Jeffrey’s review of The Song of Achilles > Likes and Comments

I'm so glad that you loved this book as much as I did. Thought it was a really nice interpretation of a classic mythology tale.

I just finished her Circe and I do recommend that book as well.

Rachel wrote: "I'm so glad that you loved this book as much as I did. Thought it was a really nice interpretation of a classic mythology tale."

I should have a review up sometime this week.

Marialyce wrote: "I just finished her Circe and I do recommend that book as well."

I definitely intend to read Circe!

Wonderful review Jeffrey! I hope you know that you inspire so many of us unknown reviewers with your writing.

Since reading Circe, I definitely want to read this. I recently read The Iliad for the first time since college and I'm glad I did. So much better this time (Fagles translation) And Miller's writing is so good, as you say.

Spectacular review. Hope to read this soon

Rachel wrote: "Wonderful review Jeffrey! I hope you know that you inspire so many of us unknown reviewers with your writing."

Thank you Rachel! There is no better compliment than to be an inspiration to others. I appreciate your support!

Sue wrote: "Since reading Circe, I definitely want to read this. I recently read The Iliad for the first time since college and I'm glad I did. So much better this time (Fagles translation) And Miller's writin..."

Yeah Fagles is great! I probably will read The Odyssey again before returning to The Iliad. Wonderful translations.

Amy wrote: "Spectacular review. Hope to read this soon"

I hope you do Amy! It was certainly an inspirational read for me. Thanks Amy!

My intent was to sort of skim through your review, Jeffrey - begging your pardon, but I think I may need to wait until my next lifetime to re-read some of these ancient classics. However, I couldn't stop reading - what a review! I give it 5 Stars (and it deserves 10!!)

This book was a pleasant surprise to me. I read it just because I wanted a good fiction related to the characters of the Iliad, but I ended up loving it the most for Miller's retelling of the Iliad in the second half of the book. I love her spin on the story, how she gives context, motives, how she (brilliantly) exposes characters' flaws and qualities. Now I would definitely recommend it as a complement to The Iliad.

Well done Jeffrey. Yes Madeline Miller is both lovely and talented. So glad you loved it.

I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his singing limbs, the quick flickering of his feet.”

Only yesterday I was thinking something similar. This may seem like a weird association, but I was thinking again about what we people do to the planet and all the other species. And aside from the negative feelings, there is always also that sense of wonder, my amazement of our abilities, our intellect, our passion. The price of everything incredible we have achieved is being paid by others too, but all the same, I can’t help being proud.

Part of my resistance came from the fact that I’m not a big fan of Achilles. He might have been ”The Greatest Warrior of his Generation,” but I didn’t find him very heroic. Now Hector, poor doomed Hector, to me he was the hero of The Iliad. I didn’t really want to read a book glorifying Achilles and how effortless it was for him to kill a hundred Trojans in one lazy, bloody afternoon.

I actually am happy to read about unpopular or not well liked characters in retellings. What is the point of reading over and over again about the known heroes? Well, there is a point, because every authorial voice is unique and it is always good to return to what you know and love, but I also like it when I happen to stumble upon something different from the popular take. I was very pleased when I discovered The Mists of Avalon, where Morgaine isn’t a villain. Not that she’s purely a hero either. She is a grey and very interesting character there. Well, in the book. In the movie adaptation she is an entirely positive character. I am glad that you loved this one so much! Recently I read Willie’s fantabulous review of Circe and instantly listed it. :) I will have to do the same with this one and her other books. :) And if you feel like getting to more retellings of The Illiad, you may try David Gemmell’s trilogy. Lord of The Silver Bow, Shield of Thunder and Fall of Kings. I own them and I like them. They feature mostly Aeneas and Hector’s wife, Andromache. But Hector himself, Odysseus and Cassandra too are well fleshed out. If this helps, Achilles actually has a very small part in it.

With one raised Nadalesque eyebrow

I thought that the happy eyebrows were my special thing. :) What does Nadalesque eyebrow mean? :)

Thank you so much for this magnificent review, Jeffrey! It excited me so much that it managed to make your prophesy about my eyebrows turning into caterpillars and falling out true. :) Ha! You gave me a good material. You say “You’re not blowing my skirt” and I will say “You’re not leaving me without eyebrows” :) I wonder which one is better :) Okay, yours is better. And this review too has laughter inducing gems. :)

The five star reviews started raining down on me like thunderbolts from the fingers of Zeus. Cupid shot a quiver full of arrows at me, piercing me in numerous appendages until I looked like Saint Sebastian. If I could have gotten my hands on that pink tinted, chubby, precocious toddler, I’d have turned him over my knee and paddled him with his own bow.

Who is St. Sebastian and what does he look like? :)

Jaline wrote: "My intent was to sort of skim through your review, Jeffrey - begging your pardon, but I think I may need to wait until my next lifetime to re-read some of these ancient classics. However, I couldn'..."

A good friend of mine who worked as a travel writer reached a point in his life where he quit reading new books and only read books he had enjoyed in the past. I puzzled on that for a while. With the advent of GR and my ability to share how I feel about books I've been encouraged me to go back and read books I've really enjoyed in the past. So maybe Edward was on to something.

As I was writing this review I kept thinking how do I ensnare Jaline into reading the whole review/ What pixie dust do I need to sprinkle to make it impossible for her to quit reading? Ha! Made you look! Made you read it! haha! :-)

Thanks Jaline! I had a bit more fun than usual with this one.

Diane wrote: "This book was a pleasant surprise to me. I read it just because I wanted a good fiction related to the characters of the Iliad, but I ended up loving it the most for Miller's retelling of the Iliad..."

It reads easy too. I basically read it in one afternoon. Miller kept pulling me along. She definitely added warmth to my feelings for these characters. Thinking about reading The Iliad I know my experience will be enhanced by spending some time with Miller's interpretations. Thanks Diane!

Arah-Lynda wrote: "Well done Jeffrey. Yes Madeline Miller is both lovely and talented. So glad you loved it."

I love seeing those 5 stars after your name! Thank you Arah-Lynda! I've got Circe queued up to read soon.

Vessey wrote: "I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his singing limbs, the quick flicke..."

Vessey wrote: "I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his singing limbs, the quick flicke..."

What is the point of reading over and over again about the known heroes? Achilles is a great character, wonderfully conceived. I don't want him to change. I just don't like him. Miller managed to warm up my feelings for him. She made him, the half god, more human.

I've thought about David Gemmell's series more than once. He is well respected. Too bad he died so young! RIP

Rafa Nadal is one of the best tennis players in the world and is from Spain. When he answers questions one eyebrow always shoots high up into his forehead as he concentrates on what he is saying.

The first painting I ever saw of Sebastian was this one:

Jeffrey wrote: "As I was writing this review I kept thinking how do I ensnare Jaline into reading the whole review/ What pixie dust do I need to sprinkle to make it impossible for her to quit reading? Ha! Made you look! Made you read it! haha! :-)

Thanks Jaline! I had a bit more fun than usual with this one."

You are too funny, Jeffrey!! I could tell you were having fun with it, and the pixie dust was just be-dazzling! I didn't think it was possible but in this review, you out-did yourself! 😊

Jeffrey wrote: "Vessey wrote: "I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his singing limbs, t..."


It’s stunning. Who painted it?

Good to hear that you’ve been considering David Gemmell. :) Indeed, too bad that he died before his time. Actually, the last book of the trilogy was written by his wife and she actually has her own novels. I wonder what she’s like outside of his world. I need to check her out.

When he answers questions one eyebrow always shoots high up into his forehead as he concentrates on what he is saying.

That’s a good approach. I have to use it. It would make me seem very serious and reliable. Yeah…My eyebrows are all-powerful. :)

Vessey wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Vessey wrote: "I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was his beauty, his ..."

Marco Basaiti is the artist

Nadal is Spanish, but he knows English and French and probably others as well. It shows how he is concentrating as he speaks.

Jaline wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "As I was writing this review I kept thinking how do I ensnare Jaline into reading the whole review/ What pixie dust do I need to sprinkle to make it impossible for her to quit readi..."

I'm glad you enjoyed it! Awesome!

"I am not the target audience, as there is very little modern about me. I have ancient book dust permanently lodged in my lungs. I cough, and the air is redolent with the scent of decaying leather and the intoxicating smell of the slightly hallucinatory book fungi."

"Miller puts flesh on these ancient bones, Gods and mortals alike, and brings a freshness to one of our most venerated stories. Though I resisted, it turns out that Madeline Miller was writing these books for me. "

I just wanted to put those two statements from your review together and say that I am ever so glad you stepped out of your comfort zone to explore this one and gift us with a marvelous review as a result, Jeffrey.

I remember being entranced by Arah-Lynda's review of this one so I shall look even more forward to tackling it myself. I have Circe kicking around as well so I think a back to back read might be in the future.

Mike wrote: ""I am not the target audience, as there is very little modern about me. I have ancient book dust permanently lodged in my lungs. I cough, and the air is redolent with the scent of decaying leather ..."

Sometimes when I'm in the right mood strange things can start to happen to the writing in my reviews. :-) Thanks Mike! I had a lot of fun writing this one. I think it is a wonderful idea to do a back to back read of Miller's books. I'm committed in some different directions, but Circe is going to float up very shortly maybe even this weekend. I'm so glad you enjoyed the review!

Magnificent review Jeffrey ..so well done and the best part, quite fascinating. Haven't read both of Homer's books in a while, just twice in fact, a third time would be great. This too interest me , the writer seems good...so does the novel...

Henry wrote: "Magnificent review Jeffrey ..so well done and the best part, quite fascinating. Haven't read both of Homer's books in a while, just twice in fact, a third time would be great. This too interest me ..."

Thanks Henry! I believe reading this novel will enhance my next reading of Homer. I hope you get a chance to read this one!

Jeffrey wrote: "Vessey wrote: "Jeffrey wrote: "Vessey wrote: "I could not even see the ugliness of the deaths anymore, the brains, the shattered bones that later I would wash from my skin and hair. All I saw was h..."

I'll have to check out more of his work. Thanks :)

I'm sure you have been asked this a million times befoe, but how on earth do you manage to read this many books? :) Great review, as always -- many thanks!

Orsolya wrote: "I'm sure you have been asked this a million times befoe, but how on earth do you manage to read this many books? :) Great review, as always -- many thanks!"

You are most welcome Orsolya! Thank you for the kind words. Reading is my passion and when anyone is passionate about something they try to spend as many waking hours they can being involved with what they are passionate about. I'm very organized and few minutes of the day get away from me. I sleep about six hours a night which gains me several hours that other people are blissfully sleeping. :-) I don't watch much TV. I read quickly with good comprehension. I work full time, but have some latitude given that I own part of the company. I'm so glad you enjoy my reviews!

hi

What a splendid review once again, Jeffrey. I will read this book!

Hanneke wrote: "What a splendid review once again, Jeffrey. I will read this book!"

Definitely do so Hanneke! I loved it. Thanks for the kind words!

This was such a tender book - the writing was exquisite and I loved it. Loved your review too!

Sue wrote: "This was such a tender book - the writing was exquisite and I loved it. Loved your review too!"

Thanks Sue! Miller gave us such a great perspective of characters we thought we already knew!

Damon Williams wrote: "Excellent review!"

Thanks Damon!

Great review Jeff, I shared your initially doubtful approach to Madelaine Miller’s story and then, just as you were, I was completely overwhelmed. Cupids work on me held through my listening to Circe too, and now I am beginning to suspect that maybe it is all due to her talent after all, and maybe no magic was involved at all?...

Anna wrote: "Great review Jeff, I shared your initially doubtful approach to Madelaine Miller’s story and then, just as you were, I was completely overwhelmed. Cupids work on me held through my listening to Cir..."

I would have to agree Anna! Even Cupid could not keep me so enthralled through this book and Circe. Loved them both. Thanks Anna! Glad you enjoyed her books as much as I did.

Where is homo reference in the book?

Rajan wrote: "Where is homo reference in the book?"

It is very evident through out the book.

Fantastic review, Jeffrey…nice how you can remember things…

Uchiha Sazuke wrote: "Fantastic review, Jeffrey…nice how you can remember things…"

Thank you! I take notes as I read so I can be sure to write about what most interested me about the book.

Thank you, I might do that…

HELLO!! I am PhilipௐௐHAPPY CHRISTMAS!!! wrote: "is this a movie?"

There are movies based on Troy and Achilles, but not one from this book.

I was just reviewing some scenes from Troy this week...that may be the best movie version of the events of the Trojan War, although it fails on so many levels, one of which is its decision to make Patroclus merely a well-liked cousin of Achilles.

However, despite Brad Pitt’s laughably bad performance in many of the scenes, in others he captures the wrath of Achilles quite well...the rage in his eyes outside the walls of Troy before he fights Hector is chilling.

This is an absolutely amazing review! Awesome!

thats kinda funny Jeffrey that your reading this awsome book right now because i am too :)!!!!!!

Petergiaquinta wrote: "I was just reviewing some scenes from Troy this week...that may be the best movie version of the events of the Trojan War, although it fails on so many levels, one of which is its decision to make ..."

Philip should probably check Troy out if he is looking for a movie verson of the events of this book.

Treece wrote: "This is an absolutely amazing review! Awesome!"

Thank you Treece! I also really enjjoyed her Circe book as well. Both are brilliant!

thanks!

Jeffrey, I loved your review. Now I’m intrigued and must add this as well. Thank you.