The Song of Achilles PDF Book

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

The Song of Achilles PDF Book THE SONG OF ACHILLES PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Madeline Miller | 368 pages | 23 Apr 2012 | Bloomsbury Publishing PLC | 9781408821985 | English | London, United Kingdom The Song of Achilles PDF Book She spirits him away to the kingdom of Lycomedes on the island of Scyros. At the head of the column, my father dictated new orders to secretaries and messengers who rode off in every direction. It looked like it had been a knife, I thought, or something like it, ripping upwards and leaving behind feathered edges, whose softness belied the violence that must have caused it. When at sixteen years old, they are living in the woods with Chiron, Achilles' teacher, the relationship between them turns physical. There he meets the famed performer Achilles, and together they struggle to survive the demands of the stage. This is what it will be, every day, without him. Loading comments… Trouble loading? Servants faded backwards, to the shadows. I could not sing. This was a pretty bit of speech. Book Review Mythic Passions. The two become inseparable, and their friendship turns to romance as they grow into adolescence. I had not heard him turn. One day, Patroclus accidentally kills a young boy. Because of the prophecy, Achilles was trained in different aspects of fighting since birth and no one was allowed to watch him practise. What are honor and glory? But Patroclus is too obscure to figure in prophecies, so he dreads the horror of life after Achilles's death: "I rose and rubbed my limbs, slapped them awake, trying to ward off a rising hysteria. I stole it from Plato! In a world where Gods, demi-gods and people all live together, "The Song of Achilles" is the love story of Patroclus and Achilles. Achilles first began to notice Patroclus when he was studiously ignoring him- a surprise sing no one had ever ignored him before. Read more from the Study Guide. Deadline Hollywood. You will go and put yourself forth as a suitor. Chapters While we've done our best to make the core functionality of this site accessible without javascript, it will work better with it enabled. The Daily Telegraph. She has also studied at the Yale School of Drama, specialising in adapting classical tales to a modern audience. I had never seen so many men inside before. The result is an odd disproportion. In this last memory, I am skipping stones for her, plink, plink, plink, across the skin of the sea. They begin to spend more time together and Patroclus becomes the first person beyond his father to witness him fight, eventually challenging him to duel; their friendship is fast following. Save Download. The Song of Achilles Writer Join SuperSummary to gain instant access to all 54 pages of this Study Guide and thousands of other learning resources. I have a feeling my reading experience will be deepened and her observations will glow like phosphorus between the lines. But no one laughed. I am going to disagree with thousands of goodreads reviewers. In business and beyond, Rhys gets exactly what he wants. His reaction is shocking in its intensity. This was a pretty bit of speech. Achilles, Patroclus, and even side characters like Thetis and Briseis received human qualities that allowed them to remain true to their portrayals in history while making them easier to relate to at the same time. That Madeline Miller actually decided to tell the story of Patroclus and Achilles - a story, like many other gay narratives in history, people have tried to erase. There is no other books in the ya genre that do this kind of thing - that so beautifully and eloquently retell such an old story. Perhaps she thought I hated her. Kiara I have just finished the book, and I think it is not that improbable but I wouldn't wish it for us. She is the daughter of Chryses, a priest of Apollo. Now Hector, poor doomed Hector, to me he was the hero of The Iliad. Circe is a strange child — not powerful and terrible, like her father, nor gorgeous. Of the lives they sacrifice on the altar of that love. If you've read the Iliad, you know that the story will have a tragic end, but it's also strangely uplifting and hopeful. Pages: Sales rank: Product dimensions: 5. There would have been no power, and, again, like the film Troy it would have been abysmal. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate. I remember hating this, the long walk up the endless throne room. This book is crap. Blog Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest What has Hector ever done to me? There was also this: "Could a boy of 17 really be our greatest warrior? I speak only as an observer. Let him go back to his rocks and his goats. He has a sense of humor and a gentle side. The Song of Achilles Reviews I feel a bit silly doing this, but I have put a spoiler alert on this review, just in case there are folks out there who might not be versed in the classics. Jan 11, Victoria Schwab rated it it was amazing. So, so damn beautiful! Take the vain, violent Agamemnon, so hopeless at leading the men in his charge. Books by Madeline Miller. While trying to conjure this odd image, I also began to worry about the immediacy with which Achilles was accepted by the Greeks as their greatest warrior. The prose is elegant in its simplicity. A slow burn, organic story of two boys falling in love. Add to Wishlist. Madeline Miller - image from her site You might want to dust off your Iliad, as this is a retelling of the story of Achilles, I feel a bit silly doing this, but I have put a spoiler alert on this review, just in case there are folks out there who might not be versed in the classics. Jan 17, Sean Barrs rated it really liked it Shelves: historical , 4-star-reads , love-and-romance , ancient-greece , gay-lit. Oops, sorry. He said: "Surely if you were going to undertake the retelling of a story from the Illiad, you'd attempt to utilise some eloquence even if you are going to ditch or, rather more prudently, not attempt to match Homer's epic poetic-heroic style. View all 22 comments. I think this misses the whole point of the story. And that, before he is ready, he will be forced to surrender his friend to the hands of Fate. Kiara I have just finished the book, and I think it is not that improbable but I wouldn't wish it for us. To go for the last first, ID writes: "I think the narrative voice works quite well. Or so I thought. This section contains words approx. Topics Fiction The Observer. I will kill you and eat you raw. In the meantime, the two begin to fall in love. There is some major character development for both characters and I do love both although I am more of team Achilles! Nyanyian Achilles The Song of Achilles. My mouth is dry, and I can hear the sound of my throat as I swallow. She currently lives in Cambridge, MA, where she teaches and writes. In the meantime, if you are a student, seek this lady out and take her classes. Community Reviews. I loved him so much! Circe , Miller's second novel, was released on April 10, Related Searches. It all begins with a rape. When he faces Hector, the latter asks that his body be returned to his family, when Achilles is done with him. Readers also enjoyed. More interestingly, it could also be said that many of the problems I highlight above might be more properly blamed on the naive narrator than on Miller. What's your view of last year's Orange prize winner? The Song of Achilles Read Online No kidding, here. Why is this so awful? Published September 20th by Bloomsbury Publishing. And I love it so so much. Sadly, this one didn't. To view it, click here. He has a sense of humor and a gentle side. This is a beautiful book. Videos About This Book. Admittedly, I am not an avid romance reader. Print Word PDF. Uh-oh, it looks like your Internet Explorer is out of date. It is this that makes him surprising: a man who cares about others in a world of greed and realpolitik where men are, first and foremost, killing machines, and Achilles the best of them all. Patroclus deserves to become a Greek god, although that was never his fate. And if this isn't the kind of love story that carves you to pieces as well as makes your heart truly beat Miller is doing good work, though, bringing Homer to life for a new generation. Neither hid my knobby knees. View the Lesson Plans. That's honestly at least half the reason I picked this book up, so thanks, Magistra Vasquez, for being so extra. I am going to disagree with the Orange Prize committee. His fucking pride. That made me really happy, although I know many won't really care. Related Searches. The fifth star did come in the last part of the book, which I loved. What she has done here is take the eternal tale and re-tell it in a manner that is easy to read. It was built up, ever so slowly, and delivered eloquently. Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart.
Recommended publications
  • Katedra Anglistiky a Amerikanistiky Bakalářská Diplomová Práce 2021
    Masarykova univerzita Filozofická fakulta Katedra anglistiky a amerikanistiky Bakalářská diplomová práce 2021 Beatrice Křížová - Masaryk University Faculty of Arts Department of English and American Studies English Language and Literature Beatrice Křížová Rewriting Greek myths of Homer: Voicing Female Experience Bachelor’s Diploma Thesis Supervisor: Prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A. 2021 - I declare that I have worked on this thesis independently, using only the primary and secondary sources listed in the bibliography. …………………………………………….. Author’s signature - Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisor, prof. Mgr. Milada Franková, CSc., M.A., for her valuable feedback and guidance and above all for our shared passion on the topic. I feel privileged that I could choose a topic we were both interested in despite the fact this is usually taken for granted. I would also like to express my gratitude towards my family and friends who supported me when I was losing faith in myself. And finally, I would like to thank my loving partner who took care of me and practical aspects my life when I was working on the thesis. Thank you all again. - Introduction ................................................................................................................................ 6 1. Archetypal Tradition of Greek Myths .................................................................................... 8 1.1 The original myth of the Iliad and Homer’s portrayal of women............................................ 9 1.1.1 The Iliad and role of women in the plot ................................................................ 9 1.1.2 Women’s portrayal in the Iliad ........................................................................... 12 1.2 The original myth of the Odyssey and Homer’s portrayal of women .....................................22 1.2.1 The Odyssey and role of women in the plot ........................................................ 22 1.2.2 The archetypical portrayal of women in the Odyssey .........................................
    [Show full text]
  • Homer, Or Another Poet of the Same Name: Four Translations of the Iliad
    Wesleyan University The Honors College Homer, or Another Poet of the Same Name: Four Translations of the Iliad by Jonathan Joseph Loya Spira Class of 2016 A thesis submitted to the faculty of Wesleyan University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Arts with Departmental Honors in Classics Middletown, Connecticut April, 2016 I owe thanks for this thesis and to my graduation to my mother and father, who made me into the person I am through a loving dedication to the numerous thousands of things I have decided are my ‘true calling.’ I would not just be a different person without them, I genuinely do not think I would have survived myself. To my sister, whom I trust with everything important. I don’t think I’ll ever have a friend quite like her. To my advisor, Professor Andy, who has lived through many poorly written drafts, week in and week out. I owe him a debt of gratitude for trusting in me to bring it all together here, at the end of all things. To my first friend, Michael, and to my first friend in college, Sarah. To Gabe, who I have lived with for thousands of miles, only 40 of them being excessive. Frequently, they are the three who keep me together as a person, which is to say that they are the people who I fall apart on the most. To my friends of 50 Home: Sam, Liz, Adi, Johnny, Sarah: I try every day to be as good a friend to you as you are to me; and to those outside our quiet street: Mads, Avi, Jason; and the Classics friends I have made who have defined my senior year: Shoynes, Beth, Sharper, Jackson, Mackenzie, Maria; to Ward, who I love like a brother, and to Professor Visvardi, the professor I did not have the first three years and am incredibly grateful to have had since.
    [Show full text]
  • The Song of Achilles Pdf by Madeline Miller
    Overview book of The Song of Achilles Greece in the age of heroes. Patroclus, an awkward young prince, has been exiled to the court of King Peleus and his perfect son Achilles. By all rights their paths should never cross, but Achilles takes the shamed prince as his friend, and as they grow into young men skilled in the arts of war and medicine their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles' mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess. But then word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus journeys with Achilles to Troy, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear.Profoundly moving and breathtakingly original, this rendering of the epic Trojan War is a dazzling feat of the imagination, a devastating love story, and an almighty battle between gods and kings, peace and glory, immortal fame and the human heart. The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller The Song of Achilles Epub The Song of Achilles Download vk The Song of Achilles Download ok.ru The Song of Achilles Download Youtube The Song of Achilles Download Dailymotion The Song of Achilles Read Online The Song of Achilles mobi The Song of Achilles Download Site The Song of Achilles Book The Song of Achilles PDF The Song of Achilles TXT The Song of Achilles Audiobook The Song of Achilles Kindle The Song of Achilles Read Online The Song of Achilles Playbook The Song of Achilles full page The Song of Achilles amazon The Song of Achilles free download The Song of Achilles format PDF The Song of Achilles Free read And download The Song of Achilles download Kindle FREE [P.D.F] The Song of Achilles pdf by Madeline Miller Description Greece in the age of heroes.
    [Show full text]
  • A Conversation with Madeline Miller on the Occasion of TKE's 42Nd Birth
    THE 1511 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT 84105 Inkslinger42nd Birthday Issue 2 019 801-484-9100 A Gift of the Gods: A Conversation On the Occasion of TKE’s 42nd Birth- with Madeline Miller day: Antidotes for Troubled Times by Michaela Riding, TKE Bookseller by Betsy Burton I was smitten with Madeline Miller’s novel That we are living in troubled times few Circe when it was first published. So when would deny. Too many of us feel lost in we heard she would be coming to visit The some wasteland with no discernable land- King’s English on her book tour, I hoped marks and no apparent way out. Into such I could interview her. TKE said of course, a world Terry Tempest Williams has given and Madeline graciously agreed. To whet birth to a book addressing the wilderness in your appetite in anticipation of her visit, which we are all lost that is both providen- our conversation follows. tial and profound, one that forces us to look Michaela Riding - We all vaguely remem- squarely at the political and environmental ber Circe from our 8th grade reading of landscapes not from the peaks of wilder- Miller will be at “The Odyssey;” she’s the witch who turns ness but from bedrock. Erosion is moving, TKE Oct 23, 7 p.m Odysseus’ men into pigs. For most of us personally insightful, and globally significant. Although it won’t be who didn’t become classicists, our vague memories stop there. But available until early October we thought you should hear about Ero- you have woven a tale for her so complete, so rich, she will stay sion now, on the occasion of our birthday.
    [Show full text]
  • “Name a Hero Who Was Happy”
    “NAME A HERO WHO WAS HAPPY”: A GENDER STUDIES ANALYSIS OF MADELINE MILLER’S THE SONG OF ACHILLES STUDENT: CARLA JIMÉNEZ OTERO SUPERVISOR: MARICEL ORÓ PIQUERAS JUNE 2020 ENGLISH STUDIES DEGREE “NAME A HERO WHO WAS HAPPY” That's what literature is. It's the people who went before us, tapping out Messages from the past, from beyond the grave, trying to tell us about life and death! Listen to theM! Connie Willis, Passage, 2001 I “NAME A HERO WHO WAS HAPPY” ABSTRACT The use of Mythology seeMs to be a recurring occurrence on conteMporary authors, who are going back to the classics and are writing new narratives challenging the social systeM of the period they were written in. The AMerican writer Madeline Miller has become one of the Most acclaiMed authors to put this technique into practice, in her debut novel The Song of Achilles (2011). In her rewriting of the Homer’s Iliad, Miller narrates the story of the Trojan War through Patroclus’ point of view, focusing on the discriMinative values in the original text, which are still perpetuated in our society. The aiM of this dissertation is to analyse through Carl Jung’s theory, the way in which Achilles, Patroclus and Briseis are portrayed in Homer’s poeM and in Miller’s novel, contrasting theM with SiMone De Beauvoir’s theory on Gender Studies and Lynne Segal’s research on Masculinity, aMong others. UltiMately, the analysis would deMonstrate if Miller is successful in her task of honouring Homer’s Most-well known poeM, while differing on the patriarchal values infused in the Greek poet’s society, shifting theM to send a Message of acceptance and inclusiveness.
    [Show full text]
  • Circe Readers' Guide
    Women’s Prize for Fiction 2019 Reading Group Guide Circe Also by Madeline Miller: by Madeline Miller The Song of Achilles (2011) Bloomsbury Publishing About the book In the house of Helios, god of the sun and mightiest of the Titans, a daughter is born. But Circe has neither the look nor the voice of divinity, and is scorned and rejected by her kin. Increasingly isolated, she turns to mortals for companionship, leading her to discover a power forbidden to the gods: witchcraft. When love drives Circe to cast a dark spell, wrathful Zeus banishes her to the remote island of Aiaia. There she learns to harness her occult craft, drawing strength from nature. But she will not always be alone; many are destined to pass through Circe’s place of exile, entwining their fates with hers. The messenger god, Hermes. The craftsman, Daedalus. A ship bearing a golden fleece. And wily Odysseus, on his epic voyage home. There is danger for a solitary woman in this world, and Circe’s independence draws the wrath of men and gods alike. To protect what she holds dear, Circe must decide whether she belongs with the deities she is born from, or the mortals she has come to love. About the author Madeline Miller is the author of The Song of Achilles, which won the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012, was shortlisted for the Stonewall Writer of the Year 2012, was an instant New York Times bestseller, and was translated into twenty-five languages. Madeline holds an MA in Classics from Brown University, and she taught Latin, Greek and Shakespeare to high school students for over a decade.
    [Show full text]
  • Indiebestsellers
    Indie Bestsellers Week of 12.16.20 HardcoverFICTION NONFICTION 1. The Vanishing Half 1. A Promised Land Brit Bennett, Riverhead Books, $27 Barack Obama, Crown, $45 2. Ready Player Two 2. Caste Isabel Wilkerson, Random House, $32 Ernest Cline, Ballantine, $28.99 3. Untamed 3. Hamnet Glennon Doyle, The Dial Press, $28 Maggie O’Farrell, Knopf, $26.95 4. The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the 4. The Searcher Horse Tana French, Viking, $27 Charlie Mackesy, HarperOne, $22.99 5. Anxious People 5. The Splendid and the Vile Erik Larson, Crown, $32 Fredrik Backman, Atria, $28 ★ 6. Bag Man: The Wild Crimes, Audacious 6. The Midnight Library Cover-Up, and Spectacular Downfall of Matt Haig, Viking, $26 a Brazen Crook in the White House 7. A Time for Mercy Rachel Maddow, Michael Yarvitz, Crown, $28 John Grisham, Doubleday, $29.95 7. Modern Comfort Food Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter, $35 8. The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue V.E. Schwab, Tor, $26.99 8. The Best of Me David Sedaris, Little, Brown, $30 9. Perestroika in Paris 9. Greenlights Jane Smiley, Knopf, $26.95 Matthew McConaughey, Crown, $30 10. Mexican Gothic 10. Is This Anything? Silvia Moreno-Garcia, Del Rey, $27 Jerry Seinfeld, S&S, $35 11. Transcendent Kingdom 11. Wintering Katherine May, Riverhead Books, $24 Yaa Gyasi, Knopf, $27.95 12. What It’s Like to Be a Bird 12. The Cold Millions David Allen Sibley, Knopf, $35 Jess Walter, Harper, $28.99 13. Dolly Parton, Songteller 13. Where the Crawdads Sing Dolly Parton, Robert K. Oermann, Chronicle Delia Owens, Putnam, $26 Books, $50 14.
    [Show full text]
  • Book Club Kits
    Book Club Kits If you belong to a book discussion group, or would like to start one, you're invited to check out our selection of Book Club Kits! Each kit contains 8 copies of a title selected by our librarians, along with a folder containing book discussion questions, author biography, and book reviews. The kits are checked out to one person who is responsible for all of the materials. The kits check out for 6 weeks and may not be renewed. New kits will be added throughout the year. Single copies of books may not be checked out from a kit. Return the kit to the circulation desk as they will not fit through the drop box. Kits may be returned to other TLN libraries. Book Club Kits must be returned in their entirety. Items cannot be returned separately. Incomplete kits will not be accepted and will incur fines once the due date is reached. Overdue Book Club Kits will be fined $1.00 a day to a maximum of $25.00. Replacement cost of an entire kit is $100.00. Replacement cost of the individual items will depend on the cost of each item. Brief Synopses of Available Book Club Kits Fiction Arranged by Author’s Last Name Americanah by Chimamanda Adichie Separated by 9/11 and its consequences, Nigerian lovers Ifemelu and Obinze face new challenges a world apart as Ifemelu faces racism in the United States and Obinze heads for a dangerous life in London. Fifteen years after the military dictatorship that eventually gave way to a democratic Nigeria, now-wealthy Obinze and successful race blogger Ifemelu reembrace the love that once made their lives worth living as they face a changed Nigeria.
    [Show full text]
  • Orality, Fluid Textualization and Interweaving Themes
    Orality,Fluid Textualization and Interweaving Themes. Some Remarks on the Doloneia: Magical Horses from Night to Light and Death to Life Anton Bierl * Introduction: Methodological Reflection The Doloneia, Book 10 of the Iliad, takes place during the night and its events have been long interpreted as unheroic exploits of ambush and cunning. First the desperate Greek leader Agamemnon cannot sleep and initiates a long series of wake-up calls as he seeks new information and counsel. When the Greeks finally send out Odysseus and Diomedes, the two heroes encounter the Trojan Dolon who intends to spy on the Achaeans. They hunt him down, and in his fear of death, Dolon betrays the whereabouts of Rhesus and his Thracian troops who have arrived on scene late. Accordingly, the focus shifts from the endeavor to obtain new knowledge to the massacre of enemies and the retrieval of won- drous horses through trickery and violence. * I would like to thank Antonios Rengakos for his kind invitation to Thessalo- niki, as well as the editors of this volume, Franco Montanari, Antonios Renga- kos and Christos Tsagalis. Besides the Conference Homer in the 21st Century,I gave other versions of the paper at Brown (2010) and Columbia University (CAM, 2011). I am grateful to the audiences for much useful criticism, partic- ularly to Casey Dué, Deborah Boedeker, Marco Fantuzzi, Pura Nieto Hernan- dez, David Konstan, Kurt Raaflaub and William Harris for stimulating conver- sations. Only after the final submission of this contribution, Donald E. Lavigne granted me insight into his not yet published manuscript “Bad Kharma: A ‘Fragment’ of the Iliad and Iambic Laughter” in which he detects iambic reso- nances in the Doloneia, and I received a reference to M.F.
    [Show full text]
  • Voice in Literature and Creative Writing a Resource for Teaching A-Level English
    Voice in literature and creative writing A resource for teaching A-level English u www.essex.ac.uk/lifts 02 About these resources At the University of Essex we want to invest in the next generation of students to better prepare them for future university study. We recognise that the teaching they receive in school and college is a centrally important part of this preparation, and therefore we are committed to investing in this teaching process wherever we can. We hope that these teaching resources will help to get students thinking at a more in-depth level about their chosen subject, and will aid teachers in encouraging this level of engagement. The resources are deliberately designed to be flexible so that teachers can choose the sections and exercises that they feel are most relevant and beneficial to their students and insert them into their own teaching plans as they see fit. Throughout the resources we have tried to include elements of the teaching carried out at the University of Essex whilst staying closely linked to A-level syllabi. About the authors These resources are based on the notes of Dr Chris McCully, who lectures in creative writing and literature at the University of Essex as well as being a freelance writer. Chris has thirty years of experience in academic writing and research spanning linguistics, philosophy, stylistics and literature. His current research interests surround the origins and development of poetic forms in English. Dr McCully’s work has been adapted for these resources by Mona Becker, a PhD student in the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies at the University of Essex You can find out more about the Department of Literature, Film and Theatre Studies and the courses they run at www.essex.ac.uk/lifts u www.essex.ac.uk/lifts Contents 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Rewritings of Circe
    Rewritings of Circe: Representation, Resistance, and Change in Feminist Revisionism Maria Karlsson English Studies – Literary Option Bachelor 15 Credits Spring Semester 2021 Supervisor: Asko Kauppinen Karlsson Abstract This paper analyses the feminist revisionism of the Circe-myth in the rewritings by Eudora Welty, Margaret Atwood, and Madeline Miller. To that end, the paper first examines three different ways of discussing rewritings: Jeremy M. Rosen’s genre of minor-character elaboration, Linda Hutcheon’s take on postmodern parody, and Alicia Ostriker’s feminist revisionist mythmaking. Then, after positioning itself with the feminist revisionism, the paper conducts a brief reading of the myth as it appears in the Odyssey, followed by readings of the three rewritings: Welty’s short story “Circe,” Atwood’s poetry cycle “Circe/Mud Poems,” and Miller’s novel Circe. Through the reading of these works together, a pattern emerges of criticising former representations, exploring why they are problematic, and resisting them in order to create change. Karlsson Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................... i 1. Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 1 2. Rewriting Myths................................................................................................................... 4 2.1. As a Genre .....................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Song of Achilles: a Novel
    THE SONG OF ACHILLES Madeline Miller Dedication To my mother, Madeline, and Nathaniel Contents Cover Title Page Dedication Chapter One Chapter Two Chapter Three Chapter Four Chapter Five Chapter Six Chapter Seven Chapter Eight Chapter Nine Chapter Ten Chapter Eleven Chapter Twelve Chapter Thirteen Chapter Fourteen Chapter Fifteen Chapter Sixteen Chapter Seventeen Chapter Eighteen Chapter Nineteen Chapter Twenty Chapter Twenty-One Chapter Twenty-Two Chapter Twenty-Three Chapter Twenty-Four Chapter Twenty-Five Chapter Twenty-Six Chapter Twenty-Seven Chapter Twenty-Eight Chapter Twenty-Nine Chapter Thirty Chapter Thirty-One Chapter Thirty-Two Chapter Thirty-Three Character Glossary Acknowledgments About the Author Credits Copyright About the Publisher Chapter One MY FATHER WAS A KING AND THE SON OF KINGS. HE was a short man, as most of us were, and built like a bull, all shoulders. He married my mother when she was fourteen and sworn by the priestess to be fruitful. It was a good match: she was an only child, and her father’s fortune would go to her husband. He did not find out until the wedding that she was simple. Her father had been scrupulous about keeping her veiled until the ceremony, and my father had humored him. If she was ugly, there were always slave girls and serving boys. When at last they pulled off the veil, they say my mother smiled. That is how they knew she was quite stupid. Brides did not smile. When I was delivered, a boy, he plucked me from her arms and handed me to a nurse. In pity, the midwife gave my mother a pillow to hold instead of me.
    [Show full text]