Books Similar To Song Of Achilles ‘Song of Achilles’ is a Fiction novel with many mythological facts and a beautiful romance story of two young boys. Both these young pals are sons of different kings.
Of Course, romance lovers would love the unconfessed love story of Achilles and Partroclus but the reason that readers loved the story is they actually never uttered any feeling for each other yet they both knew. Author Madeline had her own way to write words.
More to that, the story of ‘Song of Achilles’ started when Partroclus was exiled from his homeland after the murder he commit. Achilles and Partroclus shared a romantic bond since they met, later they were supposed to get training from centaur Chirons in the art of war.
Lured by the promise of glorious destiny, Achilles had to sacrifice his love. Concerned about Achilles, Partroclus followed him.
Both knew that fate would test them both like never before and would ask for terrible sacrifice.
- Book Author : Madeline Miller
- Publishing Date : 2011
- Ratings : 4.4/5
- Characters : Achilles, Partroclus.
- Category : Historical Fiction, Romance Novel
Ariadne, By Jeniffer Saint
Ariadne is a retelling of the story of Theseus and Minotaur myth. This story is based on the perspective of Ariadne. Unlike it was published as story of the feminist, few readers don’t find any specifics of feminism into it.
The story is based on the suffering of women but not enough to paint it as gender-biased.
Ariadne is princess of Crete and sister of a monster, Minotaur. Theseus is a Prince who came to kill Minotaur. Ariadne listened to heart and for love, she helped Theseus in his ambition.
But the suspense is, was it a wise decision? What about the family she left behind? The story of myth is found worth reading by most of the readers.
- Book Author : Jeniffer Saint
- Publishing Date : March 2021
- Ratings : 4.3/5
- Characters : Ariadne, Minotaur, Theseus, Phaedra.
- Category : Historical Fantasy Fiction
The Penelopiad, By Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood had focused on one character named ‘Penelope’ – A faithful wife. When Panelope’s husband Odysseus went to fight the Trojan war, it was Penelope who had handled the kingdom for twenty years.
Readers found the thrill in the story after the return of Odysseus. He curiously killed her twelve maids and suitors. Reading the story in detail would reveal the wisdom of the woman “Penelope”. Margaret Atwood gets high score for the storyline and casting the influencing character.
- Book Author : Margaret Atwood
- Publishing Date : October 2005
- Ratings : 4.2/5
- Characters : Penelope, Odysseus, Twelve Maid, Suitor, Helen.
- Category : Parallel Novel.
Lavinia, By Ursula K Le Guin
Most men readers do love when a female character fights against the myths and lives under the influence of society. The story, Lavinia, is about the same. Ursula gave words to a silent character in the myth.
The story is of ancient Italy when Rome was just a small muddy town. When the family determined whom, Lavinia is going to marry, Lavinia would roll up her sleeves and would take her destiny in her hands. Where the other stories of the same myth didn’t tell, here Ursula shared the story and love of Lavinia’s life.
- Book Author : Ursula K Le Guin
- Publishing Date : April 2008
- Ratings : 4.4/5
- Characters : Lavinia, Laurentum, Aeneas, Ascanius, Silvius.
- Category : Historical Fantasy Fiction
The Last Of The Wine By Mary Renault
The last of the Wines is said to be the best book and was loved by the gay community at the time of its publish. People often were mistaken the author as a male, later the truth was revealed and love for the book was exponential as a gay story was written by a female author.
The Story had three main characters, out of which two young fellas named Alexias and Lysis. Alexias’ had only one parent. His father helped him to live strongly in the world full of spartans and fight them bravely. Alexias and Lysis studied under Socrates where they developed feelings for each other.
- Book Author : Mary Renault
- Publishing Date : 1956
- Ratings : 4.4/5
- Characters : Alexias, Lysis, Myron, Kritias, Sokrates, Plato.
- Category : Historical Novel
A Thousand Ships By Natalie Haynes
One more book based on Greek mythology is loved by readers. This books’ concept seems similar to that of ‘The Penelopiad’ By Margaret Atwood.
The Story from the point of view of a woman of Trojan wars, author puts the myth into a fictional story in a way that many readers turned fond of Natalie.
On the whole, the book consists of the story of Women, Goddesses and Mythological Beings. If you love Greek mythology, this is a “must-read” book.
- Book Author : Natalie Haynes
- Publishing Date : April 2009
- Ratings : 4.4/5
- Characters : Penthesilea, Thetis, Oenone, The Goddess Eris, Themis, Gaia.
- Category : War Story, Historical Fiction
The Silence Of The Girls By Pat Barker.
The Silence of the girls is also based on Greek mythology. Readers found the book to be amazing from a writer’s point of view as the same myth/story is written by different writers from their POV.
Pat Barker here has covered the perspective of girls and women who are collateral damage in the Trojan war. The book consists violence and is not adviced if you gets triggered by rape or physical abuse. The two main characters around whom the story revolves are Helen and Briseis.
- Book Author : Pat Barker
- Publishing Date : August 2018
- Ratings : 4.4/5
- Characters : Priam, Nextor, Ajax the great, Agamemnon, Helen of Troy.
- Category : War Story, Historical Fiction
The Seven Husbands Of Evelyn Hugo By Taylor J Reid
A wonderful story of Hollywood icon actress Evelyn Hugo and her interview with Monique, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo is an Autobiography. From her first marriage at age of 14 in order to escape from an abusive father, the interview with Monique is more of putting her story in front of the world.
Readers found it totally nonfiction as the story in Taylor’s mind is somewhere in the reality of the 21st century. Evelyn is a really awful and complicated yet very lovable character and the story of her journey with seven partners is heart touching.
- Book Author : Taylor J Reid.
- Publishing Date : June 2017
- Ratings : 4.5/5
- Characters : Evelyn Hugo, Monique, Ernie Diaz, Don Adler, Mick Riva etc.
- Category : Historical Fiction, Romance Novel
Lore By Alexandra Bracken
Readers found the book a combination of everything a book is supposed to possess. Action, Anger, Jealousy, Sadness, Heartbreak etc. Lore is a myth of Gods of Greek who are on their walk to earth as immortals.
The story of fighting, battling for power and survival, even gods in Greek myth seems to be creatures with long teeth, cold dark heat and lust of blood.
- Book Author : Alexandra Bracken
- Publishing Date : January 2021
- Ratings : 4.3/5
- Characters : Gil, Miles,Van, Castor Archillieos, Athena.
- Category : Fantasy Fiction
The Mists Of Avalon, By Marion Zimmer Bradley
We always hear that “There is always a woman behind every successful man”, same is with the story of Mists of Avalon. The story tells the role of the woman behind the thrones.
Not many reviews were left by the readers, people who want to leave some trails about their journey with the book said it’s a good mix of love, lies and betrayal.
- Book Author : Zimmer Bradley
- Publishing Date : 1982
- Ratings : 4.6/5
- Characters : Arthur, Igraine, Nimueh, Morgan Le Fay, Morgause.
- Category : Historical Fantasy fiction. High Fantasy.
Medea, By Euripides
“Stronger than lover’s love is lover’s hate. Incurable, in each, the wounds they make.”
Medea by Eriopides is a masterpiece of writing. As it’s written in 431 BC, the pace, the format or the structure and language of writing might not fancy you but the entire love story of Jason and Medea is epic and vengeful.
Jason, the leading character of the story, is father of two children who abandons his wife Medea for a better match. The disrespect from her husband sparks vengeance in Medea.
- Book Author : Euripides.
- Publishing Date : 431 BC
- Ratings : 3.9/5
- Characters : Jason, Medea, Aegeus, Kreon.
- Category : Tragedy.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What Should I Read If I Liked Achilles Song?
If you liked ‘Achilles Song’, do read Circe. It’s an amazing and most recommended book by readers after Achilles song.
- Is The Song Of Achilles An Lgbt Book?
Yes, the love story in the book is about the romantic relationship sons of two different kings share. The way the story is written by the author, LGBTQ community loved the book as they shared that it needs guts to write such an awesome Gay love story.
- Is Song Of Achilles A Sequel To Circe?
Though Circe is labeled as a sequel and has its own character, its not in continuation, technically people didn’t find the book as a sequel to Circe.
- Is Circe Like Song Of Achilles?To Summarize
On the whole, the Song of Achilles and Circe is different. The story of Circe is of female character where as ‘Song of Achilles’ if Gay love story.
Conclusion
There are so many books written on the same myth yet from different perspectives, every author has a unique way to represent their thoughts. Every author has fictionally continued the story of the same characters with their own imagination.
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