The Song of Achilles: A Thrilling Retelling of the Legend of Achilles and the Trojan War
A New York Times Bestseller
“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art….A book I could not put down.” —Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House
A thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War from the bestselling author of Circe
A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.
“A captivating retelling of The Iliad and events leading up to it through the point of view of Patroclus: it’s a hard book to put down, and any classicist will be enthralled by her characterisation of the goddess Thetis, which carries the true savagery and chill of antiquity.” — Donna Tartt, The Times
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Readers say *The Song of Achilles* is an elegantly written, deeply emotional retelling of Greek mythology with a strong focus on the complex relations...
The story is told from Patroclus’ point of view, a character vital to everything that happens, though he often feels like a secondary figure compared to the great feats around him.
I read the book with imagery in mind, as I often do. Madeline Miller writes with light: the golden glow over the scenes of Achilles training, the sea that feels like another character, and that invisible thread connecting Patroclus and Achilles even when everything starts to unravel. There are scenes that are “illustratable”, but not for their epic nature, rather for the quiet tenderness they carry.
What I enjoyed most is that the book doesn’t need to shout out its romance. It lets it grow like an illustration built in gentle layers, until suddenly you see the whole shape, and it cuts through you.
As for the themes, The Song of Achilles is a deep reflection on identity, love, and mortality. Throughout the novel, the tension between duty and desire is explored, the search for meaning in life, and the inevitable consequences of the decisions we make. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is filled with beauty, but also sacrifice, reminding us that even the greatest heroes can’t escape human fragility. War, fame, and legacy also play a key role, showing how the expectations of others can define us, but also how can we try to forge our own path, even if the price is high.
And the ending… what an ending. It surprised me in the best way. The story is well known, we know how it ends, and yet the author find a beautiful, intimate, and luminous twist that makes the closing not just tragic, but deeply human. It’s the kind of ending that tightens your chest, and at the same time, leaves you with the feeling of having read something truly beautiful.
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