A review by short_circuit
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

adventurous emotional sad tense 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? It's complicated

5.0

CW: death (child and adult), violence, war

"have you no more memories?"
"i am made of memories."


oh. my god. where do i begin with this.

i adore this book. i adore the way it's written. i adore the characters. i adore how many quotable lines they are—i read "there are no bargains between lions and men. i will kill you and eat you raw." and i go unbelievably wild. madeline miller, you icon.

i love how the bond between patroclus and achilles, while not immediate, is something that only the gods could tear asunder. they grow up together, train together, fight together, love each other. it really feels as though they are made for each other. soulmates is a heavy word, but it suits them perfectly. achilles' reaction to patroclus' death is so raw and so real. some may think it's over the top, but i disagree. they were soulmates, your honour. sometimes draping yourself over your best friend-slash-lover's dead body and weeping for days on end is part of the grieving process.

i didn't cry over this book as a lot of other reviewers did, but that's a me thing. i'm more the type to cry over movies or tv shows, haha. that being said, i did have an emotional reaction to this story! at its core, it's a story about two boys in love, just trying to cling to each other for as long as possible. five stars!

(i highly, highly, HIGHLY recommend listening to the audiobook for this. frazer douglas does an incredible narration.)
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