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Writer's pictureAbbie Smith

Book Review: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

This has been a popular book for quite a while.

This will probably have spoilers, so you should click away if you don't want them.


Everyone knows the story of Achilles. But do they really


The only things I knew were that he was the greatest Greek warrior who ever lived and subsequently died because of a weak heel (Achilles heel).


I'd heard through the grapevine that it's a tragic story and all that, so I was expecting a full-blown romance. Admittedly, I'd never read anything by Miller before, so I couldn't be sure what I was getting myself into.


While I'm not saying I didn't like it, or you should read it, it definitely didn't feel like a romance. I wasn't very invested in the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. I had hoped it would be more like Red, White and Royal Blue. Alas, it was not.


What it was, was a fun rendition of the Trojan war as told from Patroclus's perspective. Rife with Greek mythology and famous characters we all learned about growing up, I thought it was fun to see Odysseus and Agamemnon.


I wanted more. That's truly the only way to put it. It was definitely not a romance and it wasn't even historically accurate (I looked it up after, you should too if you're interested).


One aspect that I did like was the push and pull between Achilles's mother and Patroclus and how she was the one to release his soul to the afterlife in the end.


If you're looking for an easy read with lots of fun Greek lore, this is for you. If you're looking for a sizzling, heartbreaking romance, this is not it.


Abbie

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