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A review by bethanaayyreads
The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
4.0
3.5 ⭐️
**A better version of Song of Achilles** (to me)
i found myself CONSTANTLY comparing the two books and by far i prefer this one. SoA definitely is the love story if you want that but this book as far as accuracy and also not romanticizing the relationship between enslaver and enslaved
(i’m very glad briseis doesn’t make a move on patroclus in this telling bc although she comes to love him in a way in this book she is still remembers how she’s come to be in his camp in the first place.. she loves him for his kindness and the way he feels stuck sometimes with his relationship to achilles.. but she’s still mad and traumatized bc of her situation )
i also feel this book does achilles more justice in the sense he feels like a fully fleshed out character. achilles is less lovable in this book but he feels more real. he’s arrogant. he’s emotional. he’s apathetic. he’s traumatized. he needs the war. he needs his honor. he needs patroclus. he struggles with who he is without those things.
achilles having mommy issues.. such a realistic take on his weird parentage and upbringing
also, the achilles patroclus relationship feels more deep despite not coming down on either side of whether is was romantic/sexual or not. Barker made it clear their connection was so much deeper than just lovers or just friends. the line is blurred.
——
my main issue was the combination of 1st person POV with Briseis and then 3rd person for Achilles (& others).. it made those chapters feel a bit disjointed.. especially with how well written Briseis’s chapters were the periodic Achilles ones just fell flat and were harder to read. i kept feeling like i wanted to get thru then instead of enjoying them.
**A better version of Song of Achilles** (to me)
i found myself CONSTANTLY comparing the two books and by far i prefer this one. SoA definitely is the love story if you want that but this book as far as accuracy and also not romanticizing the relationship between enslaver and enslaved
(i’m very glad briseis doesn’t make a move on patroclus in this telling bc although she comes to love him in a way in this book she is still remembers how she’s come to be in his camp in the first place.. she loves him for his kindness and the way he feels stuck sometimes with his relationship to achilles.. but she’s still mad and traumatized bc of her situation )
i also feel this book does achilles more justice in the sense he feels like a fully fleshed out character. achilles is less lovable in this book but he feels more real. he’s arrogant. he’s emotional. he’s apathetic. he’s traumatized. he needs the war. he needs his honor. he needs patroclus. he struggles with who he is without those things.
achilles having mommy issues.. such a realistic take on his weird parentage and upbringing
also, the achilles patroclus relationship feels more deep despite not coming down on either side of whether is was romantic/sexual or not. Barker made it clear their connection was so much deeper than just lovers or just friends. the line is blurred.
——
my main issue was the combination of 1st person POV with Briseis and then 3rd person for Achilles (& others).. it made those chapters feel a bit disjointed.. especially with how well written Briseis’s chapters were the periodic Achilles ones just fell flat and were harder to read. i kept feeling like i wanted to get thru then instead of enjoying them.