The Song of Achilles
•Fiction, Romance, MythologyAchilles, "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.
Thoughts
The Song of Achilles is an adaptation of Homer’s Iliad. It focuses primarily on the events surrounding Achilles, hero of the Trojan war, told from the perspective of the man closest to him, Patroclus. They share a deep bond that we get to observe through Patroclus’ eyes with beautiful descriptions of Achilles’ physical attributes, love, and desire.
Madeline Miller’s style in The Song of Achilles is different to what I’m used to from English-speaking authors. She uses a lot of running sentences, which I often see discouraged in English creative writing. Many of these read like poetry, and give a sense of urgency to Patroclus’ tale, almost as if he was desperate to tell his story.
I will admit I had to push myself through some off-putting Achilles moments towards the end, but overall it was such a difficult book to put down. It’s a gorgeous story of love and companionship, which has now become one of my favourites.