Title: Song of Achilles
Author: Madeline Miller
Publisher: Ecco (August 28, 2012)

Achilles, “the best of all the Greeks,” son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful— irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods’ wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes 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, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

I rarely gush over books and I know can get pretty nitpicky when trying to review books. But…man, Song of Achilles is the best new book I’ve read in a very long time. This is one book that actually lives up to the hype surrounding it. The beautiful way it’s written, the wonderful love story, the action, the mythology connection…this is a very, very good book. I kept expecting it to be a story of jealousy and sadness and lost loves, but it wasn’t, at all. Just a sweet love story (if you ignore all the killing and death and vengeful gods).

I also appreciate that it’s a real book for grownups. Everything I’ve read lately has been YA. And while that IS my favorite genre, reading about love triangles and mean girls can get old sometimes. More…literary…books like this make me feel more like an adult, like I should be discussing it at a book club while drinking black coffee, and then maybe I’ll go out for sushi and then hit an art gallery. And maybe I’m wearing a monocle, too (I obviously have no idea how to be a real grownup). Anyway, this book was awesome, read it now!