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A review by myrvd
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
3.0
3.5 / 5 STARS
This book is a good one even if you're not familiar with Greek mythology. Got so many excellent review about this one, and as a Greek mythology enthusiast, I'm really looking forward to reading this book. However, it's not live up to the expectations.
First, I don't really like how the love between Patroclus and Achilles portrayed very exclusive in this book. Exclusiveness is love characteristic in modern era. And at that time, I think it will be more beautiful if we can acknowledge that Achilles' love other woman too but despite that his love for Patroclus is the greatest one. However, I can get past that. I understand not many may be understand that.
Second, I don't really felt the characters growing up and closeness to them. I've seen some reviews and some of them stated the same thing. The characters still felt like they are teenagers.
And lastly, if you know Greek mythology, you'll sure now how this book will ends. And to be honest, I hope it will be the climax, the great ending act. But, it seems a bit rush in the end for me. Like in the beginning the story was so slow (trust me, I get it, because we need to know the character and grew to love them) but in the end it happened so fast. I hope more to feel Achilles' grief and sadness and was ready to cry. However, this book didn't even make me cry in the end because I don't really feel the pain Achilles felt. I don't know maybe it's me (because I'm used to read more tragic book than this one, try A Little Life for once -- that one made me cry a river) or something.
So in the end, I have expectations for this one and it was not met. However, even though I enjoyed other parts other than the rushed ending (the supposed to be the irony and the major point of the book) and I appreciate how stay true the majority part of it to the Greek mythology itself, it's still not it for me.
This book is a good one even if you're not familiar with Greek mythology. Got so many excellent review about this one, and as a Greek mythology enthusiast, I'm really looking forward to reading this book. However, it's not live up to the expectations.
First, I don't really like how the love between Patroclus and Achilles portrayed very exclusive in this book. Exclusiveness is love characteristic in modern era. And at that time, I think it will be more beautiful if we can acknowledge that Achilles' love other woman too but despite that his love for Patroclus is the greatest one. However, I can get past that. I understand not many may be understand that.
Second, I don't really felt the characters growing up and closeness to them. I've seen some reviews and some of them stated the same thing. The characters still felt like they are teenagers.
And lastly, if you know Greek mythology, you'll sure now how this book will ends. And to be honest, I hope it will be the climax, the great ending act. But, it seems a bit rush in the end for me. Like in the beginning the story was so slow (trust me, I get it, because we need to know the character and grew to love them) but in the end it happened so fast. I hope more to feel Achilles' grief and sadness and was ready to cry. However, this book didn't even make me cry in the end because I don't really feel the pain Achilles felt. I don't know maybe it's me (because I'm used to read more tragic book than this one, try A Little Life for once -- that one made me cry a river) or something.
So in the end, I have expectations for this one and it was not met. However, even though I enjoyed other parts other than the rushed ending (the supposed to be the irony and the major point of the book) and I appreciate how stay true the majority part of it to the Greek mythology itself, it's still not it for me.