Book: Mestra
Author: Madeline Miller
Published: September 29, 2026
Format: Amazon Kindle
Genre: Fantasy/Reimagine Greek Mythology
Drink: Sports Alkaline Water, but up to me: 2024 Leia Cabernet Sauvignon
Time: One Hour
Rating: 🍷🍷🍷🍷out of 5 wine glasses or Sprouts water bottle
I am back! I finished this book during my lunch break and then after work. I am a sucker for a Madeline Miller book. Being able to read her
Mestra is based on the myth of the King of Thessaly, Erysichthon. If you know the myth, Erysichthon cut down the sacred trees of Demeter. She cursed him with insatiable hunger. Ovid Metamorphoses recounts the story from Mestra, his daughter’s point of view. In Miller, retelling, we see a daughter whose only caregiver psychologically abuses her. I was enthralled by Mestra and the trauma she endured. If Galeta looked into the psychological trauma of an abusive husband, and choosing yourself even if it means death. Mestra is a master class in understanding the psyche of psychological abuse by a parent.
Not only does it highlight psychological abuse, but it also highlights the dangerous nature of sex trafficking and empathy. Mestra has immense empathy for her only living parent. She wants to be the dutiful daughter that is drilled into women’s heads. Her father is the worst abuser I have witnessed among the 4 books I have read in the Miller collection. I found myself wanting to scream at Mestra to run, leave, find someone that will love you. Each time, she chooses to stay with her father until the end. This is one of the few books that, in fewer than 80 pages, gives you a complete story, with a protagonist who wants freedom but also wants to help her father because he will be all alone. A father, so deep in his psychosis and narcissism, that you wish he would choke on air.
Throughout the story, Mestra shows signs of willingness to leave, to run away, and start her life anew, but the abuse and trauma creep back up, and the character defaults back to wanting to take care of her father. Each time she chooses what is familiar, we, as readers, sigh with regret that she isn’t free. She is a prisoner of her trauma, not realizing she could leave and be free without a second thought.
The story also features how men take advantage of a person’s unfavorable situation. Yes, Mestra is assaulted by the God Poseidon. At this point, he makes Zeus look like a nice guy with a sex addiction over his brother. He does bestow a gift upon her, but it doesn’t take away that he assaulted a woman in a vulnerable position. As the book progresses, only a few people aren’t disgusted by Mestra. But the majority of men are horrible, paying pennies on the dollar to defile and harm her. Mestra’s father coordinates everything, with little thought for his ‘daughter’s ‘ psyche. He chastises her for not being better or getting more money.
Suppose you are triggered by trafficking, sexual exploration, or any abuse. This book, through careful and well-written prose, is not for you. Miller explores these themes with nuance but reminds you that the victim is caught in a cycle of gaslighting and appeasement to the abuser, and it’s not as simple as walking away when the only person you know who loves you also harms you.
I read this book during my lunch break and after work; it’s 80 pages, and it’s a very quick read. Suppose I had to read it again, this rainy weekend. I would have sipped it with the 2024 Leia Cabernet Sauvignon. It perfectly symbolizes the bitter nature of Erysichthon’s personality; with notes of tobacco and leather, it feels like a bitter older adult mad at life. The notes of dark berries such as cherries and blueberries remind me of Mestra’s kind nature, but it has a slight spiciness when she finds the will to stand up and protect herself.
All in all, if you are a fan of Madeline Miller’s writing, this book is for you; it takes you on a full journey to freedom, while being realistic that it’s not easy for an abused person to walk away from their abuser. Pair it with a nice red wine and enjoy your weekend.
Until Next Time,
Che Michelle
