Review: The Song of Achilles
The Song of Achilles is beautifully written. Wonderful descriptive language and intense action scenes with a lot of insight into the ancient Greek world. Well-known Greek characters such as Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Menelaus are brought to life. The novel is narrated by Patroclus, the most human and sympathetic of all the characters, who was Achilles best-loved friend in the Iliad. Hearing the story from his perspective creates layers of wonderful dramatic irony as the reader, who knows the plot of Homer's story, listens and watches as Achilles and Patroclus move inevitably toward their tragic ends. In the face of prophecies revealed to them--vague and at times misleading, as is so common with the Greek gods--the two men try to circumvent their fate. But of course, the mills of the gods grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly fine.
I would have given The Song of Achilles 5 stars but for the fact that Miller made certain choices in her fictionalized retelling of The Iliad that didn't work for me. Miller's novel is above all else the story of the passionate love between Achilles and Patroclus, both eros and agape--carnal and pure. The possible sexual relationship between the two heroes is a matter of some critical debate, which means Miller's choice is defendable, especially in view of a Greek culture that was very open to same-sex relationships. However, Miller makes the passion between the two men exclusive of any physical attraction to the opposite sex, which weakens the central trope of The Iliad itself--the Anger of Achilles toward Agamemnon for taking Briseis, the beautiful young woman who was Achilles' war prize. Miller makes Achilles' wounded pride, which was certainly enormous, the only issue that causes him to withdraw from the war and leave the Greek army to be crushed. Homer does make it clear that Achilles' pride is the driving force behind his withdrawal, but Homer's implication is that Achilles grieves the loss of the girl. Miller's Achilles cares nothing for the girl, hardly knows she exists as a person. This move dehumanizes Achilles, and though Miller tries to humanize him through Patroclus, it doesn't work. Achilles, already born of a goddess, becomes less than half human, unsympathetic, unlikable.
One other choice by Miller I struggled with was her characterization of Patroclus as a non-violent, non-warrior. Since he is a secondary character in Homer's work, though a very important one, there is certainly room for Miller to imagine him any way she chooses. As a fighter she makes him inept and bumbling, un-athletic and lacking confidence. She makes him a good medical healer, which is a move I liked and which doesn't require him to be a bad fighter. The problem is that in the Iliad Patroclus is a very good warrior and in fact, wearing Achilles' armor, chases the Trojans back to the city when they start burning the Greek ships. But Miller's characterization of him forces her to pull a kind of Deus ex Machina, having him seem almost possessed by a warrior spirit when he goes out in Achilles' armor. It stretches credulity.
Well, I do recommend the book. Great writing, engaging, at times a page-turner. Because of the issues I cite above, it sometimes reads a bit too much like a modern Romance, but it's a good read nonetheless.
I would have given The Song of Achilles 5 stars but for the fact that Miller made certain choices in her fictionalized retelling of The Iliad that didn't work for me. Miller's novel is above all else the story of the passionate love between Achilles and Patroclus, both eros and agape--carnal and pure. The possible sexual relationship between the two heroes is a matter of some critical debate, which means Miller's choice is defendable, especially in view of a Greek culture that was very open to same-sex relationships. However, Miller makes the passion between the two men exclusive of any physical attraction to the opposite sex, which weakens the central trope of The Iliad itself--the Anger of Achilles toward Agamemnon for taking Briseis, the beautiful young woman who was Achilles' war prize. Miller makes Achilles' wounded pride, which was certainly enormous, the only issue that causes him to withdraw from the war and leave the Greek army to be crushed. Homer does make it clear that Achilles' pride is the driving force behind his withdrawal, but Homer's implication is that Achilles grieves the loss of the girl. Miller's Achilles cares nothing for the girl, hardly knows she exists as a person. This move dehumanizes Achilles, and though Miller tries to humanize him through Patroclus, it doesn't work. Achilles, already born of a goddess, becomes less than half human, unsympathetic, unlikable.
One other choice by Miller I struggled with was her characterization of Patroclus as a non-violent, non-warrior. Since he is a secondary character in Homer's work, though a very important one, there is certainly room for Miller to imagine him any way she chooses. As a fighter she makes him inept and bumbling, un-athletic and lacking confidence. She makes him a good medical healer, which is a move I liked and which doesn't require him to be a bad fighter. The problem is that in the Iliad Patroclus is a very good warrior and in fact, wearing Achilles' armor, chases the Trojans back to the city when they start burning the Greek ships. But Miller's characterization of him forces her to pull a kind of Deus ex Machina, having him seem almost possessed by a warrior spirit when he goes out in Achilles' armor. It stretches credulity.
Well, I do recommend the book. Great writing, engaging, at times a page-turner. Because of the issues I cite above, it sometimes reads a bit too much like a modern Romance, but it's a good read nonetheless.
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