#1 in Myths & legends
The Song of Achilles
- 386
- Pages
- about 7 h
- Reading time
- NYT bestseller · 23 weeks on the list, peaked at #5
- Women's Prize for Fiction
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Editor’s note Madeline Miller spent ten years on her first novel, which retells the Iliad through Patroclus, who narrates his life with Achilles from boyhood to Troy. It won the Orange Prize, now the Women’s Prize for Fiction, in 2012 and found a huge new readership on TikTok around 2021. No knowledge of Homer is needed, though readers who know the Iliad will see where it is heading.
About the book
The Song of Achilles is a 2011 novel by American writer Madeline Miller. Set during the Greek Heroic Age, it is a retelling of the Trojan War as told from the perspective of Patroclus. The novel follows Patroclus' relationship with Achilles, from their initial meeting to their exploits during the Trojan War, with focus on their romantic relationship. In 2012, The Song of Achilles was awarded the Orange Prize for Fiction.
Where the score comes from
The sources average 8.5 across 2,969 ratings. With that many, the reader vote carries 95% of the weight and the score stays at 8.5 — the Myths & legends average of 8.2 barely moves it.
| Source | Average | Ratings | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open Library | 8.6 | 140 | 5% |
| Hardcover | 8.5 | 2.8K | 95% |
Reader voices
The most-liked reviews on Hardcover (credited to their authors).
“I hate when I (either intentionally or subconsciously) resist reading a very popular bestseller for years only to discover when I finally crack the cover that everyone was right and it's absolutely incredible.”
““I'm okay” says me, clenching on the last page of the book while trying to pull back tears that will cause the circle shadows on the white frail paper. Did I know the ending? Yes. Did I get hurt like I didn't expect it? Yes.…”
Frequently asked
How long is The Song of Achilles?
It has 386 pages — shorter than 59% of the ranked books in Myths & legends.
In this book
Themes this book shares with others — each leads to the best books on it.
If you liked this
Same shelf — Myths & legends — with scores between 8.0 and 8.4, closest to this book.
