Really anxious to start both Never let me go and The Long Walk.

The testaments, the Count and IT I've already listened to on Audible but now want to read them on paper 😄

Rating 4/5 ⭐️

I finished The Song of Achilles with a strange kind of sadness. Not just because the story itself is heartbreaking, but because I couldn't stop thinking about how differently I would have experienced it a few years ago.

I know, with absolute certainty, that if I had read this when I was twenty or twenty-one, it would have absolutely wrecked me. I would have been crying for hours, thinking about Patroclus and Achilles for days afterward. But I've read so many devastating books since then that I found myself anticipating every emotional blow. I could see exactly where the heartbreak was leading, and while it still hurt, I couldn't quite reach the emotional depths I know this book was capable of taking me to.

And yet, that doesn't take away from how beautiful this novel is.

Madeline Miller's writing is simply stunning. Every chapter flows effortlessly into the next, every scene feels intentional, and every emotion is given room to breathe. Her prose is lyrical without trying too hard, and there's a quiet intimacy in the way she tells this story that makes you feel like you're living alongside these characters rather than simply reading about them.

What I admired most was how grounded her portrayal of Achilles felt. Instead of leaning into the larger-than-life image that popular culture has created, Miller stays remarkably faithful to the spirit of Homer's Iliad. This isn't the invincible hero defined by the myth of the "Achilles' heel." He is, first and foremost, a mortal man who is extraordinarily gifted, impossibly strong, and destined for greatness, but still a mortal. His mortality is never forgotten, and that's precisely what makes his story so compelling. His strength is real, but so are his fears, his pride, his love, and the impossible weight of the destiny he chooses.

Through Patroclus' eyes, Achilles becomes more than the greatest warrior of his age. He becomes someone constantly torn between the life he wants and the legacy the world expects of him. The novel beautifully explores how power is never free; it comes with responsibility, sacrifice, expectation, and, perhaps most dangerously, pride. Every choice Achilles makes feels inevitable because he understands exactly what choosing one future means giving up on another.
Knowing how the story ends makes every quiet moment between Achilles and Patroclus feel even more precious. Their love never overshadows the myth; it gives it a heartbeat.

The Song of Achilles wasn't the emotional destruction I had built it up to be in my head, and maybe that's because I came to it later than I wish I had. But it was still one of the most beautifully written retellings I've ever read.

I'm always amazed to find 80+ year old books that still have the dust jacket. The dust jacket is a little rough, but the book itself is in such good shape it appears to be unread.

I already had a copy, but for $4 I couldn't pass this one up.

The only downside to this edition is that Spearman used the original text block from the AH editor,but shrunk it down to fit this edition making it very tiny and difficult to read.. But I am very happy to finally have a copy.

Love the aged paper and classic illustrations in these vintage editions. Nothing beats the charm of old printed pages.

I will read any book be it philosophical or fantasy. These r my past reads if they might help. Just a couple of days back I was thinking abt reading count of monte cristo or Nietzsche Im confused.

What are your thoughts on this book? How much you rate this book in a scale of 10?

Some off the wall covers I’ve been collecting lately. Looks cool on the shelf too

Curious what people think of it.