The Song of Troy vs Troilus and Criseyde: Which Should You Read?
Both live on shelves: Greeks, Trojan War, Greek Mythology, Fiction
The Song of Troy
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Retelling of the tragic and terrible saga of the Trojan war, a 3000-year-old tale of enduring love, abiding hate, vengeance, betrayal, honour and sacrifice.
Troilus and Criseyde
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A 1932 translation into modern English of a text written by Chaucer in c.1385, the story being set in Classical Antiquity around 800 B.C. and being a love story concerning its two principal characters, the Trojan…
Side by side
The verdict
- Readers rate The Song of Troy highest: The Song of Troy 4.0 · Troilus and Criseyde 3.7.
- Troilus and Criseyde is the quickest read — about 5 hours vs 9 for The Song of Troy.
- Troilus and Criseyde has the widest readership — 7362 ratings behind its score.
How to choose
Scores by source
| The Song of Troy | Troilus and Criseyde | |
|---|---|---|
| Goodreads | 4.0 (3567) | 3.8 (7362) |
| Hardcover | 3.8 (13) | 3.0 (5) |
Reception
| The Song of Troy | Troilus and Criseyde | |
|---|---|---|
| Ratings | 3567 | 7362 |
| Editions | 11 | 143 |
| Film adaptations | 1 | 1 |
| Want to read | — | 6994 |
| Reading it now | — | 207 |
| Written reviews | — | 418 |
| Wikipedia attention | — | 3377 |
| Pages | 523 | 309 |
Questions readers ask
Which is rated higher: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Criseyde?
The Song of Troy has the higher combined reader rating across sources (The Song of Troy 4.0/5, Troilus and Criseyde 3.7/5).
Which is shorter to read: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Criseyde?
Troilus and Criseyde is the quickest read. Estimated at 225 words per minute: Troilus and Criseyde (309 pages, ≈ 5 h 43 m); The Song of Troy (523 pages, ≈ 9 h 41 m).
Which is harder to read: The Song of Troy or Troilus and Criseyde?
Estimated difficulty, based on era, reader shelves and length — The Song of Troy: Moderate; Troilus and Criseyde: Demanding.