Mother of Rome by Lauren J. A. Bear pulls back the curtain behind Rome’s foundation myth. Most everyone may be familiar with the mythical story of Romulus and Remus, twin boys found and nursed by a she-wolf, who went on to found the city of Rome.
This novel shows that without their birth mother, Rhea Silvia, none of it would be possible.
Mother of Rome is a fresh retelling. Very few modern retellings delve into Roman lore; instead, they opt for Greek myths. Set just outside the Seven Hills in Alba Longa, the capital of the Latin League, the book introduces teenage Rhea Silvia, privileged daughter of the king.
Another central character is Rhea’s cousin, Antho. When Antho’s father usurps the king, his brother, the kingdom and Rhea’s world get turned upside down. For fear that any child she bears would threaten his rule, Rhea’s uncle forces her to join the order of the Vestal Virgins.
But Rhea has other plans. She calls on the god Mars for assistance. When it’s discovered that Rhea Silvia is pregnant, she faces capital punishment for breaking the rules of the Vestals.
Surviving this turmoil, Rhea now relies on her wits and no one but herself, hiding out deep in the woods. She safely delivers her twin boys, but is discovered by her uncle’s soldiers.
This time, Rhea is saved by a goddess, Cybele, who offers Rhea choice: while her human form is dying, Rhea’s essence can live on by being transformed into a wolf. Each new moon, Rhea can live once again as a woman. She accepts Cybele’s offer without hesitation and, as her first act as a lupine, rescues her twins from certain death.
Thematically, Mother of Rome is a love letter to motherhood. It also turns the werewolf legend on its head–a woman becoming a wolf.
As a wolf, Rhea nursed her sons, until a shepherd and his wife discovered them and adopted the boys; Romulus and Remus, as they come to be known, have the best chance in life being raised by humans. The wolf, as no one yet knows her real identity, is still able to remain close and look in after her children.
While initially difficult for Rhea to accept giving up her boys, ultimately, she knows this decision is for the best. She embraces the simple beauty of being alive and experiencing the fierce yet pure love of a mother for her children. Plus, an unexpected romance finds its way to her every new moon, and Rhea feels happy for the first time in her life.
However, when her boys’ lives are threatened and they are discovered by the evil king, it will take Rhea and all of her friends and allies to set things to right and finally retake the kingdom.
Toward the end of Mother of Rome, Rhea tends to take a step back from her own story. Until this point, most of the chapters revolve around Rhea and Antho’s points of view. It does make sense to bring her sons to the forefront, though Rhea is such a strong and compelling protagonist, and this takes away from the female perspective.
Some minor characters get one chapter from their points of view. As the book goes on, there are different character POVs that mostly move the plot forward and offer insight into these characters, but not all of them felt completely necessary, especially for the villains. Instead, sticking to major characters like Rhea, Antho, Romulus, or Remus would still work; too many narrators can make novels feel cluttered, and some voices in Mother of Rome are not memorable.
Much of the latter parts of the novel follow Antho’s slow rebellion against her father, as she’s always been loyal to her cousin first and foremost. There’s also a forbidden love aspect between Antho and one of the royal guards that is as sweet as it is tender.
Antho has a different kind of strength than her more headstrong and fierce cousin. She possesses a quiet, inner strength that allows her to bear all the hardships of her life–being married to a cruel older man, separated from her true love, and accepting her father for the usurper and terrible king he is. She goes through as much of a transformation as Rhea.
Throughout the novel, there are some anachronisms, like the mention of gravity. Modern language and turns of phrase are also dotted throughout, sometimes pulling the reader out of the meticulously crafted ancient world setting.
No other legend or retelling before Mother of Rome has theorized that Rhea Silvia and the wolf who nurses Romulus and Remus are one and the same. This novel is brilliant for bringing these two aspects together. It combines nearly all the Roman origin myths seamlessly.
Hearing directly from an author about choices they made often enhances books, and it would have been wonderful to have a longer author’s note here. Mother of Rome is Lauren J. A. Bear’s sophomore novel, and we eagerly anticipate whatever she is working on next.
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Amanda Larch Hinchman
Amanda Larch works as a writer and editor when she’s not in the middle of a good book. Learn more about her work and view her portfolio at www.amandalarchwriter.com/ and keep up with her on Goodreads @_groovyginger_.
