The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – 352 pages
Book Blurb:
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper – despite the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
My Review: 4.5 stars
I read Circe over the summer of 2019 and absolutely loved it, so I was excited to finally read Miller’s debut novel, The Song of Achilles. This is a retelling of the Iliad, told from the point of view of Patroclus, Achilles’ most trusted friend and partner. It was a completely fresh take and was beautifully told.
From the first page, Miller transported me to ancient Greece. Everything from how the characters conversed to how they interacted with one another immediately takes the reader back in time. The flow of story worked so well; I couldn’t put it down.
I thought knowing Achilles’ fate would somehow diminish the book for me, but I was wrong. If anything, the hindsight added a layer to the book. We all know Achilles as the greatest Greek warrior and the hero of the Trojan War. But Miller lets us understand Achilles as a human. Through the eyes of his beloved, Patroclus, we experience Achilles the man, rather than Achilles with the golden heel. We experience his love for music, his desire to please both his parents, and the way he is both scared and eager to fulfill the destiny the Gods laid out for him. So many attributes were shared that are often concealed in other retellings of his story.
We also experience his love for Patroclus, and Patroclus’ love for him. Patroclus was oftentimes referred to as Achille’s best friend, companion & comrade. And while they were just that, they were also partners who were whole-heartedly and deeply in love. Miller portrays their feelings in a way that makes it accessible and relatable to anyone who may pick up the book. Their feelings are deep, complicated and pure; this made the ending I knew was coming more difficult as I didn’t want their story to end, but also easier as I knew they had both been deeply loved during their lives.
Miller did a fantastic job demonstrating that the Achilles we think we know only came to be because of Patroclus. They are forever intertwined, no matter the tests they are put through. Achilles’ story is Patroclus’ as much as Patroclus’ story is Achilles’. That being said, I wish Patroclus had more character development throughout the book. He was destined to be a supporting character to Achilles’ glorious tale, but it was difficult to see what Achilles’ saw in him. The last few chapters of the book demonstrate this, but it was hard to see before the conclusion of the book.
Overall, this is a beautiful retelling of Homer’s classic. The pacing of the novel was osteady, and she captured the essence of Achilles, from early adolescence to his death, beautifully. I would highly recommend this to those who love ancient Greek history or want a story that’s equal parts adventure and love.
Quotes I liked:
We were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”
“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”
“Chiron had said once that nations were the most foolish of mortal inventions. No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.”
“We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.”
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