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falcondoveowl 's review for:
Tess of the Road
by Rachel Hartman
Oh man this book... I was just excited for some Seraphina's world worldbuilding and I got that but I also manged to get a lot more.
This book was very personal, at first its jarring because Tess has so much malice for characters that we've seen before and we are thrown into things with only the base understanding: Tess has ruined her life, in a way that is sexual in nature and the Tess we meet is broken as a result. Details are hashed out slowly as the book continues and as Tess begins to heal. In many ways it got darker and more adult than the blurb gives it. Tess journeys both through her memories and through the kingdoms meeting strangers, many kinder, than the demons in her head. Its not an easy book at times and I can see how others were put off by it, although I do believe those people are wrong. Everything is touched on in this book, what Seraphina touched on with racism and mixed "race" individuals, Tess touches on tenth fold with sexuality, sexism, rape, abusive family dynamic, religion, and prostitution. There are a few people here and there that are just bad people but most of the world is full of grey morality, including Tess herself at times. I really did feel the freedom Tess began to feel as she overcame her personal tragedy.
I think I might even love this book more than Seraphina, I absolutely cant wait for the next one but please Ms. Hartman, dont feel forced to make this a duology with you make enough material again. I will gladly buy two sequels
This book was very personal, at first its jarring because Tess has so much malice for characters that we've seen before and we are thrown into things with only the base understanding: Tess has ruined her life, in a way that is sexual in nature and the Tess we meet is broken as a result. Details are hashed out slowly as the book continues and as Tess begins to heal. In many ways it got darker and more adult than the blurb gives it. Tess journeys both through her memories and through the kingdoms meeting strangers, many kinder, than the demons in her head. Its not an easy book at times and I can see how others were put off by it, although I do believe those people are wrong. Everything is touched on in this book, what Seraphina touched on with racism and mixed "race" individuals, Tess touches on tenth fold with sexuality, sexism, rape, abusive family dynamic, religion, and prostitution. There are a few people here and there that are just bad people but most of the world is full of grey morality, including Tess herself at times. I really did feel the freedom Tess began to feel as she overcame her personal tragedy.
I think I might even love this book more than Seraphina, I absolutely cant wait for the next one but please Ms. Hartman, dont feel forced to make this a duology with you make enough material again. I will gladly buy two sequels