Song of Achilles 

Madeline Miller 

The novel Song of Achilles, opens with the perspective of a young Patroclus who has grown up with a verbally abusive father and non-functioning mother with a limited mental capacity.. The novel’s setting is Ancient Greece and is centered around the story of many Greek heroes and wars. Patroclus struggles to meet his father, the king of Argonauts expectations, and is soon exiled for accidentally killing another boy. 

He then meets Achilles who is the son of Peleus, king of Phthia, who grows up as a very athletic and confident man said to be favored by the Gods. As they grow up together, their bond strengthens and the book with their tragic love story, full of heartache and personal loss. The writing is very engaging and a fast read which keeps readers on their toes as the ancient stories play out. 

The two main characters Patroclus and Achillies are very descriptive narrators whose points of views always include  exhilarating dialogue. The author, Madeline Miller, writes the story in a way that teaches the Ancient Greek mythologies in a  comprehensible way that allows complete enjoyment of the story.

 In the back of the book Miller includes descriptions and pictures of all important characters in the story.  This helps clarify the politics and countries described in the novel. Since this novel revolves around a famous war, The Trojan War, it is important that the readers can identify the historically accurate characters.

Song of Achilles, is a very enjoyable read with many action-packed scenes and thrilling adventures, full of characters and their personal growth. I highly recommend this novel to anyone who enjoys Greek mythology or historical fiction.