I'd still recommend it, especially to anyone who loves the original story or loves Mythology in general which I do. I would like to read more of this author's work. I have not read anything by her and I wonder if she has written any other reimagined Mythological fables. I'd love to see more so if anyone reading this knows of any, let me know. I'd love to see one about Echo and Narcissus and Atalanta and Meleager.

Galatea is this brave, beautiful, intelligent person, surviving Pygmalion's wrath and oppression for so long, and trying to shield her daughter from him. She figured out how to manipulate him, to get him to do what she wanted without him realising, something she applied on others as well. Even though her first attempt at escaping his clutches with her daughter failed, the second time was final. She may have sacrificed herself to punish and end him, but she saved her daughter and the newest statue come alive, that of a disturbingly young girl, also created by Pygmalion for his own pleasure. There was nothing more satisfying than reading about her holding him tightly in place with her marble strength as they both sunk underwater and she watched him drown slowly, imagined him being feasted on by the aquatic life as she was left intact (because she's marble). But, also reading about her slowly feeling the cold creeping up her limbs and losing her senses. I cried, guys. I cried hard. Madeline Miller really has a great way of bringing to life this ancient setting and weaving the myths we know and have read with her own thoughts, filling in the blanks, sometimes changing a few details in the process.

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Everyone looked at me, because I was the most beautiful woman in the town. I don’t say this to boast, because there is nothing in it to boast of. It was nothing I did myself.” I felt him looking at me, admiring his work. He had not carved me like this, but he was imagining doing it. A beautiful statue, named The Supplicant.”― Madeline Miller, Galatea

His insistence for her to be compliant and grateful is incongruous with the reality of her being an independent woman with an interior life and not merely a statue who’s entire identity is bent towards serving his desire: Original, clever and in a class of its own … It does what the best novels do – it transports you to another world’ Independent So, this is a very strong short story. I would love to see more like it from Miller, a collection of them would certainly be great. For now, I will continue to read everything she writes.

Indeed, she takes an otherwise silent female character and gives her a voice and a story. Galatea was made from stone by a sculptor. He created her and prayed for her to come to life and his wish was granted by the gods. In Ovid’s version they get married and live happily ever after, but his narrative is problematic. What about Galatea wishes? Miller gives that consideration here. Galatea was physically made and sculped to be one man’s ideal: he made her to serve his every whim. It never occurred to him that maybe, just maybe, she might want something different from life. I will forever and ever and ever love Madeline Miller. It's like she's incapable of writing anything less than perfect. She is absolutely amazing, even though she always rips my heart right out of my chest and crushes it between her fingers using only her words. It's the toxic kind of love between us but I could never walk away. It's why I based my bachelor's dissertation on her books. I mean, how could I not? They are masterpieces. So much better than the other short story of hers I read today - might be because of how much I have thought about this myth in the past as opposed to the other. People began to talk about the sculptor’s wife, and how strange she was, and how such beauty comes only from the gods.’