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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I have been a HUGE fan of Rachel Hartman since I read Seraphina and fell in love with that world. I have been lucky enough to receive an advance reader copy of Tess of the Road and want to share my thoughts on it as well.
Hartman does a great job of taking us back before she takes us forward. We saw Tess briefly as one of the younger twin sisters of Seraphina. Hartman takes us through Tess' thought process during an incident in her youth where she wrangled in her sister and cousin. It didn't end well for Tess. She was spanked. A lot. All the time.
In the here and now, Tess is shown as a not-so-patient twin sister trying to help get her sister married off so her family can once again have money. We see glimpses from now and throughout the book as to why Tess isn't the one being married since she is the oldest sister, but we don't know the whole story until the very end of the book. While I see how it helped Tess grow as a person, only revealing it in chunks, it was frustrating trying to figure out exactly why she acted like she did.
So I don't give too much away, I'll stop with plot analysis there. We do see some characters from Seraphina pop up, but I'll be honest. It has been so long since I read that duology that I had forgotten who they were and why they popped up when they did. I had to Google them. Which helped. :-)
Seraphina, of course, makes an appearance. Initially, she is characterized as a very flat character, but I realized that that's because we were seeing her through Tess' eyes. Really, the longer you stick with the book, the better it gets.
Overall, if you had not read Seraphina, you would probably not like this book very much. I ordered it for my library, but now I have to go back and buy Seraphina and Shadow Scale so students can read them in order. BUT. If you read Seraphina and enjoyed it, you will also love Tess of the Road. She is one of the most bitter 16 year olds I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. And I feel like I am a better person because I knew her.
Hartman does a great job of taking us back before she takes us forward. We saw Tess briefly as one of the younger twin sisters of Seraphina. Hartman takes us through Tess' thought process during an incident in her youth where she wrangled in her sister and cousin. It didn't end well for Tess. She was spanked. A lot. All the time.
In the here and now, Tess is shown as a not-so-patient twin sister trying to help get her sister married off so her family can once again have money. We see glimpses from now and throughout the book as to why Tess isn't the one being married since she is the oldest sister, but we don't know the whole story until the very end of the book. While I see how it helped Tess grow as a person, only revealing it in chunks, it was frustrating trying to figure out exactly why she acted like she did.
So I don't give too much away, I'll stop with plot analysis there. We do see some characters from Seraphina pop up, but I'll be honest. It has been so long since I read that duology that I had forgotten who they were and why they popped up when they did. I had to Google them. Which helped. :-)
Seraphina, of course, makes an appearance. Initially, she is characterized as a very flat character, but I realized that that's because we were seeing her through Tess' eyes. Really, the longer you stick with the book, the better it gets.
Overall, if you had not read Seraphina, you would probably not like this book very much. I ordered it for my library, but now I have to go back and buy Seraphina and Shadow Scale so students can read them in order. BUT. If you read Seraphina and enjoyed it, you will also love Tess of the Road. She is one of the most bitter 16 year olds I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know. And I feel like I am a better person because I knew her.
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Tess of the Road is a companion novel to Seraphina. Tess is Seraphina's younger half-sister. When we meet her she is not all that pleasant and not very happy with her lot in life. As a younger girl Tess was adventurous and bold and that got her in trouble. Now she is subservient to her twin Jeanne and a bit of a mean drunk. Because Tess is "ruined" she thinks her only lot in life is either the convent or governess to Jeanne's future children. Even when offered another avenue she doesn't believe she is worthy and rejects it. When Tess makes a mess of things and is about to be sent off, she finally has enough and runs away.
Out of the road, Tess meets up with an old friend, a quiqotl named Pathka. Together they embark on an adventure to find the world serpents. The road is all about self-healing and redemption for Tess. Every day she makes a pledge to continue on; it is either that or give in to despair. Disguised as a boy, Tess has the freedom to see the world in a way she couldn't as a girl. Her interactions with others and her quest with Pathka each contribute to her healing and self-acceptance in different ways.
This book is fantasy with dragons and mythical creatures, but the real message is about rape culture and slut shaming and what true consent is. It is a subtle discussion woven throughout the story, but it is a powerful message. Even though this is set in a fantasy world, I think readers today can relate to Tess's situation. Many are pressured into sexual activities they are not ready or prepared for. Society today tends to blame the girls and require them to be pure as new fallen snow. It does not allow girls to explore their sexuality or realize the power they have over their bodies. I felt like Tess's journey to learning this lesson was a really good one. She went from being abused physically and emotionally by both her family and boyfriend to becoming a strong independent woman who realizes sex can be pleasurable and consensual. It was actually a pleasure to read about such a journey.
Out of the road, Tess meets up with an old friend, a quiqotl named Pathka. Together they embark on an adventure to find the world serpents. The road is all about self-healing and redemption for Tess. Every day she makes a pledge to continue on; it is either that or give in to despair. Disguised as a boy, Tess has the freedom to see the world in a way she couldn't as a girl. Her interactions with others and her quest with Pathka each contribute to her healing and self-acceptance in different ways.
This book is fantasy with dragons and mythical creatures, but the real message is about rape culture and slut shaming and what true consent is. It is a subtle discussion woven throughout the story, but it is a powerful message.
Spoiler
Tess is basically raped and then abandoned when she is pregnant. She talks about her first time and how she tried to stop it, but wasn't able. About how she didn't even know it was happening until it was too late. About how Will talks about her to his friends and how she got a bit of a reputation.
I'm so torn on how to review this. On the one hand, I found certain segments to be a little long and like it needed more editing. This takes place in the same world as Seraphina, and focuses on her little sister Tess who is unlikeable. The more you get into the book the more you find out about the way she is the way she is, and why she thinks the way she does, and how she has developed these coping strategies that are NOT WORKING for her. But here's the thing: I have a soft spot for prickly characters who often make unwise decisions because that's life-especially when faced with trauma when you aren't surrounded by supportive people. This book is about Tess' literal and emotional journey as she comes to terms with what she's been taught about being a woman and her body and independence, what she deserves, and how her past affects her. I love this isn't about easy answers. Its about difficult ones, and slow ones, and the characters around her are flawed and prickly themselves with their own issues. I love how it talks about sex and the things women are taught about their bodies, and also about how we are taught to deal with trauma and what that means and about choices. Though this was drawn out, in many ways, I think this is a more prickly story than Seraphina but it has a stronger tone and more adult perspective. I may have shaved off a couple of chapters, but I also read this in like three days, so that should tell you something. Trigger warning for assault.
Sure, this is well written, but I can't handle Tess. Possibly it's because I read that this is (somehow unintentionally?) very reminiscent of Tess of the D'Urbervilles which I hated. Now I can't stop seeing the similarities.
Tess is just a mean drunk, and I don't like her, or have any desire to continue her story. At 20% it's only just getting to the "of the road part" and I was promised dragons, but it's not enough to keep me going.
It's a terrible shame, because that book cover is a masterpiece.
Tess is just a mean drunk, and I don't like her, or have any desire to continue her story. At 20% it's only just getting to the "of the road part" and I was promised dragons, but it's not enough to keep me going.
It's a terrible shame, because that book cover is a masterpiece.
Why do I keep trying to read fantasy when I know I have no patience for it? Probably because I got through enough Seraphina years ago to booktalk it many times over. There's no denying it's good, just not my thing.
There are a lot of interesting lessons to take out of Tess of the Road, but regrettably for me was the poignant reminder that if you're not enjoying something, you don't have to finish reading it.
I went into Tess of the Road without having read its predecessor - something of a mistake, I think. Hartman's fantasy world is rich in lore but I found myself lost in the midst of it. Most writers make an attempt to explain their setting in follow-up novels for those coming in late, but Hartman didn't seem to bother. (This puts her "It's not strictly necessary [to read the previous book], especially if you're the kind of reader who likes to hit the ground running" comment in good context. No, you don't have to read Seraphina to understand all of Tess of the Road, but there are definitely some pieces that will go unexplained. Anything to do with dragons, mostly.) It's not a fair complaint since I don't really believe in skipping book one and very rarely do, but this seemed much more standalone than it ended up being.
Tess is your typical Medieval maiden. Which is to say she's not your typical Medieval maiden. Curious, adventurous and determined not to be bound by societal convention, Tess goes one step further by being belligerent, uncooperative and a blossoming alcoholic. This is the first taste of Hartman's convention-breaking, to be followed up by deeper sexual content, deliberate exploration of the consequences of sexual promiscuity, a hands-off look at rape culture and some pretty unsympathetic characters in the starring roles. All fairly unusual in a YA novel. It's a good start, I think these are all themes that teenagers are capable of handling and should encounter, but as with most veerings off the path, the first few steps away from the beaten trail are ill-defined and hard to see for the wilderness.
I had expected more of an adventure story of a young woman on the road, seeking her destiny, but this is very much a character-driven piece about a young woman confronting the demons of her past and doing most of it introspectively. There's nothing wrong with that except that most of her problems are of her own making and she and her friends tend to be wildly unsympathetic.
All that said, this is definitely someone's favorite book. More than likely many someones. Just not mine.
I went into Tess of the Road without having read its predecessor - something of a mistake, I think. Hartman's fantasy world is rich in lore but I found myself lost in the midst of it. Most writers make an attempt to explain their setting in follow-up novels for those coming in late, but Hartman didn't seem to bother. (This puts her "It's not strictly necessary [to read the previous book], especially if you're the kind of reader who likes to hit the ground running" comment in good context. No, you don't have to read Seraphina to understand all of Tess of the Road, but there are definitely some pieces that will go unexplained. Anything to do with dragons, mostly.) It's not a fair complaint since I don't really believe in skipping book one and very rarely do, but this seemed much more standalone than it ended up being.
Tess is your typical Medieval maiden. Which is to say she's not your typical Medieval maiden. Curious, adventurous and determined not to be bound by societal convention, Tess goes one step further by being belligerent, uncooperative and a blossoming alcoholic. This is the first taste of Hartman's convention-breaking, to be followed up by deeper sexual content, deliberate exploration of the consequences of sexual promiscuity, a hands-off look at rape culture and some pretty unsympathetic characters in the starring roles. All fairly unusual in a YA novel. It's a good start, I think these are all themes that teenagers are capable of handling and should encounter, but as with most veerings off the path, the first few steps away from the beaten trail are ill-defined and hard to see for the wilderness.
I had expected more of an adventure story of a young woman on the road, seeking her destiny, but this is very much a character-driven piece about a young woman confronting the demons of her past and doing most of it introspectively. There's nothing wrong with that except that most of her problems are of her own making and she and her friends tend to be wildly unsympathetic.
All that said, this is definitely someone's favorite book. More than likely many someones. Just not mine.
I read Seraphina and Shadow Scale years ago and truly loved every moment of both of them.
Tess of the Road was harder for me to get into. There was alot that almost felt like it dragged on too much, some of it being Tess's past.
But when reaching the last 1/3 of the book I finally found more of the type of story telling that I loved in Seraphina and Shadow Scale. Maybe it was just the angst and inner turmoil Tess couldn't seem to let go of that once she finally began to, the story shined more.
Either way, I do look forward to getting my hands on and reading the next book, In the Serpent's Wake.
Tess of the Road was harder for me to get into. There was alot that almost felt like it dragged on too much, some of it being Tess's past.
But when reaching the last 1/3 of the book I finally found more of the type of story telling that I loved in Seraphina and Shadow Scale. Maybe it was just the angst and inner turmoil Tess couldn't seem to let go of that once she finally began to, the story shined more.
Either way, I do look forward to getting my hands on and reading the next book, In the Serpent's Wake.
She still held sorrows, but she was not made of them. Her life was not a tragedy.Oh, I love the writing of Rachel Hartman and the world of Seraphina. This one is more personal than the two previous, and might just be my favorite.
It was history, and it was hers.
The first entry in the Cast of Characters at the end of the book:
Tess Dombegh--the one most likely to get spankedLife can be hard. Tess has always found ways to make it even harder. And she has accepted that her life will be one of suffering, anger, and resentment. Then, at seventeen, she reaches a breaking point and decides (with the gentlest of nudges) to run away. And so she finds herself walking. As long as she doesn't stop moving, there's a chance she won't give in to despair. So she walks.
Of course, that is only the barest hint of Tess's story, for the road brings challenges and adventures. And the road brings opportunities to think, and process, and learn, and grow, and to begin to see everything she's know from new perspectives. Tess is less alone than she realizes. She discovers companionship; sometimes she creates companionship. She learns to hide and steal and flee; she learns to work and earn and share and give. She chases the legends of dragons. She discovers. She learns to stop running from her anguish. She learns to love.
This is exquisite storytelling.
. . . she wanted to be wasteful.
Or she wanted to lay waste to . . . something. Anything. Everything. . . .
The foundational stories of her life had betrayed her; the inside of her head jangled with dissonance. Whose fault was this? Whom could she break her ire upon?
It was probably her own fault for being gullible. That just made her madder.
-----
Tess paced the piers, trying not to fret. Trying to empty her mind, in fact, on the principle that she knew the answer already and needed to give it a chance to come to the surface, unimpeded.
-----
"Tell me something, though: is walking the only virtue in your philosophical system? What if someone decided to stay in one place and not walk on--on purpose? Would that be bad?"
Tess considered. "I have been walking, literally walking, for two months, and I feel . . . right when I do. My mind is clear; the world makes sense. Walking is a good in itself."
"Of course it is," said Philomela brusquely, "but it's not the only good. Since we're being literal now, have you felt clear and sensible at other times during your travels?"
The question startled Tess into thinking. "While turning hay. Swimming in the river, crawling through caves . . . once I was lying under a cattle guard, eating bread, and the sky was blue and there was a bee--" She cut off, embarrassed. It was hard to explain about the bee.
"Right," said Mother Philomela firmly. "Working, swimming, eating. Walking."
Tess blinked, unsure what she was getting at.
"You feel whole when you're doing things, Jacomo. When you're in your body," said the nun slowly, as if Tess were stupid. "The mind may hare off in all directions, but truth is centered in the body, ultimately."
-----
"Wrong," snapped the old nun, her sharp green eyes taking in every nuance of Tess's reaction. "First, I gave you two choices as a test: there are never just two choices. That is a lie to keep you from thinking too deeply."
-----
Finally the darkness was total. Pathka stopped snoring, and the silence was total as well.
For a moment Tess imagined she didn't exist. It was surprisingly soothing.
-----
All your failures and hopes, your suffering and striving, the great coils seemed to say, are inconsequential, compared with this. They are nothing.
You are nothing.
It was a relief to feel nothing; it felt deep and beautiful and true.
Tess wept.
Beside her, Moldi wept for reasons of his own. Maybe for the same reason. Tess didn't let go of his hand. They could not feel time passing.
All was nothing. It was exactly as it should be.
-----
She still held sorrows, but she was not made of them. Her life was not a tragedy.
It was history, and it was hers.