This is my second time reading an exclusively LQBTQ+. This book did not tackle any of the challenges faced by the LQBTQ+ today. It looks like Patroclus and Achilles had it easy. They were very open with their relationship and people just went with the flow. But what I wanted to say is, I liked this book. I want to say loved but I think that's too strong a word for what I'm feeling. So I'm in loke.

Yep, that's it. I'm in loke.

I thought I knew the story of Achilles because I've been interested in Greek mythology since I was a kid. But TSOA delved deeper into the emotions and the true reasons for some of the most historic moments that occurred in the Greek mythology. I loke-d this book by how much the story pulled me in with its amazing execution, and sentimental passionate writing.

The quotes and dialogues are absolutely touching.

 

I loved the ending. I loved how sad and emotional it was especially the part where Thetis was conversing with Patroclus.  I think that was a nice way to end the book. This story is not supposed to make you happy and I absolutely adored how Madeline Miller portrayed the sadness experienced by Patroclus, Achilles, and Thetis. 

 

All in all, I rated this 4 stars because I would've liked to see the life of Achilles after Patroclus. I would've wanted to see his pain, his sadness, and overall agony. Would've been more gut-wrenching and emotional. Would definitely recommend this to my friends who are fans of mythology or those who plans to start with this genre.

Lovely and heartbreaking. Touching and brutal. Will make you cry probably.

This started very slow for me, but I think part of that is because I was expecting there to be more plot. It's definitely more of a character driven book though. The writing was beautiful and descriptive. Like lots of others, my heart absolutely broke near the end. I cried real tears, and it's been a while since a book has made me do that. The descent of Achilles character and how it affected Patroclus, who still loved him despite everything...just perfection.

“We were like gods at the dawning of the world, & our joy was so bright we could see nothing else but the other.”

It took me long enough but I finally read it, I must admit I bought this book a few months ago and I didn't pick up because my expectations were so high, it wasn't because of the hype, it had to do with the fact that I grew up reading greek mythology, specially the story of Achilles and it always hurt me the most. But I finally did it and, as you can see by the rating, it was all worth it.

This is my first book by Madeline Miller so I feel like I own it to her to pour my heart out on this particular review, this will definitely become one of my favorites books, I has already reached a sweet spot in my heart.

This Story is full of so much sadness, adventures, happiness, it was truly amalgam of so many things and at the same time it was a perfect balance.

Full of love and lost I wanted to cry the whole time but here I will tell you of the first time I really cried, after that it was a sea of tears if I'm honest:

Chapter Nine, they were still in Mount Pelion (the good times) and Chiron is telling them about Heracles and how the madness that overtook him wouldn't allow him to recognize his wife and children, and this is what Patroclus thinks “Achilles’ eyes were bright in the firelight, his face drawn sharply by the flickering shadows. I would know it in dark or disguise, I told myself. I would know it even in madness.” and it made me cry like a baby, they weren't even "together" at this point, but it hurt me the innocence of their love, the purity, I suppose, of it all.

My book its full of annotations but there's another specific moment I will like to mention, when Peleus meets Patroclus for the first time he tells him he's there for killing a boy and then adds "do you understand?" later on we see Thetis saying the same phrase, full of disdain, to Patroclus again, and I couldn't stop thinking about what he thought the first time Peleus said it to him “This was the cruelty of adults. Do you understand?”

I loved how poetic the book was and they were so many quotes I loved and so many tears spilled, as I said before, but the ending broke me in to. I loved it so much I even outlined stuff from the acknowledgments.

Finally I just want to add: was Achilles too prideful, full of himself (hubris as said by the greek, the word for arrogance that scrapes the stars, for violence and towering rage as ugly as the gods)? perhaps he was, perhaps Patroclus was not a saint either, he did enjoy killing trojans before dying so awfully, but they were so human it hurt and felt real. That was Pyrrhus lacked; humanity, raised by gods he thought himself inhuman, but he was mortal and paid the consequences and what Odysseus told him made it all the better because it is so true, after seeing books like the Iliad and the Odyssey I can say he did, indeed, became more famous than the son of Achilles (which is basically all that he is know for) in case you forgot what I'm talking about, here it is:

“But fame is a strange thing. Some men gain glory after they die, while others fade. What is admired in one generation is abhorred in another. We cannot say who will survive the holocaust of memory. Who knows? Perhaps one day even I will be famous. Perhaps more famous than you.”

Just because I can, here I'll add one more quote I liked from this conversation:

“My consolation is that we will be together in the underworld. That we will meet again there, if not in this life. I would not wish to be there without her.” Odysseus speaking about how even if he doesn't make it back to this wife, Penelope, he knows they'll fine each other once they both die and go to the Underworld (thanks to my dad Hades!)

I have to say that even though I loved Chiron already now I love him even more, the true hero honestly, my favorite quote from him has to be: “No man is worth more than another, wherever he is from.” it was so beautiful and simple but so many fail to understand it, but Patroclus did get it when he “I know, now, how I would answer Chiron. I would say: there is no answer. Whichever you choose, you are wrong.”

I will leave it at this, I have to go cry some more and enjoy a playlist of the book I was very eager to finally hear. I'll add I couple of quotes down here so y'all can cry with me:

“He is half of my soul, as the poets say.” 

“I am made of memories.” This one almost didn't let me finish the book since I was crying so hard I couldn't see the print.

“I will never leave him. It will be this, always, for as long as he will let me.
If I had had words to speak such a thing, I would have. But there were none that seemed big enough for it, to hold that swelling truth.”

"Go," she says. "He waits for you."

“He smiled, and his face was like the sun.” 

“There are no bargains between lion and men. I will kill you and eat you raw.” this one had me cheering for Achilles honestly.

“He is a weapon, a killer. Do not forget it. You can use a spear as a walking stick, but that will not change its nature.” 

“Philtatos," Achilles replied, sharply. Most beloved.” 

“We reached for each other, and I thought of how many nights I had lain awake loving him in silence.” 

“And perhaps it is the greater grief, after all, to be left on earth when another is gone. Do you think?”

“In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”

I was listening to The Archer and epiphany by T. Swift and Achilles Come Down by Gang of Youths while writing this review.

'kay I'm out
Bye