The Song of Achilles. Madeline Miller. 2012. Ecco. 369 pages. [Source: Kindle Unlimited.] Madeline Miller’s take on Greek mythology might become my new favorite genre. I was first introduced to her through Circe, and it was a no-brainer when I connected that she also wrote The Song of Achilles. My reading was a hybrid of ebook and audiobook, and neither disappointed. The Song of Achilles is told from the perspective of Patroclus, an “orphaned” prince who finds himself exiled to Phthia. Here, king Peleus takes Patroclus in as a foster child of sorts, and Achilles makes him a companion. The book then follows the pair as Achilles leans into family legacy and training as a soldier. Along the way, they forge a bond that few truly understand, but (most) respect nonetheless. Much of the book takes place during the Trojan War. I’ve seen depictions of the war and its causes over time, but Miller gives an easy-to-understand overview of how exactly these two find themselves square in the middle of the battle, with Achilles as a central part of the struggle not only among the Greeks but also in the battles. It is here that Miller’s writing was most compelling;…

The Two Lives of Sara. Catherine Adel West. 2022. Park Row. 320 pages. [Source: Public Library.] The Two Lives of Sara opens with the titular character musing about her new life. Having fled Chicago only months prior, she’s still adjusting to life in Memphis, not only as a newcomer in the community but as a new mother as well. Her son, Lebanon, is a responsibility she’ll take, but bringing herself to connect with and love him is a task almost too much to bear because of what he represents to her. As she gets her bearings, she joins a tight-knit group of residents who make their home in The Scarlet Poplar, a boarding house run by Mama Sugar. To say Sara has trauma is an understatement. She is reminded constantly of her abusive life in Chicago, and is still grieving the loss of relationships with her loved ones. Much of this book felt like watching Sara try to settle into her new community and while simultaneously fighting against the feeling of trust and safety among people who came to care deeply for her and Lebanon. She spends a lot of time and energy resisting relationships and the possibility of building…

The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois.  Honoree Fanonne Jeffers. 2021. Harper. 801 pages. [Source: Public library.] The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois is an early contender for my favorite read of 2022. It recounts the history of the Pinchard family through the juxtaposition of modern-day experiences of its protagonist, Ailey Garfield, and flashbacks to the lives of her ancestors as far back as Africa during the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Throughout the book, Jeffers pulls the reader forward and backward through centuries, giving snapshots of the family’s experiences in and around the rural town of Chicasetta, Georgia. Clocking in at just over 800 pages, Love Songs is a substantive read, not only in length but also in breadth. Jeffers addresses a wide range of topics related to slavery in the U.S., and by centering the small town she’s able to dig into topics like racism, segregation, and colorism. Jeffers’ approach obviously centers the enslavement of Black members of the Pinchard family, but in doing so, she also examines the complicated relationships that included indigenous people — the Creek who predated plantations — and the white families that established plantations. As the title alludes to, the scholarship of W.E.B. Du…