The Song of Achilles is a novel written by Madeline Miller inspired by the events of Iliad written by Homer but instead told through the perspective of Patroclus, a young prince who has been abandoned by his father and exiled to the kingdom of Phthia. The story follows his relationship with Achilles the prince of Phithia who is the son of a king and a goddess, as they grow up together and
“He is a god, and I am only a boy. He is a golden chariot, and I am a mud-spattered cart.” – Patroclus
This quote highlights how Patroclus seems to struggle with himself compared to Achilles who has been destined to become a God and in a way can illustrate the compalexitty of growing up