The Song of Achilles: A Novel

The whole story had my emotions all over the place. In the beginning, I was dearly shouting "My Achilles". In the end it turned into "MY Patroclus". This was such an endearing read full of heartbreak, love, pride, and politics. I have so much love for each of them. P.S. Achilles' little brat needs to parish.

I have to say, The Song of Achilles has become one of my favorite books, just like Circe! I read Circe by Madeline Miller first, and I loved it so much that I had high hopes for this one. I'm happy to say it completely delivered and offered second and third helpings. The author highlights some of the most significant yet often under-discussed lessons and ethics from the Iliad through nuanced portrayals and interpretations of these mythical characters and their motivations. Many stories highlight heroes shaped by ruthlessness, cruelty, and hubris. These are the figures we often celebrate as champions, especially when they emerge victorious, and we find ourselves on their winning side. However, beneath this narrative, there lies a profound contrast. In Patroclus, we encounter a hero whose early life was marked by despair and displacement, and for much of his life, he was deemed weak and unremarkable. Yet, he remained a shining symbol of kindness, healing, love, and wisdom. His journey from turmoil to compassion is a powerful reminder of the potential for growth and redemption, encouraging us to value empathy, kindness, and inner strength over mere fame, power, or triumph. “the prophecy that mother revealed to me one time . . . she said the best of the Myrmidons—while I lived— would fall at Trojan hands and leave the light of day.” The Iliad – Book XVIII Although the book is the Song of Achilles, its hero, in my opinion, is Patroclus!

Great story, I knew it was gonna happen it screams it. Book gets really slow words the middle for me it was a little hard to get through

Loved this book!!! it's what patroclus POV basically could have been like.

You could describe this as a prequel to the Iliad, or, as one of the author's ex boyfriends called it, Homeric fan fiction. I describe it as a triumph, an astonishingly deft debut novel and one of my all time top 10 books.