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The Song of Achilles
- Narrated by: David Thorpe
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Categories: Literature & Fiction, Historical
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Publisher's Summary
Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. Here he is just another unwanted boy living in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. Yet one day, Achilles takes the shamed prince under his wing. As they grow into young men, their bond blossoms into something far deeper – despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother. When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows Achilles into war, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they have learned.
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What listeners say about The Song of Achilles
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Luna
- 10-07-20
Pure , Heartwarming I cant stop crying its perfect
Loved Loved Loved it..... It destroyed me yet held me with so much love. Achilles and Petroculos love cut deep through me...they will forver be a part of me...such a fresh perspective than from the war and deaths of the war illiad... Thanks Madeline for creating this and making their love immortal💙💙
1 person found this helpful
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- Nithun Sridhar
- 16-03-19
Moving and Cute
This book is a unique experience. The writing style is simple and the story is not exactly an exact recreation of the illiad. however it is by far one of the most beautiful tellings of the love that can blossom in face of adversity. That true strength can be found in healing and that the true best of is isn't the greatest warrior but one who cares for all
1 person found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 12-01-21
My heart soared despite the tragic end.
Absolutely heart wrenching story. Brilliant narration. just an absolute pleasure to listen to. Greek mythology rendered in all its glory and gore, all its regalia and rape. A love story buried but not forgotten.
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- Kindle Customer
- 10-01-21
Beautiful story and a good narration to match
Story picks up slowly but once it does you get transported into their world . Poignant. The story and a wierd silence stays with you long after...
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- Lord Voldemort
- 29-12-20
I love this book with every fibre of my being
I bought,read and loved this book all the way back in 2014, as a teenager. it was without question, the best book I'd ever read. Since then I've graduated and got my lit degree, worked in a publishing house. I've never forgotten the book ofcourse, but when you have such a perfect impression of it, it's kind of scary to read it again and feel it falling short. I didn't want to ruin that. this year has been long and trying so when I saw it on audible I thought, fck it. let's get it. the audio experience must be different than reading the paperback afterall, maybe I'll be able to separate it in my mind and you know what, I have no regrets it was perfect and wonderful and heartbreaking then and Just the same even now.
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- Srinath
- 15-11-20
heartbreak after heartbreak
An emotional rollercoaster ; I already know what happens but the way it hits, wonderful!
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- Veda
- 28-10-20
Brilliant
Love the book.. And the narrator's effort! This is truly amazing. Thank you so much.
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- Amazon Customer
- 29-09-20
Like no other book I've read before
I can't stop thinking about the book. Madeline Miller is a poet and a magician. I don't know what I'm going to do with my life now that I've finished it. The narration was wonderful as well. Everything about this was more than I could ask for.
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- Ajesh
- 01-07-20
A HEART WRENCHING LOVE STORY
Madeline’s retelling of the Greek story of Achilles is from the point of view of Patroclus. He was mostly seen as a close companion by many and few others saw him as Achilles’ lover. In this modern narration Miller focuses on the nature of their relationship and the tenderness, love and pain and the entire emotional spectrum. This story can easily sit with some of the best known love stories like Romeo and Juliet and makes for great LGBT literature too. The writing is very evocative. And Thorpe’s narration brings the story alive. A must listen!
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- Amazon Customer
- 24-06-20
Spectacularly Flawless💫
I'm really short of words right now... This book is one of finest works I've read till now. Hats off to Madeline Miller.♥️
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- Silindiwe
- 28-09-18
Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful
I have just finished listening to it and I am going to start listening to it all over again RIGHT AWAY! Oh so beautiful, my heart still hurts but I don't I care I am going to listen to it again.
5 people found this helpful
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- Alchemist
- 19-09-19
Incredible story, great performance
I’d already read the paperback, and thought it was the best book I’d read all year- now that I’ve listened to the audiobook I can honestly say it’s one of the best audio performances as well. David is amazing as Patroclus, and brings the story to life- will probably listen to it again right away!
1 person found this helpful
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- Kindle Customer
- 11-03-19
A fun story
I’m not one who enjoys sex and swearing in books and have only marked this down because of the sex. It was a different take on the Achilles story. I wasn’t expecting the homosexual relationship. But it was well written and overall I would say I enjoyed it.
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- Kindle Customer
- 29-07-18
Shallow and self conscious
Patroclus as a dim, passive, shallow slugabed. Homoerotic soft porn that doesn't have the courage of its convictions. No character development whatsoever. If this won a prize, what on earth came second? Homer's story remains brilliant and complex. The rest of this is dreadful.
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- Andrew
- 05-03-16
Brilliant
A fantastic story, told simply and beautifully read. Well worth a listen - you won't regret it :)
9 people found this helpful
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- mrs
- 07-04-13
gripping and beautiful
This is so well written and such a gripping story it is worth getting. Has made me laugh and cry! The narration is clear and easy to get into. Though I am not sure the plot is everyone's cup of tea if you are even vaguely interested give it a go
17 people found this helpful
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- SpeccieSeccie
- 31-08-15
Wonderful retelling of the story of Achilles
Beautiful tale of the Greek hero and the siege of Troy, told by Patroclus Achilles' lover. The reading is sensitive and warm. Absolute perfection.
7 people found this helpful
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- Linn Davies
- 06-06-16
Beautiful all the way
Though the Antique period has always fascinated me, I'm not one for historical fiction usually. But I don't regret picking up this book. I was hooked from the start and David Thorpe, a narrator I already like, did a very good job. This is one of the most beautiful love stories I've read and a lovely fictional account of the Trojan war.
6 people found this helpful
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- Sophie
- 28-08-15
Spellbinding!
I loved everything about is book: the romance, the history, the betrayal, the love, the beautiful writing. It's one I'll be rereading over and over again.
David Thorpe's narration does justice to the characters and the story with a distinct voice for each character. Perfect!
6 people found this helpful
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- John
- 13-09-12
Astonishing.
I was hoping for good writing. I found it. This book is lyrical and yet direct, astonishingly beautiful and well read too. It is also a work of great imagination throughout; the last scenes of war and loss are so rich with depth and with sadness that I am in Ms Miller's debt... she has enriched me.
13 people found this helpful
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- Alexandra
- 02-02-15
Mythology as you've never imagined it
Where does The Song of Achilles rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?
Really enjoyable and unexpectedly high
Who was your favorite character and why?
The narrator as he tells the story from boyhead and thourghout his life including the afterlife.
Which scene did you most enjoy?
The battle of Troy
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
I couldn't bear to pause the recording - it was compulsive listening
Any additional comments?
Well worth a read and some beautifully descriptive passages.
5 people found this helpful
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- Amy
- 07-07-16
Better than anything
Would you consider the audio edition of The Song of Achilles to be better than the print version?
I was worried that this version wouldn't hold it's own against the book, having already read it and created what the characters look and sound like in my head but this was just amazing. The voice of David Thorpe sounds as young as I imagined Patroclus to sound and it did this amazing and sometimes very emotional book the justice that it deserved. One isn't better than each other, they accompany each other perfectly
Who was your favorite character and why?
Choosing a favourite character in a book is like asking a mother to choose her favourite child. They all have their moments and they all have their flaws. Patroclus, as the narrator, gives you his side of all events but can be seen to be childish and naive at some points however he does grow a lot when they are stuck in Troy. Achilles can be seen to be big headed and almost too sure of himself but he has such a strong sense of humanity that, as the book progresses and you find out his fate, you just want to almost pluck him out of the book and protect him. If I did truly have to pick one it would be Chiron. He teaches the two men when they are only boys and gives them almost a sense of normalcy that neither experienced before they stayed with him and never experienced again once they left. He helped them grow into young men and thought Achilles how to be properly human, instead of just a Prince and the Son of a Sea Nymph.
What does David Thorpe bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
The emotion. Obviously when you read a book you feel the emotions of the characters as you read on but the voice of David Thorpe was heart wrenching at some point, especially emotional parts of the story. He added another depth to the original print book that I'm glad I haven't missed out on.
Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?
Their first meeting, their first kiss. Patroclus and Achilles first anything. Reading The Iliad along side this audiobook has really helped me add in anything that is missing and understand the characters as well as adding an element to the original epic that was only an undertone before. The ending always moves me because of how it's written but I won't say anymore so not to spoil it for any first time readers.
Any additional comments?
Even if you don't know the story of The Iliad I would really recommend this book, the way it is written and read is just amazing, something no one should miss out on.
16 people found this helpful
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- Mitzychick
- 22-07-15
A beautiful story
Would you listen to The Song of Achilles again? Why?
I will definitely be listening to this audiobook again, it was a wonderful story and the narration was lovely.
4 people found this helpful
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- Amazon Customer
- 14-12-14
Interesting listen
Any additional comments?
This was an interesting interpretation of the Greek Myth, and I thought the narrator was good.
4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 06-11-18
Beautifully told story
The Song of Achilles is set in Ancient Greece and is told from the perspective of Patroclus, an awkward young prince who is exiled to the court of King Peleus. This book focuses on the relationship between Patroclus and the prince Achilles, and follows them from their childhood through to the Trojan War. . It took me a little bit to get into this book, but once I did I completely fell in love. This is a very character focused book and the characters were super well developed and realistic. I loved watching the development of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus. It was really sweet and I love them so much. I also really liked the relationship between Patroclus and Briseis. As Patroclus wasn’t a warrior, the Trojan War takes a backseat in this book and the focus is mostly on the relationships and the dynamics within the war camp itself. I think that was actually a really interesting setting, there was a lot of political intrigue and some moral dilemmas. The mythological aspect of this book was quite subtle and, while it is the motivation behind why a lot of decisions are made, it doesn’t feel intrusive in the historical setting. I listened to this book as an audiobook and I think the narrator did a pretty good job. It also really helped me learn how to actually pronounce all the Greek names, which is a struggle! This was a beautifully told story that I think anyone could love, not just people interested in Greek Mythology.
6 people found this helpful
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- Helen Wilson
- 30-12-18
An old story told anew
A compelling story, told anew, from a fresh and very different perspective from that of the Iliad. The language is poetic and the characters ever interesting. The narration is exactly right. Wonderful!
4 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 29-12-18
Epic and intimate
We go into this story, already knowing how it ends, only to discover truth in the old saying “it’s about the journey, not the destination.” Miller transports you into an epic world that is so carefully and lovingly woven, of myths and figures brought to life with such vibrancy, and it truly captivates you with every word that is lain on the page. Yet, it is small and entirely intimate. I was, and remain so, deeply moved by the prose that is so beautiful that the word barely does it justice. In the early parts of the story I could only liken it to sunshine manifest, but as the story matures along side our protagonists, we see it rolling towards us and break - becoming the full summer storm. It sweeps you away, and you cannot help but be caught in its emotional tide. So many wonderfully balanced lines that both swell your heart and cut right through it, often both at once. There was only one part that felt so strangely out of place that it was jarring, but it recovered quickly and we moved on from it. My heart was left aching with the truthfulness of their connection, the depths of their bond, and how that was portrayed. Their intimate knowingness, sensuality, strength, conviction in each other and imitable love for one another. Their triumphs and failures feel appropriately won and lost. Though they shone so brightly, it did not dilute nor drown out the other characters who helped shape their story. We see the complexities of each character and their presences each have their own weight and impact that feels important and with follow through and even their own important arcs. To put it simply this skyrocketed as one of the most favourite things I have ever read and without a doubt will revisit many times..... and I will imagine I will sob as much every time. Just. Beautiful.
3 people found this helpful
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- L
- 18-03-16
Oh my god
I honestly recommend this to anyone. It is a gripping tale that everyone should read/listen to.
3 people found this helpful
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- Rebecca Rashleigh
- 02-08-19
An alternative view from a story we know well
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was selected as part of a book club I'm in and when I read the blurb I was a little bit "meh" by its description. i had seen a couple of movies/docos about Achilles and the battle of Troy so I wasnt that enthusiastic to read another rendition of the same story. However I was greatly surprised and I really enjoyed how it was told through the eyes of Patroclus and reading about the blossoming of his relationship with Achilles. It gave the legend a real breath of fresh air. I did however found the story at times dragged just a little during the battle of Troy but overall an incredibly enjoyable listen. Also a huge shout out to the Narrator David Thorpe who gave a terrific performance! Best narration I have heard yet!
2 people found this helpful
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- Alicia Croft
- 23-10-18
I cannot recommend it higher
The narration is excellent. Its not what you might expect going in to the tale. I completely fell in love with all of the characters. The story is a new favourite. I highly recommend both Circe and this audiobook by the same author
2 people found this helpful
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- Rodney Wetherell
- 08-07-18
An enthralling novel of the classical world
I found this book very well-written, and read with appropriate style. The character of Patrocles was developed in great detail over a long time, and it was easy to identify with him as he faced a world of war and politics, with his famous lover. I look forward to listening to Madeleine Miller's novel about Circe.
2 people found this helpful
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- Anonymous User
- 26-09-19
The best
I don’t say this with ease when I say this is one of my favourites books of all time. Truly captivating and the way it’s written is incredibly refreshing.
1 person found this helpful
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- Jeanette Tunin
- 27-07-19
Lyrical
Beautifully interpreted in the spirit of the legend. Like an exquisite artifact. Sensitively read and communicated.
1 person found this helpful
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- Disappointed
- 22-11-20
TROY
Have always loved Greek mythology, but this portrayal of both Achilles and Patroclus was ridiculous