“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist….A book I could not put down.”—Ann Patchett
“Mary Renault lives again!” declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller’s thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War.
A tale of … retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War.
A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.
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The story of Achilles and Troy is well known, but this is the other side of hero and war. Beautifully written from the point if view of Patroclus. The ending is known yet you cannot help hoping and loving the story.
This is as good as everyone says. It’s a vivid and striking retelling of The Iliad, one in which Achilles and Patroclus are lovers. Their burgeoning relationship was so precious. We experience the story through Patroclus’s POV and he was quite different from what I was expecting. I’ve never read The Iliad so my familiarity with the story came from …
I loved Circe, but love Song of Achilles even more. The writing is seductive, deeply penetrating, and revelatory. I can’t recommend this enough. I have always been in love with Greek mythology and one of my favorite authors of all time is Mary Renault. I had the same feeling with this book as I did with some of my old favorites like The Bull From …
If you are a fan of greek mythology, read this. The story of Achilles in Homer’s Illiad beautyfully retold from Patroclus’ (Achilles friend/lover) POV. The story is mythologically and historically speaking highly correct (I read the original Illias. It checks out), as would be suspected of a classisist like Miller. Once you finished, tears will …
This was a bittersweet read since, of course, we all know the story of Achilles and how it ends. However, the relationship and love between Achilles and Patroclus, and later, the special relationship with Briseis, is refreshed by an author with a keen eye for bringing the classic characters of mythology alive.
Miller’s Circe was one of the best …
This book is beautifully written and draws you into the world of Patroclus and Achilles. The romance is heartbreaking and lovely. The action is riveting. One of the best books I’ve ever read, and that is saying a lot.
After listening to Circe, I decided to listen to The Song of Achilles. The narration was superb as well as the re-telling of this classic tale. I highly recommend!
I had heard bad things about TSoA, when I picked it up at the local library I could not remember what those were but after a couple of pages I decided to keep going. I am not much of a historical fiction fan but definitely enjoy M/M love stories so all in all, the plot was attractive. I did not expect, despite knowing the myth it is based on, to …
Must read story from a must-read author unbelievably well-written
Descriptive and engaging writing style. Miller made the characters 3 dimensional and breathed life into the classics!
Ms. Martin tells the love story of Achilles and Patroclus in the most beautifully simple prose I have read in a long time. I read SONG OF ACHILLES in one sitting, cried over it, and–months later–still think of it. Highly recommend!
The Song of Achilles is beautifully written. Wonderful descriptive language and intense action scenes with a lot of insight into the ancient Greek world. Well-known Greek characters such as Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Menelaus are brought to life. The novel is narrated by Patroclus, the most human and sympathetic of all the characters, who was …
A debut novelist with a strong background in the classics serves up a stirring rendition of the short but illustrious life of Achilles, “the best of the Greeks.” The story is narrated by Patroclus, an exiled prince who is Achilles’s boyhood friend and later, lover. The siege of Troy, which becomes Achilles’s destiny, began around 1250 BC after …
A beautifully written story of Achilles’ life and death and the Greeks’ seige of Troy, told through the voice of Achilles’ lover and soulmate Patroclus. In this telling, the gods and goddesses are factual beings who sometimes mate with mortals and have offspring, which was the case with Achilles. This can also be considered “historical” fiction, …
Very surprising. One of the best books I read this year. Beautifully written and the story is unbelievable.
A vivid reimagining of key events from the Illiad as told by Achille’s lover, Patroclus. The author brings Greek myths to life with breathtaking style. Highly recommended.
Beautifully written. Even better than her later book Circe.
READ THIS BOOK
YOU WON’T REGRET IT
Doesn’t matter if you love mythology or if you could take it or leave it, you will still love it. Trust me, I cried on a beach while reading this.
Wonderful retelling of the Achilles story with a different plot.
More like learning history through someone’s diary than just a timeline of facts.