My Thoughts on The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

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    You may have heard of Achilles, perhaps you know him as an ancient greek hero, the protagonist of Homer's Iliad, or as the namesake of a certain foot injury, but regardless, his name is a famous one. While there have been many interpretations and adaptations of the Ilan and Achilles, my favorite would have to be The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller who provides a unique but compelling take on the classic hero. 

    The story's narrator is Patroclus, a young prince who is exiled by his father after an accident and is sent to Phthia, where he meets the king of Phthia's son, Achilles. They soon fall in love, and Patroclus becomes Achilles' companion and joins him in his training to become a warrior with the centaur Chiron. Meanwhile, Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped by the Prince of Troy, which causes the Trojan war. Patroclus and Achilles at first refuse to go, due to a prophecy that said that  Achilles would become a hero but die there, but then circumstances leave them with no other choice. 

    One of the parts of this book that sets it apart is Miller's masterful way of writing. Her writing style is very elegant and descriptive, leaving you with quotes from her books that you'll remember even long after reading. That combined with the content of her books leads to heartwrenching and complex stories, which makes them some of my favorites. If you're looking for a book with compelling characters, romance, action, and that is very moving, then I would definitely recommend The Song of Achilles. There are some parts of the book that get pretty dark, but if you're okay with reading that then I think it would be a good read.  Either way, The Song of Achilles became a quick favorite of mine and is a powerful and touching book that is very well done. 


-Chloe N.H. 


Comments

  1. AlexSeptember 27, 2022 at 8:38 PM

    Hi Chloe! Ive heard a lot about Achilles through the sayings but I do not know much about his story or greek mythology in general. This book seems interesting to read and if I ever want to know more about his story I know where to look!

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  2. CaliSeptember 29, 2022 at 12:17 PM

    Chloe, this blog gave such an accurate representation of what this book is about. When I first picked up this book, I was a little uninterested at first, but then as I got further in, I loved it! I like the way you described the authors writing style, and also depicted some of the plot without spoiling too much. I haven't found too much people who have also read this book, so I'm glad you liked it! You worded this blog very well as well, starting off with an introduction of Achilles, then ending with the mark it left on you. Well done!

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  3. Lynn LeeSeptember 29, 2022 at 8:32 PM

    I will definitely have to check out this book because I actually just recently finished a book by Madeline Miller and I loved it! I agree that her writing style is absolutely amazing and I'm just amazed by her.

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  4. MelenOctober 5, 2022 at 10:36 PM

    Awesome review Chloe! I've heard so much about this book, and have never really looked into what it's actually about. Now I can definitely say that I want to read this book. The story seems really interesting and I love when authors write in a descriptive way.

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  5. Kyle FanOctober 9, 2022 at 11:28 AM

    Your introduction to Achilles was a really great hook. This book sounds very exciting, and I'll definitely look into it.

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  6. Sophia DeltasOctober 10, 2022 at 6:28 PM

    Your reveiw sounds compelling! I started to read it before I read your review, but I've sort of dropped it. The beggining was mostly about thier realtionship, so I feel like it's gonna play a big role in the book, and the part where you say that they both join the Trojan War got me super excited to read about how that immpacts their relationship. Anyway I totally agree that the book is awesome and your reveiw was a lucky coincidence becasue I'm definitely making this book a priority again. :)))))

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  7. DizaOctober 10, 2022 at 8:33 PM

    I think you described this book perfectly. The last paragraph was very convincing and if I hadn't read it, I would go to the library in an instant to check it out. I also loved how you hooked the readers into this post in the first few sentences, great job! :D

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  8. LenaOctober 11, 2022 at 12:28 PM

    Great review Chloe! I've heard some good things about this book, so I was glad to see you reviewed it! The summary was really informative and left me hooked. It sounds like you have a high opinion of this book and your review was clearly worded. If I see this book I'll be sure to pick it up!

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  9. RicoOctober 14, 2022 at 7:00 AM

    I've always liked books about ancient Rome/Greece that are full of action and vivid detail. I'm not a huge fan of romance but it still sounds like this book will make a good read.

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  10. Emmie VargasJanuary 23, 2023 at 9:03 AM

    Hi Chloe! You did such a wonderful job portraying the plot of this moving novel. I read this book about 2 years ago and remembered how much I truly love it. The pacing is flawless with giving the reader enough time to process each individual moment and piece them together in the end. Nice job.

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