Classics have fostered an elitist reputation however, adaptations such as The Song of Achilles have made Greek literature more appealing to a wider audience. Greek mythologies are intimidating reads-its dense style, lyrical vocabulary, and countless pages are enough to turn a casual reader away. Part of what makes the novel so gripping is its tragic ending-as they each loose what they held dearest.īy exploring a new facet of the tale, Miller gave readers a more accessible gateway to the realm of Greek mythology. Years down the line, Achilles is called to fight in the Trojan War and Patroclus follows. Throughout the novel, we see their friendship transform into romance as they face various hardships due to Achilles prophesied doom. There, he meets young Achilles, son of King Peleus and the nymph Thetis.

Patroclus, an inept prince, is exiled as a child to the court of King Peleus in the Kingdom of Phitia. Even though the original story reduces Patroclus to a few lines, Miller’s reinterpretation brings him to life.

While the Iliad is an epic poem centered on the war, The Song of Achilles takes a more modern approach to the classic tale by focusing on Achilles and Patroclus’s childhood. The book’s newfound audience find themselves entranced by Miller’s ability to anchor the story within our world and give new light to an old tale. As the novel has only recently gained traction on Tiktok, the novel became a New York Times Bestseller earlier this year-nearly ten years after publication. However, not all readers were captivated when it was first released.

While the classic is centered on themes of war, pride, and fate, Miller’s retelling delves deeper into the character's mind. The Iliad, one of the oldest works of Greek literature, recounts the end of the Trojan War and the quarrels between King Agamemnon and the demi-god Achilles. MADELINE MILLER dissects the central hero of Homer’s Iliad in her novel The Song of Achilles.

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