The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller

The Song of Achilles is about Patroclus, a prince, and his love for Achilles, a half-God half-Greek prince. When Patroclus is exiled from his kingdom, he is sent to live with other exiles at Achilles’ kingdom. There, he finds himself out of place until Achilles reaches out to him. They become close friends, and eventually, Patroclus becomes Achilles’ companion. However, despite Achilles’ mother’s wishes, their friendship builds into a relationship. War comes and Achilles is called to fight. Patroclus goes with him and they face the hardships of a relationship, the Greek gods, power titles, and expectations. Patroclus is never seen as important, even though Achilles tries to protect him and have him by his side.

I really enjoyed The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller. The emotions you read about are relatable and the relationships between characters are well developed. Characters show jealously, love, compassion, kindness, anger, and all kinds of other emotions. However, I can clearly name a scenario for each category months after reading it. This book stuck with me because the lessons and people were so realistic. Although not everything in the book was based on the Greek myths, it also taught me about the Greek myths and wars that I have heard so much about. Those who like romance, LGBTQ+, mythology, and historical fiction will love this book. I know many people who were brought to tears by it and it was a very sweet book.

Reviewed by Catalina, Grade 11

Chevy Chase Library 

The Rose Code, by Kate Quinn

The Rose Code, by Kate Quinn is the story of three women living in WW2 Britain. Beth, a timid Brainiac, Osla, a cunning socialite, and Mab, a strong-willed fireball come together while working at Bletchley Park, Britain's greatest war secret. Bletchley (BP)is a front for the world’s greatest codebreaking operation to date. Meanwhile, the setting switches to the wedding of Philip and Queen Elizabeth, where the women must wrestle with the secrets of their past lives. Beth, Osla, and Mab must navigate Britain during wartime, all while balancing a secretive job with their own personal journeys for love.

I loved this book and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys mystery novels or romance novels. The author does a beautiful job of combing the past with the present, so the setting switches flow very nicely. I also enjoyed the historical factuality of the setting in the book because it allowed the characters to come to life in a way that I have never seen much in other novels. The events reminded me of the storyline in Hidden Figures, because both stories highlight the women who helped behind the scenes of big historical events that history books often forget to mention. This book was very well written and I could hardly put it down.

Reviewed by AL, Grade 12

Glendale Central Library