I want to start off by wishing everyone a happy pride! I thought this book would be a great way to start pride and to introduce us back to writing reviews.
Ok, so this review may sound a little familiar. But, it’s one of my favorite author's books. Madeline Miller, who also wrote Circe, wrote another wonderful book first and it was The Song of Achilles. I mentioned in my Circe review that the whole reason I read the book is that I loved The Song of Achilles so much that I just had to see how amazing Circe was (and I honestly was not disappointed).
Now for the actual review. The Song of Achilles makes it seem as though this book will be from Achilles' point of view. But, it's actually from the point of view of Patroclus, Achilles' companion. Patroclus' character has always been a topic of conversation surrounding the Iliad. Achilles in Homer's Iliad refers to him as the “most beloved of his companions” he also provides a little more details on who he is. Mainly, that he was an exile from his father's kingdom after accidentally killing another boy. However, that is where the descriptions of Patroclus stops. Later on, it became obvious to the Greeks that they were lovers, with few playwrights adding in details about their relationship to one another. Miller takes these thoughts and writes the love story between the two. Miller starts the book with Patroclus as a young boy growing up as the Prince of his father's kingdom. We learn more about Patroclus and who he was before he met Achilles.
As Miller speeds up her writing, which she has to do to keep up with Homer's Iliad, we see Patroclus grow and the start of the myth. We see other's reactions to the events leading up to the Trojan war. We also see the role that Patroclus played at the beginning of the war and why he was even fighting in it. Many figures of mythology are shown, Thetis, Odysseus, and Hector to name a few. Miller writes of the fighting that took place during the war. Towards the end of the book, Miller continues her writing through Patroclus' point of view, which you'll learn is not an easy feat. Through his point of view, we see the fall of Troy and the end of the war, and also the end of the story.
Miller does an amazing job of adding more depth to Achilles' character that we were not able to see in The Iliad. Instead of just being a hero, we see Achilles as a son, a husband, and a lover. It's a change of pace to have Achilles portrayed in a way that shows his vulnerability, especially in his relationship with Patroclus. Like many others, before reading this book I didn't have any idea of who Patroclus was. Besides his character in the 2004 movie Troy, I had thought of him as Achilles' cousin, I soon learned that this portrayal was wrong and just Hollywood's thinking. With Miller's book, I was able to see the many figures of greek mythology differently, her characterization of Odysseus is perhaps my favorite, especially regarding his thoughts of his wife and his banters with the other men.
I highly suggest reading this book. I love all of Madeline Miller's books. She's very well-written and she has an amazing way of portraying Greek myths and telling them in a ‘modern’ way. Even if you aren't that into mythology, I highly suggest this book. This book is great even if you're just looking for a good love story. Miller is also really helpful with explaining the starting of the Trojan war and going in-depth in what's happening, so even if you're not familiar with the Trojan war or any myths surrounding it, you'll still have a clear understanding on what's happening. I think this book is amazing and if Madeline Miller announced a new book today, you bet I would pre-order it the minute after hearing about it.
I would also like to apologize for the lack of specifications with this review. I know some people aren't familiar with the Trojan war or the Iliad so I wanted to be sure that I didn't spoil anything for anyone thinking about reading The Song of Achilles.
If you have any suggestions for books to read or any tips in general, please feel free to reach out. We have an Instagram and Twitter, @homemadebookies, or you could email us at homemadebookies@gmail.com. Thank you so much for reading!
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