The Song of Achilles Book Review

"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. Despite their differences, Achilles befriends the shamed prince, and as they grow into young men skilled in the art of war and medicine, their bond blossoms into something deeper - despite the displeasure of Achilles's mother Thetis, a cruel sea goddess.

But when word comes that Helen of Sparta has been kidnapped, Achilles must go to war in distant Troy and fulfill his destiny. Torn between love and fear for his friend, Patroclus goes with him, little knowing that the years that follow will test everything they hold dear."

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller, exceeded every expectation I held previously. I had been looking forward to reading it for quite some time, since I'd heard so much about it from a couple friends on Tumblr. I have a mild(ly intense) fascination (obsession) with Ancient Greece, so I was keen to make the acquaintance of Patroclus and Achilles from a closer perspective. Of course, since I do not live under a rock, I was aware of the fact that *SPOILER ALERT* the two of them do not exit the war alive. What I did not know however, was just how deeply I would come to care for their characters.

I was also amazed at just how quickly I felt I knew them inside and out. It was only about eighty pages in, when I was reminiscing about how fond they'd grown of each other, and how easily and seamlessly their relationship and the story had progressed. I am often troubled by books with a long timeline as I tend to feel they are crammed, or are lacking in detail. Yet somehow Miller has very successfully captured twenty years worth of enticing plot onto only 352 pages...

The chapters are elegantly constructed, each word catching my breath as much as the next; every scene jumping off the page... It is incredibly eloquent and mature, with the right amount of humour and lust.

When I reached the end, I did not know how to feel. I'm not going to lie, that is a phrase I often use upon finishing a book, because it is most always true. But perhaps this time is the truest of all. I felt the most overwhelming tangle of emotions. Caught somewhere between grief, heartbreak, happiness, gratefulness, fulfilment, love, anguish, and bareness. With the last words being an echo from a previous line, my heart and soul completely burst as I fell into tears.

Madeline Miller is an incredible talent, and I feel absurdly lucky to have read this book. It has easily claimed top spot on my list of favorite books. I hold Patroclus and Achilles so close to my heart, and I will never forget my experience reading this book. 10/10 would recommend. I do not think you will ever find a more sublime or hypnotizing retelling of the classic Iliad.



You can purchase The Song of Achilles  by Madeline Miller here!
Just for good measure, if you're into reading the epics, click here for Homer's The Iliad.

Double Denim

     My most recent obsession is with the 90's. I love the naked faces with a swipe of brown-red lipstick, baggy clothes, tank tops, everything. Don't ask me why. Five years ago I was convinced that although all trends seem to make their rounds through the population more than once in a lifetime, the nineties would never happen again. But for months now, I have been eating my words.

     When I think about double denim, I can't help but have that Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake combo that happened, pop into my head. It's not something one easily forgets. (May his denim cowboy-esque fedora rest in peace).
   
     Although this isn't exactly a "90's outfit", when I got ready listening to the catchy choruses of none other than the Spice Girls, it was no wonder my mother pointed out that my outfit was (no doubt) a modern take on the double denim trend.

     I'm wearing vintage Big Blue jeans, one of my father's white undershirts (they're always the best), a J Crew denim jacket (no longer available), and these Vagabond shoes (New York New York anyone?).

     You will find me to be extremely jealous (jealousy is not a good look folks. Don't do it) of any gorgeous woman who can pull off the "no-makeup makeup". Unfortunately, I am not one of them. I have tried, trust me. Best leave it to Bella Hadid and Angelina Jolie circa 1994.

Wearing Chanel Creme Lipstick in number 18, Rouge Noir

   Let me know in the comments below what your latest obsession is. Have you too succumbed to the images of young Kate Moss and Gwen Stefani? Perhaps Topanga Lawrence or Aaliyah were more to your taste? Either way, I'm in love with them all!

Markets and Vintage Leather Jackets

Ever heard of the Camden Street Market? Because it is practically the best place to find anything and everything in the whole entire world. From bits and bobs, memorabilia, paintings, clothing, food, books, I could go on forever. A couple of days ago, my mum and I took a trip over to Camden to check it out. I was in awe with not only how huge it was, but also, with how much there was. Not all of it was cheap quality like you'd expect either. Some of the stalls had the most amazing things. Real fur coats, vintage trunks and suitcases, the most beautiful leather bound books, and some of the best smelling food my nose has taken a whiff of in a long time. One of the items I ended up taking home was a wonderful vintage leather jacket for only £10! It was an absolute steal. I was ecstatic when I tried it on and it fit perfectly. I wore it out today, and it was as cozy and comfortable as I had hoped.

Unfortunately the tag on the inside of the jacket is too worn out and no longer legible, so I have no idea on the brand or maker.

I paired it with Topshop boots (which are no longer available), these Topshop socks, a Topshop skirt that is also no longer available, a Primark v-neck tee (super soft and comfortable for only £3), Prada sunglasses that are no longer available (browse more Prada sunglasses here!), a Kenneth Cole Reaction cross-body purse which is the perfect size for all your essentials. I also tossed in one of those awesome chokers we all had as kids, because who doesn't love those?

I will definitely be going back to the Camden Market again sometime. If you live in the UK and have never been, I strongly suggest you go. It is loads of fun and there is seriously something for everybody.

Marc Jacobs Sneakers: My Saviour In Paris

I have been so fortunately vacationing in Paris with my parents this past week and it was absolutely everything I hoped it would be. Busy streets, good food, and beautiful buildings. We were there for eight days, and unfortunately, that meant eight days of walking for long periods of time. I am not such a fan of walking; I much prefer to be dancing or sitting. Walking, running, and standing aren't exactly my forte's. However, be that as it may, my dislike did not change the fact that I would spend my days exploring the ancient streets of Paris for up to five hours on foot.

I for one am a fan of some nice sturdy heeled boots. Comfy enough for short periods of time, plus, they make your legs look and feel super long and sexy (especially when paired with some nice flare jeans). But I do realize that they don't do as well with the practicality factor.

Right before we left for Paris, my mother and I took a trip down to Holt Renfrew in Vancouver to use up a gift card she had. We ended up purchasing a pair of Marc Jacobs sneakers for an excellent deal; with the added discount of the large gift card, we only ended up paying close to $25 for them. It was an absolute steal. I wore them down to breakfast on my first morning in Paris thinking that I would just wear them on the short trip down to the grocery store and back to the apartment. Give them a bit of a test run. They felt so excellent that eight hours later, after breakfast, and a long tour of the city from my Paris-map-educated father, I had completely forgotten that I was in fact wearing brand new shoes. Sans-socks. These shoes became my salvation.

The bottoms of my feet were only ever barely sore by the end of the day, and I never had an issue with blistering heels either. I like to wear mine zipped all the way to the top and they do not feel uncomfortable or tight around the ankle. I've never worn them with socks only because I fear the dreaded sock bunch under my heels as I can imagine my socks would slowly fall down my ankles the more I walk. But I have yet to find the need to. Admittedly your feet do get sweaty in them after many hours, especially when you're being active, but that is to be expected.

Unfortunately the shoes no longer come in the pattern I own, but they are still available in two different colors.

These shoes are the best buy we've made in a while, and cheekily, knowing that they are designer and we paid so little for them makes it all the sweeter! I seriously recommend these shoes, especially since they will look great with everything; pants, shorts, and skirts. This is my new ultimate way to not sacrifice fashion for comfort.

My First Blog Post!

Hello world, I'm Áıne, and tomorrow I am moving to London. Before any of you ask, no, not London, Ontario.. London, England. My life was turned upside down a couple months ago upon hearing the news that my dad got a new job In England. Anyone who knows anything about me knows that I am obsessed with anything, and everything British. Between fantasizing about attending London Fashion Week, keeping up to date with British pop-culture, juggling a busy dance schedule, and worrying about every other little thing in my life because I'm a stupid teenager, I have a clothing fetish. If I were as rich as the Kardashians, I would own just about every single piece of designer clothing ever made. Be that as it may, I find myself continuously stuck drooling over lines on the internet. Thank the Lord for Tumblr. Of course, once understanding that we’d be making the big move across the Atlantic Ocean, I thought immediately of three things: One, that my first stop would most definitely be Topshop at Oxford Circus (their flagship store); two, that I will now be so close to my favorite Youtubers and artists; and three, that I might finally fit in with my style. Vancouver is an absolutely gorgeous city, and I have loved living here, however it is not hard to see that I don’t quite fit in with my style. I just present myself slightly differently than most people here. I have always been a bit more outgoing than your stereotypical Vancouverite who’s uniform is often includes yoga pants. If you’re from here, you’ll know what I mean. But you see, in my mind, leggings are made for lounging around the house in. You will seldom find me roaming around in public sporting a pair of leggings. It’s just not how I roll.

For those of you that don't know, I have an awesome older sister with an even more awesome nail art blog entitled Globe and Nail.  I definitely think you should all go check her out.

Well anyways, I hope to give you all some inspiration with this blog. Whether that involves clothing, makeup products, food, nail polish, or anything else I am loving. I hope this works out. I am feeling very excited to start this new chapter in my life and I can’t wait to share it all with you.

Cheers!

Áıne

(p.s. my name is pronounced “On-ya”)