The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Please don’t start a war but Lisa of Troy rates this 5 stars
The Song of Achilles is a retelling of classic Greek mythology involving Patroclus and Achilles, specifically covering the battle of Troy.
Earlier this week, I read some original Greek mythology, a play called Medea by Euripides (and yes Medea and her husband Jason appear in The Song of Achilles). Euripides authored Medea in 431 BC, more than 2,400 years ago. Greek mythology is incredibly interesting. The characters are unique, imperfect, have a rich and interesting backstory, and don’t necessarily conform to gender norms. The play itself only takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes to read. However, because the language is so archaic, I spent more time referring to reference materials on Medea than it took me for the actual reading.
This book is brilliant because the language has been modernized. This reads much smoother than Medea. The action is fast-paced, and the writing style of short paragraphs makes for a quick read. Additionally, the storytelling itself is incredible. The author tells the story in a very compelling way. Instead of focusing on guts and glory, Miller weaves in the romance between Patroclus and Achilles. She also sets the stage for fascinating political and moral dilemmas.
Overall, this was an incredible emotional journey, and one of the best (if not the best) retellings that I have ever read.