Thoughts on : The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Posted by Kay on May 2, 2019 12:41 pm in 3.5 stars reads | 6 comments

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Narration : Frazer Douglas
Genre : Historical fiction & Mythology
Stand alone

About the Book  :

Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

My Thoughts :

It’s interesting how sometimes your expectations can get in the way of your enjoyment of a book.

I did like The Song of Achilles. It was beautifully written and perfectly tragic. I’d give it like a 3.5 out of 5, which in my opinion is still really good. I just wish I would have loved it more.

You see, I went in already thinking it would be a new favorite. I love ancient history and mythology, just as I do retellings of all sorts. I liked that it would focus more on Patroclus and a m/m romance, and less on Helen of Sparta. Many readers who I usually have similar tastes to seemed to have loved it. I read and and listened to a good sample of it, and liked the writing.

But unfortunately it wasn’t a perfect match for me. Simply put, there was way too much focus on the romance, especially in the beginning. And while the writing is very beautiful, the fact that it was so flowery really wasn’t something that helped me connect with it. I like having some romance and relationships in the books I read, but, with a few exceptions, I quickly lose interest when it’s the sole focus.

And I guess that also illustrates my general problem with the book, that I couldn’t connect with the characters. Even when the story moved beyond the romance and introduced new characters, I didn’t feel the emotional connexion I had been hoping for. And as beautiful as the writing was, I felt it was sometimes getting in way of the story.

All negatives aside, there is still a lot I enjoyed about The Song of Achilles. The writing, which I’ve already mentioned, is strong. The author put so much care into this retelling. Each character or myth was carefully chosen and introduced in a story that felt both classic and modern.

Also, I need to mention the ending! One of the strongest I’ve read in a while. It was tragic, heart-breaking, absolutely memorable. I loved some of the choices the author made in terms of story-telling. It really redeemed the book in my eyes, no matter its flaws.

I’m now really looking forward to reading Circe by the same author. I’ll be going in with much less expectations this time, and I’m hoping I’ll enjoy it even more.