Take a photo of a barcode or cover
A review by grassangel
Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman
2.0
This is a competently written book. If you like road trips of discovery stories with a fantastic bent or stories that tackles difficult subjects like I'm sure it'd be enjoyable.
However I found this book a little miserable because of those themes and the over-arching religious theme that connects them together. While that religious background strongly informs Tess and her way of thinking, the whole system is a not so subtle parallel to certain forms of religion in our own world. I am sure other readers might appreciate and gain something from these strong echoes, but I found them tiring and unimaginative.
What I did enjoy was the other bits of world building - how there are different species of dragons, all cousins to one another, the quigutl culture and mythology - and the personal revelations Tess experienced, as slow as they were. (She is only 17, so it'd be unfair to expect her to be self-aware and self-reflect so deeply, but this book definitely tries your patience if you enjoy things faster paced.)
Spoiler
rape & purity culture, especially as a result of religion; the effect of losing a child, or alcoholismHowever I found this book a little miserable because of those themes and the over-arching religious theme that connects them together. While that religious background strongly informs Tess and her way of thinking, the whole system is a not so subtle parallel to certain forms of religion in our own world. I am sure other readers might appreciate and gain something from these strong echoes, but I found them tiring and unimaginative.
What I did enjoy was the other bits of world building - how there are different species of dragons, all cousins to one another, the quigutl culture and mythology - and the personal revelations Tess experienced, as slow as they were. (She is only 17, so it'd be unfair to expect her to be self-aware and self-reflect so deeply, but this book definitely tries your patience if you enjoy things faster paced.)