The Song of Achilles
Summary:
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.
Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. (Summary and cover courtesy of goodreads.com)
Review:
It’s quite hard to write a compelling retelling when everyone knows how the story ends. This was an exception to that rule and Miller did a fantastic job keeping me invested in the story and still hoping for a different ending. One thing to make clear is that Miller writes in a way that made (particularly the first half) feel pretty Young Adult-y, while the second half is quite explicit. Fine for me as I read pretty much all genres, but probably something that folks should know they’re getting into.
I loved Patroclus and Achilles story growing up and how their relationship evolved over many years and trials. The second half of the book dragged on a touch, but then again, so did Homer’s storyline. Miller does not flinch away from flaws in her characters, which I believe keeps the story feeling true to Homer and the classics. The ending of the book had me devastated, but in a good way.
Warning: Contains repeated violence and sexual content.
Rating: 4 stars!
Who should read it? Anyone who loves a great classical retelling and is willing to sign up for one that will break your heart.
Want to read the whole series?