The Song of Achilles in Crazy Challenge Connection

Aug 23, 2021 fleurette rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction

This is a very well-told story. Unfortunately, I have read too many very good books to admire it as much as some other readers. I just have a lot stories to compare this book to. After all the positive words that I read in the reviews, I expected something spectacular. And while this is a great book, it did not bring me to my knees as I expected.

I know Greek mythology and Iliad by Homer, so I knew how this story would end. As I read this book, I expected to forget what I know and immerse myself This is a very well-told story. Unfortunately, I have read too many very good books to admire it as much as some other readers. I just have a lot stories to compare this book to. After all the positive words that I read in the reviews, I expected something spectacular. And while this is a great book, it did not bring me to my knees as I expected.

I know Greek mythology and Iliad by Homer, so I knew how this story would end. As I read this book, I expected to forget what I know and immerse myself completely in the lives of the main characters. That I would believe that this story may end differently than I remember from mythology. But unfortunately that did not happen. I guess that's because this book is too subtle at times when it should grab your heart and make you cry, and too literal at times when more subtlety and ambiguity could be used. Don't get me wrong, it's a very good story, but a tad too simple to make a real impression on me.

I couldn't help feeling that the author had imposed a page limit on herself and there was simply no room to develop certain scenes. This book is too short for the story it is trying to tell. This makes the characters a bit too flat, especially Achilles. They lack depth and complexity. I believe in Patroclus’ love for Achilles, unconditional but not blind love. To some extent, I even believe in Achilles' love for Patroclus. But I missed those little moments unique to their relationship that would allow me to mourn their relationship in the end. I was able to mourn Patroclus, to whom I became attached, because that is his story. But not the loss Achilles suffered, because I didn't get to know him well enough.

But again, this is a very good story. It’s just that I just read better ones. It just so happened that I read Gates of Fire this year. It is a very similar story, and even to some extent similarly told. But in my opinion, Gates of Fire managed to do what this book did not. I definitely recommend this book to all fans of The Song of Achilles.

This is a very Hollywood story. I don't know if the film adaptation of this book is already in progress. If not then I won't be surprised if they start soon. It's a story that will be very easy to bring to the big screen. And probably with quite good results. Its simplicity makes it easy to recreate in a movie.

I expected it to be the love story of Patroclus and Achilles, but it turned out to be more of an Iliad through the eyes of Patroclus. It was an interesting glimpse and a well written book, but unfortunately it will not join the best books I have read in recent years. ...more

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Jun 27, 2019 Megan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-reads, wheelathon-2019

This was an absolutely gorgeous book.

The writing is simply beautiful. Reading this story I felt like I was right there on a Greek island. I could smell the salt, feel the sun on my face, hear the wind rustling through the leaves. Absolutely outstanding world building and writing level. I could honestly gush about the beauty of the writing all day long.

In general, I don't read romances. Even non-romances with romance in them I'm like ugh. This is one of the few exceptions to that rule. It was suc ...more

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Mar 10, 2021 Erin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, own, historical, retellings

This was a wonderful book. I definitely think I liked this one better than Circe, this one just hooked me more into what was happening in the story.

I loved Patroclus as a narrator. I really liked following his story from youth until adulthood. Seeing the different heroes from his POV even before the Trojan War was a great addition to the story and I loved watching Achilles grow up through Patroclus's eyes.

Patroclus and Achilles's relationship was so well done. The story really hit you in the em ...more

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Jun 03, 2018 Anita Reads rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, romance, standalone, read-2018

I feel very bad that I had to rate this book so low. I went in with very high expectations, and even those I read it with seemed to really love it. While I appreciate the writing, I found the story as a whole quite boring. I didn't feel a real connection to the characters and therefore not the romance either. I knew it was a tragic story, yet I didn't cry or was close to being teary eyed once. This book gets a 2.5 star from me.

I will probably check out Circe also by her, but I'll go in with lowe ...more

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