It all started when I went to Barnes and Noble with my boyfriend over spring break. I was looking at one of the tables called “BookTok” that included select picks from certain accounts on TikTok. One of them was a bright cerulean blue with a shiny gold helmet on it, and I know they usually say not to judge a book by its cover, but I definitely did. I snatched it up, not knowing what it was about, and brought it to the counter. I was so excited to own a fresh new book that I couldn’t wait until we got home to read it. The ride home was quiet, and I was officially in Madeline Miller’s trance.
Disclaimer: There will be no spoilers in this article, however I will describe characters, certain events, and relationships. I will mostly be focusing on the relationship between Patroclus and Achilles, so if you want to read it without preconceived ideas, click away now!
Patroclus
The book begins with an unknown narrator, and I was a bit confused at first. But as the story continues, we realize that the narrator is Patroclus telling the story of his life. Patroclus was raised as a prince, but was exiled as a child. He was taken in by the kingdom of Phthia, a land known for accepting exiled princes and outcasts. The other boys in the palace think Patroclus is weird, quiet, thin, and frail, but because the story is narrated through his point of view, readers can see that Patroclus is very intuitive, observant, and intelligent.
As the novel progressed I began to fall in love with Patroclus. I realized quickly that I related to his character on multiple levels. The quiet anxiety he displayed consistently in the narrative was very craftily illustrated and made him seem very human and real. Toward the end of the novel, Patroclus becomes a more outspoken and passionate person. He finds himself in his purpose, and he does it all with fiery love.
Achilles
Achilles is first introduced when Patroclus is exiled to Phitha, the kingdom of which Achilles is prince. Achilles is the son of king Peleus and the goddess Thetis, a sea-nymph. Patroclus views Achilles at first as a show-off; Achilles is all muscle, games, and smiles, and quickly impresses all the other boys in the palace. Miller describes his physicality with much more finesse than even Homer himself. Achilles observes Patroclus to be oddly reserved, and, thus, is interested in him immediately. Soon, Patroclus is attending Achilles lyre lessons with him and practicing fighting.
They start to form a very innocent and close friendship, until Achilles’ mother tells him that he must go and train to fulfill his fate on Mount Pelion with Chiron, one of the only “good” centaurs, as a teacher. Patroclus, struck with the grief of losing the only friend he ever had, decides to leave Phitha to follow Achilles.
Mount Pelion
Chiron asks the two boys what they wish to learn during their training. Achilles says he wants to perfect his battle skills, but as the legend goes, he is already the best warrior since Heracles. Chiron then asks Patroclus (who is not a good warrior), and Patroclus decides on medicine and surgery. The days go by on Mount Pelion, and Chiron teaches them both how to hunt and gather, perform medicine, and the ways of nature. Miller describes these scenes with such careful detail and attention to place, time, and character. The mood is content… giddy, almost. Occasionally, Thetis—Achilles’ intense and scary goddess mother—appears on the mountain and grows disdainful of Patroclus because he is a mortal. Achilles always reassures her that everything will be fine, and the trio continue their peaceful year on the mountain. The story as it takes place on Mount Pelion was my favorite part of the entire book.
Without revealing too much, Patroclus and Achilles soon realize that their bond has grown stronger than most others—that they are deeply in love with each other. This causes many problems for other characters in the story, but they always maintain their relationship.
The War in Troy
The Trojan war breaks out, and Achilles is called to lead the Greek army against Paris and the rest of Troy. Eager to fulfill his destiny and be the warrior he was always meant to be, but also grieving having to leave Mount Pelion, Achilles eventually leaves Chiron and Patroclus. Patroclus goes to find him, and certain heart-wrenching events take place, keeping me, as a reader, on the edge of my seat the entire time. Eventually, the duo make it to the battlegrounds—Achilles as general alongside Odysseus and Agamemnon, and Patroclus as a medic—and the war gains momentum. Certain divine intervention intercepts attempts from the Greeks to end the war, which leads to problems within the army. Miller describes the laws of war and gruesome scenes in majestic and beautiful detail. And still, Thetis lingers in the shadows, awaiting her chance to separate Patroclus from Achilles.
I won’t spoil any of the ending, but if you know the legend, you know what happens next. But that’s the thing—Madeline Miller takes Homer’s tale and makes it entirely more human, honest, and accessible. Miller doesn’t take liberties in her description and retelling of this tale, but in my opinion, she actually emphasizes what Homer already wrote. She takes this legend and polishes it to be as shiny as gold. These characters became a part of me, and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about their relationship and their story since I finished the book. It has been a long time since I read a book that moved me at such an intense level; I finished the entire novel in less than 48 hours.
So, I will leave you with these last lines from Madeline Miller’s masterpiece that continue to haunt, as inspire me deeply: “In the darkness, two shadows, reaching through the hopeless, heavy dusk. Their hands meet, and light spills in a flood like a hundred golden urns pouring out of the sun.”