Book Review: Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Greece in the age of Heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is nobody, just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. Achilles, “best of all the Greeks,” is everything Patroclus is not—strong, beautiful, the child of a goddess—and by all rights their paths should never cross. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing and soon their tentative connection gives way to a steadfast friendship.

I enjoyed Miller's Circe and this is, thankfully, more of the same. An accessible and emotional recounting of the Greek myth of Achilles.

I confess to knowing remarkably little about the classics - so I'm glad this book drove me to Wikipedia. I had no idea that the Trojan Horse doesn't appear in the original story - and Achilles' heel is also a later addition.

The book, at its heart, is about the corrupting influence of fame. How it is magnetic - in that it attracts and repulses people. The trappings of power become a prison - not just for you, but those around you. We get caught up in others' expectations of us, and sacrifice our own needs - sometimes with terrible results.

It relentlessly focuses on the main characters - this isn't Game of Thrones with a cast of thousands and intricate sub-plots. The tale is straightforward and that's what makes it so devastating.