Book: Galatea
Author: Madeline Miller
Published: November 08, 2022
Drink choice: 2024 Brine from Old Westminster Winery
Type of Book: A Short Story
Stand Alone, Series, or Other: Stand Alone
Genre: Fantasy Fiction
How long did it take me to read this book: 1 hour!
Audible/Google/Spotify audiobooks: No, but it is available on these Platforms.
Overall rating: 🍷🍷🍷🍷out of Five Wine glasses
One positive outcome of my unexpected time off is that I was able to read and finish a book in one sitting. A book I bought two years ago on a whim has been completed. It’s Madeline Miller’s short story, “Galatea.” If you love Greek Mythology, this is part of Ovid’s narrative poem, “Metamorphoses”. In Ovid’s poem, the story of Pygmalion, a sculptor, tired of whores and “loose” women, falls in love with a sculpture he created. He places offerings of food, clothing, and wine at the feet of his sculpture. There is a scene in the poem that describes him fondling and caressing the cold ivory. Until the Goddess Aphrodite blesses her with life. Pygmalion marries the sculpture and lives happily ever after with his wife. There are other Greek myths feature Galatea but Ovid’s version is the most widely accepted and popular among scholars. When finding themes within the poem, I can understand why Ovid’s is the most popular. To me, it rewards a man for cultivating a woman in his image of love, and the goddess/universe rewards him for his loneliness. Ovid’s original poem rewards purity culture and misogyny.
In Madeline Miller’s book, we see the after effects of being Pygmalion’s wife. We meet Galatea after she has given birth to a child for Pygmalion, Paphos. In the book, you find themes of abuse, distrust, and a husband who treats his wife’s life as a rare keepsake to be locked away from prying eyes. The book is written in a simple, loving way, with the horrors of emotional and mental abuse woven in as Galatea tries to offset her husband’s rage. I love reading Miller’s books; they are written with such gravitas to Greek Mythology, while exploring themes of abuse, love, and the human experience. This is a very short read; I finished this short story in one hour, just sitting on my couch drinking morning coffee. It’s a quick, impactful story, each line making you wonder what is about to happen. The ending is perfect for a woman who desires freedom for her daughter more than she does for herself.
When I think of the Galatea story, it reminds me of Mariah Carey’s first marriage to Tommy Mottola. How Mottola controlled every aspect of her life, while hiding her from the world until the time to do performances or to make an album. Both stories, one fiction, the other non-fiction, highlight the issue of misogyny and abuse. The enablers that are needed to hide the abuse from others, but also each woman’s desire for freedom. How each woman achieved her freedom through her own means. Honestly, both women drew strength from an unseen power (God, the Universe, or the Goddess). They were blessed with the opportunity and strength to escape from their captors. Read Miller’s Afterword about why she wrote Galatea; it’s powerful and a damning reminder that in a world that rewards misogyny, there is a person who deals with the ugly belly side of misogyny.
If you can read this book, I suggest the 2024 Old Westminster Winery wine “Brine”. It’s within the vein of a Vinho Verde, with notes of Lime and Peach. A blend of Riesling and Chardonnay that can be described as tart, oceanic, and refreshing. 2024 Brine fully encapsulates Madeline Miller’s book, with her fresh take on Galatea and how she takes her power back from her abuser. If you want to read Mariah Carey’s memoir, here is a link to my earlier blog à https://chemichelletales.com/2025/10/02/mariah-carey-memoir-a-journey-of-resilience/
Until Next Time,
Che Michelle
Che-Michelle Tales 
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