The Song of Achilles, a novel written by New York Times bestselling author Madeline Miller, is a ravishing and heartbreaking retelling of Homer’s Iliad. The fast-paced novel follows the point of view of Patroclus, Achilles’s best friend. The two grow up together in Peleus’s Palace, Achilles’s father, until one day they get a call to join a military campaign against Troy, whose Prince kidnapped Helen, the wife of Menelaus. From here, Madeline Miller tells how Achilles and Patroclus fought in the Trojan War. Miller turns the Iliad into a love story between the two as she beautifully tells the story of their lives together.

Although the book was originally published in 2011, it has recently gained popularity on social media apps like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. I originally found out about the book when some of my friends were reading it, but what really convinced me to read it were countless TikToks recommending it. At first, I was hesitant, since the book was about Greek mythology, a topic I was not particularly interested in nor knew much about, but I found the book easy to read, and I found myself wanting to learn more about Achilles, Patroclus, and the Trojan War. The Song of Achilles is easily one of my favorite books. While reading, I found myself attached to Achilles and Patroclus, and their relationship, and quickly turning the pages eager to see what happened next. The book sat with me for a while after finishing it. I think this novel is a must-read, even for someone not particularly interested in Greek mythology or the Trojan War. 

Overall, The Song of Achilles is one of my favorites and I will never stop recommending it. It is a heartbreaking and beautifully written novel, and I hope anyone looking for a new book to read and get attached to picks up The Song of Achilles and reads it.