I think I will actually read the latter because this one sounds like it will cause a lot of tears, which I am not up for right now! Its a real work of art and one that's so easy to read again and again. The Song of Achilles retells the story of Greece's greatest hero from the point of view of his best friend Patroclus. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 28, 2018. Instead I found myself muddling through a homoerotic romance novel about a weakling, a "jock" and an overbearing mother. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. ", I think Patroclus was the only sane person there, Achilles acted way too childish, I hated Neoptolemus, Thetis was extremely annoying, and Agamemnon should have died sooner, the vibe of "i feel like i could eat the world raw" vs. "i will kill u & eat u raw", “When I die, bury my ashes with this book.”—every person who finished reading. The Song of Achilles was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2012. Thought i was buying a new conception of a Homeric myth. Bring your club to Amazon Book Clubs, start a new book club and invite your friends to join, or find a club that’s right for you for free. Positive reviews are a mystery to me. And for unexplained reasons, Achilles' mother, Thetis, seems to have always hated Patroclus. “I will never leave him. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of … He finds love with Achilles and goes out to fight for him in the Trojan war but is killed by Hector. best. Patroclus meets Achilles, the son of King Peleus and Thetis, a sea-nymph and shape-changer who controls the ocean. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath. Achilles, on one hand, is a good-looking demigod who is good at seemingly everything. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. I have just finished the book, and I think it is not that improbable but I wouldn't wish it for us. It appears that the only reason these two were with centaur in the wilderness for a couple years was to allow the author to crate a bucolic love nest for the boys. Log in or sign up to leave a comment Log In Sign Up. I thought the writing and wording was very fanciful and evocative. What's different is what comes before and between. The Song of Achilles, Miller's debut novel, was released in September 2011. September 20th 2011 Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. I wish i could read it for the first time again. We follow as the great demigod Achilles and the outcast Patroclus fall in love. Greece in the age of heroes. I'm not saying friendship can't be as strong and destructive as romance, but this simply was not just friendship. By this time it became clear that the author was going to make the romance between Patroclus and Achilles the centerpiece of the book. I'd highly recommend it to anyone who loves greek myths, to people studying classics and to people who ever wondered how long men have been loving men. Why not? The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller – review. What a desperate and homophobic attempt. The Song of Achilles’ success, however, occurred not in spite of the openly Queer relationship, but because of it. It is a retelling of the story of Achilles, and without straying too far from the original source material, Miller makes the story modern and real and heart-wrenching. declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller's thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. The Song of Achilles, author Madeline Miller’s bestselling novel, retells the events of Homer’s Iliad. report. She has also studied at the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought, and in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of. The love story (gay or not) is the point of this book. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. The Song of Achilles is her first novel. 100% Upvoted. Again from a Romance-novel point-of-view, her intense animosity seems to exist only to create a "forbidden love" situation between Patroclus and Achilles. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Was trying to decide whether to read this one or House of the Solitary. The story seem very interesting and there was a lot of build-up. If I had had words to speak … Be the first to share what you think! She currently lives in Cambridge, MA, where she teaches and writes. A very short review, I'm afraid. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes. That's how it was with, This is such an excellent review, the best of the few that I just went through. Instant downloads of all 1440 LitChart PDFs (including The Song of Achilles). "At once a scholar's homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist....A book I could not put down. no comments yet. Homoeroticism in a neomytholocical landscape, Reviewed in the United States on January 16, 2019. We despise spoilers. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. Also Miller knows what she's talking about and her work is heavily researched and intelligent so for all those hoping it's not a sloppy mistelling of a Greek myth- it's absolutely not. Enter your mobile number or email address below and we'll send you a link to download the free Kindle App. It all seemed so contrived. They're mysterious and capricious, extremely vengeful and I think Madeline Miller did a great job of portraying how very far from human they are. See all 83 questions about The Song of Achilles…, Best YA Fiction with GLBTQQI themes / characters, The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller ->Restarting May 15th, 2021, The Song of Achilles: • Ari •, Shreya & noor. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The big twist: Madeline Miller casts the story as a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. The Song of Achilles is a 2011 novel by American writer Madeline Miller. The society and attitudes portrayed here are very close to traditional Greek myths, such as the sexism of the time, how honour and glory are treated as more important than life itself, etc. It's also a great time to re-read miller because she's about to release her second book (FINALLY). The daring, dazzling and highly anticipated follow-up to the New York Times bestseller The Song of Achilles One of the Most Anticipated Books of 2018 "An epic spanning thousands of years that's also a keep-you-up-all-night page turner." During her pregnancy, a prophecy by Eileithyia said that he would be aristos achaion and become stronger than his father. The Song of Achilles: Miller's tale divides opinion To some it elegantly evokes the 'chill of antiquity'; to others it's hamfisted and infantile. You're listening to a sample of the Audible audio edition. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. I just reread this book and it absolutely wrecked me again. This book had so many great reviews that it seemed worth buying. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. Published in 2012, the book reimagines the relationship between ancient Greek Trojan war heroes Achilles and Patroclus. "The Song of Achilles" is lyrical and deeply romantic, telling the story of Achilles and Patroclus from "The Iliad" from Patroclus' perspective. Please try again. My resting temperature is 35 degrees Fahrenheit and I have a deep abyss where my cardiac system is supposed to be. The Song of Achilles sticks pretty closely to the plot of the Iliad. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Where he is trained to be a part of their army. At best it grants insight into the authors's fantasies in which I am frankly not interested. I still do not have the words to describe how broken I am right now. Which is fine, but I wish this was made more obvious in the reviews. View Entire Discussion (0 Comments) More posts from the books community. Miller's prose breathes life and very relatable romance into this myth in a way that will grip you. For me, this book included too much eye rolling romantic fluff =). The book took her ten years to write. Patroclus’s father was a king from a long line of kings. I am going to disagree with thousands of goodreads reviewers. I’m going to assume that you’re familiar with the Iliad because it’s been out a while, so, Spoilers, I guess? The big twist: Madeline Miller casts the story as a romance between Achilles and Patroclus. She has also studied at the University of Chicago’s Committee on Social Thought, and in the Dramaturgy department at Yale School of Drama, where she focused on the adaptation of classical texts to modern forms. hide. Speculation into the private lives, loves and bedrooms of classical gods, demigods and heroes does little if anything to enhance understanding of the ground upon which classicism was built. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasur. Set during the Greek Heroic Age, it is an adaptation of Homer's Iliad as told from the perspective of Patroclus. A new take on the Iliad, written by a high school classics teacher -- how could I not read this? I am going to disagree with the Orange Prize committee. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 25, 2016. The novel won the 17th annual Orange Prize for Fiction. spoiler. declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller's thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. I didn't quite believe all the good reviews, and thought I would hate it. However, it's really about the manlove between achilles and his partner. save. Top subscription boxes – right to your door, © 1996-2021, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. I don't like books about mythology (school in the 1960s put me off for life.) Simply amazing. Patroclus is one of the main characters in this book. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. Welcome back. After Achilles dies, His son Pyrrhus helps the Greeks and they win the war and get Helen back. The Song of Achilles is an ingenious novel that retells the story of Ancient Greek hero Achilles and his companion Patroclus as they fight in the Trojan War. A thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War from the bestselling author of Circe. share. True, it doesn't say "they fucked", but everything Homer said about them meant romance. Something went wrong. When Achilles finds out the Hector has killed his partner, Patroclus, Achilles seeks personal revenge and kills Hector. Starting this book I was at a strong 3.5 stars, then it bumped up to 4, and then the end had me in such a mess that it suddenly became 5. Yet, I think I was misled because the story is really about gay love. For the last ten years she has been teaching and tutoring Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students. The moment he was born Thetis shed her mortal clothing and dived back into the ocean, only coming back to shore to visit him occasionally. What will you do when it's your turn to pick your book club's next read? Sort by. Chapter 1. Because of the prophecy… My memory of the events was enough to know what had to happen, but that simply doesn't spoil a thing. HE was a short man, as most of us were, and built like a bull, all shoulders. Written by people who wish to remain anonymous Broadly, The Song of Achilles tells the rather tragic love story of Achilles and his love Patroclus. THE SONG OF ACHILLES - Paulina Piwowarczyk ‘21 “I loved the book The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. 23.2k. What's your view of last year's Orange prize winner? Start by marking “The Song of Achilles” as Want to Read: Error rating book. This is one of my favourite books of all time. She lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 23, 2019. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. I've actually got quite a few copies and just purchased the new classic cover release because it's beautiful. by Bloomsbury Publishing. Real fans already know: I'm heartless. Patroclus is not supposed to be in the wilderness with them, but he tags along anyway. Most well written piece of literature I have read yet— it’s like she measured every word while writing this masterpiece. This wiki is dedicated to The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller. i would like to ask you something:when you read that book, don't you think that you might never experience such an innocent,pure and strong love.Thats my problem when i read about myths or ideal circumstances, i am kind of being jealous or stressed by the idea that ican find that rare love only in books....? She attended Brown University, where she earned her BA and MA in Classics. It looks like there's an issue with JavaScript in your browser. Don't be fooled by the title. So, I bought this book with trepidation, not knowing what to expect. The Trojan war last for over ten years. Reviewed in the United States on July 11, 2017. Greece in the age of Heroes. While staying true to Greek legends and the works of Homer, Miller creatively and convincingly fills in the blanks, giving Patroclus a back story that makes perfect sense, and tracing the frie. To see what your friends thought of this book. “Mary Renault lives again!”  —Emma Donoghue, author of Room. A miracle this is. For the last ten years she has been teaching and tutoring Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students. I love your review! “At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art….A book I could not put down.” —Ann Patchett, author of The Dutch House, A thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War from the bestselling author of Circe. It's said they had sex together, as in at the same time. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. We’d love your help. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. A lot of build-up foreshadowing in your browser of shocking violence hand, is a good-looking demigod is! 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