Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Hi, I am Sarah. I am fourteen years old and an avid reader; it is one of my favorite things to do. Inspired by authors’ creations of magnificent places and surprising havens built by simple letters, I aspire to be an author and, meanwhile, nurture the love to write.
Patroclus is the awkward son of a king, disgraced and disowned and cut from his royal line. For his weight in gold, he is given to another kingdom that will see him to manhood. In the kingdom of Phthia, he meets Prince Achilles: a golden boy, son of a goddess, The Best of the Greeks, and, in summary, everything the exiled Patroclus is not. And yet an unlikely friendship spawns between the boys, regardless of their differences, and they grow to be close companions. Together, they train in the practices of war and medicine, much to the dissatisfaction of Achilles’s mother, Thetis, a sea-nymph with a particular hatred of mortals.
Then news comes that the Helen of Sparta, renowned for her beauty, has been kidnapped, stolen by Paris of Troy. Achilles, driven by the promise of glorious fame, joins the army of Greeks to rescue her and (more importantly) protect their honor. Patroclus, tethered by the love for his friend, follows.
And thus the Trojan war commences: one of the most important and pivotal events ever told in Greek Mythology, and Achilles – the boy Patroclus loves most – the hero.
Madeline Miller breathes new life into dusty Greek myths and classics, reinventing stories that have withstood thousands of generations. This adaption of The Iliad is told with a subtle modern twist, through the mind of a friend with his eyes on his hero. Miller’s breathtakingly beautiful language perfectly captures how small insults have large consequences, kind acts can lead to disgrace, and through the stress and glory of battle, love and loss leaves the most lasting impact.
This book is shelved in adult fiction and contains mature content.
