Content & Trigger Warnings for The Song of Achilles (2011)
12 content warnings identified for this book.
Quick Summary
Yes, The Song of Achilles (2011) contains 12 content warnings : Homophobia / transphobia (depicted), Racial slurs / racism (depicted), Death of a child, Grief / bereavement (major focus), Gaslighting / emotional manipulation, War / combat, Age-gap relationships (predatory), Explicit sexual content / nudity, Child abuse / harm to children, Gore / graphic violence, Sexual assault / rape, Slavery / forced labor.
The most severe warnings are for Grief / bereavement (major focus) (severity 5/5), War / combat (severity 4/5), Gore / graphic violence (severity 4/5).
Check the full breakdown below before you read.
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| Warning | Severity | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identity & Discrimination | |||
| Homophobia / transphobia (depicted) | 2/5 | Depicted | Social stigma around the male romantic relationship |
| Racial slurs / racism (depicted) | 2/5 | Depicted | Dehumanization of enemies and enslaved peoples |
| Mental Health & Emotional | |||
| Death of a child | 3/5 | Depicted | Young soldiers die in battle; child sacrifice referenced |
| Grief / bereavement (major focus) | 5/5 | Depicted | The novel builds toward devastating grief surrounding the deaths of beloved characters during the Trojan War, and grief is the emotional core of the story. |
| Other | |||
| Gaslighting / emotional manipulation | 2/5 | Depicted | Agamemnon and others manipulate Achilles politically |
| War / combat | 4/5 | Depicted | The Trojan War is the central setting with extensive battle scenes |
| Sexual Content | |||
| Age-gap relationships (predatory) | 2/5 | Depicted | The relationship between Achilles' parents involves Thetis (an immortal) and a mortal king, and there are references to customs involving young women given to warriors. |
| Explicit sexual content / nudity | 3/5 | Depicted | Sexual relationship between Achilles and Patroclus depicted |
| Violence & Physical Harm | |||
| Child abuse / harm to children | 3/5 | Depicted | Achilles' traumatic childhood; children harmed in wartime |
| Gore / graphic violence | 4/5 | Depicted | Graphic descriptions of battlefield violence and death |
| Sexual assault / rape | 3/5 | Depicted | Briseis and other women taken as war prizes and sexually enslaved |
| Slavery / forced labor | 3/5 | Depicted | War captives are taken as slaves, including women captured during the Greek raids; Briseis is a prominent enslaved character. |
Identity & Discrimination
Mental Health & Emotional
The novel builds toward devastating grief surrounding the deaths of beloved characters during the Trojan War, and grief is the emotional core of the story.
Other
Agamemnon and others manipulate Achilles politically
Sexual Content
The relationship between Achilles' parents involves Thetis (an immortal) and a mortal king, and there are references to customs involving young women given to warriors.
Sexual relationship between Achilles and Patroclus depicted
Violence & Physical Harm
War captives are taken as slaves, including women captured during the Greek raids; Briseis is a prominent enslaved character.
