A review by ricksilva
The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
- 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
Madeline Miller gives us the Iliad as the gay romance that it was always meant to be, and I mean that in the best of all possible ways.
Told from the point of view of Patroclus, the lover of Achilles, the story follows the events that lead up to the Trojan War beginning with Patroclus as the youngest of Helen's suitors to his exile and his first meeting Achilles.
Miller includes the mythical elements of the story, especially focusing on Achilles' mother, the goddess Thetis, who is a powerful presence in the narrative, both relatable as the parent disapproving of her son's choice of romantic partner and still completely inhuman in her power as a goddess. It is Thetis, rather than Hector, Paris, or any of the Trojans, who is the true antagonist in the story, and much of the resolution comes from Thetis finally facing the consequences of her own part in bringing Achilles' fate upon him.
The story doesn't stray far from the original plot; the "heel" element is dismissed as nonsense, but most of the other magical elements of the myth remain, although the author does a nice job of avoiding the magic overshadowing the human drama too much. The character interactions, and Patroclus' very human viewpoint are the major contributions of this interpretation of the myth, which allows the reader a much more intimate view of the famous events.
Told from the point of view of Patroclus, the lover of Achilles, the story follows the events that lead up to the Trojan War beginning with Patroclus as the youngest of Helen's suitors to his exile and his first meeting Achilles.
Miller includes the mythical elements of the story, especially focusing on Achilles' mother, the goddess Thetis, who is a powerful presence in the narrative, both relatable as the parent disapproving of her son's choice of romantic partner and still completely inhuman in her power as a goddess. It is Thetis, rather than Hector, Paris, or any of the Trojans, who is the true antagonist in the story, and much of the resolution comes from Thetis finally facing the consequences of her own part in bringing Achilles' fate upon him.
The story doesn't stray far from the original plot; the "heel" element is dismissed as nonsense, but most of the other magical elements of the myth remain, although the author does a nice job of avoiding the magic overshadowing the human drama too much. The character interactions, and Patroclus' very human viewpoint are the major contributions of this interpretation of the myth, which allows the reader a much more intimate view of the famous events.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Gore, and War
Moderate: Sexual violence
Minor: Rape