In our latest book club recommendation, David Smith recommends Madeline Miller's stunning 2011 debut 'The Song of Achilles'.
"Sing, O Muse, of the wrath of Achilles."
I've always loved Greek mythology.
Homer and the heroes. Thunderbolts and tragedies. The gods and the mortals, and the men who were both. All the horses - the winged ones, the immortal ones and the wooden ones.
All those countless, famous stories; Theseus and the minotaur, Daedalus and Icarus, Perseus and Medusa, Orpheus and Eurydice, Bellerophon and the chimera.
However, one story always captured my imagination more than any other - the Trojan War.
I can trace my fascination with Homer's great myth back to fifth class in primary school, when a substitute teacher handed us a two-page version of the story as part of an English lesson. There were so many vivid characters in the story, but none more so than Achilles.
So, many years later, 'The Song of Achilles' immediately caught my eye during a browse in a bookstore.
The novel, which was Madeline Miller's debut, tells the story of Achilles and the Trojan War from the perspective of the famous hero's companion Patroclus.
Miller has both a BA and an MA in Classics, and it shows.
The story begins with Patroclus accompanying his father to Sparta - where we are introduced to Odysseus, Menelaus and many other famous heroes from the Iliad - as one of Helen's suitors.
Patroclus is soon sent to the kingdom of Phtia in exile after a tragedy involving another child, and here he eventually befriends Achilles.
Achilles, the dazzlingly handsome and charming prince, takes Patroclus under his wing, and the two soon develop a close friendship, despite the misgivings of Achilles' immortal mother Thetis.
Achilles is destined for greatness and glory, and he vows to become the first hero to die happy. We know that Achilles is faced with a daunting choice: to live a short, glorious life, or to live a long life and fade into obscurity.
His relationship with Patroclus continues to evolve into something more, and Miller navigates their blossoming romance with a deft and impactful touch.
As the novel progresses, Miller juxtaposes Achilles' immortal, destructive side with his loving, gentler side, showing us that the same man can be both.
It is not long until the armies of Greece come calling, however. Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped by Prince Paris of Troy, and Achilles and Patroclus must sail to Troy for war.
In Troy, Achilles is destined to become 'Aristos Achaion'. Best of the Greeks.
"There are no bargains between lions and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.”
Miller takes us through all the events of the Iliad and beyond, with a delightfully original take on an age-old story. Beautiful prose is mixed with expert knowledge, and it is easy to slip into Homer's world.
She drenches each scene in vivid colour, and breathes fresh life into famous characters. Her portrayal of Odysseus, in particular, is superb. Thetis, too, is intimidating and terrifying in equal measure, while Briseis also gets a refreshing recast.
Our familiarity of the base story and what it is to come merely adds to the impending sense of doom and tragedy, and it is impossible not to get caught up in Patroclus and Achilles' emotions, hopes and fears.
There have been many excellent retellings of Greek myths in recent years, from Stephen Fry's enjoyable 'Mythos' and 'Troy', to Pat Barker's 'The Silence of the Girls' and Jennifer Saint's 'Ariadne'.
Miller also followed up 'The Song of Achille's with the stellar 'Circe', which tells the story of the titular nymph from the Odyssey (and will soon be turned into an HBO miniseries).
However, if you are to read one modern re-telling of the world's greatest story, make it this one.
My rating: 9/10
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