Take a photo of a barcode or cover
rads_thereader 's review for:
The Song of Achilles
by Madeline Miller
adventurous
emotional
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was told this book would make me cry and it really did. It’s a beautifully written tale of love and loss, greed and glory, and an epic war we’ve all read about.
I found the book to be well-written and beautifully descriptive. I could see myself in the Greek summer, standing on the white sand beach, mesmerised by the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean. The war scenes were a bit bloodier than I would have liked them to be, but I don’t hold that against the author at all. It fits the narrative, I just personally could have done without the descriptions of the killings.
As for the characters, there are all the greats of Greeks from Homer’s poems, and though the story is about Achilles, the only one I found my heart aching for was Patroclus (overlooked, afraid, endlessly devoted). His pure, unconditional love for Achilles and the pain he felt at the thought of losing him, made my heart go out to him. His death impacted me way more than Achilles’ did, who in contract to Patroclus, was pompous, selfish, and vain. People sang Achilles’ name, praised and honoured him for his skill and courage, both in life and in death. Meanwhile, Patroclus’ sole identity was as Achilles’ companion, generally disregarded, and deprived of his rights, even in death, until the very end. I honestly feel Patroclus deserves to be recognised for his kindness, selflessness, and bravery. Because of course he was brave, not in the traditional sense, but he was fiercely protective of those he loved and cared about (Achilles and Briseis, and even the Greeks) and would go to any lengths to protect them.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and would highly recommend it. Just a heads up, it might take a few chapters for the plot to get gripping, but stick with it, because once it does, it’s so good.
I found the book to be well-written and beautifully descriptive. I could see myself in the Greek summer, standing on the white sand beach, mesmerised by the sparkling blue of the Mediterranean. The war scenes were a bit bloodier than I would have liked them to be, but I don’t hold that against the author at all. It fits the narrative, I just personally could have done without the descriptions of the killings.
As for the characters, there are all the greats of Greeks from Homer’s poems, and though the story is about Achilles, the only one I found my heart aching for was Patroclus (overlooked, afraid, endlessly devoted). His pure, unconditional love for Achilles and the pain he felt at the thought of losing him, made my heart go out to him. His death impacted me way more than Achilles’ did, who in contract to Patroclus, was pompous, selfish, and vain. People sang Achilles’ name, praised and honoured him for his skill and courage, both in life and in death. Meanwhile, Patroclus’ sole identity was as Achilles’ companion, generally disregarded, and deprived of his rights, even in death, until the very end. I honestly feel Patroclus deserves to be recognised for his kindness, selflessness, and bravery. Because of course he was brave, not in the traditional sense, but he was fiercely protective of those he loved and cared about (Achilles and Briseis, and even the Greeks) and would go to any lengths to protect them.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel and would highly recommend it. Just a heads up, it might take a few chapters for the plot to get gripping, but stick with it, because once it does, it’s so good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Death, Violence, Blood, War, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Medical content, Grief
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery