“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.” (Madeline Miller, Pg 369) 

Achilles was a man destined at birth to fight in wars and rage in battles with the blood of his enemies fueling his fame. Since he was young, Aristos Achaion (Achille’s surname) was forged into a young warrior and taught the honorary duties of being the young prince of Phthia. His father ruled kingdoms and territory while his mother ruled the sea-nymphs and oceans across the world. When Achilles was born into the Kingship of Greece, his destiny was laid out before him. That is, until a young boy, exiled from his crown and country, comes seeking refuge inside Achilles’ home. This is where our story begins. 

Young Patroclus was mere 9 years of age when he first spilled the blood of another man. This was in the kingdom of Opus where he was to one day rule and take his Father’s throne. (obviously, that didn’t work out) So, with the death of a man out in the public eye, The King exiled his son with nothing but a lyre to his back and some gold in his pocket. 

Patroclus traveled day after day alone until he found a Kingdom that would give him mercy and refuge. Once he reached the golden gates of the city, he was met by the young prince of Phthia, the one we well know as Aristos Achaion (Achilles). Immediately, a friendship is bonded in the mere moments of their acquaintance with one another, and Patroclus soon has found a home within the safety of the gates in which he entered into. 

You can tell from here on out in the story that there is this suspicious tension between the two greek boys once they see one another. I was trying to understand which emotions I was feeling when I kept reading, trying to pinpoint what these two were feeling in their conversations, but it always kept me on the edge of my seat with every page I turned. 

Throughout Patroclus’s stay within the Kingdom, he and Achilles become best friends. Through trial and error, both of the boys soon become the backbone for one another, which is amazing to read and experience happen in such imagery the author provides, as well as the amazing description of Greece itself and the adventures the two have together in it. 

You slowly see years start to pass by in Phthia and soon enough, the men reach the age of 14. There’s a major change in the emotions and feelings regarding Achilles when we’re in Patroclus’s point of view. He starts seeing how beautiful and god-like Achilles really is and how much he’s grown from when he was a boy. Without giving too much up, there’s some tension in the Kingdom after this, especially regarding Achille’s mother, who knows of Patroclus’s feelings that are starting to splurge through the surface. Because of this, she takes Achilles away so that Patroclus never can reach him or know of his whereabouts. 

The story continues with the up and down battles of Patroclus finding Achilles and trying to bring him back to the castle. The two boys then find themselves and run away from Phthia together, being trained side by side with a centaur named Chiron- one of the great healers and trainers, who is legendary for his work with honorable heroes.

Throughout the years, Achilles and Patroclus grow into young men of knowledge, wisdom, and even more love for each other than either of them could have known. Their relationship is very much a slow burn throughout the story, but they finally come to terms with how they feel towards one another and it’s a very monumental part of the book when they do. The description of their love and passion in these chapters truly makes you feel like love can conquer the world and beyond it. The poetic ensemble that is shown regarding the gardens, lakes, and sunsets throughout the years on the mountain is something quite remarkable as well. 

Eventually, the King calls for his son to return to him because there is a great war that Achilles is called to fight in. You start to see the reveal of why this war is so important and what it means for the Greeks to fight in it. 

In the next chapters, there are many trials and tribulations in getting Achilles to battle- some regarding kidnap, enslavement, and even plague among the anger of the gods throughout this journey. Nonetheless, he makes it to Troy. Not before Achille’s mother sends him off with a word of warning that is essential to the main plot of the book and the actual greek myth of Achilles himself. 

There is much conflict at the Battle of Troy, and Achilles and Patroclus both find themselves at a loss as to which side they truly believe they should be fighting for. Their love is the one steady thing in each of their lives and that’s what they hold on to for the 10 years that this battle plays on. 

One of the great Kings who is leading this army at Troy, Agamemnon, comes into conflict with Achilles and eventually severs a relationship with him and the army that Achilles brings to the battle. For months Achilles refuses to fight and has Zeus bring a curse onto the people fighting against Troy. Until Agamemnon steps down in his pride, Achilles will not fight, which nearly crushes the battle being fought. 

A great price is paid for Achilles and his pride in the battle of Troy and ends up costing him something unimaginable. This is what sets Achilles into a rage and finally finishes the war he was destined to destroy and win for Greece. The battle is so fierce and intense, you sometimes forget you’re only reading this on your couch and not seeing it played out on the sidelines. 

But what happened to Patroclus? How did Achilles win and defeat the army at Troy? Was there a happily ever after? Well, I can’t give all that up for you. But, I can tell you that this masterpiece of a novel is one full of love, power, and the price of pride. It contains poems that are made of a philosopher, but horror found in that of a soldier’s war stories. This book truly shows what it means to fight for love and honor and what sacrifice means in the price to achieve that honor.

 In past versions of the stories of Achilles, it is debated whether or not Patroclus was a cousin of Achilles or if they were something more. This is what I loved about Madeline’s design of her story because the relationship between the two is based on both friendship and love between two souls and that’s what makes it so powerful from the start of the read, all the way to the end. It is worth the long hours spent reading it and I soaked up every last page that Madeline Miller gave to me in this story of love. It truly is one of the best I’ve read.