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The Song of Achilles

by Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)

4.06 of 5 stars 4.06 · rating details · 9,871 ratings · 1,989 reviews

The legend begins...

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become ste...more

Hardcover, 378 pages

Published March 6th 2012 by Ecco (first published September 11th 2011)

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Apr 06, 2013 Richard rated it 5 of 5 stars

This review can now be seen at Expendable Mudge Muses Aloud!

And how wonderful it is.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.

95 likes · like · see review

Jul 03, 2012 Whitaker rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-fiction, e-book, 2012-read, greece

*This review is dedicated to Kelly without whose question I would not have thought so hard about why I loved this book.

Miller has called this book “The Song of Achilles”. The title could refer to a song sung by Achilles. It could also refer to a song sung about Achilles. This double meaning is significant as the book retells the story of the Illiad but with a very different focus. The title is significant too because it deliberately recalls the start of the Illiad: “Sing, goddess, of the wrath...more *This review is dedicated to Kelly without whose question I would not have thought so hard about why I loved this book.

Miller has called this book “The Song of Achilles”. The title could refer to a song sung by Achilles. It could also refer to a song sung about Achilles. This double meaning is significant as the book retells the story of the Illiad but with a very different focus. The title is significant too because it deliberately recalls the start of the Illiad: “Sing, goddess, of the wrath of Achilles Peleus’ son”. However, instead of telling us of the wrath of Achilles, it tells us of his softer side: his love or rather his loves—Patroclus and music.

To call the story “The Song of Achilles” is, to some extent, misleading, because it is also the song of Patroclus with the same double meaning: a song sung by Patroclus and a song about Patroclus. For the very heart of the book is the love between Patroclus and Achilles. Told by Patroclus from the first person perspective, the question that haunts us right from the start is, “How is Miller going to be able to keep this up once Patroclus dies?” She does, and impressively, presents not simply a perfectly good way to explain that but to make that explanation a crucial part of her story.

The other question that is asked, not just by us but by the characters as well, is, “Why Patroclus?” Why of all the young men that Achilles has around him does he choose the awkward, weak exile? The most moving thing about this book is that it proceeds to show us why.

Achilles’ answer, almost too glib, is, “Because he’s surprising.” But the real answer, or at least the answer that Miller gives us, is that Patroclus cares, and cares deeply, about other people. It is this that makes him surprising: a man who cares about others in a world of greed and realpolitik where men are, first and foremost, killing machines, and Achilles the best of them all. And it is this care for other people that ultimately triggers the story’s denouement: Achilles' selecting of Breisis, the theft of Breisis by Agamemnon, Achilles’ sulking, Patroclus’ going to war in Achilles’ armour are all explained within that context, arising from and connected to this deep sense of love and responsibility that Patroclus feels for other people’s suffering and his desire to ease it.

It is significant that the only other show of love by a man in this book is that of Odysseus for Penelope. His love for her is presented to us several times throughout the book and at a crucial scene at the end. Odysseus, of course, leaves the tale of the Illiad and becomes the hero of his own story, The Odyssey. That tale is, in its own way, a story of love as Odysseus struggles to return home to Ithaca and to Penelope. And through Miller’s tale, so too does the Illiad become—finally—a story of love: the love of Achilles and Patroclus and how they each struggled to keep that love alive. For that, her story deserves to be read and loved too in its turn.
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Feb 18, 2012 Newengland added it · review of another edition

Shelves: finished-in-2012, contemporary

I'm conflicted here, and 3-stars is my go-to rating when faced with conflict. How ironic, then, that this would be a book about one of the greatest conflicts of all time: Greece v. Troy. Too bad it only sort of is, though. About Troy, I mean. What this book really is about is a relationship: Achilles and Patroclus'. Playing that card means that the characterization had better be all aces.

Jacks, it turns out.

I could have easily 4-starred the book for its writing. Miller has a way with the word a...more I'm conflicted here, and 3-stars is my go-to rating when faced with conflict. How ironic, then, that this would be a book about one of the greatest conflicts of all time: Greece v. Troy. Too bad it only sort of is, though. About Troy, I mean. What this book really is about is a relationship: Achilles and Patroclus'. Playing that card means that the characterization had better be all aces.

Jacks, it turns out.

I could have easily 4-starred the book for its writing. Miller has a way with the word and uses imagery and figurative language in a classic (yet modern) style. I should mention that word "modern" more often in this review. This is not some stodgy read favored by readers steeped in the ancient classics. In fact, its narrative reads like a modern novel, even if the trappings are all ancient. In that sense, believe the hype: Miller breathes new life into old classic! News at 11.

As for the face that launched a thousand ships, we never see it. And the bloody battles around Troy? Well, it takes a long time to get there. In that sense, the book is very UNmodern -- and unwise -- in its approach. Miller's strategy is to focus more on Achilles through Patroclus' adoring-ain't-the-word-for-it eyes. This can get old. Older than this myth, even, until you CRAVE the myth and cry out, "In the name of Zeus, get us to Troy by p. 100 and let her rip for a couple of hundred pages! Bring Ajax and Odysseus and Agamemnon and Paris and Priam and Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice more to life!"

But no. Miller's still in Achilles' tent, fascinated with Achilles' relationship. Which is not to say that this gambit couldn't have worked. It could have. But somehow the characterization does not save the day. Neither Achilles nor Patroclus is terribly compelling or sympathetic. With over-exposure, they even risk being annoying at times.

Students of the classics, of the Trojan War, and of convention, then, risk disappointment here. If, on the other hand, you're into alternate retellings of history and/or just want to luxuriate in Miller's writing, read the ample number of 5-star reviews here, pay no attention to that curmudgeon behind the curtain, and go for it.(less)

31 likes · like · see review

Jul 02, 2012 Megan rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: mythology buffs, people who read too much slash fanfiction, mary renault fans

okay, this is gonna be edited cus I'm at the library right now and I'm hungry but here's my quick verdict:

You'd think that I'd be all over this stuff (gratuitous background: former/failed classics student, mildly ashamed reader of trashy slash fanfiction). But I found this novel disappointing, especially since I had read so many gushing reviews. Despite Miller's credentials as a classics instructor at Brown), the book feels curiously fanfiction-y?? Don't get me wrong, the writing is beautiful in...more okay, this is gonna be edited cus I'm at the library right now and I'm hungry but here's my quick verdict:

You'd think that I'd be all over this stuff (gratuitous background: former/failed classics student, mildly ashamed reader of trashy slash fanfiction). But I found this novel disappointing, especially since I had read so many gushing reviews. Despite Miller's credentials as a classics instructor at Brown), the book feels curiously fanfiction-y?? Don't get me wrong, the writing is beautiful in its simple, clear way (expect dozens of pretty similes comparing people's voices to the ocean or whatever), but I couldn't shake the feeling that a super-talented 16 year old girl could have written it.

The mythological aspect is pretty cheesy. There could have been a way to incorporate divine intervention into the story without it being so explicit. I think it's better to have men BELIEVING that the gods are meddling (think the sacrifice of Iphigenia in return for favorable winds) rather than to show direct evidence of the existence of the gods, but here, the gods literally walk the earth. I actually prefer the realist touch of interpretations like the Brad Pitt vehicle "Troy" (which doesn't stop it from being a terrible movie. don't watch it.)

also Patroclus is basically like Bella Swann for like 3/4th of the book. Jeez we get it, you have a giant hard-on for ~~Edward Cullen~~ Achilles. Thetis (Achilles's controlling mother) and others express their bewilderment with Achilles choosing the wimpy Patroclus as his companion --I gotta say, I was puzzled too. but by the end, you finally catch a glimpse of what achilles saw in patroclus. patroclus and achilles have exchanged roles: Achilles becomes a whiny little bitch and under duress, Patroclus proves that he is truly the "best of the Myrmidons".

the most moving passage in the book is when patroclus and achilles are enjoying the golden days of their youth and achilles vows that he *will* be happy despite the fact that every epic hero that came before him (Heracles, Jason, etc.) experienced great tragedy. It's a beautiful, heartbreaking moment. we know that the boys can't escape fate, but we can't help but hope that maybe, this time, something will change.

I'm not really sure that "Song of Achilles" deserved to win 2012's Orange Prize (excuse me, the Women's Prize. Who came up with that name change again?) And if you really want to read about eros between young male heroes, I'd suggest trying Mary Renault instead. But if you still want to see what all the fuss is about, "Song of Achilles" is a quick and easy read. (I read it over the course of two nights during a summer derecho, electricity out, in my sweltering living room with a flashlight).

oh and finally, I can't finish this review without saying... achilles: top in the streets, bottom in the sheets Y/Y?!!(less)

15 likes · like · see review

Mar 19, 2012 Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-fiction, ancient-greece, man-on-man-lurve, 3-stars, literary-fiction, son-i-am-disappoint, trojan-war

This has been one of the most difficult reviews to write in a long time. It's been awhile since I've read a book that had stuff I really liked and stuff that left me feeling really "meh."

There's no real need to give a summary of the plot because it's basically: "Achilles and Patroclus meet, gradually fall in teenaged love, and the events of the Iliad that we all know about happen."

Which is one of the reasons why, when I finished Miller's book, I was left with a feeling of "Eh." The story is not...more

18 likes · like · see review

Jan 27, 2013 Diana rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, fantasy, broke-my-heart, favourites, m-m, made-me-cry, historical-fiction

I’m done with my exams, so I can finally write a review for this book…

I’ve been fascinated by Greek mythology since primary school and the Trojan War was my favourite part of it, so the book made me feel a little bit nostalgic. And after reading it I was more than a little bit depressed, which was weird considering the fact that I knew how it was going to end.

This novel focuses on Patroclus (who is the narrator) and Achilles and their relationship, which grows stronger while they grow up. Madel...more I’m done with my exams, so I can finally write a review for this book…

I’ve been fascinated by Greek mythology since primary school and the Trojan War was my favourite part of it, so the book made me feel a little bit nostalgic. And after reading it I was more than a little bit depressed, which was weird considering the fact that I knew how it was going to end.

This novel focuses on Patroclus (who is the narrator) and Achilles and their relationship, which grows stronger while they grow up. Madeline Miller chose to show these two as lovers, which is a common interpretation of the relationship, the one I chose myself already when I was younger.

I love the fact that the book is mostly about Patroclus himself, because in everything else I’ve read and seen about the Trojan War he was only someone important to Achilles, there weren’t many details about his personality. I’ve always wanted to know more about him, since his death had a huge impact on the outcome of the war. I hated him for years, because I blamed him for Hector’s passing, but Miller made me love him even more than I ever loved the prince of Troy. It’s hard to explain what made me change my mind about him. Was it the simplicity of his heart, his slight awkwardness or overall goodness? Whatever it was, it made Achilles fall in love with him and their relationship was truly beautiful and romantic in its own way. What broke my heart the most was Achilles’s reaction to Patroclus’s death. The pain, the anger, the sorrow… Madeline Miller wrote that moment in such a way that made me force myself not to cry (I was reading it in public, which was a very bad idea), but it still makes me sad every time I think about it.

Even though the narration after the death of Patroclus was a bit messy to me and kind of weird, I couldn’t give this book less than five stars. I think that a book that makes you feel a lot must be truly amazing. And this one was really heart-breaking. I highly recommend it to everyone.
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May 31, 2012 Will Byrnes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-and-children

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Updated 5/30/12 - see link at bottom

I feel a bit silly doing this, but I have put a spoiler alert on this review, just in case there are folks out there who might not be versed in the classics.

In a nutshell, Boy meet demi-god. Boy gets demi-god. Boy loses demi-god. Wait, demi-god loses boy, goes a bit funny in the head and behaves badly. Greece loses demi-god, the happy couple wind up sharing an afterlife.

You might want to dust off your Iliad, as this is a retelling of the story of Achilles, yo...more

26 likes · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Tatiana marked it as abandoned

Shelves: historical

Up to page 55, The Song of Achilles is nothing but a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. There is nothing wrong with that, except this romance is a mopy and gushy wide-eyed affair. I have a hard time believing that a 10-year old boy would wax so poetically about his beloved's appearance, down to his feet:

"In the huge hall, his beauty shone like a flame, vital and bright, drawing my eye against my will. His mouth was a plump bow, his nose an aristocratic arrow." (p. 26)

"His dusty feet scuffed...more

29 likes · like · see review

Feb 22, 2013 Wigs rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: book-clubs-and-buddy-reads, favorites, queer

Okay so I'll make this brief because I don't need to belabor how much praise I have for this book.

I think that personally for me this will be the best book I read this year and it's only February! But I already know. Mainly because of this: this is the first book in my life that has moved me to tears, and lots of them. I spent the last three chapters with tears streaming down my face and I was enjoying every agonizing second of it.

I knew from opening it I would love it, based on the beautiful w...more Okay so I'll make this brief because I don't need to belabor how much praise I have for this book.

I think that personally for me this will be the best book I read this year and it's only February! But I already know. Mainly because of this: this is the first book in my life that has moved me to tears, and lots of them. I spent the last three chapters with tears streaming down my face and I was enjoying every agonizing second of it.

I knew from opening it I would love it, based on the beautiful writing style with such a focus on sensual experiences. I was tentative about first person POV at first, but it turned out to work very nicely, styled to be as if Patroclus is telling his story to us, to a non-ancient-Greek audience. He explains certain behaviors to impart to us Ancient Greek culture cues which I thought was rather helpful and worked well in the storytelling context. Patroclus as a narrator brings to use the smells and tastes and textures of his memories, painting for us his world in words and I loved every second of it.

I'm a Greek mythology fan, but I had never read the Iliad and couldn't remember too much about the movie Troy. So for me, the whole second half of the book was a new experience, which focused on the different events of the Trojan War. If you're not familiar with the Iliad and are interested in reading the book, I reccommend NOT looking up the plot, because I found that not knowing what was going to happen enhanced my experience. Afterward though you may find yourself totally interested in classical texts. Miller pulls from many different sources, not just the Iliad, to make one cohesive narrative. She isn't changing what's already there, but instead she's filling in the blanks, adding an emotion element and character depth that you experience these classical stories on an entirely new level.

So I loved the writing style, I loved the story, but do I have any cons?

Well, if I have to pick at something, I'd say I wish there was a bit more sexual descriptions. If you've read the summary of this book you'll understand already that this is a book about the queer relationship between Achilles and Patroclus (which was originally implied in the classical text without entirely being stated. However here it is the whole basis of the story.) I wish that Patroclus was more descriptive about that particular part of their lives, when he is so descriptive about everything else. When it comes to sex, we are presented with the sort of writing where the words so gingerly say without saying what's going on instead of outright talking about cocks and such. And while I don't need to be reading an erotica and in fact appreciate how the novel focuses on the emotional impact of the relationship, I would have liked just a tiny bit more of that department...oh just a tiny bit.

#thirst

Okay well. I get it though. Miller is a teacher and publishing under her own name. I know if I was a teacher I probably wouldn't want my students checking out sex scenes I had written, haha. But whatever man doesn't matter.

This book is amazing and I felt all the range of feels. I love the character arcs, I love how we see the changes in Achilles over the course of his life through Patroclus's eyes, and how love effects decisions and... augh, everything. But see this is why I need to keep it brief because from here on out it would just be me babbling. So if you want a lovely queer book to read which is going to sweep you up and maybe break your heart a few times, than this is for you.

Oh and this goes without saying, but I will absolutely check out anything else she ends up writing. (Please Ms. Miller??)

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Jan 21, 2013 Meem rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: tearjerker-101, to-re-re-re-read, favourites

This is not a review, it's a lot of confused, biased lines:

Everyone who's read the Iliad knows how it ends. Patroclus and Achilles both die. For these two Princes, the Iliad is cruel and inescapably sad. God, what a tragedy. There is no Happily Ever After for them, (or the readers) not even a promise of one. I wanted to hate Madeline Miller, for making me fall in love with the idea of Achilles and Patroclus only to kill them off anyway. But that was Homer. And how could I, when her prose is so d...more This is not a review, it's a lot of confused, biased lines:

Everyone who's read the Iliad knows how it ends. Patroclus and Achilles both die. For these two Princes, the Iliad is cruel and inescapably sad. God, what a tragedy. There is no Happily Ever After for them, (or the readers) not even a promise of one. I wanted to hate Madeline Miller, for making me fall in love with the idea of Achilles and Patroclus only to kill them off anyway. But that was Homer. And how could I, when her prose is so deep and rich, and her story so glorious and wonderful? Except Patroclus waxes too tender for . . . he's what? Ten? Eleven years old?

Anyway, they grow to become best friends. In another story, Patroclus might have been Achilles's crony, but in this one they're (soul) mates all the way. That's because Achilles and Patroclus are too honed to be real Greek men. No raping, no pillaging, Miller has fine-tuned them. In time, Achilles and Patroclus share a bed too, and boy, is it steamy, but it isn't a blow-by-blow (ha ha) view and the description isn't too graphic. Miller instead focuses on the love and loyalty between the two. It's a classic best-friends-turned-lovers romance, straight out of a Chick Flick. (Or a Male Tale?) The gushing and pining was too Hallmark for me, but I know some of you love it. As Madeline Miller says when asked,"How did you come up with your theory that their friendship grew into love?" "I stole it from Plato!"

They are head over heels, legs-over-shoulder in love. In the end, I believe Patroclus is Achilles's better half. While I was reading it, I did find myself asking at some point, "Achilles doesn't deserve Patroclus, does he?" because, let's face it, Achilles is an asshole, (oh my god, when will I stop finding these double meanings? D'oh!) but mostly it was "Why Patroclus, Achilles?" Of course, Achilles says it himself, "Because he is surprising." but it isn't enough for me.

When Hector kills Patroclus, Achilles goes mad with grief. It is heart breaking to read. His agony is so intense, I could feel it. My tears were a mirror of his. I couldn't help but ache for him. But I expected Achilles to take over once Patroclus died, not the ghost of Patroclus! Pfft. I'm ranting, amen't I? What I'm trying to say is, even though it was brilliant, it had some small flaws. But, listen, I loved every second of it. This is a debut novel, after all. Considering that, it was real close to perfect. I'm so glad I found The Song of Achilles. This book thoroughly deserves to win The Orange Prize For Fiction.

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Jul 20, 2012 Lin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I read this book in two days, and kept pinning the remaining pages together to see how much I had left. It was the sort of book that I kept wanting to go through slower, wanting it to last longer. I'm not entirely sure what it was about this book that got me so involved, but I guess I'm just a sucker for this crap.Maybe it was the Iliad story itself, maybe it was the slow-built romance and friendship between the two leads, maybe it was the lovely poetic prose and the striking description. As lov...more

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Jan 16, 2013 DayDreamer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtq, perfect-yet-flawed, angsty-feels-good, arrogant-mofo, crying-my-eyes-out, made-me-cry, meh, pain, slashing-left-and-right, reviewed-or-kinda

The thing is, it is in Patroclus' point of view. And from a certain moment on, he shouldn't have a direct view. Because of circumstances I'm sure most are aware of. Also the voice goes from past to present tense back and forth (in the last third I remember it well, because it is recent).

Also, it seems uneven - fast pacing in the last pages, dragging in the middle. But perhaps my judgemant is even more subjective than usual because it took me so long to read it.

I want to give this book one star....more

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Dec 06, 2012 René rated it 4 of 5 stars

Well, it's about Achilles, and of course Achilles’ story has already been told quite a few times. So it begs the question: why another version of Achilles’ legend? Why not just read the Odyssey, or skim wikipedia while watching Troy?

This novel’s answer, in my opinion, is that Achilles deserved to be portrayed by he that had loved him most, he who knew the hero and the son of a goddess but who also shared his most intimate moments.

And of course, by ‘intimate’, I mean gay sex.

So it's unabashedly l...more

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Apr 01, 2012 Elfscribe rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Iliad from Achilles' lover Patroclus' point of view. A good debut novel with some very fine writing. The author is a classics scholar who clearly did her research and worked to fit in much of the original myths in a plausible manner, although I have to say that some of it, such as Achilles' goddess mother Thetis dressing Achilles as a woman and hiding him among dancing girls to prevent him from going to war is a good story, but doesn't seem to translate...more The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the Iliad from Achilles' lover Patroclus' point of view. A good debut novel with some very fine writing. The author is a classics scholar who clearly did her research and worked to fit in much of the original myths in a plausible manner, although I have to say that some of it, such as Achilles' goddess mother Thetis dressing Achilles as a woman and hiding him among dancing girls to prevent him from going to war is a good story, but doesn't seem to translate well from myth to fiction. In other words, there are stories like that and the sudden appearances of gods and so forth that are difficult to make work as a you-are-there storyline. In general, I think the author did a good job with her material.

I was pleased to see her depiction of Achilles and Patroclus as lovers, but there were aspects of their characterizations that didn't ring true to me. The disapproval others have for their relationship strikes me as more accurate for our time than for the ancient Greeks (although there is little evidence for how Greeks felt about same-sex relationships in the time of the Iliad). And even though we're in Patroclus' head, beyond his adoration for his friend, I had a hard time understanding what made him tick. The book depicts both Achilles and Patroclus as much softer, more sympathetic figures than I imagined them to be in savage world of the Iliad. In the Iliad, Patroclus is described as kind, but he is also a valiant warrior. So, in a word, I think Miller makes them both too nice. The wrathful Achilles should have some faults, such as pride, for the tragedy to work as well as it should. And even if Patroclus is too besotted to see his friend's flaws, as readers, we should be able to. I would have liked stronger scenes in the first half of the book that really defined their personalities and foreshadowed what would come. In addition, I simply don't believe that Achilles learned to be the world's greatest warrior by shadow-boxing with himself. He needed some early trials in battle before he reached Troy. Once we're at Troy, the depiction of the actual war is very well done. (less)

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May 14, 2012 Judith Starkston rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ancient-history, greek-history, historical-fiction, homer

Madeline Miller says the idea for her novel The Song of Achilles arose from wondering about the extremity of grief Achilles suffers when his closest friend Patroclus dies in the ancient Homeric poem the Iliad. What kind of relationship did they have that Achilles loved Patroclus that much? She answers that question with depth and sensitivity. The novel focuses primarily on the theme of the human capacity to love. In Miller’s interpretation, the gods, and most especially Thetis, Achilles’s mother...more Madeline Miller says the idea for her novel The Song of Achilles arose from wondering about the extremity of grief Achilles suffers when his closest friend Patroclus dies in the ancient Homeric poem the Iliad. What kind of relationship did they have that Achilles loved Patroclus that much? She answers that question with depth and sensitivity. The novel focuses primarily on the theme of the human capacity to love. In Miller’s interpretation, the gods, and most especially Thetis, Achilles’s mother, don’t understand love, and thus being half-god as Achilles is, sets him up for some complicated trouble in matters of the heart. Told from the point of view of Patroclus, The Song of Achilles is a graceful new exploration of the ancient tale, taking you inside these two heroes in a compelling way.

As in the Iliad, from which Miller has drawn the beginnings of her characters, Achilles loves his friend Patroclus with profound intensity, but in Miller’s take, this love blocks out everyone else in Achilles’s view. The half-divine hero seems to have no capacity to love anyone else, not even other friends. Gone are the loyalties and bonds with his fellow warriors that Homer portrays. He doesn’t understand how Patroclus knows and holds in affection many of the men and women they live with and fight for each day, including, interestingly enough, Briseis, the woman over whom Achilles will quarrel with Agamemnon. Achilles notes he doesn’t even recognize most of these people. Even as a boy in his father’s court in Phthia, Achilles does not connect with the other boys with whom he eats and plays each day. “But in all those years, Achilles showed no interest in any of the boys, though he was polite to them all, as befitted his upbringing. And now he had bestowed the long-awaited honor upon the most unlikely of us, small and ungrateful and probably cursed.” And why does he bestow his singular affection on Patroclus? Because, Achilles says, “He is surprising.”

No one else finds Patroclus the least bit lovable, at least not until several years into the Trojan War, by which time Patroclus has won many friends through his work in the tent where the wounded are brought and through his kindness to Achilles’s women captives. Since he doesn’t want sex from the women, nor does Achilles, being kind to them is greatly simplified. One of Miller’s conscious choices has been to make the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus entirely exclusive. No captive women appear in the beds of Achilles and Patroclus as they do in the Iliad.

The novel starts with Patroclus’s early childhood. His father is disappointed in him almost from the beginning, and his mother is a simpleton, as far an opposite of Achilles’s mother as Miller can portray. When Patroclus accidently kills another boy, his father’s biggest disappointment is that he doesn’t have the sense to lie about it, and his father doesn’t seem overly upset by the need to permanently exile his son. This early emotional deprivation forms Patroclus into a man who will accept Achilles’s odd friendship that grows eventually into love—anything to be accepted, especially by someone so extraordinary.

Although Peleus, Achilles’s father, shows warm affection and tolerance for his son, Achilles’s mother, the goddess Thetis, is clearly the source of the “deficient at love” trait in her son. Miller’s Thetis is hard and cold and frightening. Later she will understand that discounting love deprives life, even immortal life, of meaning, but that’s much later when it can do no human good. We learn early on that she hates her mortal husband Peleus. Her single ability to love is directed at her son and even that is never intimate or sweetly maternal.

As soon as the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus develops into one of physical love, Thetis appears and makes it clear she despises Patroclus and her son’s love for him. At one point Thetis will trap her son into lying with a woman “because of you,” Achilles says to Patroclus. Thetis’s hatred for Patroclus carries Miller’s plot forward in some essential ways and contrasts effectively with the redeeming nature of their relationship, and that may be why she has developed this divine distaste for the love between two men. But it strikes me as an anachronism, and it’s an ugly one I’d prefer didn’t leak backwards into time where it didn’t exist. Since the main point seems to be, I think, that Thetis doesn’t understand love, why play up so strongly her distaste for male love in particular? Greek mythology is full of male unions (Zeus and Ganymede, Heracles and Jason, Poseidon and Pelops, Dionysus and Adonis to name a few) and Thetis’s virulent hatred arising directly from the physical relationship seems unnecessary and historically unwarranted. It’s true that in the Iliad Thetis reminds her son after Patroclus’s death that “It is a good thing to lie with a woman in love.” But she also reminds him it’s a good thing to eat and drink. She means, it’s a good thing to enjoy life while you can and besides, in the Iliad, Achilles often sleeps with women, so her suggestion is not tinged with criticism as the same statement would be in Miller’s novel. (If anyone’s interested in a scholarly discussion of this issue in the Mycenaean context, read the first chapter of Eva Cantarella’s Bisexuality in the Ancient World).

The early indication of Patroclus’s innate honesty (when he fails to lie about the death he’s caused), while a disappointment to his father, is essential to the novel. Patroclus’s virtues don’t coincide with his father’s or Thetis’s ideas of heroic attributes—or even his own at first—but he turns out to be the best of the Greeks in Miller’s rendering because of his moral sensibilities and his capacity to love. Being best at slaughtering Trojans does not define Miller’s Aristos Achaion, “Best of the Greeks,” although that is how the phrase is understood among Achilles’s fellow warriors. Achilles, for all the intensity of his love for Patroclus, is deficient in these gentler virtues because he cannot connect to anyone but Patroclus. The direness of Achilles’s sorrow when Patroclus dies appears to spring from this failing. There can be nothing or no one to replace the hole left by this loss.

Miller has a unique solution, arising from this crippled nature of Achilles in the area of love, to two questions the Iliad asks: why Achilles allows Agamemnon to take Briseis away without a fight and why he chooses to stay out of the fight even while so many of his fellow Greeks die as a result. Her answers provide a surprising moment. I won’t spoil the shock by revealing it, but it will grab you whether the Iliad’s an old friend or you’ve never read it. Suffice to say, Patroclus does not share this crippling, narrowed focus of love, and this lifts him into Miller’s new definition of the best hero.

Miller has made a superb offering in the tradition of redefining the Homeric hero. It’s an old project dating back to the Iliad itself. Achilles says in Book Nine (in Lombardo’s translation), “It doesn’t matter if you stay in camp or fight—In the end, everybody comes out the same. Coward and hero get the same reward: You die whether you slack off or work. And what do I have for all my suffering?” His comrades on the field beg to differ. They are quite sure fighting for loot and glory is well worth the suffering—the Mycenaean definition of a hero. I am fascinated by Miller’s reinterpretation of Achilles and Patroclus and the Homeric tradition. She tells an engaging, emotionally gripping tale.

Miller, who is clearly knowledgeable about Greek history and archaeology, has chosen to float the tale in a mythological world much as the Homeric tradition did, with heroic details of armor and ship, but not much detail of daily life as it occurred in that place and time as we have recently reconstructed it. The Song of Achilles has vivid descriptions. Chiron’s cave, for instance: “In front of us was a cave. But to call it that is to demean it, for it was not made of dark stone, but pale rose quartz.” This is a magical place, and we enter it, as the two young men do, with wonder and awe. And of course Miller builds Troy for her readers. “Back in the main camp, we stood on the hill that marked the boundary between sand and grass, and regarded the thing we had come for. Troy. It was separated from us by a flat expanse of grass and framed by two wide, lazy rivers. Even so far away, its stone walls caught the sharp sun and gleamed. We fancied we could see the metallic glint of the famous Scaean gate, its brazen hinges said to be tall as a man. Later, I would see those walls up close, their sharp squared stones perfectly cut and fitted against each other, the work of the god Apollo, it was said. And I would wonder at them—at how, ever, the city could be taken.” These descriptions paint brilliant images—Miller’s especially good at her descriptions of nature—but they are more mythological than archaeological. The Song of Achilles takes the reader on a thoroughly enjoyable voyage into the legendary world of these heroes.

For an interview with Madeline Miller about The Song of Achilles click here.(less)

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Apr 22, 2012 Pamela rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-review-copy

At Uni I studied the Iliad --a bit. It's a wonderful classic tale that has been examined and reexamined under multiple lenses and from multiple perspectives. And I was really looking forward to Ms. Miller's rendition, particularly as she has a master's in Latin and Ancient Greek, and because the School Library Journal described the book in such glowing terms. However, as it turned out, I was disappointed.

The book starts out wonderfully. I was immediately engaged as the 'voice' of the book, Patro...more

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Nov 04, 2012 Noelle Leslie dela Cruz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Classicists, romance readers, fans of historical fiction, Trojan war and mythology buffs

Recommended to Noelle Leslie by: Good Reads

Romance as Myth: Madeline Miller’s Retelling of the Love between Achilles and Patroclus

It’s not often that a work of literary fiction incorporates a romance at its heart. That Madeline Miller has won the Orange Prize for 2012—which is popularly known as a women’s award—suggests that gender and genre remain intertwined. Not that The Song of Achilles is about women, or even told from the perspective of The Iliad’s female characters. In fact, they play only a peripheral role. The novel instead foc...more

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Jun 22, 2012 Brittany rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction, favorites

I love it when you find books like this one. The Song of Achilles is beautiful, lyrical, and magical. It is the story of Achilles and the Iliad told through the voice of Patroclus. It's a historically intriguing and well-written retelling of the Iliad (she did a particularly good job with Odysseus). It's also a wonderful love story.

Miller accomplished the Herculean task of bringing a well-known and often-retold story to life. She clearly has a formidable amount of knowledge about the Classic er...more

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Feb 12, 2013 Debra rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Song of Achilles is essentially a love story about Patroclus and Achilles, the epitome of undying love between two people. The author makes the homosexual relationship beautiful. Speaking as someone who has no background in Greek mythology, this was a really enjoyable, easy to read book. Maybe if I had previously read Homer's Odyssey, I would have a different opinion. But I think this book, when viewed simply as a stand-alone self-contained story, is well-worth the reader's time. I've develo...more

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Sep 18, 2012 Jon rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical

Gosh..first 5 stars in about a year. I was going for a solid 4 but actually really moved by this book. Totally wasnt expecting a really positively portrayed and fully fleshed out same sex love story woven into the Greek legend. Further research reveals, this is most likely how it was intended by Homer in the Iliad though disputed by many sources and clearly dummed down and made palatable by prudish history. To whatever extent the intimacy extended in real life or even in Homers telling, its rare...more

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Jan 12, 2013 ShAdOwBrEaK *Just*Try*And*Know*Who*I*Am* rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to ShAdOwBrEaK by: Andrea Castillo

Shelves: favorites, gimme-i-want-it, glbtq-books, speechless-epicness

I don't know where to start... My mind's still reeling from the book's glory and tragedy. Madeline Miller has crafted a novel worthy of a thousand praises and a hundred oreo topped cheesecakes! (I would certainly buy her one as a gift if I knew her personally)

That being said, everyone knows who Achilles is (well at least I assume everyone does). And before I read this book, I thought of him only as a this greek demi-god who was invincible in every part of his body other than his heel (my knowle...more

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Mar 06, 2013 Elaine rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013

As Randy Jackson would say, "it was just all right for me, man." The problem with this novel is that its narrator, Patroclos, doesn't develop any personality traits until about page 250, and similarly, all of the "action" is consolidated in the book's last third.

Before page 250 or so, Patroclos never says anything but "I'm sorry" and "I don't know." Really. No matter who's talking to him, goddesses, kings, his lover, his lover's wife, you name it - "I'm sorry", "I don't know.". You'll spend much...more As Randy Jackson would say, "it was just all right for me, man." The problem with this novel is that its narrator, Patroclos, doesn't develop any personality traits until about page 250, and similarly, all of the "action" is consolidated in the book's last third.

Before page 250 or so, Patroclos never says anything but "I'm sorry" and "I don't know." Really. No matter who's talking to him, goddesses, kings, his lover, his lover's wife, you name it - "I'm sorry", "I don't know.". You'll spend much of the book wishing he'd snap out of his sorry inferiority complex. And you'll also spend much of the book puzzling how golden-haired Achilles, the greatest of the Greeks, as beautiful as he is skilled, should fall madly, solely, wholly in love with this nebbishy non-entity. It's like Bridget Jones being swept away by Darcy, although at least Bridget was funny, good wish fulfillment for anyone who's ever felt mousy but not very interesting story telling.

(This is without dealing with the romanticized cleaning up of the Achilles/Patroclos love story to be anachronistically monogamous and pure [although speaking of anachronism in this sort of fantasy is a bit silly]. You might have thought Achilles, classicly, had a woman or two in his life in addition to his bosom buddy Patroclos. Indeed, you might have remembered from high school that the Iliad largely concerned him sulking b/c Agamemnon swiped his girl...but not in Miller's world. One might surmise that every era gets the antiquity it deserves. Mary Renault's 1969 Alexander lived in a swinging Greece filled with every kind of sexual appetite, while Miller's antiquity is very much a post-marriage-equality 21st century vision. Don't be surprised if you run into Patroclos and Achilles, disapproving mother in law and all, at the Chelsea Whole Foods).

But mostly I just found the book dull. Patroclos' wimpy nullity, and the faithful step by step walk through the boys' growing up, means that all the good stuff happens (and it is pretty good) in a few gripping pages about the last year of the Trojan war at the end. Until then, it's repetitive- sniveling Patroclos, brave lovely Achilles, mean nasty Thetis, not much character development or plot. There is also a Who's Who aspect -- Miller seems eager to get in all the names of Greek mythology and make sure we know how they all fit together. This can make the book feel pedantic at times.

This made me want to re-read the Iliad, and the Odyssey, and also Mary Renault's wonderfully pulpy Alexander books, which gave us gay relationships in antiquity a generation ago. And I think Miller could write a very good book, if she gave herself more permission to have fun with her classical setting and be a little bit more of a novelist, rather than the classics scholar trying to write fiction.(less)

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May 15, 2012 Patrick rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

One interesting thing about the shortlist for the Orange Prize is that (unlike the other big British literary prize, the Booker) it isn’t only open to literary fiction; in fact, the rules specifically state that ‘we encourage publishers to submit books from all genres’, the only other specific criteria being the date of publication and the gender of the author. (It must also be the best ladybook of the year, of course, but you probably knew that part already.)

But what’s odd about this is that de...more One interesting thing about the shortlist for the Orange Prize is that (unlike the other big British literary prize, the Booker) it isn’t only open to literary fiction; in fact, the rules specifically state that ‘we encourage publishers to submit books from all genres’, the only other specific criteria being the date of publication and the gender of the author. (It must also be the best ladybook of the year, of course, but you probably knew that part already.)

But what’s odd about this is that despite its open-door policy towards genre, it continues to attract a very particular kind of genre fiction: one would hardly expect to see much in the way of science fiction, horror or fantasy writing here. Yet ‘The Song of Achilles’ is definitely genre fiction. What would you call it? Historical Fiction, I suppose, but Historical Romance would probably be more accurate. I don’t mean to sound like I’m down on this from the outset, but the whole point of this book is that it sets out to tell a familiar story in a way which draws heavily on all kinds of pre-existing novelistic techniques which will largely meet and maybe even exceed the expectations of its readership. Okay, you could say that literary fiction does the same in similar ways, but this does it a lot. Basically, if you like a good Historical Romance, you’ll probably enjoy this book.

The story is defined by the relationship between Achilles and his friend Patroclus, which is one I did not know well; apparently there is some debate as to whether the two were lovers or not, but Miller comes down pretty unequivocally on the former side. It’s written from Patroclus' point of view, which seems like a good idea at first until it becomes apparent that so attached is he to Achilles that it becomes impossible to define either against anything else. It’s as though Patroclus only exist to add colour to the legend of a greater man – in fact, I’m pretty sure he admits this at some point – and so the real problem is that Patroclus is of precious little interest himself. One might even go so far to say that the author becomes fascinated by Achilles while being somewhat bored by the lingering Patroclus. After a while, his endless worshipful fawning becomes tiresome, and I got a little sick of seeing poor Patroclus always left behind to wring his hands while Achilles leaves a stream of Trojan corpses in his wake. (view spoiler)

To Patroclus, Achilles is literally the most beautiful man who ever lived. Which is fine if you accept that as coming from his point of view, but it’s harder to accept when the writing which expresses this is just the most gooey, romantic mush. Because the story is one of the Classics, everything must take on a glossy sheen of wonder: whether skin be glowing bronze in the sun or blood be spouting artfully across the battlefield, everything is either terribly beautiful or beautifully terrible. Much of it betrays sloppy thinking and sloppier editing: ‘His skin was the colour of just-pressed olive oil’ – what, green?

The author clearly knows her Classics well, but the weight of the myths hangs too heavy around this book. If there’s anything nice I can say about it, it’s that at least the plot kept me turning the pages all the way till the end. But then this is a great story any way you tell it – it’s just that in this case, the writing leans too heavily on the crutch of its own generic expectations. (less)

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Apr 20, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

In Homer's Iliad, Achilles is a loose cannon who avenges the death of Patroclus by desecrating Hector's body. In her first novel, classics teacher Miller delivers Patroclus's side of the story. Achilles's BFF tells us how his sad, friendless childhood changed completely when the half-god prince took him under his wing. Patroclus's views don't contradict tradition; they are an intimate look at Achilles that brings out the hero's best qualities. This view is an example of how Miller pays tribute t...more

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Aug 23, 2012 Chris rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads

I will preface this review by saying I know nothing about Greek mythology and the classics, nor have I ever had an interest in it; I thought Ajax was a household cleaner and Paris the capital of France. That said, I was swept away by Miller's love story of Achilles and Peraclus and the Trojan War. Her writing is gentle and quiet, crafting each word and sentence carefully. And she brought to life the mother of all evil mothers!

I do have a small quibble and this is just me as a reader as opposed...more

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Sep 30, 2012 Mark rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, gay-fiction, absolutely-fabulous, greek-historical, myth-legend

I really loved this book from beginning to end. A truly beautiful story that kept me enthralled all the way through and reduced me to tears at the end.

This story deals with the life of Achilles from childhood, to manhood and to the the very Greek style tragic but bittersweet ending as seen through the eyes of Petroclus. Petroclus is enamoured with Achilles from the word go and becomes Achilles' lover, confidante and support to cope with the pressures of being a prince and demigod. Achilles' moth...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Andrea rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, mythology

"I will never leave him. It will be this, always, for as long as he will let me."

You may know how this epic mythological tale ends, but you've never read the story of Achilles and his beloved companion, Patroclus.

I really have no words for how much I loved this story, how much I believe that it deserved the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. I was approached by the publisher about a feature of the book on my blog, with an offer for a review copy. I initially turned that offer down, thinking I had n...more

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Oct 11, 2012 Ali rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012, fairy-tales-and-mythology

Like Susan, this is not a book I would've expected to love. But the writing was gorgeous (in a slightly archaic way that echoed the lyric Greek poetry that inspired it, without being overly derivative), the characters felt real enough that I got invested in their decisions and emotions, and I was riveted by the plot -- everything from the descriptions of Achilles and Patroclus alone in their tent to Achilles massacring Trojans on the battlefield.

The language made it a bit of a slow read (which w...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Charlie Avus rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-books

It is fitting that my first review is this book because it was one of the best books that I have read for a while. Having started university (double-degree with double-major) and spending most of my day reading, its difficult to read at night. Seeing this won the Orange Prize for fiction, I thought I would give it a go.

First off, I LOVED the format of this book. It had worn, thick pages that made you believe that you really were reading an epic. It was also one of those books that I wanted to k...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 30, 2012 Julie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: greece-turkey-theme-setting, historical-fiction, imagined-worlds, read-2012

Greek mythology captured my imagination at an early age. I pored over d'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths , the classic, beautifully illustrated anthology for children published in 1961. I read everything I could get my hands on, including versions meant for older eyes. Reading Greek mythology was my first glimpse of graphic violence, including rape and human sacrifice. It also brought to my consciousness the many forms of romantic and platonic love; the blurry boundaries in Ancient Greece between m...more Greek mythology captured my imagination at an early age. I pored over d'Aulaires' Book of Greek Myths , the classic, beautifully illustrated anthology for children published in 1961. I read everything I could get my hands on, including versions meant for older eyes. Reading Greek mythology was my first glimpse of graphic violence, including rape and human sacrifice. It also brought to my consciousness the many forms of romantic and platonic love; the blurry boundaries in Ancient Greece between men and women, men and men, women and women were quite an education for an eight year old raised in a fundamentalist Christian home.

Reading Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles is like sinking into a beanbag chair at the Sequim Public Library, circa 1977, to gobble up the delicious tales of mortals battling against the gods with wits and weapons. Of course, I have to look around guiltily when it comes to Miller’s adults-only scenes, before I realize that I’m not a pre-teen reading a book meant for those big kids a few grades above me. But it’s easy to imagine this bestseller shelved just a few rows down from Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games, just up from Stephanie Myers’ Twilight saga.

Miller tells the tale of Achilles from the first-person point of view of his steadfast companion, Patroclus, of whom Homer’s writes only in passing reference. The premise is brilliant; the execution uneven.

Miller’s rendition of the tale of Achilles provides only cinematic substance to the story and its characters. The very best of this novel – portions of the first half where the boys come of age under the Centaur Chiron’s loving tutelage, portions of the second half where Greek kings and princes come together and rip apart during the long siege of Troy - is worthy of fine Young Adult fiction. Unfortunately, the breathy voice of its narrator pushes the narrative into the orbit of romance fiction, complete with soft-focus erotica.

Miller works hard to flesh out the character of Patroclus with a compelling back story, but he doesn’t evolve much past a moony, besotted adolescent. She tries to keep him busy during the Trojan years by endowing him with medical skills, but his limpid affect and ancillary presence are annoying. The tenderness and passion that exists between Achilles and Patroclus during their teenage years fizzles as Achilles’s star begins to shine and Patroclus becomes a hanger-on.

Achilles is the real story, but his transformation from princely courage and steadfast lover to ego-bloated warrior is given short shrift. What could have been resonant Classical themes of honor and glory sink to secondary considerations in favor of goopy love. Of course it is the author’s prerogative to focus on which part of the story she will; I adore a good love story, particularly one that breaks the heart. But it works only if the lovers involved are equally deserving of empathy and/or outrage.

This book is billed as literary fiction for adults, as a modern day retelling of an ancient tale, set unfairly on a pedestal next to the works of Mary Renault; it is the 2012 winner of the Orange Prize for fiction. I am, therefore, taken aback by the shallowness of its content and the simplicity of the writing. It is an enjoyable, but not laudable, read.
(less)

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About Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller was born in Boston and grew up in New York City and Philadelphia. She attended Brown University, where she earned her BA and MA in Classics. For the last ten years she has been teaching and tutoring Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students. She has also studied at the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought, and in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of...more

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Quotes from The Song of Achilles

“Name one hero who was happy."
I considered. Heracles went mad and killed his family; Theseus lost his bride and father; Jason's children and new wife were murdered by his old; Bellerophon killed the Chimera but was crippled by the fall from Pegasus' back.
"You can't." He was sitting up now, leaning forward.
"I can't."
"I know. They never let you be famous AND happy." He lifted an eyebrow. "I'll tell you a secret."
"Tell me." I loved it when he was like this.
"I'm going to be the first." He took my palm and held it to his. "Swear it."
"Why me?"
"Because you're the reason. Swear it."
"I swear it," I said, lost in the high color of his cheeks, the flame in his eyes.
"I swear it," he echoed.
We sat like that a moment, hands touching. He grinned.
"I feel like I could eat the world raw.” — 75 people liked it

“Odysseus inclines his head. "True. But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another." He spread his broad hands. "We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory. Who knows?" He smiles. "Perhaps one day even I will be famous. Perhaps more famous than you.” — 52 people liked it

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