“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.
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"I have always wanted to read more mythology. I'm not sure that this was a good starter book though. I could have done without all the romance between Achilles and Patroclus because it took up so much of the book. What I wanted was more the Myth in Mythology. Having said that, I did enjoy the book. It really picked up for me as soon as they took off for Troy." — Trina (4 out of 5 stars)
"I have always wanted to read more mythology. I'm not sure that this was a good starter book though. I could have done without all the romance between Achilles and Patroclus because it took up so much of the book. What I wanted was more the Myth in Mythology. Having said that, I did enjoy the book. It really picked up for me as soon as they took off for Troy."
“The Song of Achilles is a book I could not put down…At once a scholar’s homage to the Iliad and a startlingly original work of art by an incredibly talented new novelist.”
“A ravishingly vivid and convincing version of one of the most legendary of love stories.”
“It takes a truly gifted writer to make a song this old feel this beautifully new…Sharply written, cleverly reimagined, enormously promising…As with any story where you know the ending, what matters is the journey—this one is fast, true, and incredibly rewarding. A new song is born, and with it, an author we’ll want to hear sing again, and soon.”
“Among the virtues of Ms. Miller’s bold revisions is that she injects a newfound sense of suspense into a story with an ending that has already been determined. She redefines Achilles’ heroic ambition in his struggle to reconcile greatness with happiness.”
“In prose as clean and spare as the driving poetry of Homer, Miller captures the intensity and devotion of adolescent friendship and lets us believe in these long-dead boys from whom sea nymphs and centaurs are not legend but lived reality. In doing so, she will make their names known to yet another generation, deepening and enriching a tale that has been told for 3,000 years.”
" Very much enjoyed this. Was expecting it to be heavy-going, but in fact it was a real page-turner. Beautifully written too. "
" SoA is like Twilight, but gay. instead of vampire and human, we have Demigod and human. however, the story flew fast and clear. though It's more a romance novel, the historical aspect was also enjoyable to read. "
" Breathtakingly beautiful. "
" Loved it. Great story, great imagination. Emotional. "
" Great story and very easy to read. Some things in there I did not know about Achilles. Hmmmmmm, very interesting. "
" I don't know, I wanted to be swept away by this and instead I was just vaguely entertained. Her writing is truly lovely, but I never felt like these were real people. It was more like a romance between two marble statues, where you knew all along that everyone was going to die tragically young. "
" Nice! Like Lightning Thief for adults! "
" Incredible - one of the best love stories I have read in a long time. "
" Beautifully written. And so evocative of time and place. I'm not sure I buy her take on the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus, but Miller told a great story. I kept picturing Brad Pitt as Achilles in my mind, which was annoying. "
" Beautifully written and well paced. I wasn't sure what I would make of this book, but Miller's portrayal of Achilles and Patroclus and they relationship and how it affects the battle of Troy is moving and captivating. "
" My review of The Song of Achilles will appear on my web site soon. "
" A simplified version of the Iliad. "
" Hmm, Brokeback Mountain: Mount Olympus style. No matter, I like it. "
" I have an interest in Greek mythology which is why I selected this book to read from a best of 2012 list. This book was a page turner and I was easily able to read it in a short period of time. "
" The same sort of "you are there" believability that Mary Renault infused in her novels, but ultimately the underlying stupidity of the war and all the deaths come through, rather than the heroism and bravery that apparently has brought these tales down through the ages to us. "
" Good, but it seemed a little too romance-novel at times for me. I'm a sucker for Homer-based retellings, though. "
Madeline Miller, named a LibraryReads #1 author, has written several books, including The Song of Achilles, which was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction and has been translated into twenty-five languages. She has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Latin and ancient Greek from Brown University and has been teaching both languages for over nine years. She has also studied at the Yale School of Drama, specializing in adapting classical tales for a modern audience.
Alister McGrath is professor of theology, ministry, and education at King’s College, London, and head of its Centre for Theology, Religion, and Culture. He is also senior research fellow at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, and president of the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics. After initial academic work in the natural sciences, Alister turned to the study of theology and intellectual history, while occasionally becoming engaged in broader cultural debates about the rationality and relevance of the Christian faith. He is the author of more than fifty books, including the bestselling The Dawkins Delusion, as well as a popular speaker, traveling the world every year to speak at various conferences.
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