4.5/5 stars — powerful and unexpected

I've read a lot of four- and five-star books lately, but Tess stood out even among those. From the first page, Rachel Hartman's latest main character felt like an old friend—not necessarily your best friend; more like the kind you've known so long they're family and you love them even when they're getting drunk and ruining your wedding. In other words, Tess is the pinnacle of well-executed unsympathetic protagonists, at least during the first act. (She's still well-executed in later acts, but she grows more traditionally likeable as the story progresses.)

Tess's history is painful and complex, and every part of it informs her actions during the main story. Characters like her are important to me, and I suspect even more so to younger readers who have lived any of Tess's experiences.

Tess weathered an unwanted pregnancy as the result of rape at a very young age with an unsupportive family; the associated traumas destroyed her life. I think it's valuable to have characters like that—to show that a person can still find adventure, happiness, and love as they piece themselves back together.

Tess of the Road served as a welcome reminder of Hartman's skill in building an unusual world filled with characters so deep that I end up wanting to know the story behind everyone the protagonist meets. I read Seraphina a few years ago, but Shadow Scale got buried in my TBR. I'll remedy that soon because I need more of Hartman's wonderfully abrupt heroines.

I have nothing but praise for Tess of the Road and I recommend it to anyone who loves fantasy, particularly fantasy that takes a hard look at some of the frustrating trends surrounding "strong" female characters.

tw/cw for this book include infant death, rape, and emotional abuse by family members