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The Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller (Goodreads Author)

4.33 · Rating details · 138,993 ratings · 18,222 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

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Hardcover, 378 pages

Published March 6th 2012 by Ecco (first published September 20th 2011)

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4.33 ·

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· 138,993 ratings · 18,222 reviews

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Jun 21, 2018 Virginia Ronan ♥ Herondale ♥ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, favorites

”We were like gods, at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”

This book!!!
Gosh I loved this book!!!

The moment I read the first page I was already certain of two things:
1.) This would become one of my all-time favourites and I’d gush about it like crazy.
2.) It wouldn’t only leave me devastated and heartbroken but also sobbing like a little child.

Well, both of those things came true, even way earlier than I had initially anticipated. I was ...more

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Nov 08, 2013 Rick Riordan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

A new take on the Iliad, written by a high school classics teacher -- how could I not read this? The Song of Achilles retells the story of Greece's greatest hero from the point of view of his best friend Patroclus. The big twist: Madeline Miller casts the story as a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. While staying true to Greek legends and the works of Homer, Miller creatively and convincingly fills in the blanks, giving Patroclus a back story that makes perfect sense, and tracing the frie A new take on the Iliad, written by a high school classics teacher -- how could I not read this? The Song of Achilles retells the story of Greece's greatest hero from the point of view of his best friend Patroclus. The big twist: Madeline Miller casts the story as a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. While staying true to Greek legends and the works of Homer, Miller creatively and convincingly fills in the blanks, giving Patroclus a back story that makes perfect sense, and tracing the friendship, and eventual romance, between the two young men in a way that casts a new light on the human side of the Trojan War.

I always found Achilles to be an unsympathetic character -- a brat, a bully, a big-headed jerk who knows he's the star player on the team and throws a tantrum if he gets put on the bench. Miller shows his unattractive qualities, but she also shows that Achilles is human. He's capable of love. He's deeply conflicted. He has a sense of humor and a gentle side. We see him through Patroclus's eyes, growing from a privileged child to a sensitive teen to a young man struggling to balance his personal feelings with the expectations of an entire country. If you've read the Iliad, you know that the story will have a tragic end, but it's also strangely uplifting and hopeful. I'll never be able to read about these characters the same way again, and that's a good thing. Reading The Song of Achilles put a new light on this ancient story. It was like watching a really good interpretation of a Shakespeare play. You think you know the story, but you're surprised to find how many layers of new meaning can be brought out by a smart production.

The book is certainly appropriate for YA and up. The prose is elegant in its simplicity. Miller gives Patroclus a Hemmingway-like directness. I read a New York Times review of this book which I thought patently unfair, complaining that the style made the book seem like a fast-food version of the Iliad. I think this misses the whole point of the story. Patroclus's mission in The Song of Achilles is to cut through the legend of the hero and show us the mortal side of demigod. He doesn't want the pompous metaphors and flowery hyperbole of a war epic to bury Achilles's other qualities -- his tenderness, his insecurity, his honesty and lack of guile. The Song of Achilles can serve as an excellent introduction or counterpoint to the study of the Iliad. It certainly made the story new and vibrant for me, despite how many times I've read Homer. ...more

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Aug 18, 2016 Lola rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbt, love-story, war-setting, mythology

I feel so much. And perhaps my emotions are not my own this time? Madeline Miller for sure implanted them deep inside of me, without my consent, and now I'm urging her to withdraw them, or I will not be able to sleep through the night.

It took me a month to read this book, as I needed to take multiple breaks during the experience that is ‘‘The Song of Achilles.’’ I was about to curse the lyricism for welling too many emotions inside my body, too often, and therefore thwarting my reaching the endi ...more

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Jan 17, 2014 Sean Barrs the Bookdragon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 4-star-reads, gay-lit, historical, love-and-romance, ancient-greece

Madeline Miller did what the movie producers of the film Troy (2004) were too cowardly to do; she stayed true to the homosexuality of Homer’s Iliad rather than writing a censored version of the story which stank of homophobia. Achilles and Patroclus were passionately in love, which resulted in their respective destructions. They were not cousins or man at arms, but soul mates. The watering down of this in the film Troy was an insult to the LGBT community. Nothing more. Nothing less.

The attract ...more

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Aug 24, 2014 Navessa rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, divisive-characters, insufferable-mc, 2016-favorites, 2016, broke-me, all-the-feels, retelling, myths, believe-the-hype

"Achilles. Who was he if not miraculous, and radiant? Who was he if not destined for fame?"

Reading this is like reading Romeo and Juliet. We all know the story. We all know the outcome. We all know that our desperate prayers for someone, anyone to step in and save these characters from themselves will fall on deaf ears.

Gods. What a bloody trainwreck. Even though I knew how it was going to end, I was not prepared for how much I cared.

This is the story of the fall of Troy. Or rather, a part of it. More specifically, this is the tale of Achilles and Patroclus. Of their undying love for each other. Of the lives they sacrifice on the altar of that love. Of desperate men and petty gods. Of a proud, greedy people engaged in a prolonged, bloody war.

So often in historical fiction from this time period I see the sharp edges of the Ancient Greek and Roman cultures smoothed away. I see slaves treated well and women given a voice. I'm happy to say there was none of that bullshittery here. Miller paints the pages of this book in blood and suffering. It is awash with pain and brutality. As it should be. Because historical accuracy.

But, it means that this book is not for everyone. There is a lot of sexism, misogyny, violence, bloodshed, and rape, mentioned almost offhand, because, to these characters, this behavior is commonplace. Expected. I didn't like a single one of them. And not just because of their worldviews. There was Achilles and his hubris. Patroclus and his uselessness. Thetis and her coldness. I didn't even like Odysseus and his famous wit, for there was an edge to it in this book that made him seem less charming and more manipulative than I remember.

That said, as much as I disliked these characters, I loved their stories. Miller took gods and legends and brought them to life within the pages of this book. She humanized these mythical beings in a way that made them seem real, fallible.

I just...I cannot say enough about this book. To me, this is literature at its finest. A beautifully written, masterfully crafted story capable of transporting readers within its pages, so enchanting them with what they find within that they forget that the real world lurks without, waiting for their return.

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Apr 07, 2018 jessica rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favourites

‘we were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.’

i must be a masochist because i can think of no other reason to endure the emotional and stunning pain of this story for a second time. but here i am. crying for my sweet, sweet patroclus. the best of men. the best of the myrmidons. <3
______________________________

its been nearly 12 hours since i finished this and i still am at a loss for words at the beauty of this book. i don ...more

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Apr 29, 2018 Jeffrey Keeten rated it it was amazing

Shelves: myth, historical-fiction, greek

”He was a marvel, shaft after shaft flying from him, spears that he wrenched easily from broken bodies on the ground to toss at new targets. Again and again I saw his wrist twist, exposing its pale underside, those flute-like bones thrusting elegantly forward. My spear sagged forgotten to the ground as I watched. I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his singing limbs, the ...more

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Jan 11, 2013 Victoria Schwab rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Epic.

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Jul 21, 2018 megs_bookrack rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This story took me completely by surprise. Wow, just wow.

I knew nothing about it going in besides the fact that it is based off events in Homer's, The Illiad. Despite the fact that I took 4-years of Latin in high school, I couldn't tell you the first thing about The Illiad any more.

I was completely floored by the absolute beauty of this story.

The center of the tale is the love between Achilles and Patroclus. I am not a romance reader AT ALL and oftentimes the romance will be my least favorite a ...more

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Jan 26, 2012 Will Byrnes rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction, young-adult, literary-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 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.

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Madeline Miller - image from her site

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

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Nov 16, 2017 Lia rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: shippity-ship-ship, book-heaven, royal-binches, historical-and-myths

ACHILLES, it reads. And beside it, PATROCLUS.

Can anyone please call my boss and let her know I may not go to work for a week or so? I need time to recover from this book that m u r d e r e d me.

No kidding, here. I think getting a Brazilian wax wouldn't have hurt this much.
I'm an ugly sobbing mess, running nose and hair pulling included.
Wow.
What a-wow! I have no words.
I can't remember the last time a book made me weep so much.
This is the kind of books I like: zero dull moments, fast-paced ...more

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Jun 10, 2012 Whitaker rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: e-book, fiction-published-1950-and-after, z_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 *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.
...more

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Mar 07, 2017 ✨ jamieson ✨ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fave-couple, favorites, retelling, romance, 2017-reads, tragedy, historical-fiction, mythology, young-adult, bi-mc

“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”

way back I said there was a review of this beautiful book to come and I never did it. So now it's June and finally, finally I am ready to review this book.

deidamia: marry me ach-
achilles: in case you haven’t noticed, i’m gay. i’m gay as fuck. i don’t like girls and i don’t want to... like girls. have you ever seen me without patroclus standing right beside me? that’s gay

In a ...more

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Oct 03, 2018 Melanie rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, favorites, historical, lgbtqiap, read-in-2018, audible, fantasy

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood, like a hundred golden urns pouring out the sun.”

I read The Song of Achilles many years ago, before I got into book reviewing, but it always bothered me that I didn’t have a proper review for this beautiful book. I was a little apprehensive about rereading it, because I wasn’t sure if it would hold up and impact me the way it did many years ago. But, friends, this story is ...more

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Jul 07, 2016 Elise (TheBookishActress) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-high-fantasy, narrative-retellings, 5-star, favorite-relationships, books-read-2016, faves-of-2016, that-gay-genre-fiction-content, that-lgbtq-rep-tho

“Why would I kill Hector? What has Hector ever done to me?”

Fun Fact of the Day: I was in a Latin class my freshman year where the teacher mentioned how gay Achilles was every single sentence. She could not bring up these two without mentioning that they were believed to be in a romantic relationship. That's honestly at least half the reason I picked this book up, so thanks, Magistra Vasquez, for being so extra. Can't wait to have you again next year for AP Latin. Can probably wait for the ...more

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Feb 27, 2019 Annet rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: classics, heartbreaking, wow-impressive, europe

I will wait for you among the shades… ..
Just finished the last pages. As said to a good Goodreads friend here earlier today: Beautiful, brutal, raw, mythical, extraordinary and heartbreaking. How can I not give five stars?!
The fifth star did come in the last part of the book, which I loved. The final pages surprised me, emotional. This type of book is not immediately my genre, but after reading Circe, I find myself intrigued by Greek mythology and this writer knows how to tell great stories. Thi ...more

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Feb 22, 2018 Sabrina rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

“ACHILLES, it reads. And beside it, PATROCLUS”

“IN THE DARKNESS, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun”

This book was just utterly heartbreaking and breathtakingly beautiful. I’m in love with every aspect of it.
The end, the end broke me💔! In the best and worst way possible.

BR with Khadidja (sorry, I just couldn't wait, had to finish this💗).

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Apr 20, 2019 Aqsa (On Hiatus) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to Aqsa (On Hiatus) by: ✨Luna✨

Shelves: favorites, recommended-to-me, buddy-reads-read-along

RTC

Just finished this masterpiece and I don't think I wanna think about anything else for a long while. I wanna drown and drown in it over and over again. I'll never forget this book. Never.

Listening to these 3 continuously now.
https://youtu.be/KzvOJtq1FfM

https://youtu.be/1w1u9VYDKyk

https://youtu.be/l2rrzNwMwlk

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Jan 28, 2013 Thomas rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: five-stars, romance, adult-fiction, historical-fiction, lgbtq

We despise spoilers. We avoid them at all costs, cover them with spoiler tags, and castigate those who share them. But a great book is one that we can appreciate even when we already know the ending. That's how it was with The Song of Achilles: I knew the fates of the characters beforehand, but no matter how much I tried to brace myself, the last few chapters still broke my heart in the best possible way.

What had Deidameia thought would happen, I wondered, when she had her women dance for me? Ha We despise spoilers. We avoid them at all costs, cover them with spoiler tags, and castigate those who share them. But a great book is one that we can appreciate even when we already know the ending. That's how it was with The Song of Achilles: I knew the fates of the characters beforehand, but no matter how much I tried to brace myself, the last few chapters still broke my heart in the best possible way.

What had Deidameia thought would happen, I wondered, when she had her women dance for me? Had she really thought I would not know him? I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.

Madeline Miller retells the Trojan War through Patroclus's point of view. The book begins with his childhood, and it captures almost all of his life. Miller takes us from his exile from his own land to when he meets Achilles, to their gradual and growing friendship, to when they embark on the war together. She incorporates various historical qualities and characters such as the battle strategies of the time period and Thetis's difficult relationship with her own son. The Song of Achilles will please those searching for a retelling of the Iliad as well as those who want a fresh take on Patroclus and Achille's relationship.

Can we all take a collective moment to appreciate the beautiful bond between Patroclus and Achilles? Their relationship developed in the most sincere, realistic, and wonderful way. Miller did not bypass the societal standards of the Trojan War period, rather, she used them to strengthen an already solid friendship. The best and worst part was that I knew how it was going to end - heck, anyone who has learned about the Trojan War or Achilles knows - but my prior knowledge could not stop the waterfall of tears that flooded my face upon the book's conclusion. Patroclus's kind heart, Achille's gumption and glory, and the prophecy that hung over them captured me and held my heart captive. Instead of releasing my emotions at the end, Miller tore them apart, and I enjoyed every second of it.

The never-ending ache of love and sorrow. Perhaps in some other life I could have refused, could have torn my hair and screamed, and made him face his choice alone. But not in this one. He would sail to Troy and I would follow, even into death. "Yes," I whispered. "Yes."

Miller's writing transported me. It took her ten years to write this and the effort she put into her research shows; the development of Patroclus and Achilles and all of the different events in the story exemplifies her passion for classics. Achilles, Patroclus, and even side characters like Thetis and Briseis received human qualities that allowed them to remain true to their portrayals in history while making them easier to relate to at the same time. Achilles and Patroclus's relationship won me over and made me cry, but this book succeeds in several other areas as well, like its description of settings and battles.

Highly recommended for history/classic buffs or anyone searching for a story with a romance that will leave you breathless. It left me sobbing and gasping for breath at 8 AM in the main lobby of my college dorm, and I am confident it will evoke a similar reaction in other readers who come across it.

*review cross-posted on my blog, the quiet voice ...more

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Mar 26, 2018 Lily ☁️ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Lily ☁️ by: clara

Shelves: best-romance, adult, historical, fantasy, lgbtqiap-rep, beautiful-prose, retelling, romance, to-reread, tolino

“When I die, bury my ashes with this book.”—every person who finished reading The Song of Achilles, ever.

“IN THE DARKNESS, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”

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May 17, 2018 Caz (littlebookowl) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook

Rating: 4.5 stars

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Jun 23, 2018 may ➹ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommended to may ➹ by: ☼ amelie ☼

Shelves: 2018-reads, diverse, paperback, important-messages, pov-1st, lgbtqiap-main, my-soul-hurts, mythology, adult, library

imagine being me and rereading this and having no care for my own emotions and wondering why I’m crying at 2 am

(I already want to reread it again)

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Feb 10, 2012 Richard Derus rated it it was amazing

Rating: 6* of five, 2012's best read by a mile.

It's National Book Lovers Day! A day to bask in the amazing power of books to inform, amuse, educate, and alter our views and viewpoints.

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

And how wonderful it is.

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May 01, 2018 Lucy Langford rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

5*****
"Pride became us- heroes were never modest."

Patroclus, an awkward and shy young prince, is exiled from his family due to a misfortunate incident and is sent to the court of King Peleus, where his perfect son Achilles resides. Patroclus and Achilles are very different; Patroclus is shy, alone and an onlooker to others activities, whereas Achilles is confident and destined for greatness. Despite these differences, Achilles befriends the shamed Patroclus and it is the start of a blossoming fr 5*****
"Pride became us- heroes were never modest."

Patroclus, an awkward and shy young prince, is exiled from his family due to a misfortunate incident and is sent to the court of King Peleus, where his perfect son Achilles resides. Patroclus and Achilles are very different; Patroclus is shy, alone and an onlooker to others activities, whereas Achilles is confident and destined for greatness. Despite these differences, Achilles befriends the shamed Patroclus and it is the start of a blossoming friendship.
As they grow into young men, Achilles becomes skilled in the art of war and Patroclus the art of medicine. Through their training their bond becomes stronger and progresses to something deeper.
When news comes of a war in Troy, Achilles must go and fulfil his destiny and Patroclus makes the decision to follow. The events throughout this book tests the boundaries of friendship, love and everything Patroclus holds dear.

This book was simply stunning! It was utterly captivating and heart breaking. Patroclus and his relationship with Achilles captivated my heart and mind. Some of the events of the book were gut-wrenching and filled me with dread.
There was such a grand feeling of love and tragedy throughout this book. Madeline Miller was able to portray this through her poetic prose, and the result was utterly beautiful.

This book follows Patroclus POV- from a young boy to a young man. It describes his developing love for Achilles, despite facing the displeasure from other people and the adverse events he must overcome to be with him. It questions how far Patroclus would go to be with the one he loves. He also has to face the questions of whether he truly knows Achilles, when Achilles' blood lust and pride become too much.

Throughout this book you see Patroclus develop as a character. He is first depicted as weak and shy, but he continually grows throughout the book to become self-accepting and confident in his decisions, which is shown through his skill with surgery and helping others. He helps a girl called Briesis to escape a terrible fate and in turn they form a friendship. He continuously grows to be more brave and makes the decision to face the war- all in the name for saving someone he loves and doing what he believes is just and right. He is simply a character to love and admire in this book!

There were some great secondary characters in this book. I especially loved Chiron the centaur, with his wisdom and teaching of skills and his knowledge of the world. I also loved Briesis as she was so loyal to Patroclus despite the fact her actions could get her harmed. We also get to see angry and vengeful gods, such as Apollo, causing havoc for the mortals.

Madeline Miller writes in such a way that you feel like you are there to witness these events. She describes human sacrifice and the degrading treatment of women that would be expected of that time (and still relevant to today's world sadly), she describes war strategy and death as well as love and enjoyment. It is easy to imagine the scenes and events of this book vividly.

My words simply cannot capture how fantastic this book is and how it captivated me from start to finish! I just definitely know I will reread this in the future! ...more

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Mar 17, 2015 Raeleen Lemay rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqia, adult-fiction

*2.5*

DON'T HATE ME. I know I'm in the minority here, but this book really wasn't my jam. I think when it comes to ancient history and mythology like this, I prefer to see it rather than read it. I found the plot to be way too dry and dull, at least for the last 2/3 of the book. I really enjoyed the beginning! I loved reading about the childhood years of the boys, and their friendship and romance that blossomed. Oddly enough, I was hoping there would be MORE romance, and I feel like it was lost a ...more

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Sep 09, 2018 Charlotte May rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mythology, retelling-fairytale, tear-jerker, historical-fiction, war, romance

“We were like gods, at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”

The hype was real with this one guys! This book was wonderful. Heartbreaking yet powerful. Violent yet with some of the softest hearts.
I’ve read The Iliad. I studied Classics at University. I know the story of Achilles and the Trojan War like the back of my hand. But that didn’t stop me from being entirely swept away by the epic love story of Achilles and Patroclus. I watched th ...more

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Jun 08, 2017 Whitney Atkinson rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: lgbtqiap, favs-of-2017, made-me-cry, favorites, read-in-2017

I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory.

so wow. I've heard for years that this book is sad but so, so powerful, which I understand. I think it was a leeeeeettle overhyped for me, but it was still a magnificent read.

This story had such a great aesthetic. Set in ancient Greece but told through the lens of a quiet, conflicted main character. I thought it was beautiful. The writing, the way that Achilles is described, the first half of this book developing the characters was just absolu I imagine death so much it feels more like a memory.

so wow. I've heard for years that this book is sad but so, so powerful, which I understand. I think it was a leeeeeettle overhyped for me, but it was still a magnificent read.

This story had such a great aesthetic. Set in ancient Greece but told through the lens of a quiet, conflicted main character. I thought it was beautiful. The writing, the way that Achilles is described, the first half of this book developing the characters was just absolutely gorgeous.

Then I began to have a lot of issues with it. Mainly, the whole middle section about the developing Trojan war was boring. Nothing was happening, there were too many characters with unpronouncable names, and Achilles turned into sort of a pompous ass. One of the main downfalls of this story is that it focuses so much on Achilles' honor, and that was so annoying to me. This book really emphasizes the flaws in characters, which I assume is why this was discussed so much, but it just irritated me that I was expecting a love story and there was actually a lot of underlying conflict between Patroclus and Achilles.

This is more of a war story and the development of individual characters than it is about a love story. That being said, I felt like the romance was a little bit on the dry side. I adored the two together, but at some points, the story just felt so drained of any emotion and it was like Miller was just slugging through a textbook saying "this happened then this happened then this happened." There were so many moments that I felt we could have taken a step back and added some more impactful imagery and dialogue to make a short scene more meaningful to the reader, but it ended up feeling so stretched thin because this book takes place over 12+ years.

Regardless, I cried throughout the last 50 pages of this book. It delivered the punchy ending I was anticipating, and it SLIGHTLY appeased the hatred I have for Achilles' mother. slightly. she's still a raging bitch but like...... a chill raging bitch.

(also just kill me so i never have to read that last paragraph ever again my chest hurts) ...more

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Jan 08, 2014 anna (readingpeaches) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3-chosen-one, 1-retellings, 1-fantasy, favourites, 5-young-adult, 2-lgbt, 2-mlm, 3-found-families, 4-mythologies, 2-protags-of-color

"i feel like i could eat the world raw" vs. "i will kill u & eat u raw"

(but actually, the only thing that was eaten raw was my heart)

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May 20, 2019 Paula Kalin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Romance and mythology fans

Recommended to Paula by: Women’s Prize

Shelves: womens-prize-for-fiction, read-in-2019, published-2011, historical-fiction, e-book, fantasy

The Song of Achilles is a stunning historical retelling of the life of Greek mythology legend, Achilles.

Seen through the eyes of Patroclus, an exiled young prince sent to King Peleus of Pythia, Madeline Miller’s story is beautifully written. We see the golden boy develop a special bond with Patroclus that turns into a life long passionate relationship. The book is very much a poetic love story.

Achilles, however, must make a choice as to his fate: live a long life and be forgotten, or become a le ...more

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Dec 18, 2015 Brian Yahn rated it liked it · review of another edition

It's pretty hard to mess up The Iliad, and Madeline Miller's magical narration and unique perspective definitely don't. She manages to tell the tale from angles never before seen and put a fresh spin on one of the best known stories of all time. On top of being mostly accurate, what Madeline Miller does especially well is make this story accessible to anyone. A lot of the sybolisms that make The Iliad great are easy to miss, but in this version, that's not the case. And the way she structures se It's pretty hard to mess up The Iliad, and Madeline Miller's magical narration and unique perspective definitely don't. She manages to tell the tale from angles never before seen and put a fresh spin on one of the best known stories of all time. On top of being mostly accurate, what Madeline Miller does especially well is make this story accessible to anyone. A lot of the sybolisms that make The Iliad great are easy to miss, but in this version, that's not the case. And the way she structures sentences, and the words she chooses, the way she has her characters speak--everything about it has this transportive property to it, that takes you back 3000 years to classical Greece.

But it's not without the flaws of a 3000 year-old story. Like the voyage from Mycenae to Anatolia, the start is rough but well worth it for the epic ending. The way Madeline Miller closes this tale is ESPECIALLY brilliant. It makes it clear why The Iliad might be best told from the eyes of Achilles and Patroclus. There's a relationship between these two characters, particularly Achilles' pride and how Patroclus handles it, that is so ingrained in this epic, it seems strange that the story hasn't been told from this perspective before.

The problem, though, with this version is that, from the way Patroclus is portrayed, it's hard to see what draws Achilles to him until the end. He's seemingly just an uncoordinated hot messy accidental murderer, until out of left field he becomes the forgotten hero of the Trojan War, the true Aristos Achaion. There's not much growth for Patroclus: where one second he is a buffoon, the next he simply is not. Until that switch, for about 95% of the story, the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles that holds this tale together seems wildly unrealistic--the worst kind of InstaLove, the kind without reason.

On top of that, the MOST important part of the story--the battle between Achilles and Hector--falls short. Since the perspective comes from Achilles/Patroclus, it leaves out some majorly important characters: Helen and Hector and Priam and Paris. To me, that side of the story is necessary for The Iliad to have all its deserved glory.

All that said, experiencing the story from this angle was truly unique and awesome, and I'm so glad that I did. ...more

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About Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller

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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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Trivia About The Song of Achilles

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Quotes from The Song of Achilles

“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.” — 2063 likes

“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.” — 1521 likes

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