The Song of Achilles: The 10th Anniversary edition of the Women's Prize-winning bestseller

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From a romance novel point of view the love story between the two didn't work for me because I think that throughout the book Patroclus was too dependent and clingy and I don't like that type of relationship. His life only revolves around this great, beautiful hero and more often than not, it seemed that he was by Achilles' side on every step - even when he isn't supposed to be, he tags along anyway. I wish he was more of his own person, a more dynamic character and also a more competent fighter, instead of this physically weak person. I am a big enough romance fan, but at times this was too soapy for my taste. Also important to any discussion of this dynamic is the reason it was so accepted: misogyny. Partially this was a result of the focus on the act of penetration, i.e., the penetrator was the more masculine, and the penetrated was effeminate. Women were also viewed as incapable of love to the same extent that men were, and so the “ideal” relationship was between two men, who were intellectual equals, as opposed to women, who (it was believed) weren’t capable of the same degree of affection. This delusion persisted into modernity, often resulting in homosocial relationships, if not outright homosexual ones. What I liked less was the slow burn nature of a book in the first half when the period and story already offered so much for the author to embellish.

Song of Achilles: Madeline Miller: Hardcover: 9780062060617 Song of Achilles: Madeline Miller: Hardcover: 9780062060617

Though the Greeks are in trouble from the beginning (Agamemnon has to sacrifice his own daughter to get Artemis to give them wind to sail to Troy), Achilles’ gift of speed allows the Greeks to gain the upper hand in the first raids and battles of the war. Patroclus fears for Achilles, but he’s comforted by the knowledge that Hector is destined to die first—as long as Hector lives, Achilles will live. This goes on for years. Patroclus encourages Achilles to take many women as war prizes to save them from rape and servitude, and one of these is Briseis, an Anatolian woman who Patroclus grows to consider part of his family.

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After Achilles’ death, he is replaced as Aristos Achaion by his brutal son Neoptolemus (AKA Pyrrhus), and the Greeks win the Trojan war. Achilles is properly honored with a tomb, but Pyrrhus won’t allow anyone to carve Patroclus’s name onto the monument and taint his father’s legacy. Patroclus is trapped as a formless spirit. He sees Pyrrhus kills Briseis, witnesses Pyrrhus sacrifice a young Trojan princess to Achilles’ tomb, and then he watches the Greek ships leave the shores of Troy. From a mythological novel point of view - if you are seeking a book about the Greek and Trojan war, I personally suggest skipping this one. In my opinion it is barely a retelling of myth, because only writing about the private lives, loves and bedrooms of classical gods/demigods/heroes does nothing to make us understand the grounds on which classicism was built. For me it was disappointing, since I really wanted the richness of the actual story and not just romance. Not only was Patroclus and Achilles' love story the main focus, it was pretty much the only subject matter throughout. Could have been really well done if the events of Troy were more thoroughly framed in the context of the love story.

The Song of Achilles Summary | GradeSaver The Song of Achilles Summary | GradeSaver

ACHILLESThe first line (nay word) of the Iliad identifies the crux of the story: rage. Achilles’s rage is his defining characteristic, not his warmth or his kindness or his gentleness. His moments of affection (typically involving Thetis) are always filtered through anger. Even Patroclus calls out Achilles on his shitty behaviour. Part of what makes Achilles such a fascinating character is his flaws: his anger, his intolerance, his blind fury. I’d concede that some of it might be misguided love, but the majority is rage. He’s got some anger issues, okay? Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. In particular, his voice when speaking as Achilles, straight up Chris Hemsworth. Honestly, not a bad picture to have in mind whilst listening to a book. A story that is epic, timeless, and sad but told with great sentiment, heart, and soul. A book that does not try to recount the historical events of the past and the myths but rather embellishes them to play the song of Achilles. What I loved the most was how she managed to convey Achilles’ and Patroclus relationship though. Even though she never went into detail, never actually let them say that they loved each other; it was still palpable in every single moment they shared together. Those moments were so precious I couldn’t get enough of them and all I wanted was for them to be happy.Then you are a traitor to this army, and will be punished like one. Your war prizes are hostage, placed in my care until you offer your obedience and submission. Let us start with that girl. Briseis, is her name? She will do as a penance for the girl you have forced me to return.” Miller puts flesh on these ancient bones, Gods and mortals alike, and brings a freshness to one of our most venerated stories. Though I resisted, it turns out that Madeline Miller was writing these books for me. She has also given me a burning desire to read The Iliad again while her interpretation is still imprinted so deeply in my mind. I have a feeling my reading experience will be deepened and her observations will glow like phosphorus between the lines. MISOGYNY, PART II could go on for years about how much I hate how Miller writes women (for more of that, see Circe), but it can be easily summarised: Miller has two types of woman, “plain supportive non-threatening wing(wo)man” or “conventionally attractive evil jealous bitch,” and those are the only female characters she writes.

The Song of Achilles - Booktopia The Song of Achilles - Booktopia

Last but not least I want to thank my Sweet Sugar Bun who dared to buddy read this book with me! Thank you for all the comments, messages and updates that made it bearable to read this book. I swear if you wouldn’t have discussed this with me I would have cried even more often than I already did. *lol* So yeah, thanks for that wonderful buddy read and for keeping my sanity intact. I really appreciate it! XD We definitely should go for another buddy read some time soon! I heard “Circe” is a nice book too! *lol* ;-P p.s- I’ve purposely avoided images of the movie Troy in this review. Anybody who has seen it and read this book really shouldn’t be putting the two side by side, at least, not if they want to make their review fair. One is an insult to the story, the other a novelisation of a timeless classic. Reading this is like reading Romeo and Juliet. We all know the story. We all know the outcome. We all know that our desperate prayers for someone, anyone to step in and save these characters from themselves will fall on deaf ears. Extraordinary ... Beautifully descriptive and heart-achingly lyrical, this is a love story as sensitive and intuitive as any you will find ( Daily Mail)A retelling of The Iliad with entertaining and joyful exuberance ... You may know the story but you've never heard it told like this. A gem ( Stylist)

The Song of Achilles - Bloomsbury Publishing

I was overwhelmed by the intensity of feeling this story was able to elicit from my cold, dark heart. They grinned, loving every inch of their miraculous prince: his gleaming hair, his deadly hands, his nimble feet. They leaned towards him, like flowers to the sun, drinking in his lustre. It was as Odysseus had said: he had light enough to make heroes of them all.” Also bizarre is the fact that, while all of Miller’s women are either villains, obstacles, or dalliances, every (sympathetic) man is bestowed with modern twenty-first-century feminist mindsets—not only are Briseis and the other women captured by Achilles not assaulted, but they also come to care for him and for Patroclus because of how kind and respectful these men are. This would be lovely in real life, of course, but it’s not what happened in the Iliad.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. Madeline Miller did what the movie producers of the film Troy (2004) were too cowardly to do; she stayed true to the homosexuality of Homer’s Iliad rather than writing a censored version of the story which stank of homophobia. Achilles and Patroclus were passionately in love, which resulted in their respective destructions. They were not cousins or man at arms, but soul mates. The watering down of this in the film Troy was an insult to the LGBT community. Nothing more. Nothing less. Miller doesn’t write about this. She apparently doesn’t understand that Achilles isn’t the moral paragon of this story—the reason he refuses to fight isn’t because he thinks battle is wrong, or killing is evil; it’s because Agamemnon stole one of his slave woman before Achilles could rape her. His character development—which comes too late, at the expense of Patroclus—is in the form of the realisation that he can’t sulk indefinitely in his tent, but he actually has to fight in the war in which he was conscripted. Please be aware that the delivery time frame may vary according to the area of delivery - the approximate delivery time is usually between 1-2 business days. His eyes, green as spring leaves, met mine. “Patroclus. I have given enough to them. I will not give them this.”