The song of Achilles (Certified reading)

“Name one hero who was happy." "You can't." He was sitting up now, leaning forward. "I can't." "I know. They never let you be famous AND happy." He lifted an eyebrow. "I'll tell you a secret." "Tell me." I loved it when he was like this. "I'm going to be the first." This book explores power, vengeance, jealousy, war, mortals and immortals and above all, LOVE. Love in its purest, rawest, and most painful form. The writing feels poetic and flows like the melody of a lyre (yes, a lyre!!!) The story starts with Patrolclus, an ordinary prince struggling to survive in a world that only favors powers and heroism. But his world turns upside down when out of impulse he kills a prince and is sent to exile. There he meets Achilles, king Peleus' son. Achilles is everything the stories promise: graceful, radiant, almost godlike, with golden hair like a lion’s mane and a presence that feels larger than life. At first, Patroclus admires him from a distance. But when Achilles chooses him, befriends him, everything changes and that’s where the real story begins. “He is half of my soul, as the poets say.” As someone who loves Greek mythology, I already knew how their story would end. But knowing didn’t make it hurt any less…it only made it feel more inevitable, more tragic. It was surreal. I tried turning the pages a little slowly, trying to stay longer in the moments where they were just two boys learning each other, trying to manoeuvre their feelings for each other, before the weight of destiny took over. What makes this story so powerful is its refusal to be simple. I tried to separate right from wrong, to place Achilles and Patroclus into neat categories but they don’t belong there. They exist in the gray zone where love, pride, fear, and fate collide. The pride of heroes, the hunger for glory, and the cruelty of prophecy everything works against them. And maybe that’s the tragedy of it all. I can’t find a single flaw in this story. Greek myths have always been fascinating, but the way Madeline Miller wrote it? Exceptional. The story was written like verses and the story was in great detail. I loved this new angle in the battle of Troy which focuses a lot on the war conditions and the evolving relationship of Achilles and Patroclus. And now I know this is where I’ll return whenever I crave stories that are genuinely beautiful.

Achilles was the son of a mortal king, Peleus, and an immortal, cold and cruel goddess, Thetis. He was born for glory and trained as such. Every inch a Prince, he was the most skilled warrior, the most irresistible youth and impeccable in his demeanor. He met Patroclaus by chance when the latter was exiled to the kingdom of Peleus for committing a shameful crime. He was an awkward, fumbling teenager, the exact opposite of Achilles. The two develop an unflinching bond of friendship, much to the surprise of everyone and displeasure and chagrin of Peleus and, particularly, Thetis. However, they were trained by the Centaur, Chiron - Achilles to be an unconquerable soldier and Patroclaus to be dexterous in the art of medicine. Their relationship is fleshed out from the age of 12 until the end of this tragic story. However, they move beyond tragedy as they unite in the afterlife. The book reads like a verse rather than prose. The narrative is descriptive, sensual, lyrical, captivating and, at times, haunting. I found it hard to shut down my Kindle every time I had to pause my reading. In fact, the portrayal painted a vivid picture in my imagination as if the scenes were taking place before my very eyes! Anyone with the love for Greek mythology will love this book to the core. It's a must have for every personal library!

I finished this book on my way home from a long day at work. Tired eyes, after a day of sitting in front of the computer, refused to give up. Neither did my heart as I flipped page after page to finish reading this absolutely marvelous book by Madeline Miller. Based on the tragic epic of Troy, this book sings of Achilles and Patroclus, two young boys, one a legend and one merely his lover, caught in the whirlwind and tragedy of their times. You don't read such books in sultry weather and crowded trains; no, you read them lain on the grass, beneath a sky full of stars, moths and butterflies flickering around even as the bonfire sends sparks up the balmy evening air. Oh well, I wasn't fortunate enough so I took what I had and breezed through this book, squeezed among fellow passengers. "We were like gods, at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other." Oh what it feels like to be in love and to read of such innocent love. They were hardly boys and their were living the best days in the summer of their lives. Achilles, strong but vulnerable, son of a God and born to die a hero. Patroclus, a cast away exile from a royal family, hardly a warrior but filled with sweet, generous love and lost in the winding pathways of life. Their love is like the changing of seasons; bright as summer one moment, cold as winter the other. Their jealousy is real and one can't but see them in bliss forever. Madeline Miller says it took her 10 years to finish this book and I can imagine so. It is poetic and beautiful, as heartwarming as spring and as visible as the trees that change colors. She sings of a tender love, one that bloomed on the peak of Mount Pelion as two young boys learned the lessons of life under the watchful gaze of the centaur Chiron. Days are spent learning to fish and hunt; nights lazed around under a canopy of stars. Friendship and love was born in lakes that flowed with clear, sparkling water and around nighttime hearths in darkened caves. Two young boys, one a God, the other a mortal, with nothing but life ahead of them. Life though wakes you up just when you think blissful sleep would grace your eyes and take you to a world where innocence fills the air with abundance. And so it is here. Achilles' vengeful Goddess mother Thetis forever lurks in the background, a dark sea-nymph who abhors her son's relationship with a mere mortal, a simple nobody, even as she carries around her more than a whiff of bad omen. And the omens come true faster than one can imagine. Helen, the wondrously beautiful wife of Menelaus of Sparta, elopes with Paris, their thirstful lust setting off a war that destroys a generation. Royal messengers ride away to all of Greece as Menelaus and his brother, Agamemnon, assemble an army that, at the time, was one of the greatest on all earth. A thousand ships, as the bards liked to sing, sailed to Troy, one gigantic armada and all for one man's wife who chose to abandon him to the charms of Paris. Word reaches Achilles and Patroclus too, for Achilles was born on this earth to be the greatest of all heroes. He and he alone could defeat Hector, the best of Troy. But the fates sing a cruel song and in his glory also lies tragedy. Achilles may choose to be a hero and all the Gods and the men knew he would be one but in his choice he would also face certain death for the prophecies never lie. Tied with Hector is his own fate. Tied to his heart is his love for Patroclus. What does his choose? An everlasting love or tragic glory? Patroclus tries of course. Tries to steer the way to love. Oh does he try, poor Patroclus, the simple soul who wanted nothing but Achilles. "The never-ending ache of love and sorrow. Perhaps in some other life I could have refused, could have torn my hair and screamed, and made him face his choice alone." In the end glory wins over love and Achilles sails for Troy and Patroclus sails with him, their young love a glittering shimmer left behind on Mount Pelion. This is a book that sings of young love but it is also one that speaks of war and philosophy. Wars have been fought over land, over love and over pride. All three may seem flimsy when the consequence is a field littered with dead bodies and rivers turning crimson. And yet war carries beneath it, a deep philosophy and lessons, moral and tangible. The war of Troy would be no different. What for instance would motivate men to leave behind their families and sail on a voyage from which there was almost certainly no return? Why would they fight for another's wife? This is where war commanders come in. War perhaps teaches more on leadership than anything else and this war is no different. "Success in such a war as this comes only through men sewn to a single purpose, funnelled to a single spear-thrust rather than a thousand needle-pricks." But this war beckons fame for Achilles and he drinks it, eagerly, a touch greedily. It suits him, to stand tall amongst men, lean and muscular, unbelievable strength in his limbs, as he looses spear after spear and watches them sluice men a mile away. He is a God amongst men, born only to bask in everlasting glory. Where he was vulnerable and simply in love before, now he is a man whose summer of life was cut short. He is not cruel but neither his he hesitant to kill men. Where does this leave Patroclus? Does their love still stand a chance in this miasma of rotting bodies and drying blood? "It was that moment, perhaps, that our lives changed. Not before in Scyros, nor before that still, on Pelion. But here, as we began to understand the grandness, now and always, that would follow him wherever he went. He had chosen to become a legend, and this was the beginning. He hesitated, and I touched my hand to his, where the crowd could not see it. ‘Go,’ I urged him. ‘They are waiting for you.’" But a man on war would always leave behind a void in his companion's life. And in this void stepped in Breseis. Good, sweet Breseis, a slave of war under the protection of Achilles. The long, tiring years of war brought closer Patroclus and Breseis and as much as I loved the song of Achilles and Patroclus, I wanted to also experience the song of Patroclus and Breseis, It would, I was sure, be as beautiful. But war is tragic, much as the bards like to claim other wise and tragedy encased its cold arms around our heroes. Miller takes her novel on a cliff, all glory and bliss, and then pushes it down. At first, it rolls down gently, merely seeking to swat aside those who stand before it but then assumes a greater momentum, crushing those whose defiance was stronger. From a tale of innocence and sweet vulnerability, it become this haunting song of pain and sorrow. My heart wept for Achilles and Patroclus and Breseis. Three souls lost in the graveyard of life. Warm hearths brought them close together, their story an ode to a soulful companionship. Wild fires of battle tore them apart. I clung on to faint hope, the hopeless romantic that I am. But that hope flickered away like the dying flame of a candle as I flipped the pages. Despite everything I claimed about war, this story made me question its futility. I remember feeling the same when I was reading Bernard Cornwell's Arthurian saga. War seeks to establish the superiority of one man over another but Chiron was right when he said that nations were the most foolish of mortal inventions; no man is worth more than another, wherever he is from. And this line rang true as I neared the end of this story of brave men fighting and killing and slaughtering. True that Helen eloped and true that Menelaus felt affronted. But they were not the only ones fighting this battle. A lot many did and a lot many died. Madeline Miller has composed a haunting poetry of love and war, of warm summers and frozen winters, of comforting hearths and distressing funeral pyres. Her prose casually dances over the pages, its elegance an ode to an excellent writer. Her world-building was majestic in its simplicity and her depiction of an age of heroes was heart-wrenching. I wouldn't say I loved this book as much as I did Cornwell's Arthurian tale but Troy has it's own place in the stories I love and Miller's book is a shining gem in that shelf. It is poetic and beautiful, its rhythms like the gentle waves of a beach on a moonlit night. They haunt you long after the water has washed away your footprints. "fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another.’ He spread his broad hands. ‘We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory. Who knows?’"

The book condition is 10/10 And the content? Well to put it simply, you're reading the tale of the greatest of the greatest Greeks Achilles, from the perspective of Patroclus, and it also covers the Trojan war, Probably the greatest conflict ever, The writing, the story and everything is a 10 on 10 for me, I absolutely loved reading this book and I'm officially a fan of Madeline miller's writings ig, do keep in mind that the book condition may vary, but you can always use amazon's return feature, if you're patient enough. And you don't need to have some knowledge about Greek mythology and stuff before you go in, It's a fairly easy to read book! And I'd say it's a must read, so if you're thinking about reading it, think no more and do it! Happy reading! And apologies for my mistakes, English isn't my first language.

Serene and beautiful

The Song of Achilles retells the story of the Trojan War through the eyes of Patroclus, giving us a deeply emotional perspective on his bond with Achilles. Instead of focusing only on battles and glory, Madeline Miller highlights the tenderness, loyalty, and love between the two — making their eventual fate even more heartbreaking. What stood out for me was how Miller balanced Greek mythology with raw human emotion. The writing is lyrical yet accessible, and the love story feels both timeless and devastating. Even though we know how it ends, the journey is so beautifully told that it still shatters you. This is not just a myth retelling, it’s a love story that lingers long after the last page. 🏺💔✨

The book was in a great condition. it's the original hardcover copy of the book. totally worth the money.

❝And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.❞ The Song of Achilles is probably the most popular in booktok/ bookstagram. I am trying to wrap my head around this book. I enjoyed it but I am not head over heels in love with it. I could not exactly point out why. I have a few issues with it, overall I had a good time reading it. It is a very slow-paced book, since the beginning we just see the characters just having out and doing day-to-day stuff. Madeline Miller's writing is environmental, but for some reason, I could not immerse myself in it. At times, the story picks up the pace and just before I am completely into it, it slows down again, which bothered me a little. I was also not a big fan of the decisions few characters make, although If I think hard, I see why they did it. But I expected them to be more mature than that. This book made me want to learn about Greek Mythology more and I will read them. With everyone raving about this book and the emotional damage it brings them, I was expecting that I would at least shed a tear if not ball my eyes, but it did not happen. And it frustrates me a little bit. Anyways, I had some high hopes for this book, it only reached a few of them. And I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in Greek myth and intimidated by it as an introduction to Greek myth because the writing is so easy to read and it is a short book.

Jedna z moich ulubionych książek wszechczasów.

The book is in perfect condition, I am very happy

The beginning is good but towards the middle it’s pretty slow and you might wonder if it’ll live up to the hype but once you enter the ending it’s just so intense and emotional and it’s an experience! I loved it!

Originally posted on my blog at https://rantandraveaboutbooks.com/2016/07/29/the-song-of-achilles-fate-fury-and-friendship-make-for-a-rave-review/ First, I think it’s important to mention that The Iliad is my favorite book, so my connection to the characters and this story is much deeper than most. I read The Iliad in 2001 and have since been obsessed with all things Greek mythology as well as anything related to the Trojan War. I’ve read The Iliad a total of six times in its entirety, so when I read The Song of Achilles, a work of historical fiction based on the book, I was completely blow away. I can’t remember the last time I stared at the last page of a novel and felt that satisfied. I recently wrote a post about The Iliad if you want to learn more about the original and the modern-day spin I added to it. We read The Song of Achilles as our Book of the Month for Hype or Like Friday, a Goodreads group I co-created with Britt and Larkin, and I’m looking forward to reading the reviews. If you’re a member of the group or have reviewed this book in the past, feel free to share the link to your review in the comments. I often switch up my review style, and I’ve decided to break the novel into 5 categories: Writing, Characters, Plot, Historical Accuracy, and Themes. Note: If you haven’t read The Iliad or are unaware of the history/mythology surrounding the Trojan War, then consider this your warning that there are major spoilers below that explain both The Iliad and The Song of Achilles in great detail. The Writing… Madeline Miller’s prose is so beautiful I was instantly drawn into this novel from the first page. It’s really brilliant, and that’s a word I’ve only used to describe Stephen King’s prose, so that actually means something to me in terms of quality. I’m impressed with very few authors’ writing style, which made this book unputdownable for me. I didn’t realize until after I read the novel that Miller studied and teaches classic literature, and it really shines through. The Song of Achilles is so well written I couldn’t believe this was her first novel. I avoided this one for a while because I was afraid it couldn’t live up to my favorite book. I never thought a re-telling could do Homer justice, but this book knocked it out of the park. The Characters… Choosing Patroclus as the narrator of this story was a BRILLIANT idea! My first thought was how can Patroclus narrate from first person POV when his death is what drives Achilles to kill Hector in a fit of rage, knowing it will lead to his own death? I don’t think this counts as a spoiler considering The Iliad is over three thousand years old and most people know the story of Achilles by now. And that’s not even the most important aspect of this book. I’ve always loved Patroclus and Achilles together. They are The Iliad, at least they are for me. Homer never mentions they’re lovers in his work, but some historians believe the reason Achilles was so distraught over Patroclus’ death was because they were in a relationship. His pain would’ve been real whether they were friends or lovers. Who wouldn’t mourn the loss of their best friend, someone they grew up with? But that’s the spin Miller takes on my favorite classic that really intrigued me. My other favorite character is Briseis, who we later meet during the Trojan War when King Agamemnon holds her captive. The Iliad starts off with Achilles fighting with Agamemnon over Briseis. It plays out almost the same but a bit different in this book. Regardless of the representation, we still get the same gist that the trio spent years living together, which is another part of The Iliad and this book I really liked. “She is in Agamemnon’s custody, but she is Achilles’ prize still. To violate her is a violation of Achilles himself, the gravest insult to his honor. Achilles could kill him for it, and even Menelaus would call it fair.” Achilles is such a tough, strong-willed character that overpowers Patroclus’ more sensitive side, but the two of them work so well together. When Achilles is about to go off the rails, it’s always Patroclus that can rein him in. The Plot… Patroclus was a prince, exiled and sent to live at King Peleus’ court. Achilles’ father wasn’t keen on Patroclus and Achilles’ friendship because he was no longer a prince, but Achilles chose him and that was all that mattered. Everyone listened to what the prince said, and when Achilles speaks in the book, I really felt the power behind his words. His arrogance and air of entitlement can be an issue with some readers, but I see his character from a completely different perspective than most. I like that Miller starts off with Patroclus at age five, drawing you into the world of Achilles, the handsome demi-god with skills that would’ve made every Greek jealous except Patroclus. He admired Achilles, loved him from a distance for years until one day they kissed and the rest is history. When Helen of Sparta, later known as Helen of Troy, is allegedly kidnapped and taken to Troy this prompts Achilles’ need to fight. In The Iliad, Aphrodite promises Paris, Prince of Troy, a beautiful woman, and Helen was considered one of the most beautiful women of that time. This is not shown in the novel, but I thought I’d mention it to give you some context. The entire war and story is set in motion by Helen and Paris’ relationship that angers her husband Menelaus, who convinces his brother King Agamemnon to go to war. “Yet this beautiful spear had been fashioned not in bitterness, but love. Its shape would fit no one’s hand but Achilles’, and its heft could suit no one’s strength but his. And though the point was keen and deadly, the wood itself slipped under our fingers like the slender oiled strut of a lyre.” Slight Confession: I shed a few tears at Patroclus’ death. I cry every time I read The Iliad because it’s so powerful and emotionally draining to read and feel Achilles’ pain over his friend, and in this story, his lover. I won’t spoil the ending for you, but I will say that I absolutely loved the conclusion to Patroclus and Achilles’ story. The Historical Accuracy… Everything from Odysseus’ search for Achilles in a foreign court to the divine intervention from the gods was completely accurate. We see Apollo help Paris shoot the arrow that leads to Achilles’ death. He tells him that Achilles might be part god but he’s also man and even gods can be killed. I was afraid this book would take liberties with history. I was thoroughly pleased that did not happen here. While some things were not exactly the same, it was spot on for the most part, which made me smile every time I read another part that lived up to what I’d hoped. I had so many expectations before I opened the book on my Kindle, and I’m thrilled that I can Rave over The Song of Achilles for all the right reasons. The Themes… There are five recurring themes in The Iliad that are also presented in this novel. Achilles knows his destiny is to be the best fighter to ever live, and when his mother Thetis, a sea goddess, tells him he will die if he goes to Troy, he chooses fame and glory over homecoming. He was raised with the assumption he would be the greatest warrior the Greeks had ever seen. While this is true, his pride is a problem that starts to wear on the Greek companies in Troy after Achilles is unable to come to a truce with Agamemnon. The last of her fire was gone; only marble remained. “It is true. But there is more, and worse that he has not said.” The words came tonelessly, as a statue would speak them. “If you go to Troy, you will never return. You will die a young man there.” Achilles’ face went pale. “It is certain?” This is what all mortals ask first, in disbelief, shock, fear. Is there no exception for me? “It is certain.” We see homecoming after the war in the Odyssey with Odysseus, but fate is determined by the Fates themselves, the spinners of life and death. Achilles’ mother pleads with the gods to save her son, but his fate was already set and unavoidable. Odysseus inclines his head. “True. But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another.” He spread his broad hands. “We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory. Who knows?” He smiles. “Perhaps one day even I will be famous. Perhaps more famous than you.” Another important theme is the concept of honor. Achilles goes to Troy because he knows it’s the honorable thing to do. He also fights with Agamemnon over Briseis because he believes that the king is a dishonorable man and by taking his war prize, who later becomes his friend, he’s showing Achilles a lack of respect and therefore has not earned his in return. The Wrath of Achilles is the most notable theme of The Iliad. His anger for Agamemnon is present from the beginning of the book until the bitter end, and his anger over Patroclus’ death only intensifies that fury that he’s waited to unleash. He tears through Trojans like they’re nothing, ripping apart their best fighters until he finally gets the chance to make Hector, Prince of Troy and best of the Trojans, suffer for what he did to his friend. Hector’s eyes are wide, but he will run no longer. He says, “Grant me this. Give my body to my family, when you have killed me.” Achilles makes a sound like choking. “There are no bargains between lions and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.” His spearpoint flies in a dark whirlwind, bright as the evening-star, to catch the hollow at Hector’s throat. The one thing I really liked about The Iliad is that we saw a great deal of Hector. We saw very little of Hector in The Song of Achilles, and I suppose that’s because of the first person narration by Patroclus. There’s so many wonderful quotes I would’ve loved to have read from The Iliad that perfectly capture the words spoken between Hector and Achilles. Hector and Achilles are such a great match for each other because they both want the fame and glory that comes with death, and I really liked Hector in The Iliad. I only wish I would’ve seen more of him in this story. This may either tie or beat Red Rising for the longest review I’ve ever written. I hope this all makes sense and doesn’t come off as a Greek lit fangirl ramble.

perfect