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Rate: 5/5

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Genre: Myth, Fantasy, Romance e.t.c

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The Song of Achilles weave past myths with modern storytelling, bringing two young lovers to tragic, but beautiful life.

Overview

Though I often say Circe is my favorite book by Madeline Miller, that isn’t completely true; I put Circe and The Song of Achilles in equal footing in terms of mastery of prose and storytelling, and they are, in several ways, so similar that you simply can’t like one without loving the other. However, I personally prefer Circe because of its more subtle themes and intricate plot. This, of course, doesn’t mean I love Achilles any less.

“I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”

I still remember starting and finishing The Song of Achilles on the same exact day, being enamored by the compelling story of Patroclus and Achilles. It draws from many myths that I knew already, such as the Trojan War, but gives a depth and detail that brings these characters off the very pages. There is pain and love in this book, full of wonder and journey, riddled with death and tragedy.

Plot

One unique aspect of The Song of Achilles‘ plot is the romance that blooms between our main protagonists Patroclus and Achilles, a relationship that was never known or written down. It was my first time being aware of this version of the myth, but Madeline Miller was able to make their friendship and love so believable that I could imagine this story being actually true.

The story starts off with Patroclus as a little boy, banished from his home as punishment for his actions. After the journey that follows, young Patroclus meets the golden prince Achilles. Between them, an unbreakable bond forms, leading them onto numerous quests and hardships. Together. Of course, though their journey seems hopeful and pleasant, its ending is nothing but.

“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.”

Prose

The prose of The Song of Achilles, simply put, is masterful. I don’t think the story would’ve been the same if the writing that told it was any less beautiful or carefully structured. Every word had a purpose, giving every single scene a deeper detail and nuance that really hit the emotions to heart.

One scene that really exemplified this was the closing pages of the whole book, where Patroclus stares at the tomb of Achilles’ body on the shore of the sea; I could take any sentence and it would sound straight from a poem. I was beautiful and tragic enough to make me cry. A little bit.

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”

Final Thoughts

The Song of Achilles is a very beautiful book. It is about love, pain, war, and the people that leads and are led by them. If you are looking for a story with exceptional prose and young romance, this should absolutely be your next pick. 5/5

“I am made of memories.”