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A review by merrrry
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
emotional
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have been wholly destroyed.
One of my major gripes with Circe were her internal monologues that we were privy to. While eloquent, it was frustrating to read from her perspective at times. Following Patroclus and experiencing the awe and sorrow he holds for Achilles was much more enthralling. As flawed as Achilles was, Patroclus’s voice softened the frustration that I would’ve undoubtedly felt if it had been through Achille’s own perspective. At times, this book reminded me of The Winter King due to the parallels between Patroclus and Derfel, and occasionally Achilles and Arthur. Obviously they were still vastly different, but I love this trope (that I have no name for because I am just now realizing its a trope). Another great example (that I also love) is The Great Gatsby. It’s such an effective way of storytelling that allows for a lot of nuance to be developed for two characters at once. I think one of its greatest strengths is its ability to maintain an air of wonder around a deeply flawed character by grounding their glow with a more relatable (and reasonable) character. This trope lends itself to beautifully complex relationships between the main characters, and produces such fascinating dynamics and storytelling. After binge reading this in essentially one day, I can confidently say I liked this more than Circe. Circe made me aware of its deliberate prose; Song of Achilles pulled at my heart with its prose in a way that made me forget the words were written by someone else. I admittedly am typically just weak for dramatic, soul-searing, doomed romances, and while this wasn’t doomed per se, Achilles and Patroclus were basically tragic heroes. Nothing hits me as hard as the inevitable fallout of unwavering loyalty to one singular mortal person. And knowing that it was going to happen did not make it hurt any less. I am both too tired and too exhilarated to write more, so I will leave it at that.
One of my major gripes with Circe were her internal monologues that we were privy to. While eloquent, it was frustrating to read from her perspective at times. Following Patroclus and experiencing the awe and sorrow he holds for Achilles was much more enthralling. As flawed as Achilles was, Patroclus’s voice softened the frustration that I would’ve undoubtedly felt if it had been through Achille’s own perspective. At times, this book reminded me of The Winter King due to the parallels between Patroclus and Derfel, and occasionally Achilles and Arthur. Obviously they were still vastly different, but I love this trope (that I have no name for because I am just now realizing its a trope). Another great example (that I also love) is The Great Gatsby. It’s such an effective way of storytelling that allows for a lot of nuance to be developed for two characters at once. I think one of its greatest strengths is its ability to maintain an air of wonder around a deeply flawed character by grounding their glow with a more relatable (and reasonable) character. This trope lends itself to beautifully complex relationships between the main characters, and produces such fascinating dynamics and storytelling. After binge reading this in essentially one day, I can confidently say I liked this more than Circe. Circe made me aware of its deliberate prose; Song of Achilles pulled at my heart with its prose in a way that made me forget the words were written by someone else. I admittedly am typically just weak for dramatic, soul-searing, doomed romances, and while this wasn’t doomed per se, Achilles and Patroclus were basically tragic heroes. Nothing hits me as hard as the inevitable fallout of unwavering loyalty to one singular mortal person. And knowing that it was going to happen did not make it hurt any less. I am both too tired and too exhilarated to write more, so I will leave it at that.