It tells of a 20 year period, prior to and encompassing the Trojan War. The novel is told from the perspective of Patroclus, the companion of Achilles. I understand this novel took Madeline Miller 10 years to research and write, and I can believe it. The historical/mythic detail is rich, the settings are lush, and the characters develop and change, and the descriptions of love and death are sensual and vivid. This novel is not for the faint of heart. While reading some scenes, my heart was pounding.
When I was in college, I read the Iliad and I must say I didn't realize how much of my Greek mythology I forgot, which worked out fine, because the things I did remember were not featured in this novel, so I was genuinely surprised when I read certain scenes. The Iliad is mostly about battle, and as it was written down long after the events were supposed to take place after being transmitted by oral culture. Therefore, while the story is interesting, you mostly get, this happened, then that, then because of an offense caused before which we will flash back to, this is now happening. This novel on the other hand flushes out personalities, character motivation, rules of the ancient society, so that along with the story, readers are sucked in.
You fall in love at the same time that Patroclus does. You fear for his life when he is cornered. You are humiliated when he is ridiculed publicly. You despise Agamemnon and share Patroclus' wary respect for Odysseus. This is all very cleverly done and I'm glad this first novel of Madeline Miller's won the Orange Prize.
