Overview
The Song of Achilles is based on the epic poem the Iliad, written 3000 years ago, and brings new life into the ancient characters created in the literature of many years ago. It is centered on two main characters: Achilles, the shining, perfect hero, and Patroclus, a painfully average boy, told from the latter’s perspective. Early on in the book, Patroclus is exiled to the island where Achilles lives. The two boys become fast friends, much to the dismay of Achilles’ mother, the sea goddess Thetis. After a blissful period of friendship and harmony, Achilles is sent away to live under Chiron, who will mentor him. Patroclus follows and the two learn many things under Chiron’s teaching. Later on in the book, Achilles is summoned to fight in the Trojan War, and Patroclus, who is bound by oath to fight, goes as well. The war lasts for 10 long years, and due to conflict with the leader of the Greek Army, Achilles refuses to fight in the last year of the war. Anguished at the thought of so many lives lost, Patroclus makes a final stand in battle, with a disastrous result. Although they are apart for the last few chapters, Patroclus and Achilles are reunited in heaven in the last few sentences of the book.
The writing style of this book was poetic and descriptive without being overly flowery. I often had to read through paragraphs multiple times in order to take in all the information in the text. The Song of Achilles author, Madeline Miller, put a unique spin on Homer’s Iliad, and added a new life to the characters. Patroclus’s narration was at times lyrical and fluid, with abstract descriptions of surroundings, people, and emotions. In contrast, in times of great emotion and in battles, the narration is quick, abrupt, and to the point, and Miller handles the pacing of these scenes beautifully. Although the book had its good points, there were also a few things that weren’t as favorable. Even though there were intense battle scenes and passionate emotional scenes, what happened in between didn’t hold my attention as well. There were many long stretches where nothing of note happened, and much of those stretches were spent intricately describing the heroes’ surroundings- and this could be anything from the weather outside to the number of cows brought in on a raid.
Overall, this was a very well-written book, even though it felt slow at times. Madeline Miller has an articulate, lyrical style of writing that conveys this story in a way that is both beautiful and accessible to the everyday reader. This book is ideal to readers of Percy Jackson, but who want a little more romance, and a little more sophistication. I think this book is suitable for ages 14 and up, because of a few romantic scenes. Nothing is described in detail, rather, it is shown in an abstract, metaphorical way that communicates the author’s point if read between the lines. The Song of Achilles is a great book for lovers of both romance, and mythology, as well as the average person, and is an eloquent ode to the characters created by authors so long ago.
Would I Recommend this Book?
Yes! I would give it 4..5 out of five stars.
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