Reviews - The Song of Achilles

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Time Spent Reading – 10 hours and 32 minutes (I wanted to read it slow and take in all that I could)
Setting – Wanadongri, Nagpur – my room, rainy days. I was struggling to grow academically and quietly wrestling with the belief that maybe no one is made for me.
Mood – I was already feeling unwanted and losing faith in love. I picked up the book, and by the end of it, I felt even worse.
Why I picked it up – Wafa highly recommended this, and I liked the cover a lot—it still reminds me of the Trojan horse.

What It’s About –
Patroclus, a self-proclaimed loser, narrates an epic about how he fell in love with the half-god Achilles, who is destined for glory. Patroclus constantly chooses love, while Achilles is torn between choosing love or glory.

How It Made Me Feel –
It made me feel horrible by the end. If what Patroclus said is true, then it’s easy to love someone like Achilles. Loving a person who is good at everything is easy—especially if they love themselves. Patroclus is the narrator, so I can’t know for sure, but it seemed like Achilles had a lot of self-love. He was also the golden son of a goddess and, from Patroclus’ descriptions, very beautiful.

Wanting someone pretty makes me wonder if I love them or just lust for them. There are so many people who love their partners the way Patroclus loved Achilles, but if what Patroclus said is true, Achilles really did love him back. Patroclus wasn’t a son of a god, wasn’t strong, wasn’t destined for glory, couldn’t even defend himself. He wasn’t easy on the eyes, and still, Achilles loved him.

Maybe the one true advantage of being an ugly loser is this: if someone loves you, it’s for who you are—not for how you look or the worlds you’ve conquered.
I think the greater tragedy is knowing I’ll probably never be loved like Achilles loved Patroclus, even though I’m capable of loving someone in the exact same way.

What I Liked –
I loved Madeline’s writing style. I loved how she described Achilles through Patroclus’ eyes. I loved everything about this book. When Wafa asked me what my favorite part was, I couldn’t think of one—because I loved every part of it equally.
I hope they both met in Hades and continued where they left off.

Song(s) That I Associate This Book With –
Motion Picture Soundtrack - Radiohead
Exit Music (For A Film) - Radiohead
This book inspired me to make the 'What Loss Feels Like' playlist on my Spotify account.

Favorite Character From The Book –
Achilles. It is easier to love Achilles and I too am guilty.

Most Hated Character From the Book –
Agamemnon for obvious reasons

Favorite Part Of The Book –
The part I loved the most was loss. I loved how deranged Achilles became when he figured out Patroclus was dead. The way he processed grief was horrible in a practical sense but it makes sense for a person to lose the sense of self after losing the thing dearest to them.

My Favorite Line From the Book That I Highlighted –
I loved so much about this book that I have four favorite lines, in order:

1. “Patroclus, I have given them enough. I will not give them this.”

2. “As if in answer, the air changed. Bright sunlight broke and poured over Achilles, went rolling down his hair and back and skin, turning him to gold. He seemed suddenly larger, and his tunic, wrinkled from travel, straightened until it shone white and clean as a sail. His hair caught the light like buoyant flame.”

3. “Kill me. It will not bring him back. He was worth ten of you. Ten! And you sent him to his death.”

4. “Will I feel his ashes as they fall against mine?”

What I Didn’t Like –
I was a little disappointed that Paris’ arrow didn’t hit Achilles in the Achilles tendon. That would have been more accurate. But I suppose I liked that the heart being pierced surprised me.

My Final Thoughts –
I rated this a 10 out of 10.
At 50% when Achilles said “Perhaps I would, but I see no reason to kill him. He’s done nothing to me.” I had predicted that Hector would end up killing Patroclus which is enough reason for Achilles to kill Hector.
Throughout the book, during breaks, I would touch my feet—and I noticed that we all have a part of our body named after the golden son of a goddess: the Achilles tendon.
This is my favorite book at the time of writing this review. I want to be loved how Achilles loved Patroclus, not the other way around. For now, knowing that I am capable is enough.

Moments About the Book That I Still Think About Months/Years Later –
“Patroclus, I have given them enough. I will not give them this.”
“Kill me. It will not bring him back. He was worth ten of you. Ten! And you sent him to his death.”

hyperdontiia's review against another edition

4.0

[92/166]

Ancient Greek pining. I will say I like Circe more than The Song of Achilles, and I think the former demonstrates some growth from the latter. If you want "humanity from myth" (or you think myth is usually lacking humanity, for some reason that is frankly unclear to me) and do not balk at the use of "fucking" as an interjection in a Greek epic, then here you go. Here is your epic about devotion and love, which I read mostly while I as on the phone with someone, occasionally offering such erudite comments as "they are boyfriends" (they are companions) and "they are really boyfriends now" (they kiss once) and "they are married" (Patroclus shows up to an island where Achilles has been married off and Achilles immediately decides that they are, in fact, married). Moments of the prose are serene in a way I find hard to describe, and the last few chapters are ascendant from the rest of the book, thick as honey with tragedy and grief. It does drag a little bit during the war... much like the war... and perhaps near the beginning... but it is what it is, and it does what it does, very well. A worthy take on the epic.