I love Greek myths. They were the stories I was read as a kid, and since then I have been fascinated by the world of Greek gods and heroes. So when I started reading The Song of Achilles, it was like meeting old friends, more lifelike, but not less fantastic.
This is the side of the novel that I really liked - the portrayal of the mythological reality of Greeks, where gods show themselves to people and variously interfere with their lives. A goddess visiting her mortal son, why not? Apollo talking to Paris, yes, please! This unique relationship Greeks had with their gods is right here in the book, and I love how it was shown.
Another thing that I loved about the book is the soft, emotional side of the characters that it reveals. The version of a love relationship between Achilles and Patroclus wasn’t explicit in Homer, and I loved how the author softened the testosterone-charged epic. It didn’t make it less of a tragedy though, maybe even more so.
And, of course, the language and the way the story is told is very poetic. I had goosebumps while reading it, which doesn’t happen with every good-quality book I’ve read.