Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

763 reviews

odette_tbdk's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional informative sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

Tengo sentimientos encontrados con este libro, por una parte me pareció muy emocional y profunda la relación que tenían Aquiles y Patroclo, pero el ritmo de la historia no me convenció del todo. Hacia el final del libro el ritmo fluyó muy bien, pero el principio es difícil de continuar, la vida de Patroclo de niño y en sí todo el proceso que les lleva a la guerra de Troya es bastante lento y tedioso. Pero aún así, me hizo sentir muchas cosas y también me enseñó de mitología (cabe aclarar que yo no sé nada de estos temas), así que sería injusto darle mala calificación por eso.

Me faltaron personajes femeninos que no giraran en torno a los protagonistas, pero eso ya no es culpa de la autora, simplemente no hay muchos porque así es la mitología. Cuando lea Circe tendré lo que me faltó aquí.

En general, un libro muy triste cargado de mitología y de referencias muy extensas a los ornamentos, política y costumbres de la época. Tedioso a ratos pero al final te deja con un buen sabor de boca (en parte). Buena lectura.

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Misogyny, Medical trauma, Colonisation, Grief, War, Child death, Medical content, Violence, Rape, Pandemic/Epidemic, Homophobia, Slavery, Xenophobia, Sexism, Death, Genocide, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Toxic relationship, Torture, Infidelity, Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Blood, Suicide attempt, and Pregnancy

Minor: Death of parent, Alcohol, and Animal death

ejspiese's review

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Is this book perfect? Probably not. Is this book perfect for me? Yes ♥️

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Gore, Violence, and War

Moderate: Grief, Death, and Homophobia

genevieve_eggleston's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional inspiring reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I adore this book sooooo much! It’s a great story (especially for fans of classic Greek mythology) and it never fails to tug on my heartstrings (I may or may not have cried uncontrollably the first time I read it). Highly recommend!

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: War, Blood, and Violence

Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Death, and Gore

Minor: Slavery, Rape, Animal death, Emotional abuse, Abandonment, Grief, Homophobia, Misogyny, Infidelity, Murder, Physical abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, and Toxic relationship

turtleraces's review against another edition

challenging emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, Misogyny, War, Animal death, Blood, Child death, Grief, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

cturn's review against another edition

adventurous emotional tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Gore, Death, Slavery, Genocide, Grief, Violence, Infidelity, and War

Moderate: Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Sexual violence, and Medical content

mels_reading_log's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I don’t know why I haven’t read this book before now! It was so good! The thought of a book about the Trojan War having such a pure and genuine love story in it and it has nothing to do with Helen, makes me so happy. I just love this.

---

Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual violence, Murder, Medical content, Violence, Pregnancy, Classism, Death, Fire/Fire injury, Forced institutionalization, Infidelity, Rape, Injury/Injury detail, Kidnapping, War, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Body horror, Gore, and Grief

torilara's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Genocide, Violence, War, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Blood, Death, and Infidelity

Minor: Pregnancy, Rape, Self harm, Animal death, Cannibalism, Kidnapping, Slavery, Alcohol, Colonisation, Pedophilia, Medical content, and Sexual content

pigeongreen's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

This is a beautiful story that expounds on the classic Greek mythology that most of us are somewhat familiar with. We experience the depth of joy, grief, loss, and anger with the characters, and fall in love with the lovers. Dialogue is purposefully sparse and formal, supporting the rich character development via the narrator, Patroclus. We see through his eyes and hear his thoughts and feelings, relating to other characters through him. A must read. Tragic and gorgeous. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Abandonment, Death, Gore, Grief, Animal death, and Child death

Moderate: Homophobia

Minor: Sexual harassment, Kidnapping, Violence, Sexual violence, and Sexual content

booksemmahasread's review against another edition

adventurous emotional informative sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, Sexual content, Slavery, War, Violence, Death of parent, Blood, Death, Classism, and Grief

Moderate: Animal death

Minor: Child death, Abandonment, and Pregnancy

mirissab's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

I only picked this book up because I want to read Circe but I didn't want to feel like I was missing anything.

Spoiler

I'd been so against reading romance until this point, but I underestimated (or failed to get the hint when reading the back cover) the depth and centrality of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus when choosing this book at the library.

I was not in the slightest disappointed by my decision. I haven't read a book in a while to where it felt like I was halfway through running a 5k and this story was my rewarded tiny two ounce paper cup of water. My heart quickened in moments of peril or suspense, and ached in sadness and love. I couldn't get the words off the page fast enough. I haven't had much engagement with Greek mythology since primary school, but my interest has been struck anew. 

---

Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual content, War, Abandonment, Animal death, Blood, Death, Homophobia, Misogyny, Murder, Violence, and Grief

Moderate: Outing, Rape, Adult/minor relationship, Child death, Kidnapping, Medical content, and Slavery