Unfortunately I’m a little geek and know a lot about Greek mythology so yeah, I already knew how it would end before it even ended. I have a feeling my reading experience will be deepened and her observations will glow like phosphorus between the lines. Patroclus fears for Achilles, but he’s comforted by the knowledge that Hector is destined to die first—as long as Hector lives, Achilles will live.

Circe: The stunning new anniversary edition from the author Circe: The stunning new anniversary edition from the author

Women were also viewed as incapable of love to the same extent that men were, and so the “ideal” relationship was between two men, who were intellectual equals, as opposed to women, who (it was believed) weren’t capable of the same degree of affection.

She does teach high-schoolers, so I expect that was her target demographic, but it still seemed a bit young to me.

Editions of The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller - Goodreads

we were like gods at the dawning of the world, and our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other. Thetis asks Patroclus to share his memories of Achilles, the ones unrelated to bloodshed, and Patroclus does. In any case, Achilles turns out to be a pretty decent sort, and takes Patroclus under his wing, even inviting him to share his room.I hereby award ALL THE STARS in the universe to The Song of Achilles, a story equal parts epic and heartbreaking. Thetis, a rape victim herself, who loved her son more than anything, not only allowed but also facilitated his rape. The long-awaited second instalment in Samantha Shannon's Sunday Times and New York Times-bestselling series Tunuva Melim is a sister of the Priory. Patroclus works in the medical tents, and he sees the men begin to turn against Achilles, blaming his hubris for their deaths.

Madeline Miller Books | Waterstones Madeline Miller Books | Waterstones

its been nearly 12 hours since i finished this and i still am at a loss for words at the beauty of this book. I’m fairly certain that, were the basic plot not already laid out for her, she’d do poorly in that area as well. And now Achilles must fight for the honour of the most beautiful woman in the world, against the mightiest city of the east. The reader would rarely await the outcomes of war, for, the amazing and somewhat poetic narrative keeps one deeply immersed in the feelings of the main character. I cough, and the air is redolent with the scent of decaying leather and the intoxicating smell of the slightly hallucinatory book fungi.Patroclus wanted to end the war, and Achilles didn’t think the fight was worthy of his name: he wanted a bigger war to fight in. As the war begins, Patroclus slowly begins to realize and acknowledge Achilles' faults, leading to a steady character change for him. Thankfully the soft-core element of this story cools down enough to give us a look at the times, the idiocy of the Trojan War, and the ridiculousness of leadership, which does not seem to have changed all that much over the millennia. But he has more power than he thinks, and the moments where he reaches out to others and offers what he sees as his very modest assistance have huge positive ramifications. There’s no narrative depth or development to their relationship, so the emotional core of the story—Patroclus’s death—rings hollow.