Written by EC Greaves
While author EC Greaves brought a healthy dose of humour to the first two books in the Vyshivka Trilogy (you can read my review of Daughter of the Beast here, and my review of Sister of the Dead here), I wouldn’t describe them as “funny.” They have plenty of moments that put a smile on my face and elicit a chuckle, but when I think back on them, I think of Greaves’ beautiful prose, the story’s epic landscape, and the wonderful characters. But from the beginning of Mother of the Bond, I was laughing out loud: this is a book that is funny. Not funny in the sense of a threequel that’s run short of ideas injecting humour to distract the audience from its shortcomings; funny through its character beats and one-liners.
That the characters bring such joyous humour to the epic conclusion of the trilogy—no matter how high the stakes get—highlights what a strength these characters are to the series. Zyntael, the Kimora raised to be a brutal warrior by the bestial Vulkari is a delightful protagonist who forms the heart of the trilogy—and, indeed, Mother of the Bond. Her Vulkari sisters, her hobgoblin husband, Anra, and now, Zyntael’s cub, Sprite, flesh out the world and expand this heart. These may be creatures taken from Slavic mythology, but they bring a level of humanity that is not often seen in books about human characters.
While Mother of the Bond is a book about war, to a far greater degree, it is a book about these characters. As the point of view character narrating the story, it is through Zyntael’s eyes that we see these characters. After first meeting her at eleven-years-old in Daughter of the Beast, Zyntael is no longer a mere daughter or sister, but a mother, who must balance her loyalty to the Vulkari with the love of her child. Long after that coming of age story, Mother of the Bond is about the lengths one will go for those they love. In many ways still the lovable scamp from that first book, Zyntael has grown throughout the series, and this growth continues in beautiful ways throughout this finale. It’s the biggest story of the trilogy, yet it’s the most personal and heartfelt.
For all the importance Zyntael and the other characters have on this novel, it is still an epic fantasy set in the midst of war. It is still the epic conclusion to the Vyshivka Trilogy. Mother of the Bond picks up the pace from the first two books, moving through events more quickly. While I love the slower pace to those first two books, the increased pace works in the story’s favour, keeping momentum as it moves towards its conclusion. Yet, as it moves through the plot and escalates the odds against Zyntael and her loved ones, Greaves has balanced it with quieter moments. The plot builds naturally, and every moment, large and small, feels earned. Every twist and turn keeps the reader on their toes, and yet feels like a natural progression of the story.
In balancing an epic plot with its character moments, Mother of the Bond is substantially longer than the first two books. Coming in at 485 pages in paperback and hardcover (and approximately 611 pages on Kindle), the book’s length equals its scope. No space is wasted, with everything written adding to the book’s rich canvas. Although the author created a deep world through the first two books, he continues to expand upon it in this third outing. It’s a wonderful fantasy world, thoroughly built so every new form of magic, or previously undiscovered creature, feels like a natural extension.
All of this is conveyed throughout the novel’s prose. As is the case with the other two books, Greaves’ prose is breathtaking. Not only does it convey everything the reader needs to know about the characters, worlds and events, but it does so with wit and heart. The book’s world is filled with magic, and so too are its words. Greaves consistently finds just the right words to bring a sense of wonder, while infusing it with its sense of humour. This is handled with precision, capturing the tone without relying on excessive words. In many ways, the writing feels as though it comes from a classic children’s fable, even when conveying the world’s brutality.
Dialogue plays an important role in the writing, taking up a higher than average proportion of the book’s words. Despite this, like the prose, it is written with precision. While an amount of this is dedicated to the characters’ asides, it never feels extraneous. Every character has their own voice, and every voice is delightful. The language used sets it outside of time, and feels as though it’s written for the genre, without ever falling back on cliche.
Mother of the Bond is the concluding part of the Vyshivka Trilogy, and is best read after the first two books. While readers who make the inexplicable decision of reading it first will be able to follow along, much of the book’s beauty comes from seeing how its characters—particularly Zyntael—have grown throughout the trilogy, and knowing how the characters ended up where they are.
In the book’s back matter, Greaves promises a return to this world, after he’s spent some time working on something entirely different. The Vyshivka Trilogy may be done, but there is more that can be explored, and I can’t wait to revisit it. Mother of the Bond hits on every level, continuing the success of its previous instalments, and I am certain a return to this world would be appreciated by all who have followed Zyntael’s journey. But before we see what further stories Greaves has to tell about this, I can’t wait to see what he has up his sleeve next.
Favourite Passage
“Stupid names too. Except for Hedgehog, Toad, and Shark. Those are great. But even so, why not kill the others, and just spare Jasper then? Why the mercy?” Feygar-Shar asked, a little puzzled—and proving that she was, in fact, still Vulkar.
“Because they were all nice men. They were just like Lleyden, or Anra, or… well, Feldspar. Yes they were Bare-Skins, and Bare-Skins who fight for an army that opposes the people we love, sure, but they held no ill-will toward me—even though they probably should have. And it made me realise that we fight against an idea, more than we fight against the people who have that idea. Or maybe we fight against those who would see that idea become reality, regardless who actually believes in it. I dunno. I just don’t think that everyone who wears purple, or flies their horrible banner, is themselves horrible.”
Mother of the Bond: Book I(I of the Vyshivka Trilogy, “The Fourth Stitch – Alchemy,” iii
Mother of the Bond: Book III of the Vyshivka Trilogy was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
Mother of the Bond is available in paperback, hardcover, and on Kindle, exclusive to Amazon.
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Interested in purchasing Mother of the Bond?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
Mother of the Bond (The Vyshivka Trilogy Book 3)
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