More Double Reviews: Sabriel & The Song Of Achilles

I originally was not going to re-review Sabriel, which I have already read and reviewed two years ago. But then I was like, "Wait, I need this to level up my Pokemon because why not." Also I can do two reviews in one post, how about that.

Sabriel by Garth Nix
The Old Kingdom #1
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
Release Date: September 1st, 2014
Source: The Book Depository
Date Read: 8/14/16 to 8/17/16
396 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰

Sent to a boarding school in Ancelstierre as a young child, Sabriel has had little experience with the random power of Free Magic or the Dead who refuse to stay dead in the Old Kingdom. But during her final semester, her father, the Abhorsen, goes missing, and Sabriel knows she must enter the Old Kingdom to find him.

With Sabriel, the first installment in the Abhorsen series, Garth Nix exploded onto the fantasy scene as a rising star, in a novel that takes readers to a world where the line between the living and the dead isn't always clear—and sometimes disappears altogether.

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Like two years ago, I was again, blown away by Sabriel. So much so that I keep wondering why I haven't finished the series yet. With Goldenhand coming out in October, I'm determined to get through Lirael (again), and then Abhorsen (the one I actually haven't read, oops).

There's something magical about rereading. Whether it's knowing and anticipating what will happen, or simply seeing the characters again, either way I don't do it often, and I regret not having the time to. I was brought back to the world of the Abhorsen, one who, unlike a necromancer, makes sure the dead stay dead. I was reintroduced to Mogget, my favorite (and I will assume the original) non-cat. And the romance between Touchstone and Sabriel, which I do have to admit, happened a little out of nowhere. If I were to recreate it, it would be something like "And he truly noticed her as a woman rather than the Abhorsen", and then BAM they both like each other.

Still, this book holds a place in my heart. And I'm glad I got to reread it for this readathon.

The Song Of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Publisher: HarperCollins

Release Date: March 6th, 2012

Source: Amazon

Date Read: 8/17/16 to 8/21/16

369 pages

Rating: ✰✰✰✰✰

The legend begins...

Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the kingdom of Phthia to be raised in the shadow of King Peleus and his golden son, Achilles. “The best of all the Greeks”—strong, beautiful, and the child of a goddess—Achilles is everything the shamed Patroclus is not. Yet despite their differences, the boys become steadfast companions. Their bond deepens as they grow into young men and become skilled in the arts of war and medicine—much to the displeasure and the fury of Achilles’ mother, Thetis, a cruel sea goddess with a hatred of mortals.

When word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, the men of Greece, bound by blood and oath, must 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 Fates will test them both as never before and demand a terrible sacrifice.

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This book. THIS BOOK. I've been wanting to read it for ages, and now that I have read it, I am broken.

This is one of those books where it hurts to read because you know what's going to come next, thanks to well, history. It's obvious from the synopsis that this is a story about Patroclus and Achilles, and the Trojan War. I've watched the movie, learned about it in history classes, yet still I was completely unprepared for how not okay I would feel.

It's pretty heartbreaking to see your favorite characters grow up, knowing that there is some fate in store for them. If you're an avid fan of Greek history and mythology, then definitely add this to your TBR. Because it was everything I wanted and more.