DNF @ 23/69%

Caution (highlight for content warning/spoiler-ish note): content relating to the premature birth and death of an infant

I didn't think it necessary to read the Seraphina books before picking up Tess of the Road, and according to the author via a Goodreads questions, it isn't strictly required. However, the further I got, the more I had the suspicion that, while designated a "companion" novel, it was more of a rough sequel about secondary characters. There were events that I was in the dark about that seemed to matter a great deal to the underlying story, but did not occur within Tess of the Road. Apparently Hartman's husband recommends reading Seraphina first, a note I didn't catch until too late. That book will provide some setup for the world and the creatures that inhabit it.

That being said, I got along alright with the hints and whatnot, making as educated a guess as I could to people and their motivations. I noticed, though, that while the writing was good in and of itself, the plot was...I don't want to say nonexistent, exactly, but it was lacking the oomph to make it truly interesting. I checked my progress at one point, found myself a quarter of the way into the book, and realized I wasn't engaged in anyone's story, not really. Things were happening, the plot moved from point a to b to c, but the journey was dull. 

Tess was a complicated character in that I couldn't figure out whether I liked her or not. There were many times when personality sparkled out of her and others when she said she wanted freedom but relaxed into the constraints placed upon her by family and society. Even after she finally gets on the road (not, as the synopsis says, disguised as a boy at first), she had several instances of doubt and even hope that someone such as her father would come looking for her, happy to find her safe, and take her home. Tess felt very fickle and I wasn't sure what side of her I was going to see from one moment to the next.


I had to stop reading this book because of something I read when skipping ahead. As I noted above, I found the story written well enough but the journey boring. That being said, I was curious if things would move along, be resolved, etc. and in skipping ahead I read a few pages that sickened me due to personal reasons.

SPOILER CONTENT - HIGHLIGHT TO READ

There are hints throughout the book that Tess has "gone wrong", so to speak. There are rumors she's a harlot, that she's behaved badly, etc. The reader learns early on that she was pregnant out of wedlock and that was one of the few points of interest I had in the book. Skipping ahead, I found out that the baby died three days after having been born and the description of his skin, his breathing...it was too hard for me to read, having a son that was born at 26 weeks gestation and nearly not surviving. I didn't want to continue, knowing that there might be more allusions to that event somewhere unawares in the text.

SPOILER CONTENT - END

I may read the Seraphina books at some point in the future, but I will be intensely wary because of the aforementioned pages and how ill I felt after reading them. Perhaps others will find Tess of the Road enjoyable, but I couldn't.

Set in the same universe as Seraphina, Tess of the Road follows Seraphina's half-sister Tess after she runs away from home.

So, confession, I haven't read Seraphina, though I have it on my bookshelf and I definitely want to. While Tess of the Road does work as a stand-alone, I do think I would've gotten more world building if I'd read Seraphina first. And I bet there are returning characters, etc. That being said, I did overall enjoy this one. I liked Tess, who has had some really crappy things happen to her and some of those things are her own fault but still. She's angry, impulsive, and sometimes selfish, but also endearing. I'm fascinated by the quigutls and their way of living, though confused by the dragons. I assume I would know more about the dragons if I'd read Seraphina.

While I enjoyed the characters, the plot is plodding. It meanders, the relationship between Tess and her traveling companion Pathka has an odd off and on aspect, I never knew where the plot was going, and it could've ended at any number of places.

Despite this, I would recommend it to any fans of the world, and I'll be reading Seraphina.

3.5/5

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for providing me with a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Reviewed on Book Riot and Goodreads]

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s and Random House Books for Young Readers for the advance reader copy Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman in exchange for an honest review. I just have to say, WHAT AN AWESOME COVER!!! Tess is such a different (not really likable all the time) character; as a child, she is always being spanked for the wrong things she says and does. But living in medieval Goredd, is not easy when you have a mother who is so angered and malevolent because too late realizes she married a man who slept with a dragon and has produced Seraphina, a human/dragon. Tess’ mother prays to the bad saints and instills this scary religion into her children. As an adolescent, Tess makes a huge mistake and puts her family’s and her own future at risk. As she mightily endeavors to get her sister married; Tess keeps making MORE mistakes. She speaks out when she shouldn’t, she punches a minister, now her family is going to put her with the nuns for the rest of her life. But Tess meets up with an old friend, who is a quigutl-a small dragon, and Patha is on a mission to meet a High Serpent (Dragon) and invites Tess to come. Dressed as a boy, Tess flees with Patha and as they try to exist with no money and food; Tess realizes she likes to work, using her hands and muscles, and she likes the adventure of the road. Tess still has her personal problems and constantly trying to forget her past- but will confronting her past and the forgiveness of the road, work for Tess? You must read this funny, heartbreaking fantasy about a girl who feels unloved and unlovable; and striking out on her own (with Patha) finds redemption on the road with dragons, and with much drama finds her place in life. I rooted for Tess from page one; readers will enjoy her adventures and growth!

I couldn't finish this book and it makes me rather sad. I found that a lot of things were missing to give some magic to this first volume. The first chapters are slow, I can say that I've seen the passage of time! I didn't like the character of Tess afterwards, when I liked her in the beginning of the book, she turns into a boring young girl. I didn't know there was a saga about Tess' sister and maybe I would have been more excited if I had read it. Unfortunately, the universe didn't really transport me and I was more bored counting pages than anything else. The writing and the cover still saved the book a little bit.

I wasn't sure what I was getting into when I pick up this book. I thought it would be an adventure, and it was, but it was terribly long. Tess' backstory was by far the most interesting part of this story. She did something to shame her family and so as the oldest twin she allows everyone to think her sister is the older one, so she can get married first. Once Tess finds a suitor for her sister, she runs away from home. On the way, she picks up her old nanny, who just happens to be a quigutl. I can't even begin to describe what a quigutl is other than they are kind of gross sounding and are not socially acceptable travel companions. Tess is an outspoken alcoholic and it has a lot to do with things in her past. Once the secrets Tess has been holding in are revealed the story is much easier to like. The problem is getting there. This story is almost too long for what it is trying to accomplish.

3.5 stars

Tess of the Road is set in the same world as Hartman’s Seraphina books, and indeed is a spinoff of them. Tess is one of Seraphina’s younger twin half sisters, a child in the previous series but now, six years later, a sixteen-year-old on the verge of adulthood. She has always been prone to trouble, a “spank-magnet,” and her frequent poor choices have narrowed her prospects to be a helpmeet to her twin in securing a good marriage. When her temper gets the better of her after the wedding, her parents plan to pack her off to a convent, conveniently out of their lives and no longer an embarrassment.

Tess has other plans.

Encouraged in a rather oblique fashion by Seraphina (who is no stranger to doing the unconventional), Tess takes to the road to leave her family and past behind and perhaps to find herself. The story of Tess on the Road is both literal and figurative, a physical journey and one of self-discovery. It’s a long road in more ways than one. Tess starts off as an angry young woman who lashes out, often at the wrong times. Her epiphanies on the road are hard-won and often far apart, making the narrative sometimes as plodding as her progress. But the journey is worthwhile and she emerges a stronger and more self-aware person.

In Hartman’s Seraphina duology, I really liked the first book and was terribly disappointed by the second. The pacing was slow and the resolution of relationships bitterly disappointing. (The follow-up of this situation is addressed a bit in this book.) I’m hoping for better for the second book in this series. The ending leaves just a few personal issues unresolved and shows the beginning of some new adventures, so the next book may move at a faster pace, balanced more on the outward than inward discoveries. I hope this will be the case, and I also hope any personal relationships Tess has will be less fraught than Seraphina’s. I’ll look forward to finding out.

Review is available on SFRevu.com's February issue:
http://sfrevu.com/php/Review-id.php?id=17783

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33123849-tess-of-the-road" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Tess of the Road" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1503583827m/33123849.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33123849-tess-of-the-road">Tess of the Road</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/357601.Rachel_Hartman">Rachel Hartman</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2282898119">3 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
Netgalley #8<br /><br />Many thanks go to Rachel Hartman, Random House, and Netgalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review. <br />This is the first of a duology set in the world of another of the author's characters- Seraphina. I've read that book, so I thought I'd check out this one.<br /><br />This is really good, but i dont know if I agree that twelve year olds should read it. I'm just thinking of my nieces, and there are a few subjects discussed that I wouldn't feel comfortable about them reading about in the sixth grade. But I guess kids are growing up so soon nowadays. <br /><br />Tess was always one to get into trouble. As a child she was known as a "spank magnet". It didn't help matters that her older half-sister was part dragon (read the book Seraphina). So Tess goes on a journey. The book follows her on her travails most importantly one that includes a great serpent of the underworld with healing powers that no one else believes exists. She begs for food, she falls in love, she learns truth about her best friend. It's a growth experience. <br /><br />I just kept scrolling the pages. I forgot that eventually there would be an ending and I was not ready. I was happy following Tess on her journey. Thankfully there will more than likely be a Book Two to pick up where this one left off. <br /><br />I wasn't ready for the ending. I wanted to continue on her adventure. 3.5 stars thinking about a 4
<br/><br/>
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6595648-bam-the-bibliomaniac">View all my reviews</a>

The concept is good and the plot is there but I will be honest, I DNF'd Tess of the Road at 20%. This is the quickest I have ever decided that a book is not for me but I just cannot stand it. Because everything to make a great story is there I am giving it two stars. It has promise but that is it.

Tess is angsty and angry. She does not care for others feelings and is very poor me, sob story, everyone hates me. I had trouble staying focused and found myself having to force myself to read one chapter all the way through. The whole time I was reading I wanted to stop. It is so slow. That is ultimately what led me to DNF. I just was not enjoying this story. I am not saying that you will not.

Unfortunately this newest novel by Rachel Hartman is not holding my attention. I hate to DNF an ARC, but I'd rather stop reading now than force myself to continue and end up giving Tess of the Road one or two stars on my blog. I read for as long as I could, but the story was dragging and while I appreciated Tess as an unlikely heroine, I found it hard to really immerse myself into her mindset. Hartman still shines when it comes to her writing. There was a playfullness to the beginning that I really liked, but I'm finding it hard to keep reading. As of now, the novel would receive two stars from me, meaning I really struggled to get through it.

3 stars

Plot: As a disclaimer, I did not realize that this was apart of the Seraphina series and I haven't read of Hartman's previous titles. I wonder if I would have liked Tess of the Road more if I had read the other books first, but it looks like the world will never know.

I was instantly drawn into Tess of the Road because of Hartman's writing, it was clever and she even snuck some humor in. I've always found humor to be rare in epic fantasy novels so I respected how natural Hartman made it seem. At some point, I realized that this book wasn't really going anywhere and lost interest. Tess of the Road was very much an epic adventure: Tess encountered strangers who would help her grow and learn something about herself. Unfortunately, there was never any rising action, it didn't feel like Tess' journey was leading toward anything and there were only so many strangers Tess could meet on the road before I got bored and started skimming.

Characters: From birth, Tess was told that she was born "bad" and would never amount to anything. Tess had a hard life and I couldn't help but root for her and be awed how she came to love herself and take her own needs into consideration. Tess of the Road was worth the read solely because of Tess' growth and the comments on sexism that Hartman made.

Worldbuilding: I'm tempted to read the other books because Hartman's world was so impressive. She created various species and took time to explain languages and dialects to the reader. I love languages and grammar rules so I appreciated this extra step to solidifying the world.

Short N Sweet: Tess of the Road was a solid fantasy that needed more action to keep my attention.

Shamed by her past mistakes, Tess lives in the shadow of her demure twin and the even more formidable shadow of her famous older sister Seraphina. After ruining her twin's wedding and permanently shaming her family, she runs away to live on the road. She meets her childhood friend Pathka and together they set put to find the legendary World Serpents. 

Part of the reason I was interested in this book is because I was familiar with the author's previous series, Seraphina, which is the saga of Tess' older half-sister. I never had the chance to read Seraphina when it was popular as I was in the middle of a reading-intensive college program that didn't allow for much leisurely reading, but I heard great thing about the book from friends and colleagues. I've also always been excited about the unexpected journey theme and couldn't wait to read this book. 

Rachel Hartman, in her character Tess, does something that is so difficult to do successfully. Her main character is terribly, deeply flawed. She starts the story as an alcoholic, self-destructive, violent and shattered person, and piece by piece, slowly throughout the novel she begins to put herself back together, but even as a flawed protagonist, she's incredibly likable. More than likable, she's relatable and a breath of fresh area in the genre of Young Adult Fantasy. So often when we have female mail characters, they're wholesome, quite, bookworms or maybe they're feisty, sarcastic and accomplishment driven. Tess is none of these. She's a whole unique character that I was intrigued by within the first few pages. 

While the world this novel takes place in relies heavily on events that took place in the Seraphina series, I was still given more than enough information to understand the dynamics and rules of the world. What interested me the most was the races in this world. Tess's best friend is off a reptile-like race, related to Dragons, called Quigutls. They're mostly looked down on by other people, but Tess has a respect for Pathka and her people and explores their traditions, culture and lore. The readers are also able to learn a bit about the democractic relationships in this world through Tess's travel through the neighboring country. 

While a lot happens in this book, it is fairly slow paced and long. There are some brief moments of action, but they're quick and don't require much build up or reflection. Much of the events of the story are more like internal revelations for Tess than physical events for her to overcome. While these are heartfelt and rewarding scenes, including the numerous flashbacks to her teenage years, her past love and her greatest regrets, there wasn't much to compel the reader constantly forward other than the vague promise of the World Serpents which may or may not be real. It's a loosely structured plot that breaks many of the molds of the genre, which isn't necessarily bad, but is good for any potential readers to know. 

If you love The Name of the Wind and the Song of the Lioness series, even better if like Seraphina, this is a book you should make a must-read. The protagonist, Tess, is beautifully flawed and deliciously complex, as is her quest through the novel. The world Rachel Hartman constructs is unique and compelling in a strange, policitical or educational way. What the books misses in plot and hard action, it makes up for in emotional, tearful scenes of betrayal and redemption. While it's not necessary to read Seraphina prior to reading Tess of the Road, I am definitely interested to read more about this world. The ending is open to a possible sequel so be sure to keep your eye out! 

Rachel Hartman's Tess of the Road will be available on February 27th, but you can pre-order a copy now on Amazon and Underlined.

I have never read the Seraphina books and so thought this would be a good place to jump into this world. Although Tess's story was interesting, I felt as though my unfamiliarity with the previous books led to me missing some of what was going on in the story. It was almost as though there was subplot going on that I should have picked up on but didn't or couldn't because I did not know Seraphina's background, or that of her family.
Tess seemed, in the begging, a very sad character. She did gain confidence in herself throughout her journey.
If I had read the other books first perhaps I would have enjoyed this story more. But I would not recommend this book, especially to anyone not already familiar with the world of Seraphina.

'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.' With an introduction like that I was definitely looking forward to this book!! I love feisty females who make their own way. Yet I enjoy more lighthearted reads.
This book is filled with some very nice writing yet this dark and emotionally draining tale just wasn’t for me. Though I believe others will like it. Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Tess of the Road is a story about Tess, a whiny, obnoxious black sheep of a family who winds up getting herself into all kinds of trouble which forces her family's hand to put her in a nunnery. She winds up dressing like a boy and running away from her troubles. Bottom line, Tess is one of the least likable characters I have come across in a long time. She comes across as conceited and drinks constantly. Little to no character development. Really difficult for me to stick with a character like her as a reader. I wound up not finishing this one.

Tess of the Road (Hardcover)
by Rachel Hartman
Tess of the road is the third book in the Seraphina series. This complex fantasy world has many contingencies that bring insight to the reader about our social norms and complications in modern society. Rachel Hartman uses the fantastic aspects of Porphyria to show that prejudice and injustice are something that although part of the world we should not accept. Tessie is an imaginative child that believes wholeheartedly in the fantasy put forth in her favorite book, The adventures of the Porphyrian Pirate Dozerius and his valorous crew. She longs for adventure, but her accepting heart has a lot to overcome. Her family has many secrets, some the universal secrets of childhood, some that are so deadly for her family that their exposure would be a death sentence, and some are those things a society use to excuse their exploitation and persecution of people and creatures they do not completely understand. Tessie has much of the same strengths as her half sister Seraphina, and some of her own unique talents that will leave the reader that already loved the Seraphina series with another character to cheer, adore, and rally for. This is a great Young Adult novel for children to use their own eyes to see the truth, their hearts to uncover the truth, and their resolve to face their consequences.

DNF at 31% The first couple of chapters were okay and I tried to stick with it. But my TBR list is long and if I'm struggling to keep interested it is a no-go for me. I hadn't realized that it is essentially the third book in the universe and reading the first 2 is probably essential to understanding what is going on in the story.

The author returns to Seraphina (2012)’s world of Goredd, but this time as a secondary character. The main character is her half-sister: Tess, who is the “black sheep” in the family, according to her mother’s standards. Tess has a twin “perfect” sister Jeanne.
When Tess drunkenly ruins her sister’s wedding, punching her brother in law, she unintentionally has the excuse to run away and starts her self-discovery journey.
She meets her former friend, A quigutl (dragon subspecies) and joins her in her quest for the lost serpents.
Hartman writes beautifully in a series of flashbacks between Tess’s road trip and her past, how the “walk on” is in a certain way her redemption. Helping people on the go, working as a farmer, and encountering many dangers.
A strong independent female character in a world that she apparently does not fit.
The themes to explore are so present that sometimes you forget that you are reading a Renaissance setting and feel it is present time. A teenager, coming into adultness with sex, pregnancy and taboo topics can be related to anytime.
I really enjoyed reading this story, and I want more. First I will read the Seraphina’s series, I want to know more about this world, and then the second book about Tess and her adventures.
Highly recommended! Thank you, NetGalley and Random House for sending me the ARC to give an honest review.

I have mixed feelings about Tess of The Road. Seraphina is one of my favorite books and one I always recommend but then I wasn't a big fan of Shadow Scale so in my own personal ranking, I would put Tess above Shadow Scale. It has some of the same issues I struggled with, mainly the pacing and a little heavy handed at times, but the character development really won me over. This story also focused more on the Quig's than on the dragons, which I enjoyed seeing explored.

Tess of the Road is a companion to the Seraphina duology and is set in the same world, following one of Seraphina's younger sister - Tess. Again, similar to Shadow Scale, Tess of the Road is a journey story and we follow Tess from Goredd as she journey's south. As mentioned in the synopsis, Tess is "disguised" as a boy but I thought this was one of the weaker elements of the story and didn't seem all the integral to the plot, though it did relate a lot to Tess's own personal growth. So while the plot seemed to be many disjointed mini adventures as Tess journey's south, it is the growth in Tess character that is the hidden strength of this book. I have read several reviews where reader's dnf'd the book because they found Tess to be wholly unlikable and at the beginning of the book I can see how some would feel this. She is broken, she knows it and she is struggling to continue on and that made her, to me, more relate-able and real. It's hard to explain Tess because so much of her story is revealed throughout the book but by the end, Tess was still Tess but like many of us, through her trials and acceptance of her past, she had discovered her own strengths and not fear herself.

Again, this is not an easy read. It isn't a fluffy romance or a high action fantasy, it's a journey and journey's can be work, but the payoff at the end is worth it. I will definitely be picking up the next book to see where the road takes Tess next!

My rating is 3.5 out of 5 stars. This review is based off an arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for honest reviews.

When I saw that I was approved for this arc, it made my eyes sparkle. At least, that's how it felt like to me.

So in this novel, we follow Tess. A young girl who is absolutely not like everyone else in the Kingdom of Goredd. She is not your special snowflake nor would she care anyway. She is flawed yet in the most perfect way possible and this is her journey to finding herself. WITH DRAGONS!

The plot was actually very complex, layered as an onion to where, once we had a portion figured out, it opened up others that were still a mystery. I did have to devote my full attention in the beginning for the world building, as this fantasy realm is very different than the others I've previously read. There is intricate detail of multiple lands that I found completely mesmerizing; I adored how realistic it was and didn't account for how caught up I'd become until I had to check back in to reality. There is so much action in the plot that makes it paced really well; I could hardly put this down and do all the other things I needed to during my days.

The messages in this book are practically shouting at you and are so strong that you will be thinking about them for days.