty appraisal of femininity, motherhood, marriage, men, and domestic abuse. While firmly planted in the ancient world, it’s impossible to ignore certain parallels with today’s society …

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Favourite Quote:

“I’m always this colour,” I said. “Because I used to be made of stone.”

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Final Thoughts:

Galatea is one of Miller’s early works, and it shows in her style … but, is nonetheless an intriguing re-examination of a popular myth.

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The Details:

• The Book: Galatea by Madeline Miller
• Published: 2013, Ecco
• My Copy: KFPL
• Read date: February 9, 2020
• Rating/5: 🗽🗽🗽