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Quick answer: If you loved The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller, try Circe by Madeline Miller, The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, Ariadne by Jennifer Saint, A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes, Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault and The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon.
The Song of Achilles retells the Iliad through the love story of Achilles, the greatest warrior of Greece, and Patroclus, the exiled prince who becomes his closest companion. Madeline Miller turned the old war story into a moving love story about friendship, fate and grief that has stayed on bestseller lists for years. If you loved its romance, its epic setting and its heartbreak, the picks below offer similar emotional intensity, from other myth retellings to historical epics and fantasy. Most are adult novels, and several include war violence.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love The Song of Achilles
Readers love The Song of Achilles because it makes an ancient story feel immediate. Miller lets Patroclus narrate in a gentle, observant voice, so the great warrior is seen through the eyes of someone who loves him, and the love story builds from boyhood to war. The ending is famous for making readers cry, and the prose is lovely without being showy. The book has also found new fans through BookTok, which keeps it in the spotlight years after its release.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about The Song of Achilles: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Genre | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circe | Madeline Miller | Mythology | More Madeline Miller |
| The Silence of the Girls | Pat Barker | Mythology | The Trojan War’s other side |
| Ariadne | Jennifer Saint | Mythology | Love and betrayal in myth |
| Fire from Heaven | Mary Renault | Historical fiction | Classic ancient-world love stories |
| The Last Kingdom | Bernard Cornwell | Historical fiction | War and loyalty |
| A Memory Called Empire | Arkady Martine | Science fiction | Political and tender |
| The Priory of the Orange Tree | Samantha Shannon | Fantasy | Epic romance and dragons |
| Red Rising | Pierce Brown | Science fiction | Brutal war and loyalty |
| A Day of Fallen Night | Samantha Shannon | Fantasy | More epic worlds |
| The Witch’s Heart | Genevieve Gornichec | Mythology | Love in old myths |
| A Thousand Ships | Natalie Haynes | Mythology | The women of Troy |
| Galatea | Madeline Miller | Mythology | Short, sharp retelling |
| The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo | Taylor Jenkins Reid | Fiction | Love that lasts a lifetime |
| Pachinko | Min Jin Lee | Historical fiction | Epic stories of love and loss |
| The Poppy War | R.F. Kuang | Fantasy | War stories |
1. Circe by Madeline Miller
The witch of Greek myth finds her power on an island of exile. It’s lyrical and just as emotional.
2. The Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker
Briseis, a captured queen, tells the war from inside Achilles’s camp. It’s unflinching and powerful. Content note: sexual violence.
3. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
Ariadne helps Theseus and is abandoned by him. It follows her through the aftermath.
4. Fire from Heaven by Mary Renault
The first of Renault’s novels about Alexander the Great follows his boyhood and his bond with Hephaistion. It’s classic and well researched.
5. The Last Kingdom by Bernard Cornwell
Uhtred, a Saxon raised by Vikings, fights for his place in Alfred’s England. It’s action-packed.
6. A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
An ambassador to a vast empire uncovers a plot. It’s thoughtful and has an emotional core.
7. The Priory of the Orange Tree by Samantha Shannon
Queens, dragons and a sapphic love story fill this standalone epic. It’s rich and satisfying.
8. Red Rising by Pierce Brown
A miner infiltrates Mars’s ruling class through a deadly academy. It’s violent and addictive.
9. A Day of Fallen Night by Samantha Shannon
The prequel to Priory follows queens, dragon riders and a long-ago war. It’s another big, beautiful epic.
10. The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Angrboda, a witch of Norse myth, falls in love and raises a strange family. It’s tender and angry.
11. A Thousand Ships by Natalie Haynes
The Trojan War through the voices of the women who lived it. It’s moving and sometimes funny.
12. Galatea by Madeline Miller
A short story retelling Pygmalion’s statue from her own point of view. It’s a quick, sharp read.
13. The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid
A Hollywood legend tells her story, including the great love of her life. It’s moving and well paced.
14. Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Four generations of a Korean family in Japan struggle and endure. It’s deeply moving.
15. The Poppy War by R.F. Kuang
A war orphan enters a military academy and discovers her power. It’s dark, brutal and gripping.
How to Pick Your Next Read After The Song of Achilles
- Want more mythology? Circe, Ariadne and A Thousand Ships.
- Want the other side of Troy? The Silence of the Girls.
- Want ancient love stories? Fire from Heaven.
- Want fantasy epic? The Priory of the Orange Tree.
- Want something to soften the sadness? Try a cozy fantasy afterward.
- Check content notes. Several picks contain war violence and assault.
A Note on the Ending
The Song of Achilles follows the Iliad, and the tragic ending of Achilles and Patroclus is part of the original myth, so it is well known to anyone familiar with the story. Even so, many readers say the book’s ending hit harder than they expected because they had grown so attached to the characters. If you want to prepare, keep tissues nearby, and if you want a happier follow-up, try Circe, The House in the Cerulean Sea or A Memory Called Empire.
Related: The Song of Achilles book club discussion questions and books like Circe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like The Song of Achilles?
Circe by Madeline Miller is the closest match in style, and The Silence of the Girls is the closest in setting.
Is The Song of Achilles sad?
Yes. It follows the tragic end of the Iliad, and many readers cry.
Is The Song of Achilles spicy?
It has a few romantic scenes, but they are not very explicit.