Plot Summary – 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.

★★★★★ 

I was a really big fan of this book pretty much since the beginning. There was something so smooth and luscious about the writing style that it made me want to keep reading. It’s such a poetic and beautiful adaptation of the Iliad that you often find yourself wanting to read more when you’re not with the book. Romance on its own is not a preferred genre of mine but this book masterfully mixes Greek mythology, politics, philosophy, and morality with this gut-wrenching love story. The romance is masterfully handled, never leaving me feeling like there was a lack of chemistry between the characters or that the relationship was unearned. There is so much great development and the seeds of the blooming relationship are sown from the very first interaction between the characters. I wasn’t a big fan of the glorification of Achilles by the narrator (Patroclus) until I realized that when you’re in love, the flaws aren’t flaws. You become blind to obvious signs. Something captured very well in this book is a quote I remember from my favourite show, BoJack Horseman. “When you’re wearing rose-tinted glasses, the red flags just look like flags.” This sentiment is the groundwork for this book and it manages to show the amount our morality and minds will stretch to rationalize the behaviour of those we love. In addition, I feel that this book was also a great modernization of the story and put certain ‘problematic’ aspects in a great light. I am looking for faults in this book, but I cannot find any. I had a great time reading it and I was never not entertained. I certainly recommend this book to anyone who wants to read something absolutely unique and timeless.