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4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
DNF
Despite this book trying to deal with heavier subjects (lots of emotional baggage for Tess), the story and characters felt very childlike to me. At first I was okay with the light-hearted feel—it was very similar in world building to Ella Enchanted, one of my old favorites—but as the book progressed, I felt a lacking of depth that I just couldn’t get past.
I wish I could’ve finished this, but I was having a hard time pushing through the too-young-feeling narrative. Tess felt like a hardened, alcoholic version of Ella of Frell, and not in a fun way.
Maybe one day I’ll give this one another try!
Despite this book trying to deal with heavier subjects (lots of emotional baggage for Tess), the story and characters felt very childlike to me. At first I was okay with the light-hearted feel—it was very similar in world building to Ella Enchanted, one of my old favorites—but as the book progressed, I felt a lacking of depth that I just couldn’t get past.
I wish I could’ve finished this, but I was having a hard time pushing through the too-young-feeling narrative. Tess felt like a hardened, alcoholic version of Ella of Frell, and not in a fun way.
Maybe one day I’ll give this one another try!
“Maybe the world isn’t really different, but I am different, and I am in the world.”
So What’s It About?
In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl—a subspecies of dragon—who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
What I Thought
This is a pretty special one, folks, and will most certainly be added to the list of Charlotte’s Supremely Favorite Fantasy Books About Trauma and Recovery. It’s a meandering picaresque journey about a girl finding herself through layers of self-hatred and it balances the aspects of exploration and adventure with the aspects of self-reflection and growth very well.
The heart of the story’s strength is that Tess is a really strong character. She’s a complex mix of irrepressible spirit and mischief and pain and self-hatred and kindness and curiosity and determination to do the right thing. Hartman does a great job of showing her layers of guilt and grief and denial and blame, everything damaging she has learned from her society and her mother in particular. Her journey is an extremely powerful one of learning that she can make a difference in the world while coming to terms with her past and her body and silencing the hateful voices in her head.
Tess’s story is one that has to do with grooming and rape, and the book deals excellently with Goredd’s culture of victim-blaming and sexual repression, showing how these things go hand in hand with patriarchy and misguided religious fervor. Tess’s story shows how these unjust societal standards simply invisibilize the harm that happens, casts blame on the people who were hurt rather than the people who made a deliberate decision to hurt someone else, and perpetuate a sexual double standard that in turn exacerbates when repercussions are handed out in the aftermath of sexual assault. I know some readers don’t like reading about sexist worlds but I do when they have something meaningful to say that sheds light on our own world, and that’s definitely the case here.
One interesting note about Tess’s story is that she is not only a victim, but under her rapist Will’s instruction she also kissed Spira without his consent, ruining his position with the academy and getting him extremely sick. I’ll admit that it sat really uneasily with me at first to acknowledge the way that a survivor can hurt someone else because of their own grooming and abuse. It’s an important and uncomfortable thing to remember but it feels like a massive part of Tess’s story that just isn’t really addressed as completely as the rest of her past over the course of the book. Spira shows up at the end of the story and he and Tess are heading to the same place, so I’m hoping this will be explored more in the next book.
The other qualm I have is, like my beloved Daughter of the Forest, Tess of the Road also features an underage survivor having Beautiful Healing Sex with a man who is much older than her. YEAH it’s a fantasy book set in made up olden times but this kind of plot point feels weird to me no matter what!!!
Another strength is the complexity of the family dynamics that are depicted, especially the "good sister, bad sister" conflict between Tess and her sister Jeanne due to their mother’s unhappiness and exacting nature. It really rings true as the sibling dynamic in an unhappy family, especially the fact that each one of them has a totally different perspective on their childhoods and respective burdens because of the other sister. I like that this isn’t perfectly resolved by the end of the book.
This is a book with an extremely charming and lovely writing style and tons of endearing details like dirty marginalia in a monastery and fables about a giant hedgehog. The dialogue is also consistently great and Tess encounters many vivid characters throughout her journeys, from the miserable monk Moldi to implacable Seraphina and Tess’s dear quigutl companion Pathka. I really liked the quigutl a lot - their culture is very interesting, as is the entirety of the lore surrounding dragons, saints and World Serpents.
I do question a few of Tess’s big decisions over the course of the book. I specifically don't find it credible that she doesn’t anticipate the humans killing/exploiting Anathuthia after she makes the World Serpent’s presence known to them. It’s also strange that she doesn’t let her work crew know she is alive after surviving a cave-in. They’re her friends and they all think she’s dead, and while she could easily have retraced her steps to say goodbye she just lets them continue thinking she’s dead.
I can’t seem to find much info about whether this book is inspired by Tess of the D’urbervilles but I could definitely see that being the case - you have the same deeply patriarchal world that punishes a young woman after her rape, the death of a baby born from her abuse and her process of survival through common labor after the fact. If anyone happens to know anything more about this let me know, because I’m curious!
So What’s It About?
In the medieval kingdom of Goredd, women are expected to be ladies, men are their protectors, and dragons get to be whomever they want. Tess, stubbornly, is a troublemaker. You can’t make a scene at your sister’s wedding and break a relative’s nose with one punch (no matter how pompous he is) and not suffer the consequences. As her family plans to send her to a nunnery, Tess yanks on her boots and sets out on a journey across the Southlands, alone and pretending to be a boy.
Where Tess is headed is a mystery, even to her. So when she runs into an old friend, it’s a stroke of luck. This friend is a quigutl—a subspecies of dragon—who gives her both a purpose and protection on the road. But Tess is guarding a troubling secret. Her tumultuous past is a heavy burden to carry, and the memories she’s tried to forget threaten to expose her to the world in more ways than one.
What I Thought
This is a pretty special one, folks, and will most certainly be added to the list of Charlotte’s Supremely Favorite Fantasy Books About Trauma and Recovery. It’s a meandering picaresque journey about a girl finding herself through layers of self-hatred and it balances the aspects of exploration and adventure with the aspects of self-reflection and growth very well.
The heart of the story’s strength is that Tess is a really strong character. She’s a complex mix of irrepressible spirit and mischief and pain and self-hatred and kindness and curiosity and determination to do the right thing. Hartman does a great job of showing her layers of guilt and grief and denial and blame, everything damaging she has learned from her society and her mother in particular. Her journey is an extremely powerful one of learning that she can make a difference in the world while coming to terms with her past and her body and silencing the hateful voices in her head.
Tess’s story is one that has to do with grooming and rape, and the book deals excellently with Goredd’s culture of victim-blaming and sexual repression, showing how these things go hand in hand with patriarchy and misguided religious fervor. Tess’s story shows how these unjust societal standards simply invisibilize the harm that happens, casts blame on the people who were hurt rather than the people who made a deliberate decision to hurt someone else, and perpetuate a sexual double standard that in turn exacerbates when repercussions are handed out in the aftermath of sexual assault. I know some readers don’t like reading about sexist worlds but I do when they have something meaningful to say that sheds light on our own world, and that’s definitely the case here.
One interesting note about Tess’s story is that she is not only a victim, but under her rapist Will’s instruction she also kissed Spira without his consent, ruining his position with the academy and getting him extremely sick. I’ll admit that it sat really uneasily with me at first to acknowledge the way that a survivor can hurt someone else because of their own grooming and abuse. It’s an important and uncomfortable thing to remember but it feels like a massive part of Tess’s story that just isn’t really addressed as completely as the rest of her past over the course of the book. Spira shows up at the end of the story and he and Tess are heading to the same place, so I’m hoping this will be explored more in the next book.
The other qualm I have is, like my beloved Daughter of the Forest, Tess of the Road also features an underage survivor having Beautiful Healing Sex with a man who is much older than her. YEAH it’s a fantasy book set in made up olden times but this kind of plot point feels weird to me no matter what!!!
Another strength is the complexity of the family dynamics that are depicted, especially the "good sister, bad sister" conflict between Tess and her sister Jeanne due to their mother’s unhappiness and exacting nature. It really rings true as the sibling dynamic in an unhappy family, especially the fact that each one of them has a totally different perspective on their childhoods and respective burdens because of the other sister. I like that this isn’t perfectly resolved by the end of the book.
This is a book with an extremely charming and lovely writing style and tons of endearing details like dirty marginalia in a monastery and fables about a giant hedgehog. The dialogue is also consistently great and Tess encounters many vivid characters throughout her journeys, from the miserable monk Moldi to implacable Seraphina and Tess’s dear quigutl companion Pathka. I really liked the quigutl a lot - their culture is very interesting, as is the entirety of the lore surrounding dragons, saints and World Serpents.
I do question a few of Tess’s big decisions over the course of the book. I specifically don't find it credible that she doesn’t anticipate the humans killing/exploiting Anathuthia after she makes the World Serpent’s presence known to them. It’s also strange that she doesn’t let her work crew know she is alive after surviving a cave-in. They’re her friends and they all think she’s dead, and while she could easily have retraced her steps to say goodbye she just lets them continue thinking she’s dead.
I can’t seem to find much info about whether this book is inspired by Tess of the D’urbervilles but I could definitely see that being the case - you have the same deeply patriarchal world that punishes a young woman after her rape, the death of a baby born from her abuse and her process of survival through common labor after the fact. If anyone happens to know anything more about this let me know, because I’m curious!
slow-paced
A coming-of-age fantasy story that is told in a simple writing style but deals with heavy themes, including about bodies and how they are governed (sex/virginity, especially female) and complex familial relationships. The way these topics are handled feels very personal and nuanced. And Tess feels like such a real and relatable person. It's a treat watching her backstory unfold even as she proceeds along her road. Everything is really well-structured, for all that it also feels meandering and easy.
Also nice to revisit characters from the previous duology, including Seraphina and Josquin, and delve deeper into quigutl physiology and social structure.
Also nice to revisit characters from the previous duology, including Seraphina and Josquin, and delve deeper into quigutl physiology and social structure.
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I appreciate the feminist themes and Tess' coming-of-age trajectory. These elements developed at a consistent and realistic pace. The worldbuilding with the serpents sometimes was confusing and weak.
I received this book from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review. I absolutely loved this world and all of the characters in it. I haven't previously read anything by this author and this book is set in the same world as her other book Seraphina but I was able to follow along quite well. Tess is a misfit who gets in trouble no matter which way she turns and when she is faced with a life as a governess or a nun she decides to make her own fate and goes wherever the road takes her. She meets her old friend Pathka (gender fluid lizard) along the way and they head on an adventure to find the great world serpents. They run into all kinds of trouble along the way and meet all kinds of different people. Anyone who loves fantasy or YA would absolutely love this book. This book is in my top favorites of the year!
3.5 Stars
Book 4 completed for the 2020 Reading Rush.
(I think this is my longest review so far, this is a super powerful book despite my rating, and would recommend reading the spoiler section to see why that is, if you don't want to read it yourself).
This is a difficult book to rate. Originally I thought it was bland, I would have DNF'd it if I hadn't been reading it for the Reading Rush and had got over halfway through it. But, the more I listened to it (on audiobook), the more I saw the important subjects within it.
The feminism in this book was really well done. It wasn't shoved in the readers face, but it was just so tastefully put into the book. I preferred the parts with Tess alone and with humans, rather than her being with the quigutls. If the quigutls weren't in the book, and it focused on Tess' story, I would have probably enjoyed it a LOT more and gave it a 4 stars.
Reading this felt very similar to a coming of age story set in a fantasy world. Tess matures, and learns throughout the book (especially when delving back into her past), and this part was the most interesting to me personally, rather than the fantasy aspect.
There are a bit of trigger warnings in this book, I will mention below. At first I noticed things that seemed odd in a YA book, but the more I got into the story, the more I realized why it was such an important subject.
**From here on, I'm going to talk about HUGE SPOILERS. Please don't read if you don't want to be spoiled**
TRIGGER WARNINGS for: R*pe, infant loss, teen pregnancy (Tess is around 14 during all of these)
From the beginning I noticed the topic of sex and purity were mentioned a lot. At first I found this odd, and rolled my eyes at it. It wasn't needed, and was random to me, but as I kept reading it made a lot of sense why it was brought up.
We find out that Tess was pregnant early on in the book. As we go on a journey with her, without her baby, we find out how this came to be. Despite being a YA book, with a character who is a teenager, pregnancy was brought up. I found this to be VERY important considering this does happen in real life. I think young adult books these days completely gloss over anything intimate despite how many of them have romance within their stories.
Nearing the end of the book, we then find out about the father of the child. Will. I gave him the benefit of the doubt at first, until Tess began talking about their relationship. She confesses that she were to remain pure, and wanted to continue to do so, (and that Will was attracted to that part of her. Ugh) Since woman are taught to remain pure, and not even think of sex, she was never taught about pregnancy, or the ways to prevent it, which is important in what happens next (which is very realistic to what continues to happen in present day with young woman and 'purity').
She talked about her first time with Will, and how it wasn't consensual. Despite that, she continued the relationship anyways. He groomed her, and once she fell pregnant he left her. (mind you, she was literally 13-14 years old during this time which makes it worse).
Due to premature labour and birth, her baby ended up passing away not long after being born.
This book takes place a while later, following her journey to what I think, is a way to find herself.
As time passes, Tess ends up meeting a man a bit older than her who has lost the use of his legs, and needs assistance with daily tasks. When she begins living under his roof to help him, she begins to have feelings for him, and eventually finds an interest in intimacy. Since he is well experienced in sex, he teaches her about ways to prevent pregnancy and how it's done so it can be pleasurable for both people involved (not just the man as she was first taught), and as opposed to Will, he cares for her and treats her well until the end of the book, when Tess must leave to return home.
The romance between Tess and this character wasn't really meant to be a "cute romance" like most YA books. I felt it was to have Tess learn about her body, and take control over it again after everything she had been told, and everything that had been done to her. Usually I'd hate 'insta-love' but in this instance, I think the romance was necessary and not a huge focus of the book, but rather a huge step for Tess.
I just really respected how Tess grew and how she was able to recapture herself despite everything she went through. I really do think this is an important read for some young woman out there, and I really respect Rachel Hartman for writing such important topics that you don't see very often in young adult literature.
Book 4 completed for the 2020 Reading Rush.
(I think this is my longest review so far, this is a super powerful book despite my rating, and would recommend reading the spoiler section to see why that is, if you don't want to read it yourself).
This is a difficult book to rate. Originally I thought it was bland, I would have DNF'd it if I hadn't been reading it for the Reading Rush and had got over halfway through it. But, the more I listened to it (on audiobook), the more I saw the important subjects within it.
The feminism in this book was really well done. It wasn't shoved in the readers face, but it was just so tastefully put into the book. I preferred the parts with Tess alone and with humans, rather than her being with the quigutls. If the quigutls weren't in the book, and it focused on Tess' story, I would have probably enjoyed it a LOT more and gave it a 4 stars.
Reading this felt very similar to a coming of age story set in a fantasy world. Tess matures, and learns throughout the book (especially when delving back into her past), and this part was the most interesting to me personally, rather than the fantasy aspect.
There are a bit of trigger warnings in this book, I will mention below. At first I noticed things that seemed odd in a YA book, but the more I got into the story, the more I realized why it was such an important subject.
**From here on, I'm going to talk about HUGE SPOILERS. Please don't read if you don't want to be spoiled**
TRIGGER WARNINGS for: R*pe, infant loss, teen pregnancy (Tess is around 14 during all of these)
From the beginning I noticed the topic of sex and purity were mentioned a lot. At first I found this odd, and rolled my eyes at it. It wasn't needed, and was random to me, but as I kept reading it made a lot of sense why it was brought up.
We find out that Tess was pregnant early on in the book. As we go on a journey with her, without her baby, we find out how this came to be. Despite being a YA book, with a character who is a teenager, pregnancy was brought up. I found this to be VERY important considering this does happen in real life. I think young adult books these days completely gloss over anything intimate despite how many of them have romance within their stories.
Nearing the end of the book, we then find out about the father of the child. Will. I gave him the benefit of the doubt at first, until Tess began talking about their relationship. She confesses that she were to remain pure, and wanted to continue to do so, (and that Will was attracted to that part of her. Ugh) Since woman are taught to remain pure, and not even think of sex, she was never taught about pregnancy, or the ways to prevent it, which is important in what happens next (which is very realistic to what continues to happen in present day with young woman and 'purity').
She talked about her first time with Will, and how it wasn't consensual. Despite that, she continued the relationship anyways. He groomed her, and once she fell pregnant he left her. (mind you, she was literally 13-14 years old during this time which makes it worse).
Due to premature labour and birth, her baby ended up passing away not long after being born.
This book takes place a while later, following her journey to what I think, is a way to find herself.
As time passes, Tess ends up meeting a man a bit older than her who has lost the use of his legs, and needs assistance with daily tasks. When she begins living under his roof to help him, she begins to have feelings for him, and eventually finds an interest in intimacy. Since he is well experienced in sex, he teaches her about ways to prevent pregnancy and how it's done so it can be pleasurable for both people involved (not just the man as she was first taught), and as opposed to Will, he cares for her and treats her well until the end of the book, when Tess must leave to return home.
The romance between Tess and this character wasn't really meant to be a "cute romance" like most YA books. I felt it was to have Tess learn about her body, and take control over it again after everything she had been told, and everything that had been done to her. Usually I'd hate 'insta-love' but in this instance, I think the romance was necessary and not a huge focus of the book, but rather a huge step for Tess.
I just really respected how Tess grew and how she was able to recapture herself despite everything she went through. I really do think this is an important read for some young woman out there, and I really respect Rachel Hartman for writing such important topics that you don't see very often in young adult literature.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I love the complexities of life this book addresses, how it shows both healthy and unhealthy relationships and age gaps, and how it refuses to fall prey to either the love triangle or one true love tropes that exist in almost every other YA fantasy. I also just simply adore Tess!
I'm learning that this new genre of feminist fantasy just isn't for me. Or, they just move too slow and I am limited by the library's max speed of 2x (oh, to be able to go faster!). This felt like a slog--I should've known by the title being "of the road" that she was going to wander, but it felt like too much for just the 9-month span of the book! I appreciate her independent streak, of course, and I think if fantasy were more my thing right now I'd have liked this more.