athenian_frog's review
- 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.friendly_neighborhood_grandma's review
5.0
Graphic: Violence, Slavery, Sexual violence, Self harm, Murder, Misogyny, Injury/Injury detail, Infidelity, Death, Body horror, Blood, Medical trauma, Child death, Sexual content, Medical content, Physical abuse, Grief, and War
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Vomit, Rape, Fire/Fire injury, and Death of parent
purechaos'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
4.0
Graphic: Body horror, Classism, Physical abuse, Slavery, War, Cursing, Deportation, Genocide, Gore, Sexual harassment, Torture, Trafficking, Violence, Kidnapping, Medical content, Sexual violence, Emotional abuse, Hate crime, Mental illness, Misogyny, Murder, Pregnancy, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship, Alcohol, Blood, Child death, Abandonment, Domestic abuse, Grief, Xenophobia, Confinement, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic friendship, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Colonisation, Toxic relationship, Vomit, Child abuse, Rape, and Sexual content
luwa963'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
4.5
Graphic: Vomit, Slavery, Pregnancy, Grief, Emotional abuse, Cursing, Animal death, War, Bullying, Blood, Abandonment, Medical content, Self harm, Alcohol, Violence, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual violence, Rape, Physical abuse, Murder, Injury/Injury detail, Deportation, and Death
norcana's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
Graphic: Violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Slavery, and Sexism
Moderate: Grief
Minor: Alcohol, Vomit, Sexual violence, Pregnancy, Rape, Medical content, Sexual assault, and Incest
gbmillar2002's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Spoiler
I really enjoyed this book! Although, in my opinion, this book is not a good as Circe, miller was able to create a tense and heart wrenching ending of achillies death. Although I new vague aspects of the war of Troy. I was particularly stunned and ingrossed in her twist ending, this story beeing told by his dead lovers soul. Moreover I could hear the brokenness of achillies soul and anguish as agemenomn inferred him to get on with itSpoiler
Graphic: War, Death, and Grief
Moderate: Death
Minor: Sexual violence, Rape, Vomit, and Slavery
_bobatea_'s review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail, Medical trauma, Sexual content, Slavery, Classism, Child abuse, Abandonment, Grief, War, Violence, Sexism, and Death
Moderate: Blood, Cursing, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Outing, Pregnancy, Rape, Suicidal thoughts, Bullying, and Sexual assault
Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pedophilia, Cannibalism, and Vomit
arrowsartsandbooks's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- 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: War, Murder, and Vomit
Moderate: Rape
Minor: Self harm
emilymayreads's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Graphic: Death, Vomit, Animal death, Blood, Grief, War, Sexual violence, Violence, Injury/Injury detail, and Gore
ada_henry's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Graphic: Death, Child death, and Sexual content
Moderate: Sexual harassment and Rape
Minor: Vomit and Blood