Song of Achilles — A Story of Patroclus and Aristos Achaion

Once again, I have read a book and came here to write its review. This time, I read Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, a novel that shows Patroclus and Achilles in a romantic relationship.

To be honest, once you read the novel, you will know that this novel is more than about Patroclus and Achilles. It is a novel that leads you into the world of ancient Greece, a story that somehow lets you know why you should celebrate International Women’s Day, and characters that tear your heart and make you realize love is never enough.

Song of Achilles book by Madeline Miller

Book Details:

• Novel Name — Song of Achilles
• Writer’s Name — Madeline Miller
• Publish Date — 3 September 2011
• Genre — Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Mythology, Gay Romance, War Story
• Ratings — 4.5/5 on Amazon, 4.3/5 on Goodreads

A Short Summary -

The Novel started with Patroclus’s point of view, how his mother wasn’t a charming woman, so his father never really showed any interest in her or her son (Patroclus). From the start to the end, he was someone who hated fighting and didn’t actually have ambition like the other males.

His father even took him to a marriage assembly (if this is what it’s called), where men from all over Greece came to ask Helen’s hand; Helen, the most beautiful woman. Among those people were Prestigious kings and even heroes who fought alongside Herculius.

Patroclus was only 10 years old at that time, so of course nobody took him seriously. But in that assembly, it was his first time to meet Odsseuys and see how cleverly manipulated he is.

Overall, it was a novel related to Greek war history and war politics. The love and circumstances between Patroclus and Achilles were the focus.

Patroclus accidentally kills a kid his age, a noble child; as punishment, he was kicked out of his country (don’t know the correct term, I guess it’s exile). His surname was taken from him, leaving him just as Patroclus.

Though he could survive in Peleus’ kingdom, Achilles’s father. Peleus was a man who let such children live in his palace and even offered them martial arts lessons.

However, due to Patroclus’ introverted nature, he didn’t make a single friend, but as days went by, he and Achilles came together. That’s where he learned that Achilles is actually a sea Nymp’s child, a nymph whose son would be the best of the Greeks.

The story goes into quite a detail, but I don’t think writing those here would be good.

In short, Achilles and Patroclus slowly grow together; where Achilles was really great with weapons from the start, Patroclus never liked them. Achilles’ mother, Thetis, always tried to separate the two, especially since she saw Patroclus kissing Achilles beside the sea.

She forced them so much that Achilles had a baby with a princess of a small kingdom, though nobody would know about her.

In the novel, we read how Patroclus also slept with that woman.

Later, when the war started between the Greeks and the Trojans, they got to know that Achilles would die in this war after killing the Trojan Prince Hector. But if he chooses not go in this war, then his golden charm and blessing of being the best of the Greeks will be taken away.

Of course, Achilles chose to go to the war, but to reassure Patroclus, he said that he won’t kill Hector, since there’s no reason to kill him personally, and besides him, no one else has the power to kill him.

This war lasted 12 years; Patroclus didn’t go to fight with them after the start, instead he chose to work with the medical staff, he also asked Achilles to save many women who were treated as war prizes. Briesie was one of them.

However, one thing that they forgot is that a war where lots of princes and kings are fighting together will lead to the dynamic of power roles. There was a general role selected among these kings who would lead everyone, and Achilles didn’t bow to him. This thing with other incidents led to that general king belittling Achilles in front of the whole army.

Achilles swore not to fight until the general king apologized in front of everyone.

Of course, this led to the loss of the Greeks, their wall was about to breach. Patroclus could not see this, so he asked Achilles to give him his army and the armor. Because most people only need the relief of Achilles fighting along, they don’t actually need to see him fight.

Achilles let Patroclus have it all. Which was stupid to be honest, it was at this moment that I realized Achilles’ ego and pride won, and his love for Patroclus lost.

What this event led to was easy: Patroclus died at the hands of Hector. Achilles followed it and killed Hector, after it he died at someone else’s hands.

Song of Achilles Novel

What Really Made Me Speechless?

Honestly, nothing speechless me more than Achilles letting Patroclus go to the war when he knew how much Patroclus hate fighting and how weak he is in actual battle. What did he think? That just by wearing his armor, Patroclus will become immortal? Stupid..

Another thing that I didn’t like was how Achilles was born. Peleus pleases the god, I don’t remember the detail, they tell him to marry Thetis, who has the blessing and whose son will become the best of the Greeks. Since Thetis won’t agree to this marriage, take her by force.

And so Achilles was conceived when his father raped his mother. Damn.

Next, I hated how the innocent are left to face the consequences of war and politics. All these kings were fighting just for the sake of gaining honor; no one was actually fighting for Helen. Take a guess at how they destroy the common people? They first killed their way to all the villages surrounding the Trojans, and they thrived on the idea that they killed the whole genealogy of families. Then they took the women as war prizes and raped them day and night.

You know what’s more pathetic? Their wives and children were waiting for them at home while they made new homes (more like families) here at the war front.

Lastly, I was most speechless about Achilles’ son. A boy in his 10 or 12 years of age ended the war, but he was ruthless, not like his father. He kidnapped the general king’s son’s bride and raped her. Dying at the young age of 14.

A 14-year-old boy raping someone, god.

The Back Cover of Song of Achilles Novel

Something That I Loved the Most?

When Patroclus dies, Achilles asked their ashes to be mixed in the same urn. I went through the internet, and apparently, this is true. Achilles asked his ashes to be mixed with Patroclus’. This let me know that perhaps they really were more than close friends.

Though in the novel Madeline writes how Achilles’ son didn’t let anyone write Patroclus name on his father’s grave stone. But when I went through the internet, I read there was no such thing as grave stones in ancient Greece. So, this whole scene was just for the sake of the novel. And of course, she had to make sure that Patroclus’ point of view does not end before the novel, so making him a ghost was the best choice.

A Story Inside the Story

I loved how Madeline inserted Cleopatra’s story inside this novel to make everything seem like a repetition. When Achilles stopped fighting for the Greeks, everyone came to ask him to fight again. When nothing worked, one person told them a story. About how some king did the same, when he fought for his people, they insulted him, but when he didn’t fight anymore, they asked him to come back, though he didn’t.

Then the wall was breached, and his people died, at last it was Cleopatra who went down on her knees to beg him to fight again, and only for her he fought.

But then it was too late, half his people had already died, and the other half cursed him for not coming faster to save the previous half.

This story was to remind both Achilles and Patroclus; for Achilles, it was to remember that even if he comes later, once it’s too late, no one will thank him. For Patroclus, it was a reminder that only he could change Achilles’ mind, just like how Cleopatra did.

Did I Like The Novel Song of Achilles?

Of course, I liked this novel and would recommend others to read it too. But I can’t deny that there were chapters and many pages that bored me and made me almost drop the novel.

Actually, I was kind of hoping this novel would be like Circe, with myths and vibrant stories everywhere. Perhaps that’s why it bored me in the middle. Moreover, it was not my typical BL novel either, where the male leads do not touch the woman or anyone. But here I had to read how Achilles had a son.

Still, I would recommend it to you all. I got to know about ancient Greek war and how this war and the Ramayana look the same some of the time.