Reviews tagging 'Grief'

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

770 reviews

badmom's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense fast-paced

• 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

5.0

The choice of first person narrative through Patroclus is clever & moving, giving the entire story more emotional depth, in addition to adding an outside perspective to one of the most famous Greek heroes. 

The historical references and details of weaponry & battle are peripheral; the bulk of attention is spent humanizing the characters through their lesser-known thoughts & behaviors. 

In the end, this well-known war story becomes a rich, beautiful examination of friendship, love, & family. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, Grief, Violence, Blood, Gore, Injury/Injury detail, and War

Moderate: Misogyny, Classism, Emotional abuse, and Sexism

Minor: Homophobia, Sexual violence, Abandonment, Bullying, Suicidal thoughts, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Rape, Slavery, and Infidelity

bluedilly's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• 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

4.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death, War, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexism, Slavery, Animal death, Blood, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Infidelity, Suicidal thoughts, Kidnapping, Misogyny, Self harm, and Sexual content

Moderate: Medical content, Abandonment, Child abuse, Pandemic/Epidemic, Alcohol, Classism, Pregnancy, Rape, Slavery, and Vomit

Minor: Animal cruelty, Cursing, Death of parent, and Homophobia

vaguely_pink's review against another edition

adventurous emotional sad tense medium-paced

• 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

5.0

 It's always wyd and never "If I had words to speak such a thing, I would have. But there were none that seemed big enough for it, to hold that swelling truth." 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, War, and Death

Moderate: Blood, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, Child abuse, Grief, Sexual violence, and Slavery

Minor: Animal death, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Cursing, Death of parent, Misogyny, Pedophilia, Rape, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Homophobia, Medical content, Pandemic/Epidemic, Kidnapping, and Pregnancy

cloudedveils's review against another edition

adventurous emotional medium-paced

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

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief and War

Moderate: Slavery, Rape, and Death

Minor: Pregnancy

irms's review against another edition

adventurous challenging emotional medium-paced

• 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

4.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Rape, Violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, and Grief

cmklaft's review against another edition

adventurous tense medium-paced

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

3.25

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Sexual assault, Rape, and Sexual violence

Moderate: Animal death, War, Violence, Death, Sexism, Misogyny, and Grief

Minor: Slavery

lokioste's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional reflective sad tense slow-paced

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

3.0

This is a slower burn with a rapid climax and finish. I think as a first book from Miller, it is solid.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Grief, Sexism, Sexual content, Violence, Medical trauma, Physical abuse, Pregnancy, Rape, Sexual violence, War, Suicidal thoughts, Child death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Medical content, Misogyny, Murder, Sexual assault, Slavery, Torture, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Sexual harassment, Body horror, Suicide, Blood, and Domestic abuse

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.

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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 against another edition

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 ♥️

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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!

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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