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A review by micareads123
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
I’m sorry, this one just did not live up to the hype for me.
In terms of the romance, which really dominates the plot, I couldn’t get past the unhealthy dynamic of Patroclus essentially living for Achilles instead of carving out his own path.
But beyond that, with all of the liberties taken to differ the plot from the source material, I couldn’t understand why so much misogyny and homophobia had to play a part. Why not take liberties with that, too? It felt like homophobia was used as a tool to romanticize the relationship and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, making them more invested, which is honestly giving me a bit of ick.
I admit the ending was sad, but it wasn’t the gut punch I was expecting.
The story wasn’t all bad, it just did not live up to my expectations. I was expecting more depth and better plot development.
In terms of the romance, which really dominates the plot, I couldn’t get past the unhealthy dynamic of Patroclus essentially living for Achilles instead of carving out his own path.
But beyond that, with all of the liberties taken to differ the plot from the source material, I couldn’t understand why so much misogyny and homophobia had to play a part. Why not take liberties with that, too? It felt like homophobia was used as a tool to romanticize the relationship and tug at the reader’s heartstrings, making them more invested, which is honestly giving me a bit of ick.
I admit the ending was sad, but it wasn’t the gut punch I was expecting.
The story wasn’t all bad, it just did not live up to my expectations. I was expecting more depth and better plot development.