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librarianlizreads's review
4.0
Please note that this review is written for my use as a librarian and may not appeal directly to readers. Please review at your own risk.
Accelerated Reader has this book listed as being for upper grades, or readers in 9 to 12 grade. They also have listed that this read is worth 22 AR points.
I mostly liked this book, but part of me is still on the fence. I enjoyed the story and while I really disliked Tess at the beginning, I loved her by the end. There were parts of this book that made me laugh, parts that made me cry, and parts that made me scream in anger and frustration. I still have so many questions about Seraphina and what is going on with her, but those may never be answered and it isn’t Tess’s fault. I did really enjoy being able to learn more about Quigutl and their lives and beliefs. This book definitely walked a different road and showed another side of the world that Rachel Hartman created. It was good, if not aggravating.
Caution Notes*:
Sex/intimacy, sexual orientation, gender fluidity, rape, gender-based equal rights, teen pregnancy, family fueding, prostitution, and religion.
Recommended for:
Teens who aren’t squeamish but love fantasy and equality, especially young females, but really anyone who is going through an identity journey.
Summary:
-Do not read past this point if you would like to avoid spoilers-
This is the story of Tess, sister of Seraphina. Tess has had a difficult life trying to not be terrible and live up to her mother’s expectations, which could never happen anyway. Her mother is extremely against any form of intimacy before marriage and honestly, she doesn’t understand its role in marriage either. After Tess gets pregnant, she becomes the black sheep of the family and they all try to make her pay for it forever. She ends up running away from home, reconnecting with her long lost childhood friend. Pathka the quigutl takes her on an incredible journey to find a world serpent. These are great, mythical creatures that the quigutl believe created the world. They end up finding Anathuthia and both Tess and Pathka are forever changed by this incredible experience. I greatly summarize here, but Tess goes on many incredible side adventures while on her journey. She pretends to be a boy during this time in order to stay safe. After spending a lot of time stealing, an old gentleman that she helps enlightens her to the fact that she can do work in the fields or places she comes across to make some money. So she turns hay, ends up on a road crew that she grows to love, and makes her way down the road. She ends up with Josquin and falls in love with him. She tries to tell the scholars of her discovery but it backfires and the academy kills Anathuthia. Heartbroken and ill, Pathka finds his way back to Tess. She heals him and after he bites her, they both get a little better. Seraphina tells Tess that she is needed on a voyage to find another of the world serpents. At the end of this story, Tess starts out on her next adventure.
*Caution notes are not to say, don’t read the book. I only include these so that those individuals who have particular themes they do not like to read about or are not ready for their kids to read about are aware. I do not support censoring. :)
Accelerated Reader has this book listed as being for upper grades, or readers in 9 to 12 grade. They also have listed that this read is worth 22 AR points.
I mostly liked this book, but part of me is still on the fence. I enjoyed the story and while I really disliked Tess at the beginning, I loved her by the end. There were parts of this book that made me laugh, parts that made me cry, and parts that made me scream in anger and frustration. I still have so many questions about Seraphina and what is going on with her, but those may never be answered and it isn’t Tess’s fault. I did really enjoy being able to learn more about Quigutl and their lives and beliefs. This book definitely walked a different road and showed another side of the world that Rachel Hartman created. It was good, if not aggravating.
Caution Notes*:
Sex/intimacy, sexual orientation, gender fluidity, rape, gender-based equal rights, teen pregnancy, family fueding, prostitution, and religion.
Recommended for:
Teens who aren’t squeamish but love fantasy and equality, especially young females, but really anyone who is going through an identity journey.
Summary:
-Do not read past this point if you would like to avoid spoilers-
This is the story of Tess, sister of Seraphina. Tess has had a difficult life trying to not be terrible and live up to her mother’s expectations, which could never happen anyway. Her mother is extremely against any form of intimacy before marriage and honestly, she doesn’t understand its role in marriage either. After Tess gets pregnant, she becomes the black sheep of the family and they all try to make her pay for it forever. She ends up running away from home, reconnecting with her long lost childhood friend. Pathka the quigutl takes her on an incredible journey to find a world serpent. These are great, mythical creatures that the quigutl believe created the world. They end up finding Anathuthia and both Tess and Pathka are forever changed by this incredible experience. I greatly summarize here, but Tess goes on many incredible side adventures while on her journey. She pretends to be a boy during this time in order to stay safe. After spending a lot of time stealing, an old gentleman that she helps enlightens her to the fact that she can do work in the fields or places she comes across to make some money. So she turns hay, ends up on a road crew that she grows to love, and makes her way down the road. She ends up with Josquin and falls in love with him. She tries to tell the scholars of her discovery but it backfires and the academy kills Anathuthia. Heartbroken and ill, Pathka finds his way back to Tess. She heals him and after he bites her, they both get a little better. Seraphina tells Tess that she is needed on a voyage to find another of the world serpents. At the end of this story, Tess starts out on her next adventure.
*Caution notes are not to say, don’t read the book. I only include these so that those individuals who have particular themes they do not like to read about or are not ready for their kids to read about are aware. I do not support censoring. :)
roycekordem's review against another edition
adventurous
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
sarahh14's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
booksbrewsbanter's review
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went into this book totally blind, not reading any reviews, and not having read any other books in the series. And I am so glad I did. I cried, I laughed, and I felt for everything Tess goes through. This was such a moving story, in ways I wasn't expecting at all. The summary on the back does the perfect job of leaving the reader in the unknown, so that Tess's story gets revealed slowly, as if she's revealing parts of herself when she's ready.
This book deserves SOOOO much love, and way more hype, and it is a top read for 2024 for sure.
This book deserves SOOOO much love, and way more hype, and it is a top read for 2024 for sure.
batman_disguised's review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
bluejaybooks's review
4.0
This novel has a somewhat unusual, meandering structure that reminds me more of the structure of some classic novels than modern fiction. I found it and the character development absolutely gorgeous.
That said, if you're looking for a fast-paced adventure fantasy novel, this book is not for you. It takes tropes typically reserved for contemporary novels and applies them to a fantasy setting. It unfolds slowly, layer after layer. If you don't think this is something you'll have the patience for, then this likely isn't something you'll enjoy.
You also don't need to have read the Seraphina Duology to enjoy this book. I read those books so long ago that I could hardly remember what happened in them any more, but was still able to enjoy this story.
That said, if you're looking for a fast-paced adventure fantasy novel, this book is not for you. It takes tropes typically reserved for contemporary novels and applies them to a fantasy setting. It unfolds slowly, layer after layer. If you don't think this is something you'll have the patience for, then this likely isn't something you'll enjoy.
You also don't need to have read the Seraphina Duology to enjoy this book. I read those books so long ago that I could hardly remember what happened in them any more, but was still able to enjoy this story.
middenprincess's review
5.0
WOW. i have so much to say but also have no idea how to articulate it. it was that good. i think tess of the road is a more character-driven story than seraphina was, especially compared to shadow scale. the seraphina books were very much seraphina at the whims of the plot, but tess of the road was a dynamic character study through and through. it was fun and it was silly at times but it was also heartbreakingly serious too. you, as the reader, walk in tess’s shoes, you feel her pains and her joys, and unearth her traumas as she does.
as someone who grew up in purity culture, tess dombegh is such a painfully relatable character. she gets back her sense of adventure and the wonder she had for life when she was younger, before the contempt was beat into her. she’s dynamic and fun and spunky without being too much of a cliche. her emotions feels very human. her love for the quigutls touched me above all else. the quigutls, who were scorned by dragons and humans alike in the seraphina books, are rational and emotional beings with their own culture and language. pathka was wonderful. each character was incredibly complex, even the minor characters. the romance was subtle and well-done. she’s such a different character from her sister that it almost shocks you when you start reading.
notable moments:
the nuns of st. loola are my absolute FAVORITE, including their silly little song. (sometimes i need to be reminded that i am my body and that my body inhabits this earth and that is not a waste). absolutely a religious order i’d actually join.
““Remember, mortal,
As you strive,
That you, ambitious goo,
Must also die.”
i actually quite like st. prudia as well ngl. i grew up catholic so all of this is a mix of fun, nostalgic, and traumatic for me. a great combo for reading!!!! i also love the philosophy involved, it’s very good and honestly comforting.
“ ‘O ignoramus,’ it said, ‘your life is not a tragedy. It’s history, and it’s yours.’ ”
whatever the fuck is going between seraphina/glisselda/kiggs is so great and i love it. the way it seems more people think seraphina is glisselda’s lover and lucian is just There. that’s so real, i honestly always believed they had more chemistry! it’s canon to me. they are in lesbians. lucian’s a boytoy prince consort and i love him for that.
“but I saw Seraphina pregnant.”
“And you’re certain the Queen couldn’t have got her that way,” said Josquin, with a smile that suggested he knew rather a lot, in fact.
also, the juxtaposition of the moment between tess and philomela/dulsia. so good. So so good.
“there were more similarities between nun and whore than she could have guessed. What if those poles weren’t mutually exclusive? What if opposites could be combined and transcended, paradox embraced, a whole life lived in contradictory case?”
william of affle when i catch you!!! When i catch you!!! that’s all. he’s a groomer and manipulative and a very accurate relationship of the shady guy you talk to when you’re 13 and you feel really mature. also josquin reacted i think in a very apt and respectful way. he wasn’t some savior, he was just there for her.
also, speaking of josquin. they parted ways respectfully but it still made me sad. if they’re meant to be though, they’ll find each other again. that makes me feel better. and either way, he was an important experience for tess to have. she needed to know she could experience pleasure without shame, that she could have love with respect and consideration. and also that birth control was a possibility.
“together they were broken/unbroken. All/nothing. And any chasms left between were swiftly bridged.”
as someone who grew up in purity culture, tess dombegh is such a painfully relatable character. she gets back her sense of adventure and the wonder she had for life when she was younger, before the contempt was beat into her. she’s dynamic and fun and spunky without being too much of a cliche. her emotions feels very human. her love for the quigutls touched me above all else. the quigutls, who were scorned by dragons and humans alike in the seraphina books, are rational and emotional beings with their own culture and language. pathka was wonderful. each character was incredibly complex, even the minor characters. the romance was subtle and well-done. she’s such a different character from her sister that it almost shocks you when you start reading.
notable moments:
the nuns of st. loola are my absolute FAVORITE, including their silly little song. (sometimes i need to be reminded that i am my body and that my body inhabits this earth and that is not a waste). absolutely a religious order i’d actually join.
““Remember, mortal,
As you strive,
That you, ambitious goo,
Must also die.”
i actually quite like st. prudia as well ngl. i grew up catholic so all of this is a mix of fun, nostalgic, and traumatic for me. a great combo for reading!!!! i also love the philosophy involved, it’s very good and honestly comforting.
“ ‘O ignoramus,’ it said, ‘your life is not a tragedy. It’s history, and it’s yours.’ ”
whatever the fuck is going between seraphina/glisselda/kiggs is so great and i love it. the way it seems more people think seraphina is glisselda’s lover and lucian is just There. that’s so real, i honestly always believed they had more chemistry! it’s canon to me. they are in lesbians. lucian’s a boytoy prince consort and i love him for that.
“but I saw Seraphina pregnant.”
“And you’re certain the Queen couldn’t have got her that way,” said Josquin, with a smile that suggested he knew rather a lot, in fact.
also, the juxtaposition of the moment between tess and philomela/dulsia. so good. So so good.
“there were more similarities between nun and whore than she could have guessed. What if those poles weren’t mutually exclusive? What if opposites could be combined and transcended, paradox embraced, a whole life lived in contradictory case?”
william of affle when i catch you!!! When i catch you!!! that’s all. he’s a groomer and manipulative and a very accurate relationship of the shady guy you talk to when you’re 13 and you feel really mature. also josquin reacted i think in a very apt and respectful way. he wasn’t some savior, he was just there for her.
also, speaking of josquin. they parted ways respectfully but it still made me sad. if they’re meant to be though, they’ll find each other again. that makes me feel better. and either way, he was an important experience for tess to have. she needed to know she could experience pleasure without shame, that she could have love with respect and consideration. and also that birth control was a possibility.
“together they were broken/unbroken. All/nothing. And any chasms left between were swiftly bridged.”
tea_tomes's review
3.0
This book ended up grabbing me and was better than I first thought it would be. It took a while to get into as it's slow but the story is great!
mllejoyeuxnoel's review
4.0
**I received this ARC from a friend who thought I would enjoy reading and reviewing it.**
As I scrolled through some of these GR reviews for Tess of the Road, I kept reading the same line: "This isn't a typical fantasy book." That's true; in the vein of Game of Thrones, this is the story of a young woman's ruin and redemption that just sorta happens to have a fantasy backdrop.
This book came to me just as I needed to read it. It's about making mistakes, and that rage the builds up inside you because you can't forgive yourself. It's about the harm the world does to us fragile humans - especially us women. And it's about a journey - both physical and spiritual - that heals the inside from without. It's about choosing to keep on living every morning; it's about getting to the point where you don't have to make that conscious decision each day. Tess is a very relatable character, and one whose tale will help you feel calmer, more whole, and just plain better. She is a deep, steady breath, when all is said and done, because she is imperfect, and we learn to love her in the same way she learns to love herself.
I give this book a four because I definitely think there was a great deal of world-building that was foreign to me because I had not read [b:Seraphina|19549841|Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)|Rachel Hartman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387577872s/19549841.jpg|17375239]. It made getting into the story all that much more difficult; the exposition felt a tad bit rushed, and I still haven't really any clue how all the different types of dragons and half-dragons relate to one another. That said, one certainly can read Tess without having read any of Hartman's other works in this universe. Now, having finished this one, I'd recommend starting with Seraphina. Though her character isn't central to Tess, she was so fascinating that I found myself wishing I knew more about her.
Also? There are these giant sorta chameleon characters that just have these rad body parts and weird habits and I love them so much. I mean, they'd hate me, but I love them.
Walk on, guys. Walk on.
As I scrolled through some of these GR reviews for Tess of the Road, I kept reading the same line: "This isn't a typical fantasy book." That's true; in the vein of Game of Thrones, this is the story of a young woman's ruin and redemption that just sorta happens to have a fantasy backdrop.
This book came to me just as I needed to read it. It's about making mistakes, and that rage the builds up inside you because you can't forgive yourself. It's about the harm the world does to us fragile humans - especially us women. And it's about a journey - both physical and spiritual - that heals the inside from without. It's about choosing to keep on living every morning; it's about getting to the point where you don't have to make that conscious decision each day. Tess is a very relatable character, and one whose tale will help you feel calmer, more whole, and just plain better. She is a deep, steady breath, when all is said and done, because she is imperfect, and we learn to love her in the same way she learns to love herself.
I give this book a four because I definitely think there was a great deal of world-building that was foreign to me because I had not read [b:Seraphina|19549841|Seraphina (Seraphina, #1)|Rachel Hartman|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1387577872s/19549841.jpg|17375239]. It made getting into the story all that much more difficult; the exposition felt a tad bit rushed, and I still haven't really any clue how all the different types of dragons and half-dragons relate to one another. That said, one certainly can read Tess without having read any of Hartman's other works in this universe. Now, having finished this one, I'd recommend starting with Seraphina. Though her character isn't central to Tess, she was so fascinating that I found myself wishing I knew more about her.
Also? There are these giant sorta chameleon characters that just have these rad body parts and weird habits and I love them so much. I mean, they'd hate me, but I love them.
Walk on, guys. Walk on.