The Song of Achilles: A Novel

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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Published Aug 28, 2012

384 pages

Average rating: 8.08

3,011 RATINGS

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Community Reviews

What Bookclubbers are saying about this book

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Readers say *The Song of Achilles* is an emotionally powerful, beautifully written retelling of Greek mythology, centering on the bond between Achille...

Cresta McGowan
Dec 25, 2025
4/10 stars
Honestly - so so boring. This isn't about Achillles, this is a sappy love story with a war thrown in. Ugh!
Zya The Book Dragon
Aug 02, 2025
4/10 stars
Good story. Similar to Circe where it kind of drags on a bit. But I enjoyed it. The ending is sad but typical for Greek mythology.
Enid Cangiano
Dec 29, 2025
10/10 stars
I honestly thought I was going to dislike this book simply because it's been so overly hyped but man was I wrong. I absolutely loved this even though it broke me. I'm still
Jovanna Abdou
Dec 19, 2025
10/10 stars
Love, love, love. Really made me feel for Achilles and Patroclus, their circumstances, and their love. I was never a PJ kid but this book showed me the appeal of mythology.
Rylinen:)
Dec 02, 2025
10/10 stars
This book actually changed my life. I’ve reread it too many times to count. I don’t think I’ve ever been as emotionally destroyed by a book as I was by this one. I absolutely love this author’s writing and will (and have!) read anything she publishes. I would totally 1000% recommend this to literally anyone :)

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