I read so little adult fiction that it surprises me when I like it so much. I finished The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller this morning. After my Greek Mythology immersion with Rick Riordan’s books, this seemed like a natural transition and it had been long recommended to me.
The novel tells the story of Achilles from Patroclus’ perspective, focusing on their romantic relationship with one another. It’s been a long time since I’ve read The Illiad but I remembered the gist. It made me sad to start a tale that ended in the bloody Trojan war. One passage captured the fear and love perfectly. Achilles asks:
“Name one hero who was happy." I considered. Heracles went mad and killed his family; Theseus lost his bride and father; Jason's children and new wife were murdered by his old; Bellerophon killed the Chimera but was crippled by the fall from Pegasus' back. "You can't." He was sitting up now, leaning forward. "I can't." "I know. They never let you be famous AND happy." He lifted an eyebrow. "I'll tell you a secret." "Tell me." I loved it when he was like this. "I'm going to be the first." He took my palm and held it to his. "Swear it." "Why me?" "Because you're the reason. Swear it." "I swear it."
It was a beautiful love story. Gripping prose. A character-driven, grounded depiction that humanizes one of the greatest myths. Two people who loved each other, above everything else.
Mmmm. This story will sit with me.
With Love,
Natalie