Published: September 2011
Pages: 408
Summary
Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.
They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.
My thoughts
I struggle to form the words to write this review which is very unlike me. I should position this by saying I have never read any books based on Greek Mythology before. You definitely don’t need to have that knowledge beforehand and actually, it works in your favour if you do not look up these characters beforehand.
I was pleasantly and heartbreakingly surprised at what happened in this story which has kicked off a huge love of mythology I didn’t know I had. I ran to Amazon to order the Iliad and have spent hours reading about titans and gods.
A devastating, soul crushing love story for the ages
I posted on Instagram that I had such an itch for a soul crushing love story and this book was everything I needed. It was well-crafted and masterfully written. I, on both hands, wanted to know what happened whilst not wanting the book to end.
This is a character driven story which leads to the Trojan war. It is slow paced and focussed on the character development and growth of two young boys finding out who they are in a world where they are told.
They find solace and friendship in each other and as they grow their relationship changes and blossoms. I loved watching them come out of their shells and finding a person to trust and rely on. It was really beautiful to see them from their younger days grow into the men that they became. Achilles is well loved with a heavy prophecy to bear, whilst Patroclus was incredibly neglected by his parents.
Their love is nourishing and healing, and Miller’s writing articulates this brilliantly throughout the book. It’s not about large displays of affections, or loud actions but the small and quiet, the day-to-day choices, the genuine care. They are two beings in a world filled with societal pressures, heavy prophecies and meddling gods, yet they also choose each other.
I could recognize him by touch alone, by smell; I would know him blind, by the way his breaths came and his feet struck the earth. I would know him in death, at the end of the world.
Pride and hope are two of the main themes of the book
Achilles has a deep sense of his own superiority. It has been taught to him since he was a child – being the child of a goddess; it’s ingrained into him. He has been raised to believe he is “best of the Greeks,” and that pushes him towards fame with the hope of one day becoming a god. He would rather have a short, brilliant life where people remember him over a long, simple one, and this impacts the way he acts and thinks, even with Patroclus.
“Name one hero who was happy.”
But he is also incredibly stubborn to the downfall of himself and others. The part pride plays can impact many people, but for someone who is “best of the Greeks”, they are seen as mere pawns. This is where Patroclus balances Achilles. Where Achilles can become easily blind to the suffering around him due to his pride, Patroclus steers him back, help to influence him where he can.
“What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another. We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory… We are men only, a brief flare of the torch.”
Patroclus has a quiet pride. He’s proud of his skill, his growth, who he is now as a person. And he’s incredibly proud of Achilles, which gives him perspective to help show Achille’s what he does not see.
Thetis’s pride is a huge piece of this book which slowly comes to fruition near the end. I won’t spoil it for others, but when I ended this book I couldn’t help but think to myself about the balance of love and pride, and whether one comes to the detriment of the other. It left me with lots to think about.
A devastating book yet filled with hope
But this book is filled with so much hope. And maybe you’ve read this book and you’re thinking, but where? Hope for Patroclus, arguably his exile is one of the best things to happen to him. Hope for a shared future and companionship after spending their childhood learning and growing together. Hope for glory and peace during the Trojan War. Hope for eternal love and remembrance. Which contrasts wonderfully through the storytelling of having this hope shadowed by the prophecies of Apollo.
He looked different in sleep, beautiful but cold as moonlight. I found myself wishing he would wake so that I might watch the life return.
Rich with worldbuilding and lore
I really loved the touches that speak to the mythology. I’m probably not appreciative of all the references but I loved it so much I was taking breaks between reads to look into what was happening. I found it all very interesting especially once we got to Troy and many of the more famous characters got more ‘screen time’. I’m definitely picking up the Iliad soon!
The storytelling itself, beyond what I’ve mentioned, also had an additional element I loved. And that was the weaving of past stories with present events. There is a scene where Achille’s father is telling The Story of Meleager, and each passage is woven into the present. When King Peleus’ speaks of Meleager, the best fighter in the kingdom, Patroclus then looks to Achilles. I think it was wonderfully done to highlight the common threads between time, and to compare Achilles – who was only a child – to Meleager, as even at his young age he possesses such incredible skill.
But this story doesn’t end there and although the King doesn’t finish telling it to the boys on that day. The end of the story gets told further down the line in a situation where Achilles is no longer a boy, and Patroclus is no longer an anxious exile. It was really smartly done and brought together not only the growth the boys have been through, but actually highlighted Patroclus and the importance of his role.
Achilles has the strength and power with a goddess for a mother. He was always going to achieve vast, brilliant things. But for Patroclus who had no prophecies told of him, he is not as insignificant as he often feels, and his character is incredibly important in this story. We don’t always need to be the best at something to leave our mark.
And as we swam, or played, or talked, a feeling would come. It was almost like fear, in the way it filled me, rising in my chest. It was almost like tears, in how swiftly it came. But it was neither of those, buoyant where they were heavy, bright where they were dull.
Their love story is achingly beautiful, and although I know it is a fictional account of events. There is no notion of anything deeper than friendship (I believe) in the Iliad. This book was brilliantly written, rich with worldbuilding with so much built on the original mythology.
We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.
Would I recommend?
Yes, yes and yes. I don’t typically read romance but I do love a true, aching love story. Something deep which touches the soul. Just two people navigating life together and making room for each other. Uniting together despite the odds. This is well written and beautifully told. I loved it. Madeline Miller has turned into a must read for me!
Great review! And that’s a stunning copy!
Thank you so much!