Reviewed by Diana Coyle
Thirteen-year-old Oksana Mangupli is a Krymchak girl who has been taught that Duty, Honor, and Obedience mean everything to her family and their reputation in “The Matriarch Mission” by Maxime Trencavel. She is told that at her age, she should marry and carry on the responsibilities as all others have done before her. Unfortunately, Oksana has not conformed to what her family has told her and taught her to the present, which has caused her to be rejected by eight prospective husbands. Now being eighteen and unmarried, her family has dismissed her from their family because she is nothing but a disgrace to them. Until an officer arrives at their home, leading the family to fear she’s being reported for causing more trouble and bringing further disgrace upon them. Instead, it is a formal invitation to be an honored guest of Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich. What happens when she meets the Grand Duke? Does her life change for the better or for the worse after the meeting? Purchase Here.
Maxime Trencavel has penned another intense novel in The Mystery of the Matriarchs series. In this book, we meet Oksana Mangupli, who is thirteen years old and who must carry the weight of her family’s reputation on her shoulders. She has grown up knowing she was never the “chosen one” like her older sister, Kamila, was, so she now feels like she’s been thrown to the wolves, so to speak, to carry out the strict upbringing of Duty, Honor, and Obedience to her family at all times. Each page allows readers to see layer upon layer of Oksana’s development over the years and how, during that time, she has disgraced her family by losing eight prospective husbands. You see her age a few years, you see her question her fate in life, and her true calling of who she is meant to be as the next “chosen one.”
Although Oksana is the main focus character in “The Matriarch Mission,” the supporting characters play such a vital role in not only Oksana’s development as a character, but also the intricate development of this entertaining storyline. Each character has their place in the storyline, which unfolds perfectly for readers to enjoy. You cheer Oksana on at times and equally feel disappointed when fate takes unexpected turns for her throughout the years.
The author writes with such detailed authenticity, not only in this book, but in the other books in the series. He presents rich descriptions of the characters and the places mentioned in the stories, and even maps out intricate storylines centered on historical moments. It is apparent that his deep love of history shines throughout the pages of each book in the series, and in doing so, he transports the readers to a time and place they never thought they would travel to before opening his books.
I loved Oksana because I felt her vulnerability throughout the story at different stages of her life. She was so believable; I felt she was a real person I was getting to know. Trencavel crafted her in such a unique fashion that I found myself enjoying the streak of rebellion that she displayed so easily throughout the pages. He even threw in dark humor, from time to time, that I enjoyed and didn’t expect.
Overall, The Matriarch Mission by Maxime Trencavel is a wonderful prequel to The Mystery of the Matriarchs series. It’s the perfect entry point if you’re just discovering these books—but if you’re like me and reading it after the main story, that works beautifully too.
This installment gives you a deeper understanding of the “chosen ones,” setting the stage for everything that follows. Each book builds naturally on the last, letting you savor the stories individually while also appreciating how they connect as a whole.
It’s an engaging, well‑crafted read, and I highly recommend it.