Circe, Unpacked

Original paperback edition with unlaminated artboard cover and flaps

The figures of ancient myths are trapped in the legend of their most public facing moments – but no one is only a headline, not even a Goddess. All at once humane and yet terrifyingly powerful, Circe, Unpacked uncovers the inner lives of these giant figures. 
‘We do not wait
for the perfect day
To sing’

The figures of ancient myths are trapped in the legend of their most public facing moments – but no one is only a headline, not even a Goddess.

All at once humane and yet terrifyingly powerful, Circe, Unpacked uncovers the inner lives of these giant figures. 
 
Through the fleeting, the beautiful, the natural, the mysterious and the astonishing magic of living, these are the voices behind forgotten tales and great legends, humanised, but not at all domesticated.

'I hold out
a portion of grace
to you.
It’s round
and firm as a pomegranate.'

*Praise for Later, Icarus*
‘Beautiful ... an immersive journey’
‘Every line resonates ... I began to read, couldn’t stop’
‘Tenderness, humanity and delight’
‘Accessible, memorable poems, which come from a place of silence’ - Dr Nick O’Brien in The Journal of Classics Teaching

About the author: Elizabeth McManus is a poet and artist of Irish and Scottish descent, currently living in the north west of England. She read English at Hertford College, Oxford. Committed to full time creative practice, Elizabeth explores, in her poetry and artworks, ways to convey that each person and their story has dignity, that every day is precious and that life is a vivid and significant experience. She is the author of Later, Icarus (2024) and Circe, Unpacked (2026)