This was an excellent book. It took me a few chapters to start understanding the world, but after that I greatly enjoyed reading it. The world is very well-constructed, and although I can sometimes see the shadow of the previous book, this one still works well as an introduction point (and made me look forward to looking up Seraphina).

I really enjoyed this. I enjoyed that it was a slower, more compelling read. Sometimes a more leisurely-paced book can really work, if the author makes it work. Seraphina was the same way- speaking of which I love that this was set in the world but features new characters. I look forward to turning more of my library's fantasy readers onto Hartman's work.

Another of the Hugo-adjacent books, this time because Tess of the Road is nominated for the Lodestar Award, the not-a-Hugo for YA books - not the first book I've read by this writer, as I'd read both Seraphina and its sequel but apparently long enough ago to remember very little about it...

Tess of the Road is set in the same universe, with Seraphina's younger half-sister as the eponymous main character, a girl whose every decision seems to lead to trouble of one kind or another. When we first meet Tess, she's still trying to get over a disastrous first relationship and the loss of an illegitimate baby, for which latter event her judgemental mother seems to think she should be grateful. Tess is also hip-deep in trying to sort things out for her twin sister, both in terms of running interference with their mother and organising her present and future life. That, at least, gives her little time to think about the mess she finds herself in and how much she's drinking to try and cope with it.

Matters eventually come to a head when Tess discovers that her childhood friend, a dragon-like creature called Pathka, is being held captive and forced to work creating gadgets. Helping him escape, the two go on the run in search of a creature Pathka says is one of seven World Serpents, creatures both humans and dragons have ulterior motives to find first. Along the way, Tess comes to terms with both her own personality and history, while demonstrating she is not as Bad as her mother would have her believe.

One thing I really liked about Tess of the Road was the supporting characters we meet along the way, as they didn't slot into neat categories in the way that happens with some books. Sometimes you can tell how important a character is going to be to the overall story by the way they're introduced and this book avoids that. Tess is, of course, not the most reliable of narrators and at times this becomes a little annoying as she goes into yet another self-critical spiral.

If I have any complaints about Tess of the Road, it's about how the book ends - I would have ended it a little earlier, with Tess addressing her relationships with her sisters and then setting out for her next adventure. Taking matters a little further, to me, seemed to make it more incomplete, as if it was a more arbitrary stopping point rather than a conscious decision. Hence the 4 star rating, as it annoyed me a bit, as well as the heavy-handed sense of potential romance touted at the end, which always annoys me.

This book is so good. The build up is amazing. Tess' story alternates between past and present narratives and I couldn't love this book more. Where is book 2? Definitely recommend.

This is such a slow book. I don't mean that it's a book you're going to slog through or put down. It's slow in that this book doesn't only revolve around action driven plot pushing us forward. It's a complete journey in itself. The only real disappointment I had in this book was the trope of a strong woman having to disguise herself to complete her journey. Beyond that, our heroine has such a strong and distinct voice that this book couldn't be anything but enjoyable.

WHAT DID I THINK OF TESS OF THE ROAD BY RACHEL HARTMAN?
I am so glad that I did not immediately read Tess Of The Road by Rachel Hartman when I was approved for it. You see, that was right around the time that my son was under one years old and there’s no way I would have been able to make it through this book. Also, Hartman’s books are so special that I want to be sure that I am reading them at exactly the right time. I loved Seraphina and Shadow Scale, so it makes sense that I would want to love Tess Of The Road. Friends, I absolutely loved this book.

Tess Of The Road is all about Seraphina’s sister, Tess. Tess is one of those girls who is prickly around the edges and she genuinely believes she’s bad and not good enough. However, we see that she’s been through some real trauma. So, this is a book about hitting the road and healing. It’s a book that says your trauma is a part of you, but it does not define you.

I’ll be completely frank with you all and say there was a part where I had to re-read what happened and was like about to cry but then realized I am in the office and this is not the greatest environment for that. Straight up, I will say that there’s infant death in this book and as a part of a young child, that was so hard to read and had me feeling some things. However, if you can handle that, this book, while slow is excellent and has a true character development payoff.

HOW’S THE NARRATION?
The audiobook of Tess Of The Road is narrated by Katharine McEwan. It is 16 hours and 15 minutes long. I’ll be honest, that is a LONG audiobook, at least for me these days. Yet, McEwan does a wonderful job moving the story along and with pronouncing the dragon words. I don’t entirely hesitate to recommend this one via audio – except that if you don’t have the attention span. In that case, pick up the physical book. This is one superb story and just, really great if you’re here for character development, which I, as a reader, am on board for.

A very languid read, yet I can always appreciate an attempt at fleshing characters out with realistic motivations, and this book definitely takes its time to do this. The plot and excitement level perhaps suffer as a result, but again, when one element of a book is done well, that is something I will give credit to. A compelling and thoughtful read, one I can respect.

Thank you for including this in the voter packet for the Hugo’s! I’ll be fully reviewing the book during my Hugo spotlight week in July.

This book was made available as part of the Hugo Awards Voter's Packet in 2019, which was very generous of the publisher. I haven't had the time to read it yet, but am very glad that I'm given the opportunity to do so before voting. Thank you very much to Random House!

Hartman continues to explore her exquisitely-drawn world of Goredd and its borders, but this time Tess is in the spotlight instead of her sister Serafina. Tess’ journey of self-discovery is typical of the genre, but as more of Tess’ story is revealed the more layered it becomes. And the more it challenges the culture of trauma. It is an emotional journey and one which has great potential to give victims a long-needed voice. Yet, at the same time, this theme does not overpower the fantasy element of the book. Nor vice versa. Every turn of a phrase, every description, is as intricately crafted as the world this author has imagined. Hartman is a master storyteller, no question. On the other hand, Tess is a difficult character to connect with - by nature of her very characteristics – and some sections of the story could have been more succinct.

first appeared on RT Book Reviews, Feb 2018

This book is everything to me. Hartman dives into the same world as her wonderful Seraphina, but this book feels wholly different. It's a book about rage and healing, finding yourself and finding others, and it is absolutely beautiful.

This was a snow and derivative story about a young woman and her relationships. I enjoyed everything about it. It was such a good book and I can’t wait to read more if there is more.

Set in the same world as Hartman’s Seraphina books, this new series follows the exploits of Seraphina’s younger sister Tess. This is a girl who, as a child, was called a “spank magnet.” She challenges rules, bucks authority and is a disappointment to her parents. Fortunately, as an elder twin, she will be the one to enrich the family’s standing through an advantageous marriage. That is, until she once again, goes against expected behaviors and loses her status. Now she has become a handmaiden to her younger twin when the sister is falsely declared to be the favored elder and worthy of the prestigious marriage contract.

None of this sets well with the rambunctious Tess. She may love her twin but she also resents how she is now the one who is subservient. Faced with being sent to a nunnery after her sister’s wedding, Tess takes off with no particular destination in mind. She meets up with an old friend, a quigutl, a mini-dragon creature. He is on a mission to find the supreme Dragon and Tess decides to join the quest. Along the road they meet numerous fascinating people and have many adventures. There are monks, builders, rebels and others who sometimes welcome her but often put her in precarious positions. Tess proves she has a good heart and she champions the weak. Without an authority to oversee her every action, she chooses her own destiny.

Despite the dangers the two travelers face, the trek is about more than surviving. It’s about Tess and her evolution. As she looks forward, she finds she must face her past for her to continue moving on. Hartman’s world is rich and inventive. Her characters bring a realness to this world through their flaws and imperfections. Readers who loved the Seraphina books will want to explore Tess’ story and should not be disappointed.
3.5*

Tess Dombegh was born into a world with dragons and quigutl, a creature that is neither dragon or lizard but does resemble both with scales and fiery tongues. As a young girl, she made some mistakes and continues to pay for them though her family's displeasure and her own self-judgement. Mad at the world and unsure of her own place it in, she wants to find her own unique place in the world and to earn her mother's acceptance and love. It is dangerous for Tess to run as a girl, so small-breasted Tess dons boys clothes, cuts her hair, and begins traveling south.

Tess doesn't travel alone for long. Soon she stumbles upon Pathka, her quigutl friend from childhood. Led along by dreams and more than a little bit of luck, together they set off upon a very interesting and worthwhile adventure. Tess might find more than Great World Serpents along the journey - she might just find herself. That is after all what many of us seek. Always feeling stifled in the shadow of her sister, Seraphina, and her perfect twin sister, Jeanne, Tess has always wondered about her place in the world. Though Tess find the world to be a less than perfect place, it is full of people who are worthy of friendship and her help. She lives through adventures worthy of likening to those of her childhood hero, Dozerius, a pirate and explorer. She grows up and find out who she can be in this world.

Tess of the Road was a wonderful adventure. I enjoyed getting to know Tess and I look forward to whatever adventures await her next. Thank you, Rachel, for sharing an absolutely wonderful story with us!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers. I received an advanced reading copy through NetGalley for my honest opinion.

I've been avoiding writing this review for months because I'm just not sure I can truly capture how much I loved this book while it casually destroyed my heart. I don't even know where to begin!

Having previously read and loved the Seraphina series by Rachel Hartman which is set in the same world and finishes up shortly before Tess of the Road begins, I knew going in that this was going to be great. In fact I put off picking this up for almost a full year on the off chance that it wouldn't live up to my exceedingly high expectations; I'm glad to tell you it blew those expectations out of the water.

Now this book is not going to be for everyone, it tackles some seriously heavy topics in a very brutal and upfront way and the world-building, writing style and pacing aren't going to work for a lot of people. Now, having said that, I adored this book!

One of the many things I loved about this is getting to see the world, the family dynamic and certain spoilery events from a different perspective than Seraphina's. In the previous series set in this world we saw a lot of court intrigue and interacted generally with the upper crust of the society; over the journey in Tess of the Road we see a much fuller scope of the lower levels of society including but not limited to the homeless, the non-neurotypical, labourers and merchants.

I continue to love Hartman's interpretations of magical creatures and the various levels of status they hold within the world; with some being seen as pests and then others being held at a religious level.

Undoubtedly the thing I loved most about Tess of the Road was how hard-hitting it was emotionally. The way Hartman gives you just enough information so you know whats coming and how this story is going to end but the entire time you are desperately hoping, begging that you are wrong cause maybe, just maybe it'll turn out different. So whe you do get to the end and discover you were right but it's also so much worse than you thought it leaves a hole in you and there's nothing you can do but weep over the struggles Tess and many other girls like her in the real world must face everyday.

Hartman's kind enough to finish the book off in a place where you can hope that things can only get better for Tess from this point and I can't wait to share in Tess's next adventure.

I'll finish by saying two things: one, I highly recommend everyone at least try to read this and second, if you can, listen to the audiobook as well because it is just phenomenal!

I wasn't really feeling this book, but it could be it's just that I'm not in the right place to enjoy it because I think it's well written, and I loved Seraphina

There are three Dombegh sisters: naughty Tess, perfect twin Jeanne, and famous, talented older sister Seraphina. Now 17, haunted by past mistakes and overshadowed by her sisters, Tess is miserable. After drunkenly punching her new brother-in-law at Jeanne's wedding, Tess dresses as a boy and takes off. She travels across Goredd and Ninys in search of a Quigutl prophecy and her own purpose. Told in a episodic-like narrative, Tess’s past comes to light and shapes the future for readers. The characters are slightly one-dimensional, but grow on readers as the book goes on. The plot is engaging and well developed. The font in this book isn’t friendly for dyslexics. The narrative style is confusing to get used to, but the mix of past and present intertwined with parts of the other Seraphina books, readers who have enjoyed Seraphina and Shadow Scale will enjoy reading this book.

A worthy companion to Seraphina, this book is its equal in plot pace, prose and character development. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Seraphina's half sister, and Rachel Hartman's ability to create a well-crafted story clearly knows no bounds. Some might find it slow or directionless, but on the contrary I greatly appreciated the time the author took to really flesh out the motivations of Tess. It was definitely an emotional book, and oculd be hard to get through for some people. Overall I definitely recommend this read.

I absolutely loved this companion book to Hartman's Seraphina trilogy. Tess happens to be my new favorite character from this series!

I recommended this title as one of the "best of the best" among young adult speculative fiction at the 2018 Best of the Best workshop on children's and young adult literature, sponsored by the UTK Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature. Recommended for those who want a more contemplative take on high fantasy.