Song of Achilles, The

When young prince Patroclus is exiled from his homeland, he meets and forms a strong friendship with Achilles, the son of a goddess and a king. Achilles is being sent to Mt. Pelion for an education to prepare him to be a great warrior and hero, and Patroclus secretly follows Achilles to Mt. Pelion and eventually to the Trojan War where the two plot to avoid Achilles’ prophesized fate. This inventive re-telling of the Achilles tale in The Iliad has intricate conflicts and well-crafted characters and is told from the point of view of Patroclus, one of The Iliad’s minor characters. Suitable for a class novel, literature circle, or independent reading title for mature grade 11-12 students. Social considerations noted.