Mother of Rome by Lauren Bear

Lauren Bear debuted her first novel, Medusa’s Sisters, in 2023, a tale of Greek Mythology focusing on the sisters of Medusa and their relationship to the world and gods around them. It was evocative, compelling, and simply stunning. Bear has a wonderful capacity to take sidelined women and fully draw out their characters in an evocative Greek Myth that stands on its own two feet, outshining their more famous male co-characters.

In her second novel Mother of Rome Bear tackles the story of Rhea Silva, Princess, lover, mother, wolf. Ultimately Rhea is the mother of twins Romulus and Remus who would go on to found the Roman Empire. But the genesis of that great empire lies in the overlooked story of a forgotten princess.

In this tale, Rhea is the only daughter of King Numitor. Her mother and eldest brother were lost to illness years before, and when her youngest brother is taken, grief overwhelms her father and plunges the Kingdom into an opium fueled dream in which brother usurps brother, and princess becomes priestess. Rhea is sentenced by her Uncle to join the Vestal Virgins, to devote the next thirty years to the goddess in bonds of celibacy and service. Unbeknownst to anyone however, Rhea has been courted by the Roman god Mars, and before she takes her vows, she gives herself to him. The resulting pregnancy leaves her sentenced to death, and leaves her Uncle in fear of her missing sons for the rest of his life. However Rhea’s story does not end with death at the hands of the Vestal Virgins. As Mars told her once, she was not destined for any mortal story, and at the moment of death she makes a deal with the goddess Cybele, whom her mother was faithful to, and finds new life in the wilderness with her sons, and with the great river god Tiberinus.

Rhea Silva has many lives in the course of her story, as princess, daughter, and beloved cousin, her life is one of charm and idyllic days. She and her cousin grow together, and dream of their futures. She is realistic and knows she must marry, but Rhea has a loving father, who will not cast her before an unwanted suitor for the sake of kingdom only. Their legacy appears to be one of love and respect. His decline into opium fueled oblivion is tragic, and watching it unfurl, you feel along with Rhea the loss of a beloved father. Their relationship evokes everything I love about the relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. Her time spent with the Vestal Virgins is not without its benefits either, though it seems at first blush to be a life sentence and punishment. She learns things about the order that she did not know before, and finds new love and respect for the women there, where once she barely gave their work a second thought. While the women struggle to find a place for Rhea, and ultimately are instrumental in her fall, there is redemption to be found in the bonds of sisterhood, and in the end their story comes full circle and joins with Rhea once more in her final days. Her third life in this story occurs after her first death, in the raising of her sons, and joining with the hill people in community and peace. She learns how to trust again, learns the value of community first hand that her father had instilled in his life before grief took him. With the people of the hills she learns how to put herself to service, and how to work side by side for a greater good even when mistrust is still there.

Then there are the love stories. Rhea’s loves are many, for her father, her cousin, her mother and brothers, sexually for the god Mars, and then a mother’s love for her sons. Her love for the god Tiberinus is the final piece of her love story, and is beautiful and engaging to read. The final scenes where the gods come together to discuss Rhea is one of the most delightful scenes in the story.

However the love story that lingers long after you close the book, is that of Rhea’s cousin Antho and the Roman guard Leandros. Antho is the daughter of the King’s brother, who becomes the King’s daughter in the wake of her father’s treachery. She is not loved well by either parent, but is loved by Rhea and her family so very well. There is no jealousy in Antho, no bitterness, but there is abounding love and an abundance of resilience. Rhea’s story may be elaborate and the main thrust of the narrative. But the quiet story of Antho, the maligned princess, being forced into a political marriage, who bides her time with patience and fortitude, building her own empire of trust within the kingdom, is simply stunning. Her love and the reciprocal love of the guard Leandros is an amazing juxtaposition to the life and loves of Rhea. Their love is strong and sound, it runs deeper than the Tiber, and survives all that is thrown against it. The agency of Antho in the relationship is profound, and she claims full control of her own life, love, and body, even when forced into marriage with an odious elder statesman. Antho is in control within the circumstances she finds herself, and when Rhea has need, Antho answers the call every time.

The love story between Antho and Rhea surfaces through all of this. Where a lesser writer might have written of envy and jealousy between cousins, Bear writes love and support. Where you might expect the lesser cousin to glory and revel in her own rise and want to keep her cousin down, Antho wants nothing more than to restore her cousins’ honor and glory. For both stars to rise, for them to be reunited once more in a better kingdom. For everyone who adored that moment in Frozen where the true love of sisters broke the curse, the relationship between Antho and Rhea will fill your heart tenfold.

After Bear’s debut novel, I was excited to get my hands on her next story and this book surpassed all my expectations. I was excited back then to see what she would tackle next and I am even more excited now. Her growth as a writer is evident in her devotion and skill with lyrical prose and in the relationships she crafts with skill. For any one with a love of myth or female centric stories, Mother of Rome will delight long after you turn the last page.

Mother of Rome was released this week by Ace Books. GeekMom received a copy of this book for review purposes.