Read this when
The Song of Achilles
You already know how it ends. That's not a spoiler, that's the point. Some books exist so you can cry for the person you lost. 🏛️
Who it's for
Patroclus narrates his love for Achilles from childhood exile through the Trojan War, and readers know from the myth that it ends in death.
Sad→Released (Catharsis)
Feelings it meets
What it is
Madeline Miller's 2011 novel retells the story of the Trojan War from the perspective of Patroclus. After being exiled to Phthia, Patroclus meets Achilles, and the two grow close and fall in love despite the disapproval of Achilles's mother, the sea goddess Thetis.
Where to find it
In print; widely available from libraries (Libby/Hoopla) and as an audiobook. Not public domain in the US.
Before you start
Heads up: A child's death and war violence.
Age: Ages 14+
I sometimes hold it half a sin To put in words the grief I feel;Alfred, Lord Tennyson, In Memoriam A. H. H., Canto 5
