"The Song of Achilles"

By: Madeline Miller

AKA: 'The Book That Broke My Heart'

"Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to 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 cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice."

This book feels like a dagger in my heart.

When I first came across 'The Song of Achilles', I decided not to read it. I mean, I'm pretty sure we all read some sort of variation of a Greek myth or story.

Then, I realized that I was having a pretty hard time deciding on what to read next, so I turned to 'The Song of Achilles'. And I'm glad I did, because I can't imagine living in a world where I made the choice not to read it. 'The Song of Achilles' was beautiful, heart-felt, and definitely on my list of "Best Books of 2022".

Protagonist

Patroclus is a prince, but he was never much of a fighter. His father was constantly disappointed in him, and no one treated him with respect, much less any basic human decency. So, when an older boy picked on him, Patroclus lost his temper and accidentally pushed him onto some very sharp rocks. It was this death that caused Patroclus to be stripped of his title as a prince and to be exiled. It was also why he met Prince Achilles.

I daresay that Patroclus is one of the best protagonists I've ever come across. I could easily feel what he felt, and easily relate to him. His feelings were realistic and believable. Patroclus was truly selfless, but he had his flaws. He was portrayed as a human, which is what he is: a mortal.

Writing Style

"The Song of Achilles" is written in first-person POV. The writing was easy to get into, and the messages and way this book was written felt very...deep. The first chapter was a bit hard to get into, because it showed quick flashes of Patroclus's early childhood.

I felt like the story kind of began after Patroclus was exiled, which was when he was nine. Patroclus didn't spend the entire story as a nine year old, though. He and Achilles grew older, and not every moment of their lives were narrated. The timeline made sense, and the story wasn't just a few fragments of memories. It was beautifully written.

Plot line

The story is greatly about Patroclus's and Achilles's relationship. Achilles is destined for greatness, but, as we all know, he's also destined to die. If we know the myth, we know that Achilles's death is inevitable. This story is about the years leading up to the Trojan War, and what happens during it, and what happens after.

Knowing the plot, it was one of the reasons I didn't what to read 'The Song of Achilles'. I figured that the plot looked kind of meaningless, you know. But this story has meaning. It has a plot. It has a story. And it was beautiful. I'm still aching. After all this time.

In short? Read this book. It's good.

It's greatly written, the characters are amazing, and its plot is beautiful and heartfelt. Be prepared for a lot of crying though. Whether you want to buy this book, or of you want to borrow it from a library, if your interested in its genres, it is worth your time. Be prepared to cry, though. A lot.

Bonus Time: {Possible Spoilers} Did you guys ever think that Patroclus was a Son of Apollo? Even though nothing happened in the book, I kind of thought it would make sense for him to be a Son of Apollo. Sickness and disease never touched him, he was really good at healing and medicine, and he loved listening to the lyre. The lyre that Achilles had belonged to Patroclus's mother. That had mean something, right?!

Thank you for reading my review of 'The Song of Achilles'. I hope this helped you! Of you have any questions leave a comment below!

~ WritingLightning