Patroclus is a young prince, thrown out of his kingdom after a display of violence that leaves no room for mercy. He is sent to a foreign place where he is unknown, with other exiled boys of the land. There they live together, training and eating as a group, until they are deemed worthy to return to their respectful kingdoms. While in this group, Patroclus notices one boy who stands out. His name is Achilles, and he glows with life in whatever room he’s in. Patroclus is drawn to him, as a young boy and later during adolescence. When a misunderstanding occurs and Patroclus faces punishment, Achilles vouches for him, unwittingly tying the two together for the rest of their lives. Throughout the teaching of Achilles, the preparation for war and the ever growing amount of eyes on the pair, Patroclus must protect the one he loves through every challenge.
I loved this book, honestly such an amazing read. New favorite book of the year taking the place of my previous read. I love mythology, and this book perfectly combined that into the sweet, heart wrenching storyline that captured my attention. I was hooked from the first chapter, and I was reluctant to put it down. Character development was on point, and the worldbuilding was gorgeous. The storytelling aspect was also perfectly allotted for this book, further enhancing the experience. I would recommend this book to people who like mythology, slightly sad love stories and epic tales of adventure and family. I rate this a five out of five stars, easily.