Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
Ah, this is how modern re-imaginings of mythical stories should be: light on the mind through the journey but tugging at the heart towards the climax. Although, for a novel encompassing the ten years of the Trojan War, “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller can feel too swift, and lacking in depth for readers expecting an intense, blood-laden saga of love and war. But I was content to read something that flowed easily, didn’t tax my brain, and was over in less than three days.
‘The Song of Achilles’ is narrated by Patroclus, a Greek prince exiled from his kingdom as a boy and sent to live under the guardianship of King Peleus, ruler of Phthia. There, he meets Achilles, prince of Phthia, son of Peleus and the sea goddess Thetis, destined to become the greatest of all Greek heroes. The novel centers on the deepening bond between Patroclus and Achilles, tracing their childhood friendship as it slowly evolves into a tender romance, much to Thetis’ disapproval.
Unfolding chronologically, ‘The Song of Achilles’ first focuses on Patroclus’ early life as an unloved son of a king, then moves on to his teen years training and living with Achilles at Phthia. While Patroclus initially dislikes Achilles, mostly because he is incredibly good-looking, golden-haired, carefree, and the beloved child of a powerful king, a constant reminder of Patroclus’ own failures as an exile, it is for those very same reasons that he eventually falls passionately in love with the prince. Thetis plays the role of the classic jealous boy mom in the story, constantly trying to pull Achilles away from Patroclus. She knows her son is destined for greatness and sees Patroclus as nothing more than a distraction standing in the way of his glory.
True to its title, ‘The Song of Achilles’ is part love story and part ode to the Greek hero. The second half of the novel focuses on the Trojan War, where the Greeks are led by King Agamemnon of Mycenae against Troy, to reclaim Helen, a celebrated beauty and the wife of Agamemnon’s brother Menelaus, who has been taken away by Paris, the prince of Troy. The novel contains a generous amount of violence, war politics, ego clashes, blood, and battles.
Why Achilles reciprocates Patroclus’ feelings with nearly the same intensity remains something of a mystery, author Madeline Miller never really explains it. That said, it could easily be chalked up to the mere exposure effect, since the two protagonists spends all their free time together when they’re younger, and are portrayed to be of the same age in this retelling.
Throughout the ten years of war, Achilles and Patroclus remain together, sharing the same tent, even though they see the conflict in very different ways. For Achilles, the war is a path to glory, a chance to achieve honor and be remembered as an immortal hero. Patroclus, on the other hand, is repulsed by the violence and spends most of his time serving as a medical aide, trying to save lives rather than take them. The author blends Greek mythology, romance, and tragedy with an ease that makes this a very breezy read.
“Is it sexy?” a friend asked me when I told her about this book.
“Not really! It’s not like the author is cryptic about the romantic relationship between Achilles and Patroclus like older scholars, but it’s not as sexy or steamy as some readers would expect it to be!”
And that’s probably the only problem I had with ‘The Song of Achilles’, the the romance wasn’t passionate enough, although the war days are violent, intense, and engrossing. Madeline Miller’s writing style is fluid, poetic in some parts, and quite simple otherwise. Readers who don’t mind a quick retelling of a Greek legend’s life, will find this to be worth a read.
Rating: 4 on 5 stars.
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