The Song of Achilles

Thanks to the brilliant work of Madeline Miller, I’ve been able to add another novel to the long list of titles that helped to fuel my obsession with Greek mythology. I have always been obsessed with Greek mythology, and I have always enjoyed finding novels that take classic stories and view them through a different lens. In her debut novel, “The Song of Achilles”, Madeline Miller re examines the myths of the Trojan War from the point of view of Patroclus, a characters whose role has been shrouded by mystery and wavering opinion, but who is known for his place at the side of the great Greek hero, Achilles.

Although we are living thousands of years later, almost everyone knows that story of the mighty hero, Achilles. Born to the sea nymph, Thetis, Achilles was destined to become a great warrior. Fearing for her child’s safety, Thetis carried him to the underworld and dipped him in the waters of the river Styx to protect him from harm; unfortunately, she was gripping his heel so tightly that the waters were not able to touch his skin beneath her fingers, thus leaving Achilles vulnerable in that one spot. Growing up, Achilles did become a mighty warrior despite the warnings from his mother about the dangers of war. After being recruited in the Greek army, Achilles brought the prophecy about his death to fruition by sailing with King Agamemnon to invade the city of Troy. The Trojan War lasted for ten years, with each side getting the upper hand periodically thanks to divine intervention, but eventually Achilles met his fate at the hands of Prince Paris when he was struck through the heel with an arrow guided by the mighty god Apollo.

Although most myths about Achilles follow the same storyline--son of Thetis, dipped in the Styx, mighty warrior, Trojan Hero, death by arrow--the one piece of the story that seems to fluctuate is the role of Patroclus. Some stories tell of Patroclus as Achilles’ cousin, others tell of Patroclus as an understudy of sorts, and others tell of Patroclus as Achilles’ true love. Madeline Miller focuses on this last theory and writes a stunning novel that brings the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus to light and tells how these two men grew up together, learned together, fought together, and loved one another until the very end.

For fans of Greek mythology, this novel includes a lot of familiar faces and references some important historical places and events from Hellenistic legend. Agamemnon and his brother Menelaus, Prince Paris and Prince Hector, Briseis, Chiron, Ajax, Odysseus, and many others take their moment in the spotlight (some more than others) as Miller crafts her novel.

Miller’s novel is from Patroclus’ point of view and it chronicles the time he spend in Pthia under King Peleus (Achilles’ father), his time with Achilles in the mountains under the tutelage of the great centaur, Chiron, and the events of the Trojan War. Throughout the novel, we get an inside look into the budding romance between these two young men and we are able to watch their relationship grow and develop. Patroclus finds himself thinking of nothing other than Achilles’ safety and, much to the dismay of Thetis (she makes it clear that she does not want Patroclus around her son), he remains by his side and does whatever he can to make sure Achilles remains safe; even in death, our two heroes remain bonded by love and sacrifice.

Like any good love story, our two lovers face their fair share of hurdles, but they always seem to find their way back to one another. Despite the obstacles they faced, Patroclus and Achilles found a way to maintain their relationship and forged a deep bond of love and loyalty that persevered through the adversity that they faced.

For anyone who is looking for a story that features love, betrayal, drama, seduction, violence, heart, tragedy, and, of course, a pantheon of Greek gods and heroes, I would highly recommend Madeline Miller’s novel, “The Song of Achilles.”

5 out of 5 stars