Title: The Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Rating: 4/5 stars
Goodreads Synopsis: A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly re-imagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, Miller’s debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights.
Review:
I'm going to keep this brief and without spoilers because I read this book awhile ago now. I wrote up half a book discussion but then saved it to my drafts and never finished it. Now it's not as fresh in my mind so I've altered it to just be a general review.
In short, I really loved The Song of Achilles, but more on the side of emotion than actually thinking it was technically fantastic. Miller's prose is really clean and engaging throughout the novel, but the pacing leaves a bit to be desired in a lot of the book. There were some really lovely bits in the middle of this book but it also dragged quite a bit. The character development feels stunted after the first half of the book (where it was, honestly, fantastic), although Achilles' character was really successfully humanised despite this. I think in large part that humanity which Achilles demonstrates so much more than in other texts is his relationship with Patroclus.
And that is what made this book for me, as well as most others, I'm sure. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is a beautiful, beautiful thing to read. Don't be fooled in thinking this book is about anything else but them, or that that's a bad thing. The first 100-150 pages of this book is also where they really shine, in my opinion. It didn't take me long to be so invested in these two characters that the emotions I was feeling felt like a punch in the gut - even when I was feeling happy.
Overall, The Song of Achilles is just a very good book and I would 100% recommend it. If you haven't read the Illiad or know the original text, don't be concerned and not read this. It's very easy to pick up without that, and possibly even better not knowing how the story concludes.
For those who have read it, let me know down in the comments what you thought and what you're favourite scenes were!
Until next time!
Jess, xxx
In short, I really loved The Song of Achilles, but more on the side of emotion than actually thinking it was technically fantastic. Miller's prose is really clean and engaging throughout the novel, but the pacing leaves a bit to be desired in a lot of the book. There were some really lovely bits in the middle of this book but it also dragged quite a bit. The character development feels stunted after the first half of the book (where it was, honestly, fantastic), although Achilles' character was really successfully humanised despite this. I think in large part that humanity which Achilles demonstrates so much more than in other texts is his relationship with Patroclus.
And that is what made this book for me, as well as most others, I'm sure. The relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is a beautiful, beautiful thing to read. Don't be fooled in thinking this book is about anything else but them, or that that's a bad thing. The first 100-150 pages of this book is also where they really shine, in my opinion. It didn't take me long to be so invested in these two characters that the emotions I was feeling felt like a punch in the gut - even when I was feeling happy.
Overall, The Song of Achilles is just a very good book and I would 100% recommend it. If you haven't read the Illiad or know the original text, don't be concerned and not read this. It's very easy to pick up without that, and possibly even better not knowing how the story concludes.
For those who have read it, let me know down in the comments what you thought and what you're favourite scenes were!
Until next time!
Jess, xxx
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