Hello, reader friends! Back in the summer, I read Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles. This story reimagines Achilles and Patroclus from Homer’s The Iliad. Set before, during and after the Trojan War, this brilliant novel focuses on love, hope, endurance and violence of war as Miller chronicles the epic story of Patroclus and Achilles.
Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.
When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice. Built on the groundwork of the Iliad, Madeline Miller’s page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.
This story – needless to say – has stuck with me. Something I love to do with my favorite books is create playlists that embody the story, either the mood, characters, plot or a combination of all. With no further ado, here is my Song of Achilles playlist!
Well, there you have it folks! Check out my other bookish playlists and let me know songs would be on your Song of Achilles playlist.
Tea. Book. Repeat. 