Review: "The Song of Achilles" (manuscript)

 

            The Song of Achilles is Madeline Miller’s first novel – I reviewed her second novel, Circe, previously.

            The Song of Achilles is about the Greek hero, Achilles, his part in the war to retrieve Helen, and his love of his companion, Patroclus.  Homer paints Achilles and Patroclus as having what we would now call a “bromance,” whereas later writers paint it as a homosexual relationship.

            Whatever the case may be in the literature, Miller’s work is engaging and enjoyably readable.  You get to see the human contradictions of one who is born half-god.  Achilles is humble and loving, and he is arrogant and petty.

            In the end, the reader sees Achilles as someone who wants the glory of war, but really couldn’t care less about Helen, but, if he had his druthers, he would live quietly with Patroclus.

            A very enjoyable read.

            Two essays the author wrote are appended to the novel, as well as a summary of the major players in the novel.

            [This review appears on my blog, my YouTube channel, Amazon.com, and Goodreads.com.]