Just like a lyre, Achilles’ favorite instrument, the book tugs at your heartstrings and makes them sing. Madeline Miller takes Homer’s Iliad and crafts story that drenches you under a magical waterfall in the middle of a serene forest.

Here we see the life of Achilles, through the loving eyes of Patrclus, his partner, best friend and his most beloved treasure. The book is Patroclus’ rendition of his early life, his time with Achilles and the 10 year Trojan war, how their friendship blossomed into a romance that the Fates sing songs about. Staying true to Homer’s Iliad, Miller talks of the war that kidnapped Helen of Troy, but she keeps more at the sentimental side of the story by showing his soft nature though the love of Patroclus. What makes the heart tear up in a sad symphony is Patroclus’ moral compass. “He is half of my soul, as the poets say.”

The language is soft and sweet, it draws you in with its simplicity and keeps you hooked until the very last page. The love and pain of both Patroclus and Achilles can be felt through the pages. It is a book that makes you believe in love, all over again.