The Song of Achilles Review – The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles Review
Historic M/M Romance
The Song of Achilles” is a poignant retelling of Greek mythology, exploring love, honor, and destiny with captivating prose
The Song of Achilles Book Review
It took me long enough to read The Song of Achilles but I’m so glad I did. I mean don’t get me wrong, you may have been able to guess in my Date Me Bryson Keller Book review that I have a firm favourite. The Song of Achilles has to be my second favourite! I loved it, there were areas that I thought could use some improvement perhaps but I’ll talk about that in a bit.
There will be several spoilers in this The Song of Achilles book review, I’m sorry about that but I do have a lot to say. Make sure you’re following me on TikTok and Instagram for more reviews on what I thought about books and maybe some future book suggestions. I would also love to know what you thought about The Song of Achilles so let me know in the comments.
I’ve been wanting to read this for a while now. I just have a huge TBR pile and it doesn’t seem to get any smaller, especially when I get Waterstones vouchers for Christmas and my birthday, I’m not complaining though. I actually got The Song of Achilles paperback for a birthday gift. You can get a The Song of Achilles Amazon copy and have it sent to your door though if that’s easier.
The Song of Achilles Characters (light spoilers)
If I was to go over all the characters in this book I’d be here all day. Instead, I’m going to talk about Achilles and Patroclus because they are obviously the main focus in The Song of Achilles so that makes sense. However, I will say that I hated Thetis and of course, her actions at the end meant I was in tears! I also hated Odysseus, he did have his good moments but he was kind of a dick.
Patroclus
I loved Patroclus, he was my favourite in the entire book. I loved how we saw everything through his eyes. The boy branded “simple” by his dad turned out to be the greatest hero, the most devoted partner and a saviour amongst war prisoners. I do like the fact that he was written with such compassion and yet his passion never dwindled for a moment.
Do I have anything negative to say? Yes. I felt that as a character he could have been described better. Sometimes I was overloaded with details about Achilles that I totally forgot what Patroclus looked like! He always thought things through before doing them, which is probably why I hated how he acted before his death as it was so out of character but understandable in that situation.
Briesis
I actually really liked Briesis and that’s why I’ve included her in my The Song of Achilles book review. I know a lot of people didn’t like her and felt that her character felt a little flat and redundant but I’m afraid I have to disagree. I felt that she helped in depth to Patroclus and I loved how the prospect of a future for Patroclus was added in, even if it felt a little forced.
I also like how she was written as a strong female, which you don’t always get in male centred queer books. Finally, I felt that she held Achilles accountable towards the end which was needed. I hated her death. I think Miller could have written it so much better, she was strong she should have died strong and not given a coward’s death when she wasn’t one.
Achilles
How the mighty have fallen. Following Achilles through his years was tough. I loved the younger and kind-hearted Achilles and hated him in his final moments. He was painted so beautifully by the author. I hated how he betrayed Patroclus without even knowing he’d done so. I guess power corrupts absolutely after all and that’s shown easily in The Song of Achilles.
Cry Factor – Is The Song of Achilles Sad? (5 Stars) (BIG SPOILER!)
Woah, I cried, and then I cried again. I couldn’t really see so I read the last few chapters again and then I cried a little more. Yes, I’m an emotional person but darn The Song of Achilles is one emotional journey. The book starts off like most others, boring and slow. When you get to the end, however, you’ll be crying and wishing you had tissues!
When Patroclus got killed the floodgates opened. I couldn’t take it and I couldn’t stop crying. When Achilles got his revenge and kept his body as he couldn’t let go, I cried even more. When their ashes were combined, of course, I cried. The thing that really tipped me over the edge wasn’t death. When Thetis helped Patroclus move on and be with Achilles I could not stop crying.
If you’re going to read The Song of Achilles, it will make you cry. It wouldn’t be a book review without letting you know it’s cry factor and I’m giving this one a big 5 stars! I hope this The Song of Achilles book review will have you better prepared than I was when it comes to the ending!
Books Similar To The Song of Achilles
If you’re looking for books similar to the song of Achilles I have a few you might want to try. I will also throw in some more generalised books as well. Greek mythology is great although I like the fiction element in books such as The Song of Achilles and other books, it just brings them to life even more.
So of course I’m going to recommend Circe by Madeline Miller. If you liked The Song of Achilles you’re bound to like her other novel, Circe. The Silence of The Girls is also a great one that features Briesis although she doesn’t have a huge impact on the book it’s nice to see. I’ve not read many mythology books that are similar to The Song of Achilles so if you know of any, let me know!
What Was Bad With The Song of Achilles (light spoilers)
I loved this book but that doesn’t mean it’s without its issues that’s for sure. As it’s such a big book and has sold thousands upon thousands of copies you’d think it would be flawless right? In regards to the print, a few times there were some issues with words being repeated which made it a clunky read in my opinion. This wouldn’t be a The Song of Achilles review if I didn’t mention that.
I did feel that the first half of the book was a little slow, it took me half the time to read the second half over the first. So if you’re asking is The Song of Achilles a slow read? Half of it, I’d say yes. I am very dyslexic as well so it’s tough for me to read some of the names etc. in this book, which could have been attributed to the speed at that I read.
I have seen some people talk about their dislike for the book and some have even said the plot was a bit flimsy, I disagree. I thought the plot was very thought out, even if slow in areas and the characters were well drawn.
I did have one issue though, The Song of Achilles sex scenes. I felt that Madeline didn’t want to dive into the same-sex sex scene, it felt rushed, lacking of passion and too descriptive to make sense. I would point out that there is a straight sex scene involving Patroclus and the description and writing around that was a lot better which was a shame when in my eyes it’s a very queer book.
The Song of Achilles Book Review (4.5 Stars) (Light Spoilers)
This has easily become my second favourite book, just under Date Me Bryson Keller. It has everything that I liked, a slow burn and amazing love story, even if it lacked passion at times. The characters were well written and it was packed full of drama. I will say that as soon as they jumped off that boat and started fighting, I couldn’t put it down!
I have since purchased my own The Song of Achilles Hardcover and I have to say I love it! You can also purchase The Song of Achilles Kindle version. The Song of Achilles audiobook via Amazon is available but you can get this for free with a free Audible trial.
I would love to know what you thought about my The Song of Achilles Book review, do you agree or did you hate the book and want to chuck it in the trash? I’ve been listening to the Epic Sagas on Apple Music at the moment and it was hard reading what a douche Odysseus was in this book compared to the songs, sometimes it’s tough to keep things separate right?
Don’t forget to follow me on TikTok or Instagram if you’re looking for new queer book suggestions or just want to know what I’m reading at the moment! It might help motivate me to post more, I’m terrible with social media and need all the help I can get!