The Song of Achilles

A Novel

De: Madeline Miller

Narrado por: Frazer Douglas

“At once a scholar’s homage to The Iliad and startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist….A book I could not put down.”
—Ann Patchett

“Mary Renault lives again!” declares Emma Donoghue, author of Room, referring to The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller’s thrilling, profoundly moving, and utterly unique retelling of the legend of Achilles and the Trojan War. A tale of gods, kings, immortal fame, and the human heart, The Song of Achilles is a dazzling literary feat that brilliantly reimagines Homer’s enduring masterwork, The Iliad. An action-packed adventure, an epic love story, a marvelously conceived and executed page-turner, Miller’s monumental debut novel has already earned resounding acclaim from some of contemporary fiction’s brightest lights—and fans of Mary Renault, Bernard Cornwell, Steven Pressfield, and Colleen McCullough’s Masters of Rome series will delight in this unforgettable journey back to ancient Greece in the Age of Heroes.

A different take on the Iliad

While it does deal with the Trojan war and it's main participants, this is first and foremost a love story about Patroclus, a rather ordinary and not particularly talented or attractive young man, and the god-like hero Achilles. Patroclus tells us about his early childhood as a prince who couldn't live up to his father's expectations and his subsequent banishment, whereupon he is sent to live among a gaggle of boys trained to become soldiers by none other than Achilles's father. All the boys venerate Achilles for his great beauty and grace, for he is in fact the son of a goddess and as such possesses special gifts. Seemingly out of the blue one day, Achilles chooses Patroclus to be his close companion. Why he chose Patroclus, who had nothing to distinguish himself from the others, was shy and uncommunicative isn't made clear in the story, but nonetheless the boys end up spending most of their young lives together while a strong bond is formed, and eventually come to be lovers. When the war on Troy is declared, both Patroclus and Achilles are sought out by Odysseus to join the war effort. Everyone knows that Achilles is destined to be the greatest warrior of his generation, and everyone also knows about the prophesy which dooms Achilles to die shortly after having killed Hector.

Beautifully told, this story brings mythical characters to life and makes even fantastical creatures, such as a centaur and sea goddess seem absolutely believable as essential elements in the narrative. A very interesting take on a mythical tale, this made me badly want to revisit The Iliad—in fact, I almost wished I'd read it first to refresh my memory, but this is by no means essential to fully appreciate The Song of Achilles. In fact, it may be better to come to this story fresh because I know for a fact Madeline Miller took plenty of liberties with her retelling, which could bother purists. I wasn't particularly taken with the homoerotic elements of the story, but then I'm not a fan of "straight" romance and erotica either as it's all cringeworthy to me.

Frazer Douglas was an excellent narrator and added greatly to my enjoyment of this book.

I keep going back to this book.

Wow. I can't stop listening to it. Chapter 4 is my favorite and I keep going back to it. This entire book is perfectly read. Often I listen to a book and think the inflections of the reader are inaccurate, changing the feel of a story. But not this time, Frazer Douglas nails it and brings the right color to the poetry that is Madeline Miller story. It will be a while before I delete this story from my iPhone.

An Olympic Perfect Ten

The Song of Achilles, as read by Frazer Douglas, is pure lyricism--a love song for the ages. Madeline Miller's simple poetic phrasing soared thanks to Douglas's tender, understated narration. I was enraptured from the start--and spent the last chapters in tears. This is the first audio book I finished, then immediately started again. Now I know how audiences must have felt as they listened to bards reciting the Iliad: entranced.

Don’t suggest this for under 17

The story is similar to that of the movie Troy with much more pre story. It is a love story between two boys that continues on until they are men. There was a point at which I felt very uncomfortable reading that was a descriptive and intimate love seen between two teenagers. Being a mother of teenagers it was too descriptive for me. If that sort of thing doesn’t bother you, this is a great Greek story. I could have gone with less details about their sex life. You can say it helped the story or hurt it. I’m not a romance novel reader but I do like love stories. Had I realized I probably would not have chosen this book personally.

Achingly Beautiful

If there is such a thing as a perfect book, as a perfect story: this. This is it.