Mood Readers Unite. discussion

Achilles, "the best of all the Greeks," son of the cruel sea goddess Thetis and the legendary king Peleus, is strong, swift, and beautiful, irresistible to all who meet him. Patroclus is an awkward young prince, exiled from his homeland after an act of shocking violence. Brought together by chance, they forge an inseparable bond, despite risking the gods' wrath.

They are trained by the centaur Chiron in the arts of war and medicine, but when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, all the heroes of Greece are called upon to lay siege to Troy in her name. Seduced by the promise of a glorious destiny, Achilles joins their cause, and torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus follows. Little do they know that the cruel Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

Oh I forgot this was a club book this month. I just read this with a friend and I really liked it. It invoked such strong emotions in me, mainly rage lol. I'll have to come back later today to add spoiler thoughts.

I started!

ch 3 - (view spoiler)[he died?! oh my<\spoiler> (hide spoiler)]

So he knows his fate from quite early on (ch 6)

Ch 9 - (view spoiler)[LOL I choked at this quote:
"Later Achilles would play the lyre, as Chiron and I listened. My mother's lyre. He had brought it with him. "I wish I had known," I said the first day, when he had showed it to me. "I almost did not come, because I did not want to leave it." He smiled. "Now I know how to make you follow me everywhere" (hide spoiler)]

Ch 10 - (view spoiler)[This was the trinity of my fears - Chiron, Peleus, and Thetis. Excuse me why is Chiron on this list?!
"We will be back soon" Achilles said, again. Chiron's eyes were dark in the slanting afternoon light. "I will look for you," he said. Aw :( They are not gonna come back :( (hide spoiler)]

Chiron: (view spoiler)[The time they spent with Chiron was my favorite in the book. I loved reading their innocent childhood love. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 12 - This chapter was a bummer (view spoiler)[It's where we learned that Achilles impregnated Deidameia. I think I felt worse about it than Patroclus, he forgave so fast. (hide spoiler)] Also for context I knew very little of the mythology going into the book

Ch 13 - Screamed at Patroclus this whole chapter (view spoiler)[for sleeping with Diedameia. He was not doing her a favor, he should have left. And after he was so hurt by Achilles sleeping with her, he goes and does the same thing? (hide spoiler)]

Ch 15 - (view spoiler)[Achilles choosing fame and glory over life could never be me. I love to live. (hide spoiler)]

Ch 20 - (view spoiler)[I love that they were saving the slave women, I wish the could have saved them all (hide spoiler)]

Ch 23 - Patroclus being a (view spoiler)[surgeon ♡ (hide spoiler)]

Ch 24 - Briseis: (view spoiler)[Instead she grew into a kind of aunt - a woman with sweets and love potions and soft fabrics for the drying of eyes
I love that for her ♡ (hide spoiler)]

Ch 25 - Made me so sad when (view spoiler)[Achilles basically condemned Briseis to get raped and then Patroclus goes back to see Briseis and she asks if Achilles is okay :( (hide spoiler)]

Ch 26 - (view spoiler)[It is at this point in the book where I hate Achilles and everything about him (hide spoiler)]

Ch 30 - (view spoiler)[Patroclus' death was so stupid it made me angry (hide spoiler)]

Ch 33 - (view spoiler)[Achilles' son Pyrrhus is the literal worst
This book did not let Briseis win, not once and I did not appreciate that. I will choose to ignore her death.
Happy that Patroclus' spirit was saved
This book made me so mad because it made me hate Achilles. I loved both him and Patroclus so much at the beginning. But it do be a tragedy. (hide spoiler)]

Elise wrote: "Ch 9 - LOL I choked at this quote:
"Later Achilles would play the lyre, as Chiron and I listened. My mother's lyre. He had brought it with him. "I wish I had known," I said the first day, when he ..."

haha yes, the thing that I did like about this book was the relationships and banter

Elise wrote: "Ch 15 - [spoilers removed]"

Living is the best actually hahaha

Elise wrote: "Ch 25 - Made me so sad when [spoilers removed]"

yeah, i really didn't like that part :(

Elise wrote: "Ch 30 - [spoilers removed]"

It could have been PREVENTED! So pissed

Ok, here are some of the things I wanted to note about my experience with this book.

Ch 12 - 'I would know him in death, at the end of the world' That is a powerful connection you've got there friend

I had decided, up to ch 13, that the only reason I would continue on with the book was because I enjoyed the relationships, but I didn't really care about the plot one bit. Also, if it hadn't been an audiobook, which allowed me to go about life and still continue, then I would have had a hard time getting myself to pick it up.

3 stars.