THE SONG OF ACHILLES by Madeline Miller

In The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller has taken on one of the most known Greek heroes of all time and turned his story into a romance for the ages.

When Patroclus meets a young Achilles at school, he is instantly smitten with the soon to be immortal hero. As they begin to become friends, it is clear that deep down there is more to their friendship than they are willing to admit to those around them.

In most instances, it could be argued that gay romances should be left to gay authors to tell. Although I tend to agree, I decided to give the benefit of the doubt to all of the gay readers who were praising this story before I picked it up.

Miller has done an extraordinary job in crafting a story that focuses more on the emotional relationship of the two men and less on the more sexual aspects of their relationship. It is clear that she has taken the time to tell a respectful story about a gay romance, proving that they are just as normal and real as a heterosexual relationship is.

As the story unfolds, the reader becomes more and more endeared to these two men through their shared life experiences, so that when we reach the brutal and inevitable conclusion, we are broken into a million pieces. Only to have Miller put our hearts back together in one of the most beautiful endings of any novel.

The Song of Achilles is truly a story that speaks to the human experience and will speak to anyone who has ever had someone