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bigolscrewup's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
He is half of my soul, as the poets say
In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun
5/5⭐
I literally had to keep two handkerchiefs with me to finish reading this book. I've read a lot of books about Greek Mythology, but nothing could come close to the magnitude of feelings this book bought in me. I've always loved Patroclus and I have heard people discuss about his relationship with Achilles all the time. I don't care about those discussions anymore, I'm going to believe this as an canon, because nothing could be better than this. One of the best books I've ever read and I'm completely blown over by the story and characters within. I didn't even think about this until I finished reading this book, but what a way to start the Pride month 🌈
In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun
5/5⭐
I literally had to keep two handkerchiefs with me to finish reading this book. I've read a lot of books about Greek Mythology, but nothing could come close to the magnitude of feelings this book bought in me. I've always loved Patroclus and I have heard people discuss about his relationship with Achilles all the time. I don't care about those discussions anymore, I'm going to believe this as an canon, because nothing could be better than this. One of the best books I've ever read and I'm completely blown over by the story and characters within. I didn't even think about this until I finished reading this book, but what a way to start the Pride month 🌈
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Death, Slavery, Animal death, War, and Violence
davbat's review
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Extremely tragic, even more than you'd expect going into it with knowledge of the story. Time after time, Miller shows you what could have been if not for fate/pride/war. Extremely tragic doomed romance.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Murder, Child abuse, Child death, and Rape
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, Infidelity, Pregnancy, Misogyny, Animal cruelty, Xenophobia, Self harm, Kidnapping, Medical trauma, Slavery, Death, Animal death, and Outing
Minor: Incest, Adult/minor relationship, Abandonment, and Cannibalism
Rape and murder are just as common as in the original myth but without any of the euphemismphrasecollector13___'s review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Time read: 9 hours, 7 minutes
WARNING: THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
Oh my God, they love each other so much, and so on and on, the only thing people will talk to me about this book was the romance. I drop it off my TBR, because I was not going to read a romance (nothing wrong with romance, is just not my type of genere). Let me said, what people would tell me about this book didn't make justice at all to the story. Yeah, okay, the romance was, beautiful, they were meant for each other, but that's the only thing in the Patroclus and Achilles relationship? This relationship ran deeper than the romance that bloomed between them, and that's what made this book precious to: the tragedy of each character, not only Patroclus and Achilles, most (if not all) of the characters in this book have a tragedy going after them. Which is what made this book amazing: the tragedy, the drama, that most of Greek mythology stories carries with them. I won't say that The Song of Achilles is better than Circe (Circe will always be my baby book), but it can't be denied that both books are amazing re-telling of Greek's mythologies.
WARNING: THERE MIGHT BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW
Oh my God, they love each other so much, and so on and on, the only thing people will talk to me about this book was the romance. I drop it off my TBR, because I was not going to read a romance (nothing wrong with romance, is just not my type of genere). Let me said, what people would tell me about this book didn't make justice at all to the story. Yeah, okay, the romance was, beautiful, they were meant for each other, but that's the only thing in the Patroclus and Achilles relationship? This relationship ran deeper than the romance that bloomed between them, and that's what made this book precious to: the tragedy of each character, not only Patroclus and Achilles, most (if not all) of the characters in this book have a tragedy going after them. Which is what made this book amazing: the tragedy, the drama, that most of Greek mythology stories carries with them. I won't say that The Song of Achilles is better than Circe (Circe will always be my baby book), but it can't be denied that both books are amazing re-telling of Greek's mythologies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Blood, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, Death, War, Violence, and Slavery
Moderate: Rape and Gaslighting
Minor: Sexism
grace_cr1's review
adventurous
emotional
informative
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gore, Grief, Body horror, Rape, Self harm, Slavery, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, War, Animal death, and Sexual assault
kastoria's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I had to put this book down and walk away. Not because it wasn't enjoyable but because I was going into my seasonal depression and couldn't handle it getting upsetting. I had to resume it in the springtime and it consumed me. I still think about it but don't think I'll ever be able to bring myself to re-read this masterpiece.
Absolutely devastatingly beautiful.
Absolutely devastatingly beautiful.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Grief, Death, Slavery, Sexual content, Violence, War, and Torture
karlapardo's review
adventurous
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Oooof this book. It broke my heart into a million pieces. I did not expect this book to make me cry this much. I also was surprised with the fact that the book is written in Patroclus POV only, which I thought was beautifully thought out because readers can see Achilles the hero in a different way that we are not used to seeing. We see Achilles through Patroclus’ point of view and because of that we are able to see his flaws, and his not-so-hero struggles that make him seem human. The fact that we get to read this from the point of view of the man who loved and cherished this great hero is breathtaking.
Madeline Miller’s reading is…… breathtakingly beautiful. I don’t know how else to describe it if I am being honest. The poetry is just so well done that it’s able to paint such detailed and vivid scenes and emotions in every aspect. The good moments are shown so beautifully with the poesy of the writing and as readers we feel the joy and excitement of each scene. But the bad moments are also so heartbreaking, heart wrenching, devastatingly, painfully so well written that readers are able to feel absolutely everything. It has truly been the best written book I have read this year and I would read it again and again without a doubt. I would go through the pain of it every single time because of the incredible, beautiful, painful love story of Achilles and Patroclus.
Memorable Quotes
Madeline Miller’s reading is…… breathtakingly beautiful. I don’t know how else to describe it if I am being honest. The poetry is just so well done that it’s able to paint such detailed and vivid scenes and emotions in every aspect. The good moments are shown so beautifully with the poesy of the writing and as readers we feel the joy and excitement of each scene. But the bad moments are also so heartbreaking, heart wrenching, devastatingly, painfully so well written that readers are able to feel absolutely everything. It has truly been the best written book I have read this year and I would read it again and again without a doubt. I would go through the pain of it every single time because of the incredible, beautiful, painful love story of Achilles and Patroclus.
Memorable Quotes
- “ACHILLES, it reads. And beside it, PATROCLUS. ‘Go’ she says. ‘He waits for you.’”
- “I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.”
- “He smiled, and his face was like the sun.”
Achilles’ eyes lift. They are bloodshot and dead “I wish he had let you all die.” Achilles weeps. He cradles me, and will not eat, nor speak a word other than my name.
Content Warnings
Graphic: War, Violence, and Death
Moderate: Rape, Slavery, and Sexual content
Minor: Homophobia, Pregnancy, and Sexual assault
ppp's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: War
Moderate: Trafficking, Rape, and Sexual violence
Minor: Slavery
yourdelulureader's review
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Slavery, Emotional abuse, and Sexual content
Minor: Rape
casleigh's review against another edition
Too slow, maybe it’s the audio but I couldn’t pay attention
Content Warnings
Minor: Blood, Slavery, Sexual assault, Child abuse, and War
louisec12's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This novel is just seamless. It follows the lives of Patroclus and Achilles through Patroclus' eyes and you honestly fall in love with both main characters. I am still thinking about the characters even after finishing the novel and it is so beautifully written. I loved the exploration of honour and heroism and what makes a real hero. An emotional read with the most beautiful and emotional ending. I have immediately moved on to another of Miller's novels and I am now very interested in Greek mythology because of how much I loved this! If you haven't read it then please do ASAP because it is wonderful!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery, Violence, War, and Death
Moderate: Sexual assault, Child death, and Rape