The Song of Achilles

Summary (from the publisher): The legend begins...

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Built on the groundwork of the Iliad, Madeline Miller’s page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.

Review: A new telling of the Iliad, this novel reimagines the story of Achilles and the Trojan War from the perspective of Achilles' best friend and lover, Patroclus. As a child, Patroclus is exiled to the kingdom of Phthia where he meets King Peleus and his son Achilles and against the odds, becomes close friends with the golden boy who is the son of a goddess and destined to be the best warrior of his generation. Eventually, the boys grow up to be lovers, despite the fury of Achille's mother, the sea goddess Thetis. Called to war when Helen of Sparta is kidnapped, the men know their time together is limited, as Thetis has warned her son that he has chosen fame over longevity and will not survive the war. 

This was a beautifully written novel that breathed life into ancient Roman mythology. I particularly liked that Miller did not stray away from making the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus a sexual one and I found their love story deeply moving.  Moreover, their love story made Achilles a tragic figure with something to lose, instead of just a supernaturally talented warrior. 

Throughout, Miller has tried to stay true to Greek legends and Homer's Iliad and for the most part this serves the novel well. One notable exception was Achille's time in Skyros, where he hid from his fate disguised as a woman. Since Patroclus was the narrator and he was absent for most of this part of Achilles' story, this portion of the novel wound up feeling like a random segue from the storyline rather than a congruent part of the tale. However, overall I loved this novel and how Miller has reimagined the story of Achilles. 

Stars: 4