Review: The Song of Achilles

 

Everyone knows by now that I have the habit of dilly-dallying. But not today, today, let's get down to business. Also I have like 10 books to blog right now so it won't do for me to dilly-dally. I am gonna be fucking dramatic about it because I can and I will and also because I'm tired.

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller tells us the story of Patroclus, who has been exiled from his own kingdom after murdering a child to Phtia where he meets the prince Achilles. Achilles is the son of the cruel sea god Thetis and of King Peleus and is considered to be the greatest of the Greeks. However as Patroclus and Achilles continue to spend their time together, it might be that Patroclus could be feeling something else for Achilles entirely. The Trojan War is looming ahead and things are not looking sunny side up.

QUICK THOUGHTS AND REVIEW: 4.2/5, BOOKSTAGRAM KIND OF OVERHYPED IT.

PROS:

1. It's a retelling: Yes, that alone makes it a good point as to why a book is good. Seriously, I thrive on retellings. And especially Greek mythologies. Rick Riordan is the freaking reason I love Greek mytho so much, shoutout to Riordan folks! [Waiting for that PJO cast list any moment now] 

2. Patroclus: He's so damn adorable I want to keep him in my pocket to protect him. He's like one of those cats you see on YouTube that you wanna keep and protecc no matter what the cost. And he's so damn loyal to Achilles, Achilles the ass doesn't deserve him at all smh.

3. The Writing Style: Smooth, easy flowing. It doesn't drag so it's quite easy to sift through the chapters without using much of the brain, which when I do gives me quite the headache. And yes it hurts my head when I try to, keyword, try to use my brain for complicated purposes. And yes, it means that I'm indirectly implying that I'm a dumbass.

4. The end though. Patroclus was becoming my favourite character and then I realized, wait, this follows the Iliad, fuck.

CONS:

1. Achilles: He's an ass. He's a fucking ass. Patroclus deserved much better than him. I want to sue this person in court.  And I want to hold Patroclus close to my heart so that Achilles cannot hurt him in any way. Like seriously, he did everything to hurt Patroclus even when he claimed he didn't want to. I want to cut his head off. I'm fucking glad he died.

2. The writing style: It's kind of flat. It's easy flowing and I like the narration flat but it does not invite the interest in me as a book normally should. I know it's written in first person narration but it seemed like a sort of forced narration? If that is possible? It's kind of boring to me.

3. It just failed to interest me where I thought it would.

OVERALL, AN OKAY READ, I'm kind of disappointed at this book? TSOA lovers don't come at me, I like this book, just not as much as I thought I would.