The song of achilles

Madeline Miller

★★★★★

Genre: Historical fiction, LGBT Romance

Being an avid reader, I come across half a dozen new books each month but none of them have managed to capture my eyes (and my heart) like ‘The Song of Achilles’ did. Penned by Madeline Miller, this book revolves around the story of the Greek hero Achilles, narrated by his best friend and lover Patroclus. The tale of Patroclus and Achilles is known to all those who have read any version of Homer's Iliad, but the true magic of this book lies in its gorgeous prose. Written in a manner that is so simple yet so poetic, every word of this book is a sight for sore eyes. With a lucidity that seems impossible to achieve, Madeline’s fluent prose transports you to the bustling city of Phtia or to the beautiful Mount Pelion, or to the war-trodden fields of Troy, engrossing you deeply within its neat crests and troughs. The pacing of this book is slow to moderate during the first half but when it picks up its speed, it's un-put-down-able. For those who love to annotate their copies, The Song of Achilles is a godsend. 

Personally, this book holds great meaning to me. Reading about Patroclus' exile and the hardships he faced, about how Achilles was fated to journey heavenwards after only a brief life, and the constant moral struggles he faced made me appreciate and be grateful for the normal life I lead. This book taught me to see beauty in crevices where light is afraid to wander, for solitude can be divine and the company of the ones you look at is a notch higher. The words resonated with me as I found out about every character’s hamartia, grappling with demons of my own, acknowledging their presence, and choosing to stand up against them. Moreover, the writing style motivated me to face my fears and try out writing myself. Rich with poetic devices and words of heavy meanings, this book taught me a lot.

Maybe in a couple years, there’s a chance I would stop picking this book up whenever things go wrong in life, maybe it won’t comfort me anymore like it does now, but for the sheer number of times its words felt like a hug from a cherished person, I’m thankful to ‘The Song of Achilles’, truly a gem amongst books.