tainted_words's review against another edition
read at 19:18
„This and this and this.“
„This and this and this.“
jgnolfo123's review against another edition
2.0
Song of Achilles // Madeline Miller
2/5
Oh Patroclus. You poor thing. I’m sorry you got stuck with Achilles. For a book titled after that selfish little twat that is all about his “honor”, you really got served a bad hand. Song of Achilles is the biggest book recommendation to come out of BookTok and Bookstagram, and to say it quite frankly, I do not understand why. This book is so mediocre it’s embarrassing.
First, the Achilles-Patroclus relationship is not a romance; it is a one-sided dependence. Poor Patroclus is smart but his loyalty to Achilles ended his life. No where in this novel did I root for them to be together. The way Achilles treats Patroclus is humiliating. I know Miller had a direction to go in, but the writing and portrayal of their “romance” was not romantic at all. It could have been but with only Patroclus’s POV, we see Achilles as a stubborn greedy warrior only concerned with his honor. Stylistically, Achilles needed to be humanized in order for me to root for him.
Second, I almost feel like this book was rushed? There’s a lot of stuff in here, but I felt that there was too much time to cover that we lost out on romance-building elements that are needed to allow the reader to root for them. Miller was too focused on following the timeline of the war and not on building their love story. As a result, it felt more like a summary of Achilles and Patroclus’s lives and not a retelling of their partnership.
Finally, I am not 100% bitter. This book is still entertaining and gives a more fun (and gayer) look at Greek Mythology. I wanted to continue reading, however, I could care less about the primary romance. Just like Circe, I honestly think that it is a wasted opportunity to do something great with these stories :/
2/5
Oh Patroclus. You poor thing. I’m sorry you got stuck with Achilles. For a book titled after that selfish little twat that is all about his “honor”, you really got served a bad hand. Song of Achilles is the biggest book recommendation to come out of BookTok and Bookstagram, and to say it quite frankly, I do not understand why. This book is so mediocre it’s embarrassing.
First, the Achilles-Patroclus relationship is not a romance; it is a one-sided dependence. Poor Patroclus is smart but his loyalty to Achilles ended his life. No where in this novel did I root for them to be together. The way Achilles treats Patroclus is humiliating. I know Miller had a direction to go in, but the writing and portrayal of their “romance” was not romantic at all. It could have been but with only Patroclus’s POV, we see Achilles as a stubborn greedy warrior only concerned with his honor. Stylistically, Achilles needed to be humanized in order for me to root for him.
Second, I almost feel like this book was rushed? There’s a lot of stuff in here, but I felt that there was too much time to cover that we lost out on romance-building elements that are needed to allow the reader to root for them. Miller was too focused on following the timeline of the war and not on building their love story. As a result, it felt more like a summary of Achilles and Patroclus’s lives and not a retelling of their partnership.
Finally, I am not 100% bitter. This book is still entertaining and gives a more fun (and gayer) look at Greek Mythology. I wanted to continue reading, however, I could care less about the primary romance. Just like Circe, I honestly think that it is a wasted opportunity to do something great with these stories :/
inlaraland's review against another edition
4.0
I've heard so many things about The Song of Achilles, but I have been putting off this book because this particular myth has been told time and time again. However, Circe was one of my favorite books that I read in 2021 so I knew that I wanted to finish reading The Song of Achilles this year.
I can happily say that I also enjoyed this story! I loved that the perspective was told through Patroclus' eyes, and it focuses heavily on the love and sacred bond he shared with Achilles. There were so many lines that I wanted to highlight that blew me away. I always appreciate that Madeline Miller breaths personality and life into these characters that we are so familiar with. The emotion is felt through all the imagery and with every piece of dialogue. There were parts that sent shivers down my spine, and the tragic moments struck deeply.
My only criticism is that I did find the pacing of this story to be slow. There were parts of the plot that I felt dragged, but it was interwoven with really interesting stories at the same time. In comparison, I thought Circe was much more refined as a story but I still think The Song of Achilles is worth the read.
Knowing that Persephone will be the next myth she tackles, I can honestly say that I am eagerly anticipating her third book! I know for a fact that she will do justice to one of my favorite Greek myths, and I so look forward to reading her next book!
I can happily say that I also enjoyed this story! I loved that the perspective was told through Patroclus' eyes, and it focuses heavily on the love and sacred bond he shared with Achilles. There were so many lines that I wanted to highlight that blew me away. I always appreciate that Madeline Miller breaths personality and life into these characters that we are so familiar with. The emotion is felt through all the imagery and with every piece of dialogue. There were parts that sent shivers down my spine, and the tragic moments struck deeply.
My only criticism is that I did find the pacing of this story to be slow. There were parts of the plot that I felt dragged, but it was interwoven with really interesting stories at the same time. In comparison, I thought Circe was much more refined as a story but I still think The Song of Achilles is worth the read.
Knowing that Persephone will be the next myth she tackles, I can honestly say that I am eagerly anticipating her third book! I know for a fact that she will do justice to one of my favorite Greek myths, and I so look forward to reading her next book!
heva863's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
halliejohnson's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
leoi's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.75
absolutely love the first 3 quarters of this book - would've loved to stay in that kind of vibe
maybe I didn't like the way the war ended because I was expecting something different.
it all went so downhill so fast. and it ended so tragically - achilles just empty and fighting the people he did just so deep in grief
i really did enjoy the very last bits with thetis and patroclus. absolutely hated pyrrhus - he was so disgusting honestly. the very very last lines of the book were extremely beautiful and I liked that as an ending
love love loved briseis
madeline miller is an artist. I think the way she uses her words is unlike any other author I've come across so far and the pictures she paints are so rich and full and they feel like you could reach out and touch them. amazing storytelling and I'm very glad I read the song of achilles
it all went so downhill so fast. and it ended so tragically - achilles just empty and fighting the people he did just so deep in grief
i really did enjoy the very last bits with thetis and patroclus. absolutely hated pyrrhus - he was so disgusting honestly. the very very last lines of the book were extremely beautiful and I liked that as an ending
love love loved briseis
madeline miller is an artist. I think the way she uses her words is unlike any other author I've come across so far and the pictures she paints are so rich and full and they feel like you could reach out and touch them. amazing storytelling and I'm very glad I read the song of achilles
diane21's review against another edition
4.0
I wonder what I would think of this if I'd read The Iliad? I think I might have loved it even more, knowing who the characters were. That said, you do not need to have read The Iliad or any of the other great mythologies to enjoy The Song of Achilles. It stands wonderfully on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
illiterism's review against another edition
3.0
After finishing this, I can conclude that I might not have a heart because this book made me feel nothing.
I don't know. It was beautifully written, and the ending had me pretty gripped with the tension and action. I was just quite bored most of the time though. Patroclus and Achilles both felt very bland to me until the end of the book which I think is why. If I had been more engaged with them and cared about their relationship more, then I reckon I'd have loved it.
3 stars purely because again, it was written so beautifully - I've ended up highlighting a lot of things that sound lovely as standalone quotes.
I don't know. It was beautifully written, and the ending had me pretty gripped with the tension and action. I was just quite bored most of the time though. Patroclus and Achilles both felt very bland to me until the end of the book which I think is why. If I had been more engaged with them and cared about their relationship more, then I reckon I'd have loved it.
3 stars purely because again, it was written so beautifully - I've ended up highlighting a lot of things that sound lovely as standalone quotes.
ana0503's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5