You need to sign in or sign up before continuing.
Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.0 AVERAGE
4.0 AVERAGE
I did end up enjoying this book but I felt it had problems.
It starts off painfully slow. We are watching Tess as she spirals into depression and alcoholism and we don’t even really understand why. We get clues and it’s eventually explained more by the end, but at the beginning of the story Tess just seems like a whiny alcoholic who messes everything up. It’s not fun to read. But all this spurs Tess to go out on the Road and have an adventure and then the story became more engaging.
I feel like I didn’t need Tess to be Seraphina’s sister. It just seemed like it was a dumb way to keep the characters from previous books around, but they weren’t important for the story at all and I kind of begrudged them that. I would have liked to meet a new family and experience some new family dynamics.
Overall it was a worthwhile read by the end but I’m not sure I would read any more in this universe unless we get all new characters. A time jump would be great!
It starts off painfully slow. We are watching Tess as she spirals into depression and alcoholism and we don’t even really understand why. We get clues and it’s eventually explained more by the end, but at the beginning of the story Tess just seems like a whiny alcoholic who messes everything up. It’s not fun to read. But all this spurs Tess to go out on the Road and have an adventure and then the story became more engaging.
I feel like I didn’t need Tess to be Seraphina’s sister. It just seemed like it was a dumb way to keep the characters from previous books around, but they weren’t important for the story at all and I kind of begrudged them that. I would have liked to meet a new family and experience some new family dynamics.
Overall it was a worthwhile read by the end but I’m not sure I would read any more in this universe unless we get all new characters. A time jump would be great!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Audiobook narrated by Katharine McEwan.
The narration was great.
I loved Seraphina, and finally reading this book from the point of view of one of Seraphina’s half-sisters, was a fun way to read another tale in the same universe.
Seraphina has a few cameos, but what’s interesting that Tess doesn’t actually like Seraphina much. This book is a lot about how people and events appear to different people: or event to the same person at different times. It’s also a lot about how one’s emotional state will affect what one experiences and how one reacts. These reflections and observations mean that there are very few characters that we don’t get to observe from multiple angles. So that is intriguing.
Meanwhile, the book is about the adventures of a girl who grew up in love with adventure stories, and yet she primarily takes it one day at a time.
Another theme is dealing with the consequences of one’s actions: especially when the consequences were not what was intended: and can’t be easily “fixed”.
Lots of enjoyable characters throughout the tale.
The narration was great.
I loved Seraphina, and finally reading this book from the point of view of one of Seraphina’s half-sisters, was a fun way to read another tale in the same universe.
Seraphina has a few cameos, but what’s interesting that Tess doesn’t actually like Seraphina much. This book is a lot about how people and events appear to different people: or event to the same person at different times. It’s also a lot about how one’s emotional state will affect what one experiences and how one reacts. These reflections and observations mean that there are very few characters that we don’t get to observe from multiple angles. So that is intriguing.
Meanwhile, the book is about the adventures of a girl who grew up in love with adventure stories, and yet she primarily takes it one day at a time.
Another theme is dealing with the consequences of one’s actions: especially when the consequences were not what was intended: and can’t be easily “fixed”.
Lots of enjoyable characters throughout the tale.
So much more than I expected, and all the better for it.
This book is Just Right -- and stays Just Right all the way through.
adventurous
medium-paced
The opening of the book is weird and consists of of Tess trying to get people in bed together and kissing her uncle in an attempt to find out how babies are made. I feel like this would be an uncomfortable read. I also don't care for white feminism.
Content Warnings
Minor: Incest
Having had a difficult relationship with my mother, I have so much sympathy for Tess and only wish I could have read this book when I was Tess's age. It made me happy that she was able to forge a life for herself on the Road.
Some characters felt incomplete, since I hadn't read Hartman's previous books.
Some characters felt incomplete, since I hadn't read Hartman's previous books.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
DNF-ed at 33%. I couldn't get into it and honestly I didn't love the main character and while I'm curious to see what happens I'm not interested enough to keep going, especially because I can't waste my time anymore. If I had continued to read it at this rate, I wouldn't finish it for another 1.5 weeks, maybe more.