From the Bookshelf of Ranters and Reviewers…

The Song of Achilles

Madeline Miller

Start date: March 1, 2021

Finish date: March 31, 2021

Discussion: BOTM

Why we're reading this: March Standalone BOTM
[close] March Standalone BOTM

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BOTM

November 2021 Series BOTM Suggestions
By Sofia , duckish things · 9 posts · 19 views

last updated Oct 21, 2021 11:56PM

October 2021 Continuation BOTM: The Wicked King
By Sofia , duckish things · 9 posts · 16 views

last updated Oct 21, 2021 11:55PM

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What Members Thought

Apr 21, 2021 n* rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: hello-darkness-my-old-friend, standalones

...more

32 likes · Like · see review

Mar 26, 2021 Fini (Hozier’s Version) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-playing-in-background, ma-god-they-were-roommates, i-brought-you-myrrh-mur-der, i-like-pain, still-staring-at-the-ceiling, physical-book, lgbtqia-plus-rep, diverse-rep, read-2021, mythology

07/25/2021
Update:

Wait, why didn't I rate this 5 stars in the first place?? It's literally all I could ever ask for!
(fixed it).

03/23/2021
1st read:

★★★★★

“He is half of my soul, as the poets say.”

Characters:

I love that we followed Patroclus and Achilles from an early age.
I feel like the portrayal of them was amazing. Achilles is oftentimes portrayed as an unlikeable character, but his motives in this book seemed even more realistic to me, personally. Chiron was one of my favs too!

Plot:

Know ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

May 29, 2021 Cass (all too tired) rated it really liked it

Shelves: the-hype-train, lgbtqia-rep, tears-were-shed, historical-fiction

“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.”

This book is like a storm that passes right through you and is gone just as quick. I did cry and used a couple of tissues, but it wasn't gutwrenching. It isn't 'I'm going to cry every time I think about them'. I feel sad, but not broken. Other than the emotions I was told I was going to feel, this is a wonderful book with an amazing writing style, a good plot, and characters that I enjoyed reading abou
“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.”

This book is like a storm that passes right through you and is gone just as quick. I did cry and used a couple of tissues, but it wasn't gutwrenching. It isn't 'I'm going to cry every time I think about them'. I feel sad, but not broken. Other than the emotions I was told I was going to feel, this is a wonderful book with an amazing writing style, a good plot, and characters that I enjoyed reading about.

"No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.”

The writing style is on the 'telling' side, but the way it was written and how it was used to describe scenes was beautiful and I loved it. Just look at the quotes, they feel like lovesick poems and wise words disguised in the dialogue and Patroclus's thoughts. (view spoiler)

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

The plot was slow at first, but it picked up very quickly once they went to war. I loved the little moments between Patroclus and Achilles, the moments that strengthened their relationshiop and developed their characters further. I would say that this book is much more character driven than plot driven. There aren't any huge plot twists (view spoiler), but it's still gripping and interesting.

“We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.”

The characters are probably the best part of this book. I love Patroclus's fall for Achilles and the way Madeline Miller showed both the bad and the good side of Achilles, the gentler side and not just the harsh edges. (view spoiler) I have a soft spot for Odysseus, I really like the Odyssey and how he was portrayed in this book was nice. (view spoiler)

In conclusion, this is a great book and though it didn't destroy me, it made me feel so many emotions and I would recommend to anyone who loves greek mythology or action filled romance.

“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.”

...more

10 likes · Like · see review

Jun 08, 2022 iffat rated it really liked it · review of another edition

✨BEST ROMANCE OF GREEK MYTHOLOGY✨

honestly this book was a literal slap to all those 'They Are Just Friends' homophobics 👁👄👁 ...more

5 likes · Like · see review

May 23, 2021 Juuso rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2021, age-young-adult, rep-lgbtq-plus, mythologies

I am sorry to say this, but I was pretty disappointed by this book. It started well but it got worse and worse and I did not find the ending THAT sad or satisfying. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I read it in english but I decided to read the Finnish translation and it was not great. It felt like the translator took few scenes which she focused a lot on and put all her effort on and everything else she just put in google translate.

2 likes · Like · see review

Jun 29, 2021 Kanika Saini rated it really liked it

4.5/5

"The voices of the dead were said to have the power to make the living mad."

I picked up this book expecting it to be a story narrated by Achilles himself. But when I dived into it, it was narrated by a rather unexpected character, Patroclus.

Trojan war is considered to be one of the most greatest war in the Greek mythology to have taken place in the Bronze Age. It portrays valour, greed, vanity, betrayal, and bloodshed.

But Madeline Miller in her 2011 novel paints the events of the war in a d ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Mar 21, 2021 jasmine ₍⸍⸌̣ʷ̣̫⸍̣⸌₎ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites, march-tbr, romance, action, 2021, online-copy, watery-eyes, lgbtq, mythology

SONG OF ACHILLES

Rating: 4.95 (-0.05 for no tears shed)
will be futher refining review later on

Overview:

- Beautiful writing
- Easy to comprehend writing
- Perfectly crafted romance
- Fast-paced
- Very interesting
- Page turner
- ~~Sad ending~~
- Character development
- Loveable main character
* added to favourites list

- Many many names and new words (there is a glossary included I just want to warn anyone who has trouble digesting lots of new words)
- Didn't make me cry
- Would have liked more romance ...more

Like · see review