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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Sypnosis

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Review:

Everyone knows the story of Achilles through the poem, The Illiad, but do you? Portrayed in the poem as a prideful, stubborn, bullying, and spiteful child, Achilles may have been the hero. Still, his lesser qualities have made him the talk of many Greek mythology classes. There are many different takes on Achilles throughout history and from the myths handed down through the years. The most famous is the weakness of his heel. In some mythology, he is cut down by an arrow blessed by the God Apollo that hits his fault - the tendon of his heel. In others, he is struck by an arrow while scaling the walls. Whichever it is, it ends his life and makes him the hero of the Trojan War.

But we don't know about Achille prior to The Illiad. There are no songs, poems, or stories told except what has been passed down by word of mouth and mythical legends. Madeline Miller fills in those gaps and gives us a glimpse of Achilles as a child. We see a vulnerable child. A prince who is prophesied to lead an army.

This story is not told through the eyes of Achilles. No, it is told by Patroclus. The two form a bond and become quite inseparable. We see a friendship become a bit something more. A loving bond of both brotherhood and lovers. This story does not shy away from the homosexual relationships that are often portrayed within Greek myths and stories. They are intricately important in both tales and Greek life. We get to see what Patroclus sees in Achilles from his infamous lesser qualities to his better ones.

This story offers something that remains true to the Greek Mythology of Achilles and the story of the Trojan War.

I found the story both fascinating and page-turning to the very end. it stays true to the story and simply fills in the missing pieces of Achille's story, something that you rarely see. This is a great book to pick and many will definitely enjoy it.

Genre:
Historical Fiction, Mythology, LGBTQ+, Romance, Fantasy, Historical, Retellings, Greek Mythology, Queer, Folklore, Young Adult, Novella

Stars:

4.8 out of 5