The Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: Warrior. King. Lover. In this sprawling epic, we’re exposed to all facets of Achilles, from his early life and training to leadership in the Trojan War, and finally, the love he shared with Patroclus, an exiled prince and his lifelong companion.
Expectation: A fresh take on the Achilles mythology that leans into an oft-debated aspect of the hero’s personal life.
Reality: A gorgeously written, accessible distillation of various Achilles story lines with Madeline Miller crafting an affecting relationship between the two main characters.
Recommended For: Fans of Greek mythology, fantasy and LGBTQ+ love stories.
Why I Read It: I was blown away by Miller’s “Circe,” and heard this one was even better.
My take:
There's a reason mythology has endured millennia; each story showcases life at its most raw – the passion, anger, fear, jealousy and vulnerability of gods and humans as they quest for perfection and power.
As these stories have shown us, oftentimes that quest ends in tragedy or heartache, and in two novels Miller has expertly brought that to life through Achilles, Patroclus and Circe, a trio of ambitious, lovelorn and misunderstood characters.
Prior to reading “Circe” in the spring of 2019, it had been decades since I last dipped into Greek mythology. After finishing Miller's compulsively entertaining novel – published after “The Song of Achilles” – I realized what a mistake that had been. But, about halfway through “Achilles,” I learned my mythology limit – two books in 20 years.
That is not a knock-on Miller’s writing, which is layered and beautiful, but more my personal tastes for how much interest I really have in the plight of gods, demigods and mortals.
Achilles (and his heel) are arguably among the most well-known characters in Greek mythology that still have widespread name recognition. While there is a rich tapestry to work from (seriously, Google Achilles and see all the variations on his narrative), you can’t tell his story without bringing in the Trojan War, which means there is a been-there-done-that aspect to almost half of the story.
Even though Brad Pitt’s Achilles from “Troy” was far less interesting (and queer) than the one Miller presents, many aspects of the novel – specifically the battle and his demise – were covered in similar ways in the movie and other modern adaptations.
Given the focus on the Trojan War, there are also a lot of secondary characters and plots that were difficult to keep tabs on in an audiobook. While some of the names and situations piqued interest (Hector, Paris, Helen, Odysseus, plague) it slowed the story. To put it plainly, I was invested in the love story, not the military story.
What propelled me to the end was the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, which brought forward a level of fidelity – especially in the face of conflict – that you often don’t see in mainstream gay romance. It reminded me a lot of Joe and Nicky from Netflix’s “The Old Guard,” whose love story was better than the core plot, in my opinion.
The way the relationship unfolds, the struggle that each of them have in acknowledging and embracing their desires and the pain that Achilles feels once (spoiler alert) Patroclus dies in battle while trying to protect him from his fate is truly heartbreaking. The love they had for each other was palpable, and it is the reason to read this story.
Even though “Achilles” didn’t quite move me in the same way as “Circe,” I think the two novels make a nice pair, and I’d recommend fans of one try to read the other. If nothing else, it allows you to be awestruck by Miller, who is as much an expert researcher as she is a writer.
Rating (story): 3.5/5 stars
Rating (narration): 4/5 stars (although it felt Frazer Douglas impersonated Chris Hemsworth as Thor when voicing Achilles)
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Dates read: July 30 – August 11, 2020
Multi-tasking: Good to go
