Book Review: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Genre: Mythology Retelling

Pages: 351 (Kindle Edition)

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Spoiler-free Review!.

Available on Kindle Unlimited

Summary

After accidentally killing another boy in a fit of rage, young Prince Patroclus is exiled and sent to live in the Kingdom of Pthia with King Peleus and his golden son; Prince Achilles. After Achilles chooses Patroclus to be his companion, the two form an inseparable bond. As the boys grow, so does their friendship grow from a platonic admiration to a romantic love. A love that will take Patroclus from his new home in Pthia, to Mount Pelion, to the Isle of Skyros and even across the ocean to battle the Trojans. But, as Achilles pride interferes with the Greek commander, Patroclus may need to defy his lover and take matters into his own hands to defend the Greeks and their glory.

My Review

What a beautiful story. Fast-paced, intriguing and stunningly written. A book that I am mad at myself for not picking up sooner. This was a perfect, quick read that actually managed to get me out of a thick reading slump I'd been in since the beginning of the year. A+

The beginning of the story starts with Patroclus as a young boy and it moves along VERY quickly until he finally meets Achilles. I was unsure if I was going to enjoy it at first, simply due to the speed at which everything was moving. While Patroclus' early years were important to the story, the author made a smart choice in moving through it quickly. Patroclus was a great character to read from and his growth throughout the book was excellent. Especially towards the end of the novel.

Achilles was extremely likeable...at first. But I'll warn you. By the end you will want to rip his head off. The frustration I felt towards him was palpable. I genuinely don't think I have ever been so annoyed by a characters actions, a character that I truly liked.

The writing style of this book was very beautiful. Poetic and melodic, Madeline Miller really captured the beauty and grief of the story in her words. It was not difficult to read and I enjoyed the style so much I immediately looked up what other books she has written so I can add them to my TBR.

The romance between the boys was organic and lovely. While this is a romantic re-telling, I wouldn't say the romance is the main point of the plot. More a subplot to Patroclus following Achilles all the way to war. There are no explicit sex scenes in this novel, however there are two intimate scenes involving Patroclus (one that honestly made me a little uncomfortable).

This was a quick and excellent read! For anyone looking for a pallet cleanser, a beautifully written story or loves mythology; this is your next read!