Rating: 4.5 Stars Genre: Historical/LGBT/Greek Mythology Series/Standalone: Standalone How I got this book: Bought Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear. Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. This book was incredible, but not quite how I'd expected.
“There are no bargains between lion and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.” Like most people, I've heard this book mentioned A LOT but other than knowing it was a Trojan War re-telling, that it featured a queer romance, and that it was 'guaranteed to make me cry, I didn't really know what to expect. I'm a huge lover of Greek mythology, so much so that I'm writing my own Greek myth-inspired story, and after reading Lore by Alexandra Bracken earlier this year, I was desperate for a more adult mythology re-telling. I want to begin by saying that the prose in this book is beautiful, complex and completely immersive. I was transported to Ancient Greece the moment I started reading and found the entire world fascinating. Ultimately though, it was the characters, particularly Patroclus, that made this book incredible. He's a fantastic narrator, so well developed that I could hear his voice in my head, and my heart broke for him several times throughout the book. His relationship with Achilles seems simple at first, but it grows and changes, as the characters do, until it becomes something complex, gritty, and real, giving much more weight to the story than a simple romance. “Name one hero who was happy.” While the emotion in this story didn't bring me to tears, as I'd been promised (although the ending brought me extremely close) it was no less there. It made my heart heavy and light so many times, and while the pacing isn't particularly fast, the characters and the emotional writing kept me gripped from start to finish. So, if you think you'd enjoy losing yourself in Greek mythology, with a brilliant yet tragic queer storyline, and characters who feel real, you'll love The Song of Achilles. “We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.” Comments are closed.
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About Kay (She/Her)
Book addict, film mad, music lover, business owner, writer and mum (not necessarily in that order), living in the UK. About Sophie (She/Her)
Sophie loves books (obviously). She has a passion for photography and spotting wildlife, and is interested in anything made with passion and creativity. THIS BLOG IS SPOILER FREE!
Rating system: 5 Stars - AMAZING!! 4.5 Stars - Almost perfect! 4 Stars - I really loved it 3.5 Stars - I liked it alot 3 Stars - I liked it (I don't typically review books that I rate below 3 stars)
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