Written by Mark Jonathan Runte
Mark Jonathan Runte is a creator of worlds. These worlds are based on our own, urban settings filled with the fantastical. Through stories ranging from short stories to novelettes, and novellas to novels, he lures the reader into these worlds. From his Mythos series (follow the links for my reviews of Ash, Bound in Blood, Silver and Salt, Faerie Thief and Never Be a Saint), to his Midwinter Nights duology (Wolf Prince of Kstovo and Zolushka) and his most recent series, Eve (starting with a novel of the same title, Eve), which the novella Motherland forms the second release for, the author is not only prolific, but also presents captivating tale after captivating tale.
Although you wouldn’t know it from the book’s blurb, like Eve before it, Motherland infuses fantastical elements with science fiction trappings to tell a story about werewolves. The novella doesn’t lean into the horror stylings readers well acquainted with werewolf tales would expect; instead, it tells a story more focused on its characters. It just so happens that they’re werewolves. Set across decades that span the final years of the Cold War and the Soviet Union, the novella focuses first on werewolves Kseniya and Semyon, refugees from the USSR, and then, their families.
While the plot isn’t Motherland’s major draw, to provide further detail about it would be to spoil the reading experience: as it is, in sharing more than what the blurb outlines almost feels like too much. Told in two parts, the story builds slowly, chronicling the characters’ experiences. As the story evolves throughout its pages, it takes the reader on a journey. It builds slowly, but never drags. It evocatively draws the reader into the world and the characters’ experiences without ever letting go. The book demands the reader keeps turning the pages, with chapters short enough to have you deciding to read just one more, before you soon find yourself at its culmination.
Although Motherland is a book of many strengths, perhaps its greatest is its focus on its characters. Throughout it, there are a number of point of view characters, but the book never gets lost amongst them. Each chapter cleanly provides the point of view of a single character, and does so with a laser-like focus as the chapters hone in on the point of view character and their experience. With such a focus on the book’s characters, it’s necessary for them to engage the reader. Motherland succeeds on this front, with all the point of view characters being richly three dimensional. Given the story’s limited length and the number of point of view characters, this is easier said than done, but the book hones right in on them, using the space afforded to it to great effect. The remaining characters whose point of view readers don’t get are also thoroughly entertaining.
The novella may be an urban fantasy with science fiction trappings, but these elements are muted. The cast may comprise largely of werewolves, but Motherland doesn’t spend any time convincing the reader to buy into the concept and suspend their disbelief. Instead, these werewolves are presented as fact, leaving the reader to accept it. It’s an easy acceptance to make as the book doesn’t need any mental gymnastics to make it work. A major reason for this is the book’s sombre tone. This is conveyed through its prose, which conveys the mood wonderfully, creating an emotive atmosphere. Motherland’s writing is clear and concise, helping the atmosphere flourish, while still being brief enough to let the characters and story flourish through its brief length.
The mood the prose conveys extends to the dialogue. The dialogue captures wistfulness and of sadness, while also allowing the characters’ conversations to both echo and drive the story’s plot. Much like the prose, Motherland’s dialogue is provided in enough detail to service the characters while giving the story the room it needs to breathe. The dialogue stays on point, which helps the page length, while presenting engaging conversations. The characters all sound realistic, regardless of the generation the characters belong to. It’s clear and concise, enabling the reader to parse the conversations with ease.
At only 184 pages in paperback (or 178 in hardcover and an estimated 166 pages on Kindle), Motherland is a short tale. It’s even shorter when you take into consideration the inclusion of a short story (a fantastic Broken Cover, taking up fifteen of the book’s pages, and deleted scenes which use a further ten). The additional material is fantastic, provides a window into the creative process, and adds some extra entertainment to the book.
As I mentioned towards the beginning of this review, nothing in the book’s blurb tells the reader it’s a fantasy story. Further, the book’s cover doesn’t mention it’s an Eve novella; the reader needs to see this in the Amazon listing. Such a reference is entirely unnecessary. Motherland stands entirely on its own and provides new readers everything they need to understand it. While the book explores the world established in Eve, it reads just as well without any prior knowledge.
Eve may be an urban fantasy, but its overarching themes present a story that’s different to most books in the genre. It’s a sombre tale that focuses on its characters than its fantastical elements. This is a story that captures everything the reader needs to know, while also telling an engrossing tale.
Favourite Passage
This had shades of the time, five years ago when she had been just six months married to William. Now… London smelled different to her, felt different. It wasn’t just the gentle spring rain coming down outside the flat window, it was something else – she couldn’t put a finger on it. Regret or loss, maybe. A little fury toward William for putting them into this situation to begin with. For the sake of their covers, she hadn’t asked about his life before beyond the hints given to her about his family. She hadn’t volunteered much of her own beyond a birthplace and a woman who may or may not have lived years ago.
Motherland, Part Two: “London”, Chapter 10
Motherland was provided by the author for the purpose of an honest review.
Motherland is be available in paperback, hardcover and Kindle, exclusive to Amazon.
Note: I do not post scores for reviews on this website, but do post them on my Amazon and Goodreads reviews:
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Interested in purchasing Motherland?
Please find a link below; please note I do not collect any proceeds from the sale.
Motherland: An Eve Novella
wastanley.com 