The Song of Achilles

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Average customer rating 4.7 (7 comments)

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Stunningly beautiful, Miller's language at times takes one's breath away. I’m marveling at the infusion of love and tenderness into a story of war and mayhem and the interference of feckless gods. May be too much of a cuirass-ripper for some, but the humanity of the story overrode that for me.

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This is a lyrical, brilliant book, all the more impressive for being a debut novel. Miller is a master of making even the simplest moments compelling and lovely, and her take on some of the most important scenes from the Iliad are even more compelling. The Song of Achilles is told from the perspective of Patroclus, Achilles' lover and constant companion, beginning with Patroclus's childhood. He is an unusual main character in that he rarely speaks about his own strengths at all, preferring to cast the poorest possible light on himself in favor of praising Achilles. The two grow up together, learn together, and finally, inevitably, go to war together. Miller does an excellent job of tempering your knowledge of what will happen with a real joy in the moments leading up to that foreseen climax, filling her characters with just the right amounts of doubt and surety. There is a real pleasure in the unexpected details--the time Achilles and Patroclus spend with each other, the quieter interactions with other characters, the setting, and the way that the supernatural features. The gods are real and present, but this is emphatically about the humans in this war. For those who know the story, don't worry, the issue with the ending is expertly resolved so that we see the fates of both main characters. My only problem with this book is that the romance between Achilles and Patroclus is presented to the rest of the characters in a very 21st century way. It is moving and profound--but not at all historically accurate. Achilles and Patroclus were almost certainly lovers, and almost certainly very few people would have thought it strange, let alone wrong. There were probably many pairs of male lovers within the Greek camp. I don't know if this was a decision of the author or the editor/publisher, so I can't get too upset, but this modern retelling does a disservice to the Ancient Greeks. The Greeks had a very different understanding of sex and sexuality, and Miller simplifies too much. It's the only reason I've marked The Song of Achilles down.

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This is one of the best books I have read in a long time. Miller's keen knowledge of ancient Greek mythology shines through in prose that is starkly beautiful, almost as if it were being told aloud in the Greek oral tradition. I highly recommend it to anyone.

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It's been a long time since I've fallen in love with a novel, but I've fallen hard for this one. Not only does it tell an extraordinary love story, it does so in luminous, radiant prose. You can hear how deeply Miller's study of Homer has imbued her language with elegance and power. Not a single word is out of place. I'm going to be reading and rereading this book for many years to come.

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Not that I read many new books in 2012, this was my favorite book I read in 2012! It is an adventure and coming-of-age book, but more than anything it's a love story between the two main characters. I couldn't put down this book - and I had no interest in Greek mythology before I picked up this book. It made me want to read Homer and all the other Greek stories!! One word of caution - it's an easy book to read, but I won't necessarily recommend for children and young adults due to contents of violence and sexuality although it's not extreme. I might be too cautious here - Mature teens might be okay. adults would need to read it first and decide for your children :)

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This book came highly recommended and captivated me from the beginning. Told in beautiful language and full of emotion and suspense, it's the sort of novel that pulls you in two directions: wanting to read faster because you're pulled along relentlessly by the story, and wanting to read slower to put off the moment when there won't be more of it to read. Even knowing how the classic tale will end does not rob this retelling of the Trojan War of its impact. I can't wait to read whatever Miller writes next.

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Having never read the Iliad, this story of Achilles and the Trojan War were new to me. Madeline Miller plots her tale around the life of Patroclus, Achilles's companion and lover, from their youth to their deaths at Troy. I especially loved their time apprenticing under the wise centaur Chiron up in the mountains, caves, and creeks away from palaces and war. The author has studied and taught Latin and Ancient Greek, and directs Shakespeare's plays, and her love for language along with her intimate knowledge of Greek history with details about nature, food, clothing, and beliefs make this a joy to read. This wonderful book won advance praise from Donna Tartt, Ann Patchett, Emma Donoghue, and others, and then the Orange Prize, so it has received well-deserved appreciation.