Reviews tagging 'Cannibalism'

La canzone di Achille by Madeline Miller

39 reviews

froginhat's review against another edition

emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Grief, War, Death, Murder, and Violence

Moderate: Rape, Slavery, Self harm, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, and Suicidal thoughts

Minor: Cannibalism, Death of parent, Eating disorder, Pregnancy, Outing, Kidnapping, Infidelity, and Stalking

nicole_schmid's review against another edition

emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

[read in the German translation by Michael Windgassen]
As I feel like this myth is sufficiently common knowledge, I will not use the spoiler tags, so if you do not know the myth, proceed with caution.

This was a very interesting read, though off to a bit of a slow start. The story offered background information and cultural details which deepen your understanding of the actual myth, such as the fact that the theft of the slave which causes Achilles to stop fighting alongside the Greeks actually was a grave insult to his personal honour. It also put (at least my understanding of) the myth into a different light by not Patroklos not being an accomplished fighter in his own right. I always pictured him as being a slightly weaker fighter than Achilles, thus enabling him to impersonate him without anyone noticing. The twist that

Patroklos could not fight at all and only managed to accomplish his feats because of divine intervention

was surprising, but welcome, even though I definitely understand some readers being disappointed - the story is not a good power fantasy anymore.

I was a bit disappointed by the ending, however. Before you ask, yes, it did make me cry, that's not the problem. During whole sections about the Trojan War, Agamemnon and (to a lesser degree) Odysseus and Diomedes are made out to be the antagonists. Agamemnon kills - sorry, sacrifices - his daughter, using marriage to Achilles (who is unaware of the duplicity) as the pretense to lure her to the altar he kills her on. During the war, he uses every available chance to slight Achilles in some way. He refuses to return his own slave Chryseis, a priestess, to her father even though every rule of Greek culture literally tells him to do it, which in turn brings a deadly illness/an irate Apollo shooting deadly arrows to the Greek armies. Achilles, with the help of his godly mother, manages to avert the crisis by returning Chryseis to her father. In turn,  Agamemnon takes his slave Briseis, which apparently is a grave insult to him and against basically every rule of conduct. Of course, Achilles would then stop fighting for a man who slighted him like this.

It is true that both Achilles and Patroklos are, after their deaths, insulted and separated by Achilles' son and he is made into an antagonist by that. That's why we learn that he died as a result of his greed and hubris - his "karmic" punishment. But if Miller had the time to explain Phyrros' end, why did she not mention Agamemnon's death? (His wife and her lover kill him in revenge for him killing his daughter.) It would have punished the main antagonist of the whole novel, if I might call him that, and would have been more fitting than Phyrros' story, I think.

I missed Achilles' invulnerability, leaving only the Achilles heel as his weakness. But I actually have no idea if this is in the Iliad or originates from some other myth, so maybe it actually is accurate.

Something else that could be criticised, but that I actually appreciate, is that Achilles and Patroklos have been turned into completely 100 % gays who therefore did not systematically rape and abuse female war slaves (= innocent farmers' wives and daughters who had the misfortune of living in villages too close to Troy) like all the other Greeks nor come into any situation where they might be forced to participate in other similarly sexist, but normal and commonplace practices which we today would call (war) crimes. I also liked that Miller pointed out the inherent sexism and misogyny of Ancient Greece and how no woman at all was safe from sexual violence, not even goddesses (see: Thetis).

Over all, I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Greek mythology or knowing more about Ancient Greece. It offers a believable glimpse into the past (with the odd interference of gods) while providing background information dearly needed to actually understand what is happening. The myth is told with enough twists to the original that it does not simply copy the original into a different POV and modern language and so that it stands on its own feet.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, War, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Medical content, Sexism, Sexual assault, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Animal death, Grief, Homophobia, and Rape

Minor: Child death, Physical abuse, Transphobia, Pregnancy, and Cannibalism

inthemoonforcheese's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

i feel demolished by this book oh my god

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Violence, War, Vomit, Alcohol, Abandonment, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, Sexual violence, Genocide, Gore, Kidnapping, Medical content, Medical trauma, Murder, and Sexual content

dniespal's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

Increadible tale of two lovers whose fate is already sealed. Madeline Miller was able to writte a breathtaking story which will make you not want to put the book down even if you are already well versed in the myth of Achilles and Patroclus. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Emotional abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, Slavery, Gore, Animal death, Classism, Death, Murder, Rape, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, War, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Gaslighting, Infidelity, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, Child abuse, Medical content, Rape, and Kidnapping

Minor: Bullying, Excrement, Body shaming, Fatphobia, Homophobia, Incest, Alcohol, and Cannibalism

nickel_'s review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Flawless storytelling

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Infidelity, Self harm, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Classism, Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Rape, Torture, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Violence, War, Sexual content, Gore, Colonisation, Grief, Kidnapping, Murder, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, Suicide, Suicide attempt, Abandonment, Blood, Child death, Mental illness, Sexism, Slavery, and Suicidal thoughts

Moderate: Genocide and Adult/minor relationship

Minor: Drug use, Gaslighting, Cannibalism, Death of parent, Alcohol, Car accident, and Genocide

veronicats's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Animal death, Kidnapping, Misogyny, War, Cursing, Death, Pedophilia, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Violence, Blood, Grief, Medical trauma, Murder, Cannibalism, Child death, Medical content, Rape, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Torture

honeycuttsp's review against another edition

emotional mysterious reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, War, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Slavery, Sexual violence, Murder, Kidnapping, Injury/Injury detail, Grief, Gore, Death, Child death, Blood, and Animal death

Moderate: Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Death of parent, Excrement, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, and Pregnancy

christinereichard's review against another edition

adventurous emotional hopeful sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A tale of loyal lifelong love. My high expectations were pretty much met. 
Very mixed feelings on Achilles, but I loved Patroclus individually and watching his personhood develop into something so kind and deserving. That being said, all the blame fell lopsided onto Achilles and I think it would've been fun to explore Patroclus' flaws too.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death, Genocide, Misogyny, Violence, and War

Minor: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Cannibalism, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Kidnapping, Medical content, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Slavery

bill369's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

In History and Literature, we are currently learning about antiquity, so I thought it was the perfect time to finally read this book. I didn't expect to be this devastated...

My favourite character, well I love Achilles and Patroclus of course, I love them deeply, honestly, I can't even express it. Then there's Briseis she's my 3rd most favourite. She's intelligent, crafty, loving, she always stood by his side and if you read the book, then you know who I'm talking about. Her part in the story was significant and I'm glad it was her and not some other character. I truly wish it had all ended less tragically, therefore they could live all happy long life. About Thetis, I never really liked her, nevertheless because of the last few pages my heart has melted for her. I feel as if I finally get her a little bit and so even though I hate how she acted, I understand it.

The theme, greek mythology is interesting and tragic. This is my first book with this theme and I do love it. It's informative and in the same time full of emotions. Can't complain. In my opinion, I have remembered a lot and will have the knowledge for future means.

I loved all the parts and most of the themes were my favourite. That's why I'll be sharing the last lines of the story, which are, in my opinion, the most heartbreaking. They just really got to me. Lines:

THE SUN IS SETTING over the sea, spilling its colors on the water’s surface. She is beside me, silent in the blurry, creeping dusk. Her face is as unmarked as the first day I saw her. Her arms are crossed over her chest, as if to hold some thought to herself. I have told her all. I have spared nothing, of any of us. We watch the light sink into the grave of the western sky. “I could not make him a god,” she says. Her jagged voice, rich with grief. But you made him. She does not answer me for a long time, only sits, eyes shining with the last of the dying light. “I have done it,” she says. At first I do not understand. But then I see the tomb, and the marks she has made on the stone. ACHILLES, it reads. And beside it, PATROCLUS. “Go,” she says. “He waits for you.” IN THE DARKNESS, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.

The ending was tragic, full of pain, it brought me severe agony. These were the biggest tears I've had so far in my short life. I just want to say, that I appreciate Thetis for what she's done, because if she hadn't done it, then I wouldn't fall asleep tonight. This way the end is bearable.

It's a five star because it thought me something, it wasn't boring and I finished it after a few days, however most importantly it made me bowl and feel extremely strong emotions, mostly sadness, but that doesn't matter. I have no bad things to say. I don't regret reading it and I will recommend it.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief

Moderate: Death, Violence, and War

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Cannibalism, Child death, Medical trauma, Murder, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual harassment, and Slavery

booksthatburn's review against another edition

emotional reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

THE SONG OF ACHILLES is the story of Achilles’s boyhood and (most of) the Trojan War, as told by his lover, Patroclus. Patroclus’ focus is ever on Achilles, for Achilles is Patroclus’ love and it’s so moving to tell this story through the warm glow of that adoration and desire. 

I like how it handles the very high number of sexual assaults and consent violations which are, in many ways, the backbone of Greek mythology (or at least the family trees). Just giving proper context to this story and to events in Patroclus' and Achilles' lives requires some discussion of these themes, and I think it did as well as it could without feeling very anachronistic. This is a beautiful retelling of a tragic story, it makes me wish that Achilles, Patroclus, and Breisis could have been happy together, but it wasn't meant to be.

This retelling takes the stance that Achilles was definitely gay, with zero interest in women, and it seems to heavily imply that maybe Patroclus could have been happy with a woman but he has eyes only for Achilles. That does however lead to some interesting story decisions which have to be resolved, given the source material. It keeps one very notable instance of Achilles sleeping with a woman, and artfully dodges another that would be assumed to have happened but technically could be worked around. It did give it a kind of biphobic air to this retelling, like it's working so hard to show the love and devotion between Achilles and Patroclus that it shoves away any hint of intimacy or connection with women on Achilles' part. I'm not a Classics scholar and I don't know if the rejection is part of the myth, it just felt kind of bad in a few places because of it. It ends up working as part of Achilles' slow transformation from a kid who didn't want to hurt anyone into a stubborn asshole who let a lot of people die for his pride, but it did make me dislike him by the end. Patroclus' has a consistently rosy view of Achilles and mourns this change rather than rejecting him for it, which definitely helped me keep caring about the story even as I liked Achilles himself less and less. 

I liked it overall and I'm glad I read it, anything that manages to make Achilles feel like slightly less of an asshole than most portrayals of him is doing a great job, and this manages that without stripping away the abrasive parts of his character. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Child death, Death, and Gore

Moderate: Animal death, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Homophobia, Kidnapping, Medical content, Murder, Rape, Sexism, Sexual content, Slavery, Terminal illness, and Vomit

Minor: Biphobia and Cannibalism

CW for possible biphobia, major character death (graphic).