The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: a review

When you spend your uni years in a group of fellow queer folks who love to read, then there are certain books that are going to come up over and over again. I’ve been meaning to read this book for quite some time, and seeing it while on a little trip to the library finally gave me the opportunity to delve into its pages.

            The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller is the story of Patroclus and Achilles. A friendship forms in their youth, despite warnings from Achilles’ mother. As the Trojan war brews, their bond becomes stronger than ever, but will the fates be on their side?

            The section where Patroclus and Achilles are playing husband and wife, just as the Trojan war is beginning is probably my favourite part of the whole book. Not only are there some wonderfully comical and heart-warming moments, but the brewing tension works so wonderfully here. It’s this point where you’re getting to enjoy their time together, but you know what’s happening in the background. You know the sweet moments aren’t going to be around too much longer.

            Tension is something that Miller understands and works with expertly throughout this book, and I cannot get enough of it. The way she writes battles are everything. No spoilers here, so all I’ll say is the scene towards the end in the chariot is, oh, *chef’s kiss*. The tension is built perfectly, and the dissipation of it once the helmet falls to the floor is just stunning. There’s this heat to her battle scenes. The visceral energy to these sections really do make you feel as though you can smell the blood and sweat coming from the pages themselves.

            Most of the time reading this was spent going oh that’s why people kept recommending this. In the most joyous moments and in the moments where my heart was breaking, I fell deeply in love with this book. Despite how much I cried, I wouldn’t be so surprised if I read this again. I’m sure I’ll cry every time as well. I can’t recommend this to you enough, and it is available from Burnley Library.