The Song of Achilles: A Novel

Words cannot express the ocean of emotions this book put me through. It's SO well done, and I absolutely loved it. A day after and I'm still thinking about this book, even contemplating just re-reading it. It's an easy read, with artful and poetic language that still clearly conveys what's happening. The dialogue and internal monologue is always an anticipated ingredient in this love story. Also, if you already know the Iliad and liked it, then you'll enjoy this. And if you're like me and the only thing you really know about the Iliad is that it's a Greek tragedy... then you'll also love this book. You'll be mentally prepared for the ending, but without knowing the actual events in the Iliad, you'll be reading a story completely raw. AND! You won't NEED to read the Iliad, because this is the same story, just with added dialogue and monologue to better convey a confirmed romance in a way the Iliad never did (though scholars have always suspected there was a romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus). And yes... you're given the closure you need at the end. And every page is worth the ending.

Must say, the writing style is utterly gorgeous. I found myself completely hooked by the rhythm and poetic language choice. The story itself is a fun take on a classic, if a little trope-heavy or cliché at times. Following the lives of the characters is a joy with a heavy overcast of looming doom overhead. The latter quarter of the book did seem to drag slightly for me, but the promise of great catharsis at the end kept me going... and I'm truly delighted I continued.

Do you remember the feeling you had when you read books as a child, as if the words on the page disappeared and you were simply watching the story play out in your mind's eye? That is a feeling that I had not experienced in over a decade, until coming across this book. I felt the love and admiration that Patroclus had for Achilles, I felt his fears and his sorrow. I felt the characters' grief and rage, their hopes, their satisfactions. I watched in horror as the myth continued along the same path that it always has, hoping in vain that I could protect the characters from the tragedy that awaited them. Despite my familiarity with Greek mythology, and The Iliad in particular, Madeline Miller wrote this in a way that makes everything feel as fresh and beautiful as the morning dew, and as gut-wrenching as a spear through the chest. This has toppled my previous favourite book, which has been unchanged for over a decade and a half. A must-read for anyone who is literate.