The Song of Achilles

by: Madeline Miller


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 had 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. {cover copy}
I will be honest. I was on the fence about this book for a good long time. I had seen so much praise about it that it interested me, and I actually didn't read the cover copy before diving in. For the longest time, I wasn't sure if this was going to be a DNF book or a book I loved. I have never felt so divided and for so long when reading a book. I was interested, but I wasn't decided. It was odd. It wasn't until Patroclus did something very brave with a "spoil of war" that I knew I was going to end up loving this book. I had read a lot of people saying that this was a heartbreaker and they cried. But I wasn't sure I was going to feel that way. I was skeptical because I knew what was coming, so how could I cry {turns out, I was surprised by what happened after all} and then, last night, right as I was breathlessly reading the part that would have been heartbreaking, my husband announced that we were starting the movie we were going to watch, and so I didn't finish the book until this morning. I was reading along, thinking, "Dang. I didn't get the proper chance to get the feels on this one thanks to my husband." And then the book deals an even bigger heartbreaker and yes, I closed this book while crying. And then about 30 minutes later my husband was talking about something completely unrelated that reminded me of the ending and I got all teary again. So yeah, I liked this book. I'm glad I didn't put it down when I was tempted to.

My father was a king and the son of kings. {first line}
"This was the cruelty of adults. Do you understand?"

"There is no law that gods must be fair..."

"Disapproval had always burrowed deep in me..."

"I do not need to say that panic swelled, that it became a live thing, slippery and deaf to reason."

"I remembered how hard a thing indifference was to bear."

"True is what men believe."

"He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature."

"My mind is filled with cataclysm and apocalypse: I wish for earthquakes, eruptions, flood. only that seems large enough to hold all of my rage and grief. I want the world overturned like a bowl of eggs, smashed at my feet."

"There is no honor in betraying your friends."

"I can see the temper rising in him. It is like watching a storm come, when there is no shelter."

• sun • {last word}
{view on Goodreads}