The 2015 Book Genre Challenge discussion
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The Song of Achilles
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February Group Read - Mythological Retelling (The Song of Achilles)
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They need an edit function for comments, but anyhow...Maybe it's just me and my fondness for Greek tragedies (as you can guess from the name they never end well) but I actually thought it was as... uplifting an ending as you could get? Don't want to get too specific in case ppl are still reading.
@Frogli- I agree, that was possibly the most uplifting ending you could give this myth, She tied everything up spectacularly
Not at all how I saw that ending. Very interesting and hopeful...for all gods and mankind. I enjoyed it.
I don't often find quotes that speak to me from modern books. But man, this whole manuscript is full of things that got me thinking.“No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.”
“But what if he is your friend?” Achilles had asked him, feet kicked up on the wall of the rose-quartz cave. “Or your brother? Should you treat him the same as a stranger?”
“You ask a question that philosophers argue over,” Chiron had said. “He is worth more to you, perhaps. But the stranger is someone else’s friend and brother. So which life is more important?”
Gaaaaaah....my feels all over again.. I'm so glad I joined this group and so glad I read this. Thank you!!!!!
@Sarah- Yeah I think this is one of the most quotable books I've read recently, One of my favorites is “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.”
It just sticks with me. I love these boys so much.
@Sarah - I am so glad you loved the book and are happy you joined the group! That is such a gorgeous quote!! @Shivangi - I LOVED that part!!! They're so innocent and amazed at the world.
I personally love
“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.”
and
“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”
Shivangi wrote: "@Sarah- Yeah I think this is one of the most quotable books I've read recently, One of my favorites is “Name one hero who was happy."
I considered. Heracles went mad and killed his family; Theseus..."
That quote was the reason I wanted to read the book. <3
Frogli wrote: "I am curious, did many people not know the story of Achilles & Patroclus going in?
You know my biggest problem with this book? Now I want more mythological retellings of the same quality! I read G..."
I knew the myth, and thought that made reading it all the better! My mom didn't know it and she still loved it, though, and was happy she didn't know the story beforehand. (Although after the first BIG Bad Thing happened, she was so furious she almost stopped reading, because she had NO idea it was coming.)
Renuka wrote: "@Dallas - Oh gosh, I am simultaneously happy and terrified!! Only the best books ruin lives haha. *HUG*
@May - So glad you loved it!! *HUG*
@Maggie - It really is very neat and clear. Sometimes r..."
I had the same problem with Deathless! The writing was gorgeous, but I definitely felt that sometimes clarity was sacrificed for a pretty phrase or a poetic paragraph. I'd like to read it again sometime and see if maybe I understand it more.
I just finished Deathless and talked about it on the other discussion post! I have a lot of questions!! I'm still slowly savoring TSOA! The two of them are BREAKING MY HEART. I don't know if I will survive this book hahaha.
I just finished this and I loved it! The ending was beautiful...
I started this one during the weekend, and so far hasn't caught my interest :(
I finished it last night! It was really fun and an easy read. The romance was great and I loved the way different characters are portrayed (especially Odysseus- personal mythology favorite). Knowing how their stories' end in the Iliad, I wasn't expecting to get emotional but wow, when Patroclus *spoiler* dies, I probably sobbed through the last 40 pages or so. I'm happy Thetis and Patroclus came to an understanding in the end.
@Jonie - Haha the ending really is beautiful isn't it? In a horribly tragic way of course, but still beautiful.@Soledad - Aww I'm sorry to hear that. Some books just aren't for everyone. Maybe give it another try, but if not you don't have to force yourself to read it! Many others enjoy it, but not everyone does.
@Melany - I love Odysseus too! He's hilarious haha. I love how he always repeats his stories, annoying everyone. It's perfect. And *HUG* for you. Books like this make many people emotional haha.
@Renuka: I'll keep reading it. Though Patroclus so far seems like a fanboy and is starting to annoy me lol.
Soledad wrote: "@Renuka: I'll keep reading it. Though Patroclus so far seems like a fanboy and is starting to annoy me lol."Aww that's too bad. You don't have to continue haha. Patroclus is certainly very taken by Achilles, but it's nice to see their relationship progress and become mutual.
what a well written book.
joanne kwan wrote: "what a well written book."Glad to hear it! Were there any aspects in particular you enjoyed pertaining to the language? :)
I'll keep reading because it's not tedious (trust me, I'm stuck on one with 100 pages left and can't bring myself to continue it).I have to admit I haven't read much of it yet, probably one third of the book, so it's too soon to judge it, but yeah, Patroclus is not my favorite character so far. Maybe when he starts growing up he'll become more interesting, but up until where I am, he really seems like a fanboy more than anything else.
Better late than never, I just finished this book. What a tragic, beautiful way to adapt this myth! I'm so glad this was the book we chose for this month!
I finished this morning (March 1st) at 12:25am!! Too bad haha, but wasn't it amazing! The ending was really beautifully written! I was so tense because I was afraid they wouldn't be at peace in the end, but I am super glad (as many of you were) that Thetis and Patroclus came to an understanding over their mutual love for Achilles.@Soledad - I agree Patroclus wasn't that interesting at first, I was far more invested in Achilles. But their characters dramatically change, and the ending is very interesting. I was quite proud of Patroclus.
@Alexx - It took a while for me too, but I really enjoyed it as well!! It was very tragic, but a little bittersweet too. I was pleased with how it ended. I'll bet Patroclus' dad felt pretty stupid after Patroclus became a hero. But I don't know. It's a good point. Thetis was a really interesting character, wasn't she? I hated her for most of the book, but she was still a mother trying for her son to succeed. The characters I detested most were Agamemnon and Pyrrhus!
@Sylvia - I wholeheartedly agree! It was such a fun read, and different from many other modernized retellings I've read. It was still fictional, but it took place in the correct time period, which was fascinating!
Everyone, thanks so much for all your wonderful comments!! This was such a wonderful discussion and I loved all your personal opinions!! I am so glad we got to enjoy this book together, and I can't wait for March!!
You know my biggest problem with this book? Now I want more mythological retellings of the same quality! I read Galatea and that made it worse because it was so short it was like a tease lol