Miller manages to mix the greatest events of the Iliad, including various interpretations of events, and imagine the blanks to create a believable and captivating story. Miller has a way with words and imagery and figurative language in a classic (yet modern) style. Yes, modern. This is not some stodgy read favored by readers steeped in the ancient classics. In fact, its narrative reads like a modern novel, even if the trappings are all ancient. In that sense, believe the hype: Miller breathes new life into old classic!
Miller’s writing, if often prosey, stays compelling and flows smoothly, capturing these great characters in an honest light. Truth be told, most of the story is dull, but this is not a story of great battles and honors, this is a story of the men behind them; stripped of the sparkling lights of fame, they remain flawed people whose lives were as ordinary and mundane as the rest of ours.
Starting during his childhood, the book revolves around Patroclus as he befriends Achilles, who is fated to be the greatest fighter of all time. Telling the story from the secondary character's perspective was a brilliant choice. Not only was the protagonist relatable, but as Patroclus slowly learns more about Achilles, so do we. The ending was a beautiful gut punch, all the more so since it happened quickly after the meandering story that it had been up to that point. I wish the climax had a few more pages so I had time to process what was happening before it was over.
Students of the classics, of the Trojan War, of convention, risk disappointment with this retelling because it is, above all else, a love story.
Posted by: Regina C.
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