Patroclus, thought by his father to be a burden and disappointment, was exiled from his kingdom after accidentally killing another prince in defense. Arriving in Pthia, ruled by the great king Peleus, Patroclus is put among a large number of boys also taken in by Peleus, including his own son Achilles.

After some time of exchanging glances and turning away when the other looked, Achilles has Patroclus attend the former’s battle training sessions. A friendship blossoms and Achilles is sent to train with the centaur Chiron in fighting and medicine. Overwhelmed by his absence, Patroclus follows him. But when news of the kidnapping of Helen of Sparta reaches the other kingdoms, all of them join together to attack Troy in her name. Attracted by the idea of eternal glory, Achilles joins the cause despite his beliefs. In fear and amorous connections to Achilles, Patroclus follows him.

Each character in the book has a purpose and a reason for being in there, and the plot is clear and concise. The setting fits very well and accurately with the plot and characters. I especially found the beginning of the book where Chiron was mentoring Achilles and Patroclus very interesting, as it showed the development of their friendship and eventually their romantic relationship perfectly, and it was executed beautifully and steadily. The emotions of each character were portrayed very clearly without giving away too much at a time.

Personally, this book connected with me almost instantly the first time I read it. Not only was I attracted to the major plot points and the genre in general, but I am also always looking for books which represent LGBT characters accurately and with the full complexity of their humanity without focusing so much on their identity. It helped me remember that people we view so highly, like Achilles, and people we may not even notice, like Patroclus, can be who I am, and that it is so prevalent in today’s society and just as normally.

Anyone who looking for a simple but page turning fiction novel would love this book, especially if you are looking for something related to history or some mythology. I believe this book is great for young adults and old adults alike. I would also very much recommend this book to someone who is looking for a story of people who are LGBT, but a story which is not centered around their being LGBT. The Song of Achilles does not have focus on their struggles, rather on the relationship itself and the role it plays in battle, as well as their own lives. This book is great for almost anyone, I believe.