quinnisabel's review against another edition
- 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? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, War, Death, Murder, Suicidal thoughts, and Emotional abuse
Moderate: Physical abuse, Mental illness, Slavery, and Violence
Minor: Rape
jess_suits's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
Some nights I wake up and think about this book and the hole it left behind.
I am a big greek mythology fan and picked this up as the first greek retelling. I was fairly familiar with the story around Achilles and Patroclus, but I do think that knowledge made it so much worse in the best kind of way.
I ugly cried, sobbed all night long, and sat in class with burning eyes the next morning but when I tell you it was so worth it - it was.
A piece of me left after flipping that last page and I feel like I will never get it back.
No book has ever touched me as this one has and I feel like no book will ever amount to what this made me feel. I have been empty ever since finishing this story, but I wouldn't want it to be any other way.
If you decide you want to read this be prepared to pull an all-nighter and make sure that you are comfortable with a bunch of tissues ready. When I tell you I have never cried like this in my life - I was screaming, crying. Literally. (And I am not a crier whatsoever so let that be a warning.)
The prose is certainly its greatest strength; It is fairly simple yet immersive and emotional. It never tells too much or too little and it flows nicely. One of the first English books I read at the time and it was easy to go through.
It got me out of a reading slump and put me back in because I could not bring myself to pick up something else after the greatness this was. I could not put this down. I will never read something as beautiful ever again.
I can see why people would not enjoy this story as it is not for everyone, but for fans of Greek mythology and especially for fans of Achilles, I highly recommend checking this one out.
Moderate: Rape and Death
ally91's review against another edition
- 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
4.5
Graphic: War and Death
ambert's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Slavery, Death, and War
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, and Sexual assault
malloray's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Graphic: Violence, War, Slavery, Misogyny, Gore, Death, and Suicide attempt
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
mikkiokko's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Finally–screw that Pyrrhus kid. I don't care that he's twelve, that little shit is a murderous egotistical sociopath and is easily the most terrifying part of this book.
Graphic: War, Murder, Violence, and Death
odette_tbdk's review against another edition
- 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
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.
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 against another edition
- 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
Graphic: Gore, Violence, and War
Moderate: Grief, Death, and Homophobia
athenian_frog's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Some phrases are a little repeated (a lot of feet references LOL) but I found the romance overall to be very loving and emotionally satisfying. I found that part of what made Achilles beautiful to me was Patroclus’s perspective/attention to detail, and I think that’s lovely. As they grew close, I appreciated how Achilles always seemed to carve place for Patroclus at his side, and would make an effort to communicate honestly.
The latter half of the book involving the war is particularly strong. My favorite side characters were probably Briseis, Odysseus, and Thetis. I think the author did a good job of making them strong on their own!
A few people found Patroclus to be a bit lacking/soft, but I think it was his gentleness that won me over. While he didn’t do much fighting until closer to the end of the book, he still did a significant amount of verbal maneuvering with the other characters to his or Achilles’s benefit. From his attempts to connect with Thetis to the exchanges with the members of the war camp, I enjoyed the way Patroclus interacted with the rest of the cast the most.
All in all I enjoyed it a lot, probably one of the few Booktok/Booktube books I’ve read that has ever maintained it’s place so close to my heart.
Please consider the content warnings below!
Graphic: Misogyny, Sexism, Death, Violence, and War
Moderate: Sexual assault, Medical content, Rape, Blood, Child death, Pregnancy, Sexual content, Slavery, and Vomit
Minor: Transphobia
- Deaths, especially those in war, are described in a fair amount of detail -women are taken from raids to be enslaved to enemy soldiers -Vomit and illness, medical content especially visible when a plague rips through a war camp -there is one instance of rape that is vaguely described that a supporting character undergoes. -there are two instances of very dubious consent/sexual coercion that occur regarding the main leads, not with each other. -it is mentioned that men who dress as women are extremely looked down upon -sex is typically not very detailed, even between lead characters. Usually some allusions to what is going on but not much else.taryn_g's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Blood, Death, Gore, War, and Violence
Moderate: Child death, Rape, Sexual content, and Slavery