I love the historical fiction books based on mythology. This one was very interesting and I enjoyed the different perspectives. What I really loved was the relationship between Rhea and her cousin. Even though they weren't together most of the book, you could see how their relationship influenced the way they acted throughout. Honestly, there were so many times I thought it would be the end, even though I knew it couldn't. Lauren does a great job of keeping you on your toes and really delves into the characters throughout.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

I was not prepared for how much I would love this. I couldn't put this one down. I only vaguely knew some of the story of Remus and Romulus, so getting to really dive into some of this mythology through their mother and her journey was the absolute best. This was gripping, maddening, and ultimately tore a little of my heart out. I can't wait for more from Lauren Bear because she took a topic I wasn't super excited to read and made it something I can't stop thinking about.

An absolute stunner of a novel - I could not put it down. Bear weaves a fascinating tale of Rhea Silvia and the before Romulus and Remus. Such a strong female character - Rhea is distraught over the loss of her family and forced by her uncle to become a Vestal Virgin, but not before she is impregnated by the God of war, Mars. When her pregnancy comes to life, she is condemned to death. But somehow she survives and gives birth to sons who will go on to found Rome. Rhea consistently is trampled by those around her but she never gives up and her love for her sons knows no bounds.

A beautiful story of motherly love, resilience and power, Mother of Rome was impossible to put down. Engaging and powerful.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a digital ARC of this title!

Title: Mother of Rome   
Author: Lauren J. A. Bear      
Genre: Fantasy   
Rating: 4.2 out of 5

The names Romulus and Remus may be immortalized in map and stone and chronicle, but their mother exists only as a preface to her sons’ journey, the princess turned oath-breaking priestess, condemned to death alongside her children.

But she did not die; she survived. And so does her story.

Beautiful, royal, rich: Rhea has it all—until her father loses his kingdom in a treacherous coup, and she is sent to the order of the Vestal Virgins to ensure she will never produce an heir.

Except when mortals scheme, gods laugh.

Rhea becomes pregnant, and human society turns against her. Abandoned, ostracized, and facing the gravest punishment, Rhea forges a dangerous deal with the divine, one that will forever change the trajectory of her life…and her beloved land.

To save her sons and reclaim their birthright, Rhea must summon nature’s mightiest force – a mother’s love – and fight.

All roads may lead to Rome, but they began with Rhea Silvia.

Going into this, I expected to DNF it because my attention wandered due to slow pacing. That is not what happened. Instead, I binge-read this in one sitting. Rhea was a fascinating character, and I enjoyed her point of view so much! She grew a lot through the course of this book, and it was fascinating to read through her journey. Antho was also a great story, and I enjoyed her story very much. Definitely recommend this read!

Lauren J. A. Bear lives in Seattle. Mother of Rome is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Berkley Publishing Group/Ace in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 3/11).

A story of female empowerment and rage, Mother of Rome is a story of the twin founders of Rome's mother. Rhea Silvia journeys from princess to priestess to outcast to mother and so much more through this story that spans approximately 18 years. Though I was not really attached to any of the characters, there journey is impactful and explores particularly how much women impact the stories of history even if they are not told.

I can't decide how I feel about the ending. At once, it feels both disingenuous to this journey we have gone on with Ilia but also a statement that mothers are also women and that shouldn't be there only sense of identity. Also, there were points where the writing style changed and really threw me out of the story (there is a scene where Rhea is speaking to the spirits of her mother, grandmother, founding mother of Alba Longa, and a goddess where the story suddenly becomes a playscript).

I do think this is worth the read, even if I wasn't in love with the book, characters, or story. I am more familiar with Greek mythology than Roman mythology, so it was interesting to dive into the events that led to the birth and rise of the Silvia twins who founded Rome.

Review going live February 17

This is at its heart a story of motherhood and a story of families. I loved the focus on Rhea Silvia (Ilia) and Antho. These two were really the heart of this re-imagining. I loved how this feminist retelling wove in mythical realism with myth. I love that hard choices needed to be made and how the characters felt very real consequences. This is a story for any fan of Roman and Greek mythology. 4.4 nights on the roof stars.

Mother of Rome was such a gorgeous, gorgeous retelling and story of a mother’s lover (with a side of female rage).

This was such a well written account of someone who may not be as well known in Roman mythology. I remember the story of Romulus and Remus from when I was child, but I don’t recall anything about their mother. Rhea Silvia lived many different lives and Lauren J. A. Bear truly did her story a service with Mother of Rome. I felt so many emotions while I read this novel - heartbreak from all of the loved ones Rhea loses, rage over everything that is taken from her, hope when you see her resilience again and again. The story is mainly told from Rhea’s point of view, though we also get others from time to time. The views of the women in Rhea’s life, especially her cousin Antho, are the ones that make the most impact as they center the women of the time’s stories.

I don’t read many mythology retellings, but Mother of Rome has definitely put me in the mood for more. I found this very approachable for someone who is not used to retellings (or historical fiction), so if you are looking to dip your toes in to the genre this is a great one to start with. I’m so pleased to see this author has another novel in her backlist and I look forward to checking it out.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for a review copy.

After her uncle takes the throne from her father, Princess Rhea is decreed to spend the rest of her life as a Vestal Virgin. However, the gods have other plans. Sometime earlier, Rhea encountered an enormous wolf. The wolf, impressed by Rhea’s bravery, revealed himself to be the god Mars. Rhea is strong-willed yet powerless when the organizations she’s been taught to honor become the instruments of her downfall. In an act of defiance, Rhea calls upon Mars the night before she is to enter the Vestal order. When the sun rises the following day, Rhea will carry the future of a nation within her womb.

This is a lavish story about the connection between women and the power of motherhood. The story is passionate in its motivation and gut-wrenching in its misfortune. The historical setting and social structures are resplendent in detail. The prose is evocative and vivid, which wraps around the reader and doesn’t let go until the final pages. With the help of the gods and her ancestors, Rhea’s life will not be silenced. It is a truly talented author who can create such a rich and stirring character that the reader is moved to tears in its final pages when their remarkable journey must come to its end. Mother of Rome is a breathtaking feminist tale about the founding of a nation and the everlasting and unsung power of women. Highly recommended.

Fascinating and unique storytelling about the history of the founding of Rome. Rhea Silvia, daughter of Numitor, deposed king of Alba Longa, was banned by her uncle Amulius, the new king, to live with the Vestal Virgins. Amulius deposed Numitor by having him drugged and addicted. Rhea had a great friendship with Amulius's daughter, Antho, who was in love with a Greek guard. Before going to the Vestals, Rhea sleeps with Mars. She becomes pregnant by the god.
The story is about her life trying to save the kingdom and to care for her sons, who she named Viridis and Canus. Rhea becomes a wolf after giving birth and being attacked. The twins are raised by Faustulus and his wife, and are renamed Romulus and Remus.
I knew about Romulus and Remus, and this was an interesting retelling of the ancient myth.

Special thanks to Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I have always been a mythology kid so growing up I read the myths of many different ancient cultures as if they were scripture. Recently in more modern times there has been an influx of authors retelling the myths from the woman's perspective. I have read and reviewed quite a few many authors that do the genre immense justice, and I can 100% confidently say that Lauren J.A. Bear is in that group!!

Even if someone isn't a mythology nerd, everyone has more or less heard the story of Romulus and Remus raised by a she wolf and eventually starting the great city of Rome. But does anyone ever really know about who their mother truly was? I could say for myself I knew her name, but never her story. J.A. Bear does a wonderful job weaving a beautiful tale of the mother of the twins. Instead of a brief line in a mythology book, Rhea is now a fully fleshed out mythological beast of her own (see what I did there?).

J.A. Bear is great at keeping the flow of the story at a speed that constantly forces you to want more. In life you get busy, maybe you can only read a chapter here and there between work and everything else...but this story sticks in your mind until you can fulfill it! I was entranced by everything happening and even the liberties J.A. Bear took with creating "new" characters felt perfectly placed within the story. Emotions run high with this book and you truly feel what the characters are feeling.

If you're a mythology nerd, if you love stories about women being strong baddies, if you love a tail of high highs and low lows...this is THE book! I cannot wait to get my hands on J.A. Bear's other novels since this one really hit the spot! 10/10 !!

This was a wonderful book about a woman in history of whom I had heard little. It's sad to think we all know of Romulus and Remus but know nothing of the mother that brought them to life. And, just like the Rome we came to know, her story started in a viper's den of power grabbing, jealousy, and unrequited love. One thing I appreciated about this book is I really felt the futility of the Antho and Rhea Silva at their prospects and their lives. They had no control over their fate but still managed to carve out some happiness and bide their time to exact revenge. The benefit (if you could call it that) of women not being included is that they are often overlooked. Both women use that to their advantage to get what they want in the end.

It seems that so little is known of the historical figures that practically everything is up for speculation in a historical fiction. I appreciated how the author chose to give Rhea a relationship during her time as a wolf for companionship rather than sexual gratification. It would be very lonely trapped in the body of a wolf and Rhea needed someone to speak to.

All in all I think this is a wonderful book about woman's perseverance and love in the face of adversity.

Book review: 5/5 ⭐️
Genre: mythology
Themes: power, prophecy, enduring hardship
📖 Read if you like: Atalanta, Stone Blind, Circe

This is everything I hope for when I open a book! Based off the lore of Remus and Romulus, The Mother of Rome follows Rhea Silvia and her cousin Antho. Both princesses forced into the shadows by domineering men set upon steering their fates. This is the story of how they rebelled and took hold of their own lives and the lives of their children. It is full of cruelty and heart ache, but also the fierce love between kin and the power to not only survive, but thrive under any circumstances. A marvel of storytelling.

Rhea Silvia is the wild and carefree daughter of King Numitor and Queen Jocasta of Latinium. Beloved by her parents and with the freedom of choice, her life is one of ease and enjoyment. When tragedy strikes stealing one brother after the next, along with their cherished mother, the world Rhea once knew crumbles overnight. Drowning in his grief, the level headed and wise king gives up his crown to his conniving and cruel younger brother, who shares no love for Rhea and the face of her mother she so clearly wears. Abandoned by her father, Rhea is forced to become a Vestal Virgin, but she will not give up what is most precious so easily. With one night of lust in the woods, her fate is sealed. So too is that of her adored cousin Antho.

Ever obedient and well behaved, Antho must now birth the future heir to the throne, but her heart is already taken by another. Forced into servitude and debasement by a husband three times her age, she makes her own plans of vengeance. Biding her time, Antho proves kindness is not to be overlooked.

A story of gods and fate, of the bonds between sisters, and of transformation this was a beautifully crafted tale. Both women are tragically complicated, flawed, yet full of hope. Finding a reason to survive amidst the turmoil of upheaval and fulfill the prophecy as descendents of Aeneas of Troy. It is just as much about power and family dynamics, as it is about love and finding ways to stand up for yourself.

A journey full of hardship and endurance with two beautiful souls at its centre who both experience their own metamorphoses in these pages. Evoking the age of Roman gods, this retelling is enchanting with an immersive style of writing and thoughtfully created characters.

Thank you to Berkeley and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. Now if you’ll excuse me, I will have to go and read all of this author’s backlist.

I vaguely remember the story of Romulus and Remus from high school and have forgotten most of it since. I’m very much enjoying these retellings of these stories that really bring the characters to life and give the full story (not sure how much of it is steeped in tradition and how much is creative license) to the myth. This was wonderful! Rhea’s story was so fascinating and I loved following along as the boys grew and eventually challenged Rhea’s uncle. The tale was engrossing and I couldn’t get enough of the intrigue and politics of the time. Highly recommended!

Mother of Rome, by Lauren A. J. Bear, is a marvelous and richly imaginative retelling of the classic tale of the birth of Romulus and Remus, and the founding of Rome.
Rather than a dreary story filled with Latin names and ancient battles, this is a fascinating novel filled with family drama, treachery, and politics. In the years prior to Rome’s inception, the tribes of what is now Italy were members of the Latin league, vying for regional power. Rhea Ilia Silvia, descendant of Aeneas, the Greek hero, is a pawn in the battle for control of Alba Longa between her father and uncle. She is sent to the Vestal Virgins so she cannot produce heirs. But Mars, the god of war, has other plans.
Bear makes this story sing with her intelligent prose and rich descriptions of ancient tribes and lands, bringing their legends to life. She is adept at illustrating how the lines are blurred between spirits, gods and mortals in this society. In this novel, the emphasis on female courage and tenacity is central, leaving the male characters in a somewhat lesser light. Their unsavory scheming and pugilistic behaviors hinder the progress of what will become a rich civilization.
I enjoy mythology and tales of ancient times, but often find them slow moving and dry reading.
This novel is dynamic, always moving forward with its creativity, descriptive prose, and an amazing female protagonist. I highly recommend this to readers of classics, period drama and strong female characters.

Thank you to Berkley Besties, PRH books and Netgalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.

4.75 stars

“… she held all their empathies and judgements upon her young shoulders, obliging their ritual with the shallow reverence of an unwilling participant.”

Mother of Rome is a sweeping, poignant tale that focuses on Rhea Silvia, mother of Romulus and Remus. This reimagining of the legend is done artfully in a way that centers the female voices of the story—Rhea herself, as well as her cousin, Antho.

One of the things I loved most about this story is that the female characters are given agency and act, rather than merely being acted upon. There is tragedy and suffering, yes, but there is ultimately triumph over the machinations of men. And that feels important, especially during times like these.

Author Lauren J.A. Bear deftly utilizes multiple POVs throughout to fully sketch out the frame of this story, while also demonstrating her extensive knowledge of the myths she is iterating. Fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe will most likely also enjoy this novel. Though each author has their own style, there are overlapping themes in both works that will resonate with readers.

Overall, this was a beautifully tragic, yet empowering story, and I look forward to reading more of Bear’s work.

In Mother of Rome, Lauren J.A. Bear has created a powerful and riveting reimagining of a Roman legend, creating a new narrative by focusing on Rhea Silvia. It is a tale of treachery, betrayal and scheming but it is also a story of love and justice, both a mother’s love but also family love.
From the very beginning of this riveting reimagining, I loved the sharp tone of Rhea Silvia, her fiery passion and her fierce dedication to her sons and her family. I love the fascinating view of greed and the machinations of her uncle. What works well in this narrative is the way the story changes point of views from Rhea to her cousin Antho, whose quiet rebellion and strength is equally powerful in this novel. We even get insight into the views of both their fathers, giving us insight into the background characters. Ultimately, I love how justice is served in this story and how the historical aspects blend with the fantastical, how the Gods intervene and how they interact with Rhea and her sons. It is a powerful and rich story.
If you like historical fantasy, if you are fascinated by the legend of Romulus and Remus, this novel with its riveting reimagining of that narrative is for you. With passionate characters and powerful protagonists, it is a story like none other. And in the end, it is truly Rhea Silvia’s tale, her power and the power of women that is the highlight.

Like many women featured in mythological retellings, Rhea Silvia's story is one of heartbreak and injustice. When her grieving father cedes power to his brother, the new king ensures that Rhea won't be a threat to his bloodline by forcing her to join the Vestal Virgins. Before she leaves, a chance encounter with the god Mars changes her life forever. Rhea is a force to be reckoned with and Mother of Rome is a beautiful story of love, grief and rising from the ashes.

Many thanks to Berkley and Netgalley for the ARC.

truly was on fire with my final reads of 2024, this one also took me by surprise - it’s a mythological retelling, which i absolutely adore, and i was obsessed with the way that this makes rhea and the other women of the story the main protagonists and action-takers, in opposition to the way that the myth of the creation of rome so heavily centers on the men. the characters are brilliant and messy and i’m such a huge fan of all the creative liberties that bear took in crafting her version of this story. fellow roman mythology girlies, get ur mitts on this one.

This retelling of the creation of Rome was quite interesting. It started a little slowly for me, but it definitely grew to grabbing my interest. Rhea was a great character and it was interesting to see her tragic life. The writing was good and I felt the history coming to life for me on the pages. Rhea knows nothing will be the same when her last brother dies, but she didn’t expect her father to fall so deeply into addiction that his brother would steal his throne. I love the way the gods were so present and real in this story. I feel like Greek mythology seems to get so much more attention than Roman and it was nice to see this perspective and side. I haven’t read anything by this author before, but I definitely think I will read more in the future.