Fun fact : when I was 10-12 I received Tess of the Road for my birthday. I had not read any books from that author prior to receiving it. I read it and loved it a lot back then because I loved Tess’s emotional journey and growth, but a lot of the book’s more mature content went right over my head. (I did not realise the third line in the Seraphina/Kiggs/Glisselda triangle was there until I reread the series two years ago)
I don’t even remember who gave it to me or when it was, just that it was at my 12th birthday maximum because I didn’t have a 13th birthday party and then Covid happened and during the pandemic I read the Seraphina series after having read Tess of the Road.
It’s the best book anyone has ever given me without me explicitly asking for that book (like in my Christmas list or something). Idk how my friends back then knew that I would love it. Props to them. I kinda wish I could start receiving books as gifts again just to find completely unexpected gems like these.
Anyway, I reread it at age 16 and it completely blew my mind. Like what do you mean this sixteen year old girl went through so much? I was her age when I reread Tess of the Road and it just made me so sad for her. I have never hated a book character more than I’ve hated Will (and it’s also SO ironic that their names are Tess and Will bc I’m such a big fan of the Shadowhunter Chronicles)
And yeah his punishment in the 4th book was not enough.
I’d love a third duology or a standalone about the third Dombegh sister Jeanne because I fear that a book about how conforming to society’s pressures/parental pressures and being obedient is so taxing while everyone thinks it’s easy and breaking down because of it would hit far too close to home and I want to read about her.
It’s odd because I think I’m an even mix of a little bit of all of them. Tess is this bold rogue girl who dreams of big adventures and is terribly let down by life but also looks out for underdogs because she is an underdog herself as an unconventional woman in a patriarchal society rooted in religious superstition. Seraphina always feels out of place because she can fit in neither the human world nor the dragon world (at least at the beginning of the first book) and is trying to carve out a spot for herself despite this. Jeanne seems like she’s got it easy because she was always the conventional obedient “good” “angelic” one and she found a husband easily and they’re in love. But we do see the facade slip at the end of Tess of the Road when she gets very angry at Tess for running away and making her fear the worst had happened to her twin.
Like?? I was so disappointed upon discovering online book fandom when I found out this didn’t have a big fan base. I’ll admit it’s not for everyone but it has dragons!! Medieval fantasy!! Unconventionally strong FMCs!! Complex relationships between sisters!! Interesting/compelling (at least to me) character growth!!
I feel like if you really loved the way Leigh Bardugo wrote about saints and religion in the Shadow and Bone / King of Scars series you’ll really love the way it’s explored in this series too especially in the Seraphina series. Religion/saints are really embedded in this world. Won’t say more bc of spoilers.
I would really recommend you read Seraphina and Shadow Scale, then Tess of the Road and potentially In The Serpent’s Wake (didn’t like it as much as Tess of the Road. Maybe my expectations were too high).
Idk where I was going with this, I just came on here wanting to rant about Tess of the Road, remembered not many people have read it and decided to do something about that. Hopefully I did a good job of not revealing too much while also making you interested in this series!