The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is a young adult novel based on the Grecian mythological story of Achilles and Patroclus in the Trojan War. This narrative is told from the eyes of Patroclus, who describes his experiences with friendship, sacrifice, identity and self worth. The themes present in this book include isolation and belonging, the violence in war and the overarching theme of fate controlling all, which is common in Greek mythological stories. Patroclus battles with his relationship with Achilles while also being in the middle of the Trojan war. The war, offering a lifetime of glory to the victor, seduces Achilles, starting a whirlwind of events controlled by the Fates to play out in front of them. This work has an interesting twist on the tale of Achilles and portrays a character in Greek mythology who is not as popular. Madeline Miller's knowledge of Greek mythology and writing makes this book in depth and compelling as well. Miller twists the story of the Trojan war to showcase her opinion on the brutalities of war and fate ruling all. The impact of the destruction caused by the Trojan War depicts the harsh realities displayed in battle, and the fate controlling the events playing out creates the suspense and major plot points of the book. The novel takes place in a mythological world in which monsters, gods, and other grecian mythological creatures are present. This also adds to the tension and suspense felt by the reader through the use of the overarching Fates, who are deities who control fate in Grecian Roman mythology. Their presence provides the overarching theme of fate controlling all, creating a nagging reminder in the back of the reader’s head, adding to the suspense. The book leaves out the ideas of escape from fate, making a setting where the characters are trapped and are bound to their pre-planned life. Miller's description of the overarching fate and death tolls of war is similar to the Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins, especially the third book, “The Mockingjay”. The book deals with the effects of a war between the main capital and a rebelling state, and the brutalities faced by the characters in The Mockingjay reflects the ones faced by the characters in The Song Of Achilles. The overarching theme of fate is also described in The Mockingjay as the main character battles with the eventual sacrifice needed in order to save their rebellion. Overall the Song Of Achilles connects into themes of Fate controlling all and the harshness of war, which leaves the reader with a different outlook on how life may be controlled in a harmful harsh way.
Kavya R.
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