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A review by houxli
The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I bounced off this pretty hard. The prose is weak; most of the book is summary.
That Patroclus is a passive point-of-view character isn't the problem, it's that he doesn't think at all. He has no introspection about events. He makes sure to note that he's surprised at himself whenever he takes an action. He doesn't have a personality. Which, for a book supposedly focusing on the romance between two people, is bad. Does Achilles fall in love with Patroclus simply because he's a constant in his life? Seems arbitrary.
Some choice lines:
That Patroclus is a passive point-of-view character isn't the problem, it's that he doesn't think at all. He has no introspection about events. He makes sure to note that he's surprised at himself whenever he takes an action. He doesn't have a personality. Which, for a book supposedly focusing on the romance between two people, is bad. Does Achilles fall in love with Patroclus simply because he's a constant in his life? Seems arbitrary.
Some choice lines:
...[I had] a beard that grew if I did not shave it.
[Apollo has] arrows that could stop a man's heart...
(unlike other arrows)
"Over your pride." The word I use is hubris.
(why not just use the word hubris?)
He is red and red and rust-red.
(Oh so dramatic!)