The Verdict
Today’s book is The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller. It was her first novel, it won the Orange Prize in twenty twelve, and almost a decade later it became one of the biggest books on BookTok.
My verdict: read it. The prose is gorgeous, the love story is patient and earned, and the last quarter will wreck you. But the first half is slow, and Achilles himself is a little too perfect. I give it four and a half out of five, and no spoilers here.
What It’s About
It’s the story of the Trojan War, told by the man the Iliad treats as a side character: Patroclus. He’s a small, awkward prince who disappoints his father, and after a terrible accident he’s exiled to the court of King Peleus.
There he meets Peleus’s son, Achilles: golden, gifted, and half god. His mother is a sea nymph named Thetis, and she has big plans for him.
The Love Story
The two boys go from rivals to best friends to something more. They grow up together, study with a centaur named Chiron on a mountain, and fall in love.
Then the war comes. A prophecy says Achilles will be the greatest warrior of his generation, and that greatness has a price. You probably know how this ends, and that’s the point. The tension isn’t surprise, it’s dread.
The Writing
The writing is the star. Miller studied Greek and Latin and taught them for years, and it shows. The world feels real: figs, sea salt, lyres, sweat.
Patroclus’s voice is humble and loving, and the way he sees Achilles makes you fall for him too.
What Works
First, the romance. It’s a slow burn, built over years, and every step feels earned.
Second, the grief. The final quarter is devastating, and Miller handles it with real restraint.
Third, Thetis. She’s terrifying for most of the book, and then the ending turns her into something much more human.
What Doesn’t Work
Now the honest part. First, it’s slow. About a third of the book is childhood and life on the mountain before the war even begins.
Second, Achilles is idealized. We only see him through Patroclus’s adoring eyes, so he’s often more beautiful than real.
Third, the women. Most of them are villains, victims or pawns. Briseis is lovely, but the book rarely lets the women drive the story.
Content Notes
A heads up: there’s graphic war violence, sexual content, human sacrifice, sexual coercion, and the deaths of children.
The Scorecard
My scores. Writing, five out of five. Romance, five. Emotional impact, five. Pacing, three and a half. Side characters, three and a half. That averages to four point four, so four and a half.
Who It’s For
Read it if you love beautiful writing, tragic love stories, or Greek myths, even if you’ve never read Homer.
Skip it if you want nonstop battles, or if you need a happy ending. Seriously, bring tissues.
Where To Go Next
I’ve also made an ending explained, a video on what Miller changed from the Iliad, and a list of books like it. They’re linked below. Tell me in the comments: did this book make you cry?
