The Song of Achilles: The 10th Anniversary edition of the Women's Prize-winning bestseller

By Madeline Miller

**OVER 3 MILLION COPIES SOLD**

WINNER OF THE ORANGE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION
THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION
A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

'Captivating' DONNA TARTT
'I loved it' J K ROWLING
'Ravishingly vivid' EMMA DONOGHUE

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.

'A book I could not put down' ANN PATCHETT
'An exciting, sexy, violent Superman version of The Iliad' GUARDIAN
'Sexy, dangerous, mystical' BETTANY HUGHES

• Language: English
• Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
• Release date: Sep 5, 2011
• ISBN: 9781408818909

Madeline Miller

Madeline Miller is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Song of Achilles, which won the Orange Women’s Prize for Fiction 2012, and Circe, which was short-listed for the Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019. Her books have been translated into over thirty-two languages.

Reviews for The Song of Achilles

[john.cooper · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Utterly terrific novel, rewarding both emotionally and intellectually.

[bragan_8 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I picked this book up shortly after it came out, because I'd heard a lot of good things about it, but then had trouble motivating myself to actually read it. Because, to be honest, I found the Iliad kind of a tedious read, even in Robert Fagles' lively translation. The Odyssey was much more my kind of story. But then Madeline Miller came out with a new book based on the Odyssey, which I decided I very much wanted to read, and I figured I should read this one first.And I'm very glad I did. It's really, really good. It's the story of Achilles as told by his companion and lover Patroclus, and in this rendition that story is first and foremost a tragic love story. One that I found extremely affecting, and I say that as someone with very little romance in her soul. I'm also impressed with the way that Miller portrays the Greece of myth, complete with gods and larger-than-life heroes, while somehow still making it all feel very real and grounded and human.

[chavala_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is beautiful and well-written. The author is well-versed in Greek history and mythology, and brings it to life so well, full of the divinity and super powers the old tales contain. It is also a beautiful love story between two men, albeit a tragic one - which you’ll know if you know the story of the Trojan War. I loved the way the author tells the story from Patroclus’s point of view, presents the story of the Iliad from just a little slice of it.

[klmesoftly · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Not quite as polished and fully realized as Circe, Miller's later novel, but gripping and peopled with compelling, dynamic characters all the same.

[emeraldreverie · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I liked this a lot. Very touchingly depicted story of love and loss with a familiar mythological overlay. I really enjoyed the narrative device and the interactions of the characters with gods - especially Thetis. If you want a beautiful boy loving a beautiful boy type story, this is a high recommend.

[ecataldi-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

WONDERFUL!!!!!! This author is off the chain! I read Circe earlier this year and was blown away. The Song of Achilles (her first novel) is also out of this world incredible. The amount of detail and character building and setting is insane. I absolutely loved this. As you can guess by the title, this novel is about Achilles; the interesting part though is that it is told through the perspective of Patroclus, his best friend, companion, and lover. All I knew about Patroclus was from the movie Troy, and of course it was totally Hollywoodized because there was no way they were going to make Achilles (played by Brad Pitt) GAY! In ancient Greek times?!? Gays?!?!?! The travesty! Seriously though, it was super common and probably less of a deal than it is in our modern times. Patroclus grows up as an exiled prince in Achilles' fathers' home. They become very close, much to Thetis' chagrin (Achilles mother who is a goddess). The prophecy says that he will be the greatest fighter in the world but if he goes to Troy... he will die. Will their love triumph or will Achilles desire to go down in history persevere? Included in this story are many other great Greek heroes and gods; Odysseus, Hector, Paris, Helen of Troy. It's all the cool stuff you learned in school about mythology and then forgot. Madeline Miller does a superb job weaving this story together to make it real, emotional, and relevant. I'm in love with this book.

[creighley_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

A unique retelling of Achilles and the Trojan War. Suggests that Achilles was gay.

[fhudnell-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was more romance novel than a retelling of the story of Achilles and the Trojan War. There was just so much of Patroclus mooning over Achilles that I could take. The writing was fine, but I was bored by a lot of it and really preferred the author's "Circe".

[lkernagh · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This modern retelling of The Iliad is exactly what a non-Greek classics reader (like me) can appreciate. While I have never read – or cannot recall reading – The Iliad, I have retained enough knowledge of the gods and the story from a junior level mythology course I took back in Uni many, many moons ago, a course I barely scraped through as the subject matter failed to appeal to me. Thankfully, Miller has a gift for presenting Greek mythology in a way that I found captivating to read. Telling the story from Petraclus’ POV, and focusing more on his relationship with Achilles (and keeping the petty antics of the gods more in the background) helped to focus my attention. Yes, the story still has its share of war (hard to write out the 10 year siege of Troy!), death, violent bloodshed, lust and betrayal – can’t really tell a Greek mythology story without those elements being present – it is the focus as a love story that tempers all the “stuff” that I find so annoying about the myths.While the story has not enticed me to want to read more Greek (or Roman) mythology, I look forward to reading more stories penned by Miller.

[innahlovesyou · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The Song Of Achilles became a part of my TBR list right after I finished reading Circe. I loved Circe and it is one of my favorite books of 2018. I also enjoyed The Song of Achilles, but not nearly as much. For the ones out there who love greek mythology, this is a book that covers Achilles’s life told from Patroclus’s point of view. It is more or less accurate, and covers a lot of details from the early lives of these two princes. This is a story about one great friendship that turns into something more, a lot of challenges, a lot of doubts, and a lot of choices to be made during a time of war. The story is very fast paced, and I was skipping through the pages as fast as Achilles was killing Trojan warriors. From their childhood, to their growing up, to their adventures and the war, this book will never keep you calm, because every chapter something unexpected happens. Well, sometimes not too much, as I know the story, but even still, I was surprised a lot. A thing that bothered me a lot throughout the whole book was the inaccuracy at some points, and hiding information. Now, we all know that Achilles was immortal. And we all know the story that his mother Thetis, a goddess of water dipped his body into the water in the river Styx. However, she was holding him by the heel, so his heel was the only place where he was vulnerable. This will be the reason of his death, when Apollo would direct Paris’s spear into Achilles’ heel. Now - if this is such a common fact, and everybody who heard about Achilles knows it - why wouldn’t the author include it in the book. It wasn’t mentioned once.. Not once… I found this really upsetting. Moving forward to the characters, we have Patroclus presented as the weaker one, the coward, the person that is mocked by everyone, not loved even by his parents and unworthy. ( Another point that bothered me is that this is not entirely true - according to Homer, Patroclus was apparently wiser than Achilles) On the other hand, we have the opposite - a wise, brave, strong and handsome man, loved by everyone, immortal and a son of a goddess. We have a perfect example for a leader. While fate connect these two to meet from their very early years, they also build a love relationship which they try to hide it at first. This relationship will cause them hatred from Thetis (Achilles’ mom) and will prompt them to make choices that might not be necessarily good ones. Now, Homer never mentioned a pederasty in his works between these two, but Miller does. And I am not sure how I feel about it. Not about the fact that they are gay, but the fact that this is Achilles. All in all, I enjoyed this book. It is a great retelling of the story and a great time capture of the past. It wasn’t anything special, and I didn’t feel heartbroken in the end, but it was definitely worth reading it. I give it three stars - ★★★.

[sturlington_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I listened to the audiobook. This was an entirely absorbing account of the loving relationship between Achilles and Patroclus from when they were boys throughout the ten years of the Trojan War (although it did induce blushes from time to time when listening in public with headphones on). Miller made these characters complex and real people who developed and became their own men over time. This also reminded me why the story of the Trojan War is such an enduring one (and Odysseus remains my favorite character). The only thing that puzzled me is why she omitted the legend of Achilles' heel, since she does not shy away from including the supernatural, with the gods and the centaur Chiron appearing in the book.

[rayski_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Told by Patroclus, Achilles lover. The story is of Achilles through Patroclus' admiring eyes. It starts with the two as young children in school together, through their training with Chiron, to the 10 year war in Troy, where their mythology legends end as documented. Miller has a way of making Greek Mythology come alive, far more interesting than the books I was forced to read as a child. I read this after Circe which I gave a star more, but still greatly enjoyed just the same. If you want to reacquaint yourself with Greek Mythology but in as a positive experience, read these books. I can't wait for her next one.

[fothpaul · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I really enjoyed this one. I wasn't sure what to expect, given the red and gold cover, complete with a manly breastplate. I was a bit worried it might be a love story about gentleman, for ladies! It was not.It was a cracking re-telling of a classic love story. Some of the characters were excellent, I was a big fan of Chiron, Patroclus and Achilles. Achilles was a fully rounded complex sort of chap, torn between wanting to live and love Patroclus,and wanting to become a god/legend. It's got good pacing as well, there is no dragging even though it takes a while to even get to Troy. The book managed to maintain intrigue, even though I kinda knew where we were heading all along.I've always been a big fan of the Greek legends, and this book really made one of them spring to life.

[gahoward67 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Both personal and moving. A very approachable story of characters that are typically larger than life.

[mitchchabraja · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a trained classicist, Miller has done a remarkable job of writing a prequel to the Illiad focusing upon the homosexual relationship between Achilles and Patroclus which is only hinted at in the Illiad. Engaging and well written, the story is a nuanced telling of a blossoming love between Achilles, the Greek hero, and his boyhood companion, Patroclus, an exiled prince. The novel also explores the love for a child by parents and the rare love between a king and queen in arranged marriages. A prose narrative told from the perspective of Patrolcus makes for an interesting and novel conceit.

[heathermckenzie-2 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Absolutely beautiful!

[sianpr · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The Ancient Greek myth of Achilles is beautifully brought to life for a modern audience through the narrator, Patroclus - Achilles' lover. I'm looking forward to reading more by Miller.

[tabatha014 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a pretty amazing retelling of the Iliad. It was interesting to see things from Patroclus's point of view. And I surprisingly learned a few things that I hadn't already known from other versions of this story. This was by far the best one!

[banoczi_henrietta · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I only picked this up because I saw one of my friends on here talk about it a lot and they seemed to have really loved it, so I just thought 'why not'. I was kind of hesitant because it's not really my genre, I don't usually read mythology, but when I read the first sentence it sucked me in. I just could not put it down.
I absolutely adored the writing style, it was raw and beautiful and appropriate for a book like this. The entire book is just so quotable, and the fact that it's written in first person is one of my favourite things about it, because mythological books are almost never in first person. I could rave about the writing style all day, it's just so brilliant, even reading the quotes on the goodreads page makes my heart ache. Just the writing makes it absolutely worth reading.
I fell in love with Achilles and Patroclus and even the side characters, they all felt very real, and, being one of the few people who have never read the Iliad I appreciated the details and the character glossary at the end. What I loved most about it was the love between Achilles and Patroclus. I can see why some people might not like it but it was what made me devour the entire book in a few days.
Although it got a bit slow during the second half, it was never boring and it actually brought me to tears a few times. It was so amazing that I could talk about it all day and, even though I just finished it I would quite like to re-read it. Right now.
All I can say is that it is an incredible book.

[bookaliciouspam · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Breathtakingly beautiful.

[marthajeanne · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Yes, this pulled me in like Mary Renault's books used to. No, I don't understand why.

[kaylaraeintheway · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I thought this was a lovely book. It tells the story of Achilles, famous Greek hero and demi-god, and Patroclus, exiled prince and love of his life. We follow them from when they first meet as boys, as they train with the centaur Chiron, and finally through the 10 years of the Trojan War. Throughout all of this, they remain devoted to each other; but Achilles' quest for fame and glory in battle inevitably leads to his downfall (ummm, thousand-year-old spoiler?). The passages depicting Achilles' grief over the death of Patroclus are devastating, and the beautiful moments between them before that tragedy, were wonderful to read. I blazed right through this book, and it seemed to grow in my mind and heart after I finished reading it; I stayed up thinking about the story way past my bedtime.

[siemprebailando · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I greatly enjoyed this take on The Illiad and the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles. It was well written, very well paced, and had just the right amount of intimacy. There was a fair amount of mythology woven in, which I appreciated, giving the story a connection to the original work. This book seemed like it was written by Patroclus, and then by his ghost, and was wonderfully sad.

[Jenny Chua · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Unique love story with a wonderful ending . Recommended

[fazali · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

From the first page, to the last. I could not stop turning those pages. What a spell-binding book.

[eas7788 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of my favorite books ever. The audio version was fantastic. I always like retellings of old stories, and this is a consummate retelling/re-imagining. I deeply cared about Circe and wanted a good ending for her, not a feeling I get that often anymore. Each stage of the story was strong; the development of the character was both unpredictable and satisfying.

[jamestomasino · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This was so beautiful. Highly recommended.

[atreic · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A modern retelling of the tale of Achilles and Patroclus. It is beautifully written and powerful and the events that happen in the book are surprisingly true to the original Greek stories. There are so many different levels to this book - it is a tale of the epic war, destiny, heroism and the workings of the Gods, but it is also a very human tale, of love, of judgement by family members, and of pride. Heartbreaking and graphic in places.

[samba7-100086 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

One of the best books I have ever read. So beautiful.

[libraryhead · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Beautifully written, moving, and tragic.