Booklist 2017: The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

I recently finished reading the first book on my "Booklist" for this year.  I set a goal of 15 this time around.  Last year, I read 16 and I figured I'd just stay in the same ballpark since I tend to keep busy.  I have to say, this year's reading list already started out with a bang! (Err...Uhm...No pun intended...okay, maybe slightly intended.)  In all seriousness, though, this book is not only great; it is probably one of my favorite reads in the past couple of years.

The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller retells the story of Achilles destiny and gives us a full and rich tale of the lifetime bond of friendship and love between himself and his best friend, Patroclus.  I think that most who enjoy Homer's Iliad and Greek mythology reimaginings will adore this fresh revival of these classic characters.  Along with providing us a deep connection to the two protagonists, through the intimate narrative of Patroclus, Miller also paints a vivid picture of all of the people, places, and deities involved.  The tone and structure of the story feels as though it could stand alongside Homer's works as canon material.  The descriptive passionate thoughts of Patroclus are raw and honest, romantic and poetic.

This book is emotional, intense, and unyielding.  It's definitely one that you won't want to put down but, when you finally do, it will assuredly be with tears in your eyes.

So, what drew me to this story originally?

The fan art.  I stumbled across it one day and the beauty of the illustrations as well as the quotes compelled me to find out more about the book.  So, I quickly looked it up and checked it out at my local library.  I tend to discover a lot of new books, shows, etc. through fan art.  I figure if someone loved it enough to take the time to illustrate it then there's a good chance it's going to be a great story.  In this case, it was an excellent one.  A tale of unconditional love and friendship that stands the test of time.

Thanks for reading and I hope you'll add this one to your Booklist this year!

~Dez~
Fan Art Credits:  kohichapeau.tumblr.com / niarchery.tumblr.com
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