Book Review: The Song of Achilles

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

• 5 stars

• Worth the heartbreak

• Romantic action packed historical mythical fiction is a category?

• Will read again

This book was a gift from my sister at Christmas, with her personal note inside that said it was one of her favorites. I read the first chapter or two a couple different times - my mood reading slump just wasn’t interested in the opening. So - If you’re wondering about this romantic historical fiction Homer inspired read - know that the first chapter doesn’t do the rest of the book justice.

I found myself hooked on it one late night and ended up reading it during a quick weekend getaway. I got weird tan lines and dark circles from not being able to put it down over the course of two days.

The tale that Miller tells through this book is nothing short of breathtaking, heartbreaking, and deserving of a place on your shelf. I had some flashback to reading the Iliad in high school, the ability for an author to take you to a place and event - they we aren’t sure totally existed - and make you feel as if you’re there. Amazing. The notes at the end of my edition of the book discuss a lot of how Miller drew from Homer and all the history of Greek myth to create this story.

For those who spaced during The Iliad and The Odyssey, I can’t say I myself would go back and read, but maybe read about the works. Considered the oldest and some of the greatest written work of the Western world, it is the place of the first tale of Achilles, Siege of Troy and Trojan Horse, eventually we meet Odysseus/Ulysses, the magic of Circle and tales of Calypso. Along with all the imagery and stories of gods and goddesses. It’s a truly amazing work, believed to be of handed down tales, that may not be as user-friendly as worked today - but to really understand that someone brought these tales to life the way they exists. It is a bit mind boggling to me.

The awe and glory and mythical magic that may not translate from those older works - you can get a sense of in this novel.

My heart broke and shattered through these pages, but I still cannot recommend enough. This has sealed a place in my top ten.

My Synopsis: An amazing retelling of the Siege of Troy and the wrath of Achilles, from the point of view of Patroclus. We meet Patroclus in boyhood, grappling with trying to live up to his fathers expectations. When an accident has him exiled, he meets Achilles. Achilles, half man and half god, their friendship and more blossoms as they train and grow up together. When the war calls upon Achilles, he and Patroclus find themselves in years of war, heartbreak, love, betrayal, and more.

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