If I could have gotten my hands on that pink tinted, chubby, precocious toddler, I’d have turned him over my knee and paddled him with his own bow. Madeline Miller wades into the sweaty bedsheet truth of the matter, and yes, the Greatest Warrior to ever live is light in his sandals. Obviously the notion of top/bottom dynamics has persisted into modern queer relationships, although in reality it’s rare that one person will prefer being exclusively one or the other.

9780062060617: The Song of Achilles - Miller, Madeline

What I found to be the most incredible aspect of this novel is how well-conveyed were the feelings of the characters; they popped out of the pages effectively.MILLION COPIES SOLD WINNER OF THE ORANGE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION THE INTERNATIONAL SENSATION A SUNDAY TIMES AND NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER 'Captivating' DONNA TARTT 'I loved it' J K ROWLING 'Ravishingly vivid' EMMA DONOGHUE Greece in the age of heroes. This boy was literally the embodiment of Achilles life and actions and the people around them were fools for not seeing their strong connection. When Patroclus kisses Achilles, Thetis makes her disapproval very clear, sending Achilles to study with the famous centaur Chiron on Mount Pelion. In the darkness, two shadows reach for each other; where their hands touch, golden light spills forward.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Waterstones The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller | Waterstones

As the war begins, Patroclus slowly begins to realize and acknowledge Achilles' faults, leading to a steady character change for him. Could have been really well done if the events of Troy were more thoroughly framed in the context of the love story.

He kills many Trojans, fights a river god, and eventually kills Hector; he drags Hector’s corpse around the walls of Troy for over a day, disrespecting his body and refusing to honorably give the corpse over for a proper funeral.