Pierce Samuel ✞︎ > Status Update

What book is that? Idk the abbreviation off the top of my head

Just figured it out lol, it’s The Song of Achilles right?

Why do u hate it

*shuts my mouth and knows better than to argue*

Omg I thought I was the only one that thought it was overrated 💔

Finna come after all of you(not judging your opinion but WHYYYYY!!!)

@Juliette Hold up let me js send my essay:

The Unsung Story of Patroclus

“He is half of my soul, as the poets say” is a heartwrenching line from Madeline Miller’s, “The Song of Achilles”. This text explores the relationship between Achilles —- a feared soldier for Sparta, and Patroclus — his close companion, which many historians gather as Achilles’ homoerotic partner. This piece of media is exponentially overrated due to its diminishment of The Iliad and the stories that follow it.
In The Song of Achilles, Miller portrays Achilles as The Golden Boy of Greece. She writes him as an accomplished Olympiad, a feared warrior, but most importantly the son of a goddess. Thetis was the mother of Achilles — a river goddess — who dipped infant Achilles into the River of Styx by his ankle in an attempt to preserve his life, and make him untouchable. Achilles is represented as such in The Song of Achilles, but there is a flaw. Achilles is not portrayed with any foreseeable flaws. Miller writes Achilles as if he is perfect. Which, in the source material — The Iliad by Homer, he is anything but. This misinterpretation of Achilles disrupts the rest of Miller’s historical fiction, and consequently taints the rest of the book beyond saving.
The other prominent character within this story is Patroclus. Patroclus in canon is the same level of combat and wit as Achilles. This is an accepted fact, for in The Odyssey, Menelaus was telling Telemachus of the warriors he fought beside in the Trojan War. Among the heroes like Achilles, Ajax, Diomedes, and Odysseus, he states Patroclus was at their same skill level, and exceeded in combat. In The Song of Achilles however, Patroclus is consistently portrayed as a weak and incompetent shadow of Achilles. Miller writes Patroclus as a feminine and weak counterpart to Achilles. This however is the opposite of the relationship dynamic between the two men. Achilles is described as feminine to have long features and golden hair, which aids him in blending in with women on an island to avoid fighting in The Trojan war. Achilles is also seen to have weak morals within The Iliad, showing that this idealization of Achilles mitigates Patroclus and his value. Miller illustrates the picture that Patroclus admires Achilles as if he hung the moon. This is unfaithful to the original source material, and diminishes Patroclus’ experiences and his character all together.
One argument fans of the book will bring up is the level of skill Miller exhibits with her writing is superb. I will agree that the writing in the book demonstrates wonderful knowledge of the English language and how to evoke emotion from the reader, the quality of the writing does not mean the plot mirrors it as well. The writing could have been elevated to a much higher quality if Miller devised a plot that was viable. This, Miller does not do, which negatively impacts the book, and therefore the writing of it.
The Song of Achilles is a wonderfully written, but terribly plotted out piece of literature. The book ignores any development within Patroclus' character, and instead focuses on the romanticization of Achilles. Miller is known for writing historical fiction that takes place in ancient Greece, and I would regard her book “The Song of Achilles” mediocre, and therefore, overrated.

@Nicole LOL

@Sharon In short, the twinkification of Patroclus, and the oversimplification of the characters.

i've heard so many good things about it but also so many bad things so im conflicted😭

WHAT PIERCE I LOVE THAT BOOK I BAWLED MY EYES OUT IN STUDY HALL CAUSE OF IT