|Page Turners| The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I bought The Song of Achilles last week, during a small book haul at my local bookstore (check out the Instagram page @Pages_and_Palms if you want to see that), but I had been wanting to read it for some time. In December I read Circe, also by Madeline Miller, and I had loved it, so I wanted to read some more that she had written. On top of that, I had read a lot of great things that had been said about The Song of Achilles, so the bar was set high. Without spoiling too much, I did really enjoy it! I am a fan of the revisitation of greek history (Percy Jackson practically taught me English) or any historical fiction, and this is a story that makes you feel like you are there, with Patroclus and Achilles, at Troy's doorstep.

Do We Want to Turn the Page?

Warning! This next section may contain spoilers about the book. Also, all ratings are based entirely on my opinion and WILL be biased and subjective.

Personally, I loved this book. I devoured it in one afternoon, and while it is absolutely gut-wrenching at the end, that is part of the appeal. I have, however, read many reviews that say that it is badly written, or inaccurate, and many others that say that the complete opposite. I am of the latter opinion, not only because of my love for historical fiction but also because of the drama. Achilles was the greatest of the Greeks, and yet, Miller chose to tell the story through Patroclus' eyes, which at times makes it seem like he's fan-boying Achilles, who, I must say, I thought was a little annoying, but during other times, makes it so that Patroclus is the one in the spotlight, the one we focus on. Patroclus dying first is not surprising, especially since most of us have heard some of the story before, but I did shed a few tears, and a few more as he continued to attempt to get his aches buried besides Achilles'. Overall, this was a fantastic read, but if you are about to read this, be ready to be heartbroken. 5/5 stars for sure.

The Summary:

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

The Author:

Madeline Miller was born in Boston and grew up in New York City and Philadelphia. She attended Brown University, where she earned her BA and MA in Classics. For the last ten years she has been teaching and tutoring Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students. She has also studied at the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought, and in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of Drama, where she focused on the adaptation of classical texts to modern forms. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA, where she teaches and writes. The Song of Achilles is her first novel.