Mother of Rome

Hardcover
$30.00 US
| $39.99 CAN
On sale Jan 14, 2025 | 400 Pages | 9780593638941
Grades 9-12
A powerful and fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history’s greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.

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.
“Superb. . . .Themes of sisterhood and motherhood, nature and wildness, survival, and love in its many forms resonate throughout. Bear weaves a layered, captivating story of the two tenacious women behind the birth of Rome that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for readers who love mythological retellings like Madeline Miller’s Circe or those who enjoy tales of fierce women seizing control of their own destiny.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Medusa's Sisters
Medusa's Sisters totally destroyed me. A moving tale of sisterhood and heartbreak. . . . this book had its claws in me from the very first page - pun intended.”—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart

A gorgeously crafted retelling of Greek mythology, Medusa’s Sisters is a celebration of the many faces love can wear.” —BookPage (starred review)

“Medusa’s two almost-forgotten sisters--- Stheno and Euryale---come to enchanting life, telling their own stories, bound to Medusa yet separate and fiercely free to make their own destiny. Medusa’s Sisters gives us an intimate look at what it means be an immortal yet walk and live among human beings. Lyrical, exquisitely detailed, and poignant.”—Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of Helen of Troy and The Confessions of Young Nero

"Debut novelist Bear has artfully fashioned an entrancing tale that not only perfectly captures in poetic prose both the fabled glories and gritty realities of ancient Greece, but also features a trio of sisters, who, despite being mythological beings, seem all-too real and relatable by virtue of Bear’s gift for incisive characterization."Booklist

"Alive with soaring poetry and myth, Medusa's Sisters sparkles as a delightfully feminist subversion of the maligned and forgotten Gorgon women, reframing and bringing their shadowy legend fiercely, vengefully, into the light. A bold and beautiful tale about sisterhood, motherhood, and what it truly means to be a woman."—Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of The Witch and the Tsar

“Bear handles the different voices of Stheno and Euryale with masterful skill and wit… With stellar writing and her focus on Medusa’s forgotten sisters, Bear’s contribution to the sub-genre of mythic retellings is not to be missed. Highly recommended.”—Historical Novels Review

“Fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe will want to check out Medusa’s Sisters, a feminist take on the infamous Gorgon and her siblings Stheno and Euryale. Like the best mythological tales, Medusa’s Sisters is about more than gods and monsters, exploring the bonds of sisterhood and the quest to leave a lasting legacy.”Parade


© Heidi Leonard
LAUREN J. A. BEAR was born in Boston and raised in Long Beach. After studying English at UCLA, and education at Loyola Marymount University, she worked for a decade as a middle-school teacher focused on literacy and humanities.  Lauren lives in Seattle with her husband and three young children where she enjoys crossword puzzles and being on or near the water without getting wet. She is the author of Medusa's Sisters. View titles by Lauren J. A. Bear

About

A powerful and fierce reimagining of the earliest Roman legend: the twins, Romulus and Remus, mythical founders of history’s greatest empire, and the woman whose sacrifice made it all possible.

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.

Reviews

“Superb. . . .Themes of sisterhood and motherhood, nature and wildness, survival, and love in its many forms resonate throughout. Bear weaves a layered, captivating story of the two tenacious women behind the birth of Rome that will resonate with readers long after the final page. Highly recommended for readers who love mythological retellings like Madeline Miller’s Circe or those who enjoy tales of fierce women seizing control of their own destiny.”—Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Medusa's Sisters
Medusa's Sisters totally destroyed me. A moving tale of sisterhood and heartbreak. . . . this book had its claws in me from the very first page - pun intended.”—Genevieve Gornichec, author of The Witch's Heart

A gorgeously crafted retelling of Greek mythology, Medusa’s Sisters is a celebration of the many faces love can wear.” —BookPage (starred review)

“Medusa’s two almost-forgotten sisters--- Stheno and Euryale---come to enchanting life, telling their own stories, bound to Medusa yet separate and fiercely free to make their own destiny. Medusa’s Sisters gives us an intimate look at what it means be an immortal yet walk and live among human beings. Lyrical, exquisitely detailed, and poignant.”—Margaret George, New York Times bestselling author of Helen of Troy and The Confessions of Young Nero

"Debut novelist Bear has artfully fashioned an entrancing tale that not only perfectly captures in poetic prose both the fabled glories and gritty realities of ancient Greece, but also features a trio of sisters, who, despite being mythological beings, seem all-too real and relatable by virtue of Bear’s gift for incisive characterization."Booklist

"Alive with soaring poetry and myth, Medusa's Sisters sparkles as a delightfully feminist subversion of the maligned and forgotten Gorgon women, reframing and bringing their shadowy legend fiercely, vengefully, into the light. A bold and beautiful tale about sisterhood, motherhood, and what it truly means to be a woman."—Olesya Salnikova Gilmore, author of The Witch and the Tsar

“Bear handles the different voices of Stheno and Euryale with masterful skill and wit… With stellar writing and her focus on Medusa’s forgotten sisters, Bear’s contribution to the sub-genre of mythic retellings is not to be missed. Highly recommended.”—Historical Novels Review

“Fans of Madeline Miller’s Circe will want to check out Medusa’s Sisters, a feminist take on the infamous Gorgon and her siblings Stheno and Euryale. Like the best mythological tales, Medusa’s Sisters is about more than gods and monsters, exploring the bonds of sisterhood and the quest to leave a lasting legacy.”Parade


Author

© Heidi Leonard
LAUREN J. A. BEAR was born in Boston and raised in Long Beach. After studying English at UCLA, and education at Loyola Marymount University, she worked for a decade as a middle-school teacher focused on literacy and humanities.  Lauren lives in Seattle with her husband and three young children where she enjoys crossword puzzles and being on or near the water without getting wet. She is the author of Medusa's Sisters. View titles by Lauren J. A. Bear