Book Review: Song of Achilles

Want to know whether to read The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller? Well, here’s my full The Song of Achilles review to help you decide!

Song of Achilles Summary

Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles.

Achilles, “best of all the Greeks,” is everything Patroclus is not—strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess—and by all rights, their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative connection gives way to a steadfast friendship. As they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something far deeper—despite the displeasure of Achilles’ mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

Fate is never far from the heels of Achilles. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men 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. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned, everything they hold dear. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate.

Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame, and the human heart.

Song of Achilles Book Review

The Song of Achilles is centered on two main characters: Patroclus and Achilles. Patroclus, a prince, is exiled from his homelands at a young age after accidentally killing a boy. He is fostered by Peleus, the father of Achilles, and is at first ignored by Achilles and all the other boys fostered by Peleus.

However, he soon catches the attention of Achilles and the two become great friends. The two, although a strange match (Patroclus is a weak and skinny boy whilst Achilles is a strong and handsome demi-God), become almost inseparable, and Achilles names Patroclus his companion (basically his right-hand man). The pair develop a special relationship (wink wink) and Patroclus follows Achilles wherever he goes.

Overshadowing them is a prophecy that says Achilles will be the greatest warrior of his time. The story spans over many, many years and the beautiful relationship between Patroclus and Achilles develops slowly despite the other more turbulent plot lines in the novel.

So what did I think? I absolutely loved this book.

I am a big fan of Greek mythology and books based on classical references, both of which are at the core of The Song of Achilles. This book continually surprised me as the story unfolded with many different plot strands weaving into each other and the story was about so much more than I thought it would be. The relationship between Patroclus and Achilles is absolutely beautiful and always slightly ambiguous, which is why Madeline Miller’s spin on it makes for such a fascinating story.

To be honest, I didn’t think that it would work, but the love story between the two Greeks was simply mesmerizing. Their relationship isn’t sappy in any way, it’s a relationship borne out of a friendship that is really rather subtle and that’s what makes it so beautiful.

The love story is one of the biggest themes in The Song of Achilles, though it is more of an undercurrent rather than a piece of dramatic action. There were a couple of times when I doubted one of the pair’s sincerity, but for the most part, Achilles and Patroclus had a deeply moving and heartbreaking relationship.

The plot of The Song of Achilles has so many twists and turns that I had absolutely no idea what to expect. A lot of major themes are introduced in the first parts but aren’t explored until the second half so you feel this great sense of anticipation as you’re waiting for events to unfold.

Although the ending involves a few major events that you can see coming, it’s the minor details that you haven’t even thought about that creep up and surprise you. Even if you think you know the story of Achilles already you won’t be able to predict some of the twists that happen in this book.

All in all, The Song of Achilles is a really poignant love story. I’d even go so far as to call it a tragedy, as well as a hero’s battle for glory. This book is written in such a beautiful way, with such a brilliant and devastating story that you can’t help but fall in love with the world and characters that Madeline Miller has created. I would thoroughly recommend this to all fans of Greek myth retellings and even those who aren’t! This is a must-read tale.