The Song of Achilles

Damn, there was a point in the middle of this book where I was legitimately wondering if I would be the first ever to like give it 3 stars. Thankfully, it picked up the pace again, but it just dragged in the middle. Like it really just dragged. I'm torn between giving it 3.5 and 4 stars, because I think it deserves 4 stars but my overall enjoyment is more consistent to 3.5 stars. However, that's because I went in hoping for it to be just SLIGHTLY more lighthearted than it was. Actually, I was more so hoping it would feel like a rom-com of sorts, but it was more like a rom-war kind of thing. It's my own fault for thinking it would be something other than what it was, really.
Anyway, I really liked our MC Patrocles. He was kind of slightly annoying in the beginning, but we grow to love him. Especially as an adult, when it becomes clear that he is more mature than Achilles, who is pretty much blinded by his pride. He was always prideful, but it becomes his doom as an adult. Patrocles just becomes better the older he gets.
I also thought, that while the end is tragic it wasn't as sad, although it would have been if Thetis the Goddess hadn't become more “human” by the end and saw the fault of her ways. If she hadn't, it would have simply been tragic.
I struggled the most with the war aspect of the book, I didn't care for it and it often dragged. It's that middle part that dragged a whole lot. Even though we're still at war when things start picking up, it is helped by the fact that there's something actually happening, and you become invested again.
It's a great read, but do not go into it for fluff. That was my gravest mistake. (It has some, maybe, and it does have romance, but it is not lighthearted like fluff is supposed to be. Well, actually, when they're kids it's pretty cute. So there's that.)