The story begins with Patroclus' childhood--his simple-minded mother, his father's insistence on putting him forward as a suitor for Helen at the age of 9, his accidental killing of a bully. It's this latter event that has him exiled from his home and being accepted as a foster son in the palace of Achilles' father.
The two boys grow up together and are trained as warriors by the centaur Chiron. Achilles' goddess-mother Thetis interferes in his life frequently, especially in her loathing of Achilles' chosen companion, but that doesn't stop the young men from falling in love. It's no secret that Achilles and Patroclus end up in Troy, embroiled in the war to win Helen back. Achilles was literally made for war--he's unbeatable. Unfortunately, this doesn't endear him to the kings of Greece, and when a battle of honor ensues between Achilles and Agamemnon, it ends with putting Patroclus in harm's way, with devastating consequences. I was curious to see how Miller would handle the death of her narrator before the end of the book, but the narration continues almost seamlessly. In the end, both Achilles and Patroclus are at peace, but that peace is provided from a most unexpected quarter. All in all, an entirely engaging visit back to the Trojan War and a touching look at the love of two heroes.
0 Comments
I found this latter part of the book fascinating, as Miller explores the relationships of Odysseus' two sons with their respective mothers. Circle also comes across as a goddess (or at least a nymph) with a conscience, as she continues to be consumed by guilt over her part in the creation of Scylla, the six-headed monstrosity which eats men by the half-dozen. I read this within days, and then Marissa alerted me to Miller's previous book The Song of Achilles. Which I am, of course, consuming right now!
|
Archives
January 2023
Categories
All
|