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Circe,
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Mian
technically all greek myth stories are interconnected but you can read this without having read SoA, kinda like how you can watch thor ragnarok without having seen iron man 3.
Judy Lindow
I just read Circe without having read Achilles, and without having a knowledge (or remembering) any myths and legends -- AND I loved it! I would highly recommend being aware of and using "The Cast of Characters" at the end of the story which gives a short little bio of everyone.
Jenny
It's a stand alone. They're two different stories.
Lora Beth
I read Circe first and SoA second. Didn't make a difference if you have a basic knowledge of Greek Mythology.
Desirae Murray
For the first question no, because we are immersing ourselves into the mind and experience of a powerful female titian in a world controlled by men. "When I was born, the name for what I was did not exist;" Before Circe existed, she was already deemed lower than gods and mankind itself. Her story, although sad, is not considered a stand-alone because family life and exile has ostracized Circe to the point of honing her magic skills. As for the second question yes, SoA is a modern re-telling of the Iliad and Achilles is the star along with his boyfriend Patroclus. While the previous tale concerns of heroic warfare, in Circe, Odysseus is dissing the romantic allusion of the Trojan War.
Real heroes are not so honorable, Odysseus used nighttime raids to gain the upper hand, and Helen, snuck outside of Troy's walls to sleep with her vengeful husband Menelaus. By doing this in the novel, readers are given an expose of how stories are told; Circe has lived longer than humanity's existence. So it only makes sense that, in reality, the tale in itself is determined by individual perspective.
Real heroes are not so honorable, Odysseus used nighttime raids to gain the upper hand, and Helen, snuck outside of Troy's walls to sleep with her vengeful husband Menelaus. By doing this in the novel, readers are given an expose of how stories are told; Circe has lived longer than humanity's existence. So it only makes sense that, in reality, the tale in itself is determined by individual perspective.
London Jabatan
a new story but there was once that patroclus and achilles was mentioned.
E2c
This novel is narrated by a character from The Odyssey, so it does help to know a bit about her going in. But if you're familiar with Greek mythology then you've got the background for all of it.
Eric
I've never read Achilles and the book barely mentions him. If you are familiar with Greek mythology, you will be fine.
Chadded Mapipi
Yes, its a stand alone and also yes, this book takes place throughout before Song of Achilles and after so in a sense it is both a sequel and a prequel.
Lisa Haywood
It makes complete sense as a stand alone. Hope you had the chance to read it! I loved it.
Shalini Bulusu
I have not read The Song of Achilles , but I was able to relate to everything that was written. I don't think its a sequel
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