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  • The Song of Achilles

  • A Novel
  • Written by: Madeline Miller
  • Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
  • Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins
  • 4.7 out of 5 stars (2,159 ratings)

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The Song of Achilles

Written by: Madeline Miller
Narrated by: Frazer Douglas
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Publisher's Summary

The legend begins...

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Built on the groundwork of the Iliad, Madeline Miller’s page-turning, profoundly moving, and blisteringly paced retelling of the epic Trojan War marks the launch of a dazzling career.

©2012 Madeline Miller (P)2012 HarperCollinsPublishers

What the critics say

“[Miller] makes a persuasive argument for the timeliness of her subject. …Miller’s winning debut focuses on Patroclus, a young prince living in Achilles’ golden shadow. Miller also gives voice to many of the women who were also consigned to the shadows.” ( Publishers Weekly, Spring 2012 Preview, Top 10 Literary Fiction)
“You don’t need to be familiar with Homer’s The Iliad (or Brad Pitt’s Troy, for that matter) to find Madeline Miller’s The Song of Achilles spellbinding....her explorations of ego, grief, and love’s many permutations are both familiar and new....[A] timeless love story.” ( O magazine)
“A psychologically astute Iliad prelude featuring the heady, star-crossed adolescence of future heroes Patroclus and Achilles.” ( Vogue)

Editorial Review

Despised and abandoned by his own father, Patroclus lives in the shadow of the demigod Achilles. However, the two princes still grow up to be the closest of friends. When Greece’s honour is threatened by the Trojans, they head off together to a war that will be sung about for centuries.

The prowess of the legendary Achilles during the Trojan war is well-known, but Madeline Miller’s audiobook provides a completely different perspective on his story. The Song of Achilles transports listeners back to ancient Greece to revisit Homer’s Iliad through the eyes of Achilles’ lesser-known companion, the young Greek prince Patroclus. Their love for each other is palpable, as Miller brings heart and soul to her characters in this refreshing take on the relationship between the two warriors.

Miller’s debut novel is a reflection of the author’s passion for classic literature: with a masters in Classics and years of experience as a Latin and Greek teacher, she was well equipped to write this spellbinding and epic tale of love and war. Frazer Douglas’ narration only emphasizes the beauty of this story, with his stable pace and sophisticated inflections. Madeline Miller received praise from many critics, as well as the Orange Prize for Fiction for her first novel, which she wrote over the course of ten long years.

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What listeners say about The Song of Achilles

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If I could only have one book for the rest of my life

If I could only have one book for the rest of my life it would be this one.

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14 people found this helpful

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  • Ria
  • 2020-07-14

In awe...

This entire experience is poetry.
Madeline Miller’s words are so unique, making this the most soulful story I’ve heard in a while.
The narration is beautiful; voice, pace, inflections, all are amazing.
Definitely recommended.

:)

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5 people found this helpful

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The Trojan War gets Miller's masterful treatment

I LOVED Miller’s most recent book, Circe. Despite this, and the fact that The Song of Achilles was highly celebrated when it first came out, I was prepared to be a little disappointed by this audiobook. How could it compare to Circe, which was so masterful?! I was pleasantly surprised to find that the two were near equals. I knew little to nothing about the Trojan War and Achilles, so I assumed that his romantic relationship with Patroclus was invented by Miller for her book. A little research afterward revealed that the ancient texts could be interpreted as the two being lovers. The more you know! Frazer Douglas' narration was on point, even for the rasping tones of Achilles' mother.

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5 people found this helpful

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Incredible Detail

Madeline’s writing is inspired. It's more explicit than Circe and there were a couple times listening with kids around that I ran to my phone to hit pause. It's an incredible story and I couldn't stop listening!

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Wonderful

Expertly written and conveyed. Compliments to the author and all who worked on bringing this story to life! It certainly takes you on for a ride filled with emotions.

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Quite Enjoyable

A great listen! Madeline Miller's reimagining of the mythological Achilles was a treat to listen to. She manages to make Achilles larger-than-life (which I always believed is how he and other Greek mythological characters were meant to be shown) but also manages to make him very human, with scenes that will certainly move you. It certainly conveys a number of the themes that the Iliad itself presents, and I believe rather well. As for Frazer Douglas' performance, it is nothing short of stunning. Every part drips with appropriate emotion and tone.

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Still sobbing

If you want a book to make you cry, this is it. Beautifully written and tragic. I felt so attached to the characters and was audibly crying and screaming at them through the story. 10/10.

Indigo Employee
-Elliot

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WOW... Madeline Miller... WOW

What can I say? along with Circe, I've never encountered such a talented writer. I may be biased towards Madeline as I've never been a fan of hobbits or wizards. Though saying that; I've never come across such a personal, love filled story of ancient Greece.

While the narrator did not express Achilles' or some sub-character's voices as I would have liked, Madeline's writing more than made up for this shortcoming. I prefer to read the book only so I can decide the tone of the character's voices myself even though I've finished the audio version 4 times. I have over 30 books in my audible library but haven't fully listened to half of them because I'm always drawn to another listening of this or Circe.

Highly recommend buying or using a credit for this book!!!!

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Please write more books!

I simply love this book and this author. This book takes you on a journey and keeps your attention till the end

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Awesome book

Great book. Started of not sure because of the small letters but as I kept going, couldnt put it down.
The narrator does an excellent excellent job, I think this book is better as an audio book. The different voices and intonation make it even more interesting.

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