Reading: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone.” - Madeline Miller, Song of Achilles

Title: Song of Achilles

Author: Madeline Miller

Published: 2015

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

This book follows the traditional story of Achilles as he journeys from innocent young man to the famed Greek hero and warrior. The story is told through the eyes of his companion and close friend Patroclus, who is himself a prince, though shamed and exiled to live a life of pseudo-servitude.

I really enjoyed this story. Reading it on my kindle allowed me to click on any characters and places that sounded familiar and remind myself of their significance in history. I brushed up on my Homer and my Greek mythology, and I deeply enjoyed the humanizing way in which characters were portrayed. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good historical fiction!

Spoilers?

The relationship and kinship that blossoms between these two young men is something deeper than friendship and the love they feel for one another develops organically and beautifully throughout the story. It is not given center stage (which is in keeping with the Greek way), but instead propels the greater story forward, a story of two young men who seek to find their courage and legacies in a world that puts them each in a particular place. We all think we know Achilles's story, but told through the eyes of Patroclus he becomes a tragic Greek hero for whom I mourn.

Rating: 5 Stars (loved it)

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