Our world was one of blood, and the honor it won; only cowards did not fight.

If you have to go, I will go with you.

You would think that knowing how the story goes would make reading a retelling easier. Madeline Miller says otherwise. Her prose is lyrical and her rendition of the players in this version of Achilles' life is breathtaking.

Both Achilles and Patroclus are imperfect here, and all the more stunning for it. The amount of emotion and life woven into their story left me feeling a little hollow after closing the book. War and love are common bedfellows, but it can be easy to forget that fact in the face of old myths. Miller's telling ensures that it isn't forgotten.

You don't have to know the Greek myths or the story of Troy to appreciate this book - it is devastating and glorious.