Unlike my usual rambling review, I’m going to keep this one short. The Song of Achilles, plays to soul. It both breaks my heart and makes it full. This retelling sparked so much emotion the first time I read it. I hoped on my re-read, I would not be disappointed. Pleasantly I only found more things to love about this story. I found myself holding my breath and fighting back tears much sooner than the first time I read it. Lines hitting me so much harder knowing the weight of those words and truths both unspoken and spoken. I had more appreciation for Achilles on this re-read, more empathy towards his decisions later on, because first time round I considered his actions to be somewhat arrogant and narrow minded… This time I just broke for the weight that was on his shoulders. It is a story of the brutality of war, of men’s greed, the god’s cruelty and more importantly the most beautiful love story I have ever read. My tears stained the pages the first time I read it and this time they ruined the pages half way through - ‘I asked her to protect you,’ he said. ‘After’.