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barbarianmissy's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really loved this book. Summing up Patroclus’ entire life into 369 pages was a worthy feat. I felt like I lived it alongside him.
The love story in this book between Patroclus and Achilles was so beautiful and tragic and unapologetic. It was so good. I also found it super interesting how they truly shaped one another’s character. Patroclus started off his exile cynic and prideful, whereas Achilles was introduced as a breath of life and beauty. They really swapped those traits during the war.
I got SUPER FRUSTRATED near the end with Achilles and Agamemnon in how both THEIR own prides cost so many men their lives. Gah, frickin MEN! Also Achilles’ stupid idiot son can EAT A CAR TIRE AND DIE. What a lil shit and a half. Glad he didn’t last long.
Anywho, I really loved the ending. Reading about the immense grief had me in TEARS but it was so beautifully written. It was a nice switch up that Achilles’ crazy nymph mama really just was a protective mummy who loved her kid in the end. Happy she gave her son what he truly loved and wished for in the end. They found their peace and it was just a gorgeous finale.
I JUST LOVED THIS STORY OK!?! Felt like I was back in elementary school obsessing over Ancient Greek Mythology again. Also, Madeline Miller is such an amazing author, I may read Circe next.
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Incest, Infidelity, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Murder, Pregnancy, War, and Injury/Injury detail
av0universe's review against another edition
2.0
The pacing was so odd, the same chapter could be broken in scenes (which is fine btw) with a weird time-space between them, from mere minutes to years, months or season. In my mind it's fine if it's even, like in the same chapter scenes space out through months at a time, but don't change the pacing mid-chapter, it's weird, it takes you out of the story. Also, I think many scenes were unnecessary, they didn't dive into the characters or the "plot", I could've skip them and I would have understood the book just fine.
Oh, and don't get me started with mixing tenses (past and present) while describing something that was happening at the moment, meaning that Patroclus was living through it as he narrated instead of telling us afterwards when usually it would be used the past tense. English isn't my first language, but in my mother tongue works the same way, I think that's common sense. It really threw me off, it took me out of the story.
Another thing that I didn't like was the misogyny in the book. I understand that it's a retelling set in Ancient Greek, where women were seen as merely sexual objects and/or slaves. But then go with it, don't have Patroclus ASK Achilles to claim girls so they don't get brutalize by other kings or warriors, it doesn't make sense. If you want to show that Patroclus is against how the patricarchy treats women, make him have an opinion on the matter, after all the book is narrated through HIS point of view. In my opinion, the only woman that he truly respected was Briseis by the way he talked about her. He talked about the other women as if it was normal what happened to them and Patroclus and Achilles were their saviors, what a irritating god's complex, although Patroclus didn't strike me that way. Achilles sure did.
Sorry, the latter point pisses me off because this book was written by a woman. It could've been so much more if this was fixed, at least, it wouldn't have bothered me so much, which brings me to my next point.
I hate every character (aside from Briseis) in this book. Achilles, Patroclus, Thetis, Agamemnon, everyone. Fucking priviledge men. Who pisses me off the most is Achilles, so fucking stubborn and proud. MEN ARE DYING, PUT YOUR ARMOR ON AND FIGHT YOU FUCKER. Patroclus literally BEGGED him to do so, for him, not for anyone else, AND HE GOT KILLED FOR IT. Achilles' fault and no one else.
This brings me to my next point that is that I can't be bought into thinking Patroclus and Achilles loved each other. Maybe Patroclus did, after all he described Achilles in many beautiful ways throughout the book, however I truly don't think Achilles loved him back. Not in the right way anyway. All I saw between them was lust. Towards the end was the only time I truly saw that Achilles might love him, or perhaps he just missed Patroclus' companionship, they'd been together for over a decade, lovers since they were like fifteen, I don't even remember, the man was devastated.
Now, you may ask, why didn't you DNF it? Well, because I paid for it with my own money, I read the synopsis and said, "oh, I might like this" and bought it. This was the only reason why I pushed through it all, otherwise I would have DNF it 70-ish pages in, I literally didn't care for anyone, not then, not now that I have finshed it.
So, next time I read a Greek retelling I need to search one star reviews here, just to see if it's worth my money. I really don't want to bump into the most misogynist shit I've read about decorated with clever words put together.
Graphic: Child abuse, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Medical content, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, War, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Animal death, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, and Sexual harassment
rubyd2012's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Child death, Cursing, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Grief, Murder, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, War, and Injury/Injury detail
spatterson7's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Graphic: Violence, Grief, and War
Moderate: Child death, Death, Infidelity, Blood, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Child abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Pregnancy, Abandonment, and Alcohol
barnesbookshelf's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death and Blood
Moderate: Child abuse
Minor: Rape, Sexual assault, Slavery, and Kidnapping
tabea1409's review against another edition
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Child abuse, Child death, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and War
_pauline's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
If you like greek mythology & don’t mind the content warnings, this might be for you. (ignore my review then, though)
'You care more for him in death than in life […] Kill me. It will not bring him back. He was worth ten of you. Ten! And you sent him to his death!' […] He fought to save you, and your darling reputation.
Because he could not bear to see you suffer! […] You have never deserved him. I do not know why he ever loved you. You care only for yourself! […] I hope that Hector kills you.'
'Do you think I do not hope the same?' he asks
It didn’t live up to the hype in my opinion BUT tbf I never cared - or knew much - about greek mythology, nor am I a big fan of war novels or romance, so I really am the worst possible person to review this book
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Misogyny, Sexual content, Vomit, Grief, War, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, and Pregnancy
valerian_honeybee's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Graphic: Ableism, Child abuse, Death, Gore, Homophobia, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Violence, Blood, Grief, and War
Moderate: Medical content
davbat's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Child abuse, Child death, Rape, Murder, and War
Moderate: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Death, Homophobia, Infidelity, Misogyny, Self harm, Slavery, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Grief, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, and Outing
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Incest, Cannibalism, and Abandonment
Rape and murder are just as common as in the original myth but without any of the euphemismcasleigh's review against another edition
Minor: Child abuse, Sexual assault, Slavery, Blood, and War