4.89k reviews for:

The Iliad

Homer

3.8 AVERAGE

adventurous challenging emotional sad
Plot or Character Driven: Plot
challenging dark emotional reflective tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
dark emotional sad medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous challenging slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous challenging dark emotional tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes
adventurous slow-paced
adventurous challenging dark inspiring tense slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven: Character
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Complicated
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

Rating is mainly for the translation, which is my favorite I've read so far.
adventurous funny slow-paced

I have had this book for like 3 months from my local library and at times it was just a real slog to get through. I wanted to read it because it's like, the source material for Song of Achilles. I love the drama of the beef between Agamemnon and Achilles, though I also honestly thought it was dumb. All the role call parts where it just names person, son of person, related to someone, famous for this, from a place known for this, was so boring to me. Like I didn't think I'd get past those parts. But the drama and the gods beefing is actually pretty amusing.
Also I don't blame Madeline Miller for writing Song of Achilles one bit, Achilles came across as super gay for Patroclus. Not sure if I'm just culturally ignorant but damn. Like Patroclus's ghost begging Achilles for their bones to be buried together is crazy. Achilles also said that "a second grief this harsh will never touch [his] heart while [he is] among the living." If someone wants to explain to me how Achilles wasn't in love with Patroclus, I'm definitely open to hearing it.

Anyway this was a tough read for me but worth it I guess just to see what all the hype is about for the people who are obsessed with Greek mythology. Thanks for sharing your obsession, everyone. I'm considering reading The Odyssey at some point too.
dark emotional informative tense slow-paced
adventurous informative mysterious medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Complicated
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: No
Flaws of characters a main focus: No