Hardcover, 416 pages
English language
Published Nov. 7, 2012 by Ecco Press.
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.
My heart aches and my tears won’t stop pouring. This exceeded my expectations. I was a broken piece of pottery put back together, yet the cracks remain.
bro..
there will be no review, i’m too mentally shattered for this shit
Madeline Miller is a great writer! Cool, different perspective of characters from the Iliad. I recommend you reading that before The Song of Achilles.
I went into this mentally preparing myself for a book that wouldn't be as good as Circe was, because honestly I really really loved Circe. I was pleasantly surprised with Song of Achilles, because it hit all the right notes and came out just as entertaining as Circe was. There's a bit more romance elements in this story than I remember there being in Circe (admittedly it has been a while since I've read Circe), but the character development of Patroclus and Achilles is exceptional. The ending especially was very well written, up to the very end.
Wat een prachtige hervertelling van de bekende verhalen van de Ilias.
Good heavens, can Madeline Miller write.
This book has all the feels. It's so beautifully written, and so very intimate. I've been a big fan of the Iliad and Greek myths in general since 6th grade, but Miller brings an intimacy that livens up every old legend I know.
Read this.
By far, one of the most beautifully written books I've ever read. This is a story that deserves to be told and Madeline Miller does it justice.
Having recently read her delightful and empowering Circe, I felt that I should also read Madeline’s Miller first book, The Song of Achilles.
The book was a surprise hit and it won the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. It is about the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, or rather Madeline’s vision of their relationship. Her interpretation is quite inventive and original. The story has all the characteristic of an epic drama. There is friendship and romance, sacrifices and death, feuds and war, powerful and selfish gods, cunning and heroic mortals.
There are, of course, historical inaccuracies, but, like in Circe, I don’t think Miller’s purpose was to write an academic thesis. Based mainly on Iliad, and by giving voice to a person (Patroclus) who in Homer’s Iliad remains in the shadows, she tells a nice epic story. She explores the conception of homosexuality in the ancient world, and she shows …
Having recently read her delightful and empowering Circe, I felt that I should also read Madeline’s Miller first book, The Song of Achilles.
The book was a surprise hit and it won the 2012 Orange Prize for Fiction. It is about the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, or rather Madeline’s vision of their relationship. Her interpretation is quite inventive and original. The story has all the characteristic of an epic drama. There is friendship and romance, sacrifices and death, feuds and war, powerful and selfish gods, cunning and heroic mortals.
There are, of course, historical inaccuracies, but, like in Circe, I don’t think Miller’s purpose was to write an academic thesis. Based mainly on Iliad, and by giving voice to a person (Patroclus) who in Homer’s Iliad remains in the shadows, she tells a nice epic story. She explores the conception of homosexuality in the ancient world, and she shows how reputation and the urge for eternal fame can drive someone to choose death instead of life. So unlikely with today’s celebrity culture which is focused on the immediate benefits of fame, such as attention, glamour and money.
I have mixed feelings about The Song of Achilles. I liked the interpretation of the story but in places it is over the top. I suppose that is true of all epic stories. I think it is a story more suitable for young adult readers.
3.5 stars.
This was a beautiful love story.
"There are too many of them," he said. "It's simpler if they just remember me."
This was another novel from Barack Obama's 2018 summer reading list and went in with no expectations and was left pleasantly surprised.
My review of this book is from someone who is decades removed from learning about Greek mythology in school. I have never read the Iliad and I have forgotten the names and lore associated with them. With all that said I knew little of the history and felt like I was reading a story for the first time.
You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.
The relationship between Patroclus and Achilles was wonderfully told. From youthful innocence to the mature companionship it was well executed. Their relationship endured judgement, either openly or secretly from others, and their reputation was was put on the line …
"There are too many of them," he said. "It's simpler if they just remember me."
This was another novel from Barack Obama's 2018 summer reading list and went in with no expectations and was left pleasantly surprised.
My review of this book is from someone who is decades removed from learning about Greek mythology in school. I have never read the Iliad and I have forgotten the names and lore associated with them. With all that said I knew little of the history and felt like I was reading a story for the first time.
You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.
The relationship between Patroclus and Achilles was wonderfully told. From youthful innocence to the mature companionship it was well executed. Their relationship endured judgement, either openly or secretly from others, and their reputation was was put on the line to defend what each other had.
It was not murder that had exiled me, it was my lack of cunning. I understood, now, that disgust in my father's eyes. His moron son, confessing all. I recalled how his jaw had hardened as I spoke.
Even though the story was always destined for tragedy but it didn't feel stale or repetitive.
This was an enjoyable read and would recommend for those that have an intimate knowledge of the characters or for those who have forgotten a lot of details (like myself).
Midway through this novel I happened to listen to the (really good) Slate Decoder Ring podcast episode "The Johnlock Conspiracy," which is about "shippers" of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, placing that phenomenon within the recent history of fanfic and slashfic. And as I listened I thought of "The Song of Achilles, and I'm afraid I must confess to sneering inwardly at the thought of it as mere fanfic. But then in passing the podcast host referred to some ancient Greeks sitting around a fire amusing themselves by making up further stories about the Homeric heroes. And it occurred to me that Euripides and Aeschylus were by any reasonable definition of the term also practicing Homeric fanfic ("Homerfic"?). And if I'm not mistaken, it was Classical-era Greeks who began the tradition of reading Achilles and Patroclus as lovers -- the first slashfic?
And I eagerly resumed reading, swept up by …
Midway through this novel I happened to listen to the (really good) Slate Decoder Ring podcast episode "The Johnlock Conspiracy," which is about "shippers" of Sherlock Holmes and John Watson, placing that phenomenon within the recent history of fanfic and slashfic. And as I listened I thought of "The Song of Achilles, and I'm afraid I must confess to sneering inwardly at the thought of it as mere fanfic. But then in passing the podcast host referred to some ancient Greeks sitting around a fire amusing themselves by making up further stories about the Homeric heroes. And it occurred to me that Euripides and Aeschylus were by any reasonable definition of the term also practicing Homeric fanfic ("Homerfic"?). And if I'm not mistaken, it was Classical-era Greeks who began the tradition of reading Achilles and Patroclus as lovers -- the first slashfic?
And I eagerly resumed reading, swept up by Miller's irresistible storytelling. Loved it.
Fantastic! I loved this book. Even (especially?) knowing where it was going, I couldn't put it down. Having to watch the development of Achilles from Patroclus's perspective was rough, but understanding.
I definitely understand why so many people like this book. The interactions between the two for most of the book are sweet and touching.
Towards the end, Achilles becomes less and less likeable of a character, and the main tragedy to me was that Patroclus was hung up on his mediocre demigod boyfriend.
Despite expecting the way women were written in this book, the fate of Briseis put a bad taste in my mouth especially since she was stressed to be a great and close friend to the couple - until she dies and is conveniently forgotten entirely
I think it was ultimately a good read, especially if you like mythology, but perhaps shouldn't be as heavily held up as a book for young LGBT people as it is.
