Galatea

A Short Story

eBook, 27 pages

English language

Published Nov. 13, 2022 by HarperCollins Publishers.

ISBN:
978-0-06-328051-9
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OCLC Number:
1305911791

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4 stars (2 reviews)

In Ancient Greece, a skilled marble sculptor has been blessed by a goddess who has given his masterpiece – the most beautiful woman the town has ever seen – the gift of life. Now his wife, Galatea is expected to be obedience and humility personified, but it is not long before she learns to use her beauty as a form of manipulation. In a desperate bid by her obsessive husband to keep her under control, she is locked away under the constant supervision of doctors and nurses. But with a daughter to rescue, she is determined to break free, whatever the cost…

6 editions

short and to the point

4 stars

This is only a short a story but it comes in the form of a small book with beuatiful cover art. A friend lent it to me. It lays bare the dark underbelly of an antique myth. Other modern takes on the story usually focus on Galatea's creator and husband Pygmalion. It's also a realistic take on how horrible men could be to their wives in Ancient Greece. Doesn't need a lot of words to sketch out the world of Galatea and what's been happening. I also liked all the allusions to being made out of stone and what that would mean in reality.

Goodreads Review of Galatea by Madeline Miller

3 stars

This was a wonderful, quick little jaunt into Madeline Miller's work. I loved the story, but with it being so short, it of course left me wanting more. Don't let the three stars fool you, this was good, but there really was no time to explore anything in any depth. Because there wasn't much depth to it, I anticipate its impact won't stick with me for long. And that's not a dig at short stories in general, I think decisions could have been made about the narrative to make it more impactful, but alas here we are. Anyway, Madeline Miller remains one of my favorite authors and, in my opinion, continues to be the master in the genre of mythological retellings and I will continue to read whatever she writes.