ARC REVIEW: In the Serpent's Wake (Tess of the Road #2) by Rachel Hartman

In the Serpent's Wake (Tess of the Road #2) by Rachel Hartman
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Release Date: February 1, 2022
Format: eARC (NetGalley and TBR and Beyond Tours)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers

Check out my review of the first book in the series, Tess of the Road

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Rachel Hartman’s In the Serpent’s Wake is another powerful young adult fantasy read. Educational, entertaining, and thought-provoking - this book is not for the faint of heart or those looking for a light fun read. Events pick up immediately after the ending of the first book Tess of the Road, and it’s just as action-packed.  

From the very start, the book was entertaining. I appreciate the recap that was provided in the prologue (and how it was written in verse). Coming up with that many rhymes must have been tiring. Ms. Hartman’s writing style throughout the book was quite engaging and interesting; it was fun to piece the different viewpoints together. As an avid fantasy reader, the expanded worldbuilding was another highlight of In the Serpent’s Wake (it’s always an adventure to get to travel off the edges of the map, in a sense). There were times when the main plot (finding the Polar Serpent) got lost in the numerous subplots, but it didn’t interfere with my enjoyment of the book too much. 

Tess’ story continues to be one of resilience and determination. She’s had so much go wrong in her life, but she continues to persist and keep moving forward. There’s no doubt she’s deeply flawed and that her past trauma (rape and infant loss) has colored her experiences but I think the author handled things well. There were some very emotional moments in the book (i.e. when a certain ex reappears), but it felt like most of her character arc was covered in the first book. 

Another issue that Ms. Hartman tackled in this book is gender identity. A particularly powerful quote from the book on this subject was “One shouldn’t have to change for anyone else’s comfort; to demand such was tyranny.” Gender fluid and non-binary characters are also embraced in this world (to an extent), as the quigutls and dragons are known for using the gender-neutral pronoun ko and gender transitions are not uncommon for not quigutls. For example, the dragon scholar Spira is non-binary and Pathka transitioned from female to male. 

Altogether, In the Serpent’s Wake is another fantastic fantasy novel by Rachel Hartman. It’s unclear whether this will be the end of Tess’ storyline (the ending seemed to wrap things up nicely, but the author seemed to leave some threads open for future stories), but I would happily read any stories set in this world in the future. I think a spin-off based on Countess Marga and her adventures would be a great addition. 

Thank you to the author, Random House Books for Young Readers, the team at TBR and Beyond Tours, and NetGalley for my complimentary review copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review In the Serpent’s Wake immensely. Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed In the Serpent’s Wake. All opinions expressed in the review are my own and not influenced in any way. 

TRIGGER WARNINGS: Rape, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Underage Drinking, Sex Shaming, Drunkenness, Infant Loss, Gaslighting

About the Author

Rachel Hartman is the author of three young adult fantasy novels: SERAPHINA, SHADOW SCALE, and TESS OF THE ROAD. Her fourth novel, IN THE SERPENT’S WAKE, will be published February 1st, 2022. Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list and have received many awards, including the Morris Award, the Sunburst Prize, and the Monica Hughes Award. Rachel lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and whippet.

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REVIEW Tess of the Road (Tess of the Road #1) by Rachel Hartman

Tess of the Road (Tess of the Road #1) by Rachel Hartman
Rating: 3 Stars
Release Date: February 27, 2018
Format: Audiobook (library)
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers 

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Check out my review of the second book in the series, In the Serpent's Wake

Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman is a hard book to review. Not because I didn’t enjoy it (because I did), but more for the length and the content that it covers. Please check out the trigger warnings at the bottom of the review before starting this book - Tess of the Road does include some heavy topics and themes, so I wouldn’t want anyone to go in unprepared. I also want to note that this book doesn’t have that much to do with dragons (despite what the cover might lead you to believe). 

At its core, Tess of the Road has very strong themes of female empowerment. It's never shoved in the reader's faces; it's more of a subtle thread woven throughout the story. I enjoy fantasy books that tackle some of the issues our world faces  - Ms. Hartman did just that with this book. For example, one of the issues that are broached is the preoccupation with sexual “purity”. As a female, Tess was ostracized and shamed for a mistake and tragedy that happened in her past (check the trigger warnings if you want an idea of what happened). When she disguises herself as a male, her fellow workers put together a pool of money so “Tes’puco” can lose his virginity and they practically throw a party for the occasion. I also appreciated how Ms. Hartman touched on the fact that part of the issue stems from the lack of education on safe sex and how to prevent unwanted pregnancies (which Tess was affected by). 

The story does wander a bit (which could be off-putting for some in a book of 500 plus pages), and borders on rambling at times. However, I think that was more of a purposeful decision and less of a flaw in the writing. A majority of this book focuses on Tess’ journey to finding herself - as she does so, the narration becomes gradually less disjointed. Tess is such an endearing character, and you can’t help but feel for her. Fans of stories focused on broken characters and their journeys of healing will inevitably find themselves drawn to her. 

I’m excited to see what comes next in the sequel, In the Serpent’s Wake (the ending of this book makes it clear that Tess of the Road was not intended to be a standalone book).  I also plan to go back to read the prequel books Seraphina and Shadow Scale (as a note, it’s not necessary to read these books to be able to enjoy Tess of the Road). I would not recommend this book for the faint of heart. However, if you don’t feel that the content would be triggering and you want a story that’s educational, entertaining, and thought-provoking, then I would recommend you give Tess of the Road a chance.  

Trigger Warnings: Rape, Physical Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Underage Drinking, Sex Shaming, Drunkenness, Infant Loss

About the Author

Rachel Hartman is the author of three young adult fantasy novels: SERAPHINA, SHADOW SCALE, and TESS OF THE ROAD. Her fourth novel, IN THE SERPENT’S WAKE, will be published February 1st, 2022. Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list and have received many awards, including the Morris Award, the Sunburst Prize, and the Monica Hughes Award. Rachel lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and whippet.

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BOOK TOUR: In the Serpent's Wake (Tess of the Road #2) by Rachel Hartman

 

Hi all! I'm pleased to be hosting a spot on the IN THE SERPENT'S WAKE by Rachel Hartman Blog Tour hosted by TBR and Beyond Tours. Check out my post below, and don't forget to check out the other tour hosts' pages as well. I've linked the schedule below. 

In the Serpent's Wake by Rachel Hartman Tour Schedule (TBR and Beyond Tours)

About the Book

From the critically acclaimed and bestselling author of Seraphina comes a piercing new fantasy adventure that champions our resilience and humility.

MIND OF THE WORLD,
OPEN YOUR EYES.

At the bottom of the world lies a Serpent, the last of its kind.
Finding the Serpent will change lives.

Tess is a girl on a mission to save a friend.
Spira is a dragon seeking a new identity.
Marga is a woman staking her claim on a man’s world.
Jacomo is a priest searching for his soul.

There are those who would give their lives to keep it hidden.
And those who would destroy it.

But the only people who will truly find the Serpent are those who have awakened to the world around them—with eyes open to the wondrous, the terrible, and the just.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indigo | IndieBound | Bookshop.org

About the Author

Rachel Hartman is the author of three young adult fantasy novels: SERAPHINA, SHADOW SCALE, and TESS OF THE ROAD. Her fourth novel, IN THE SERPENT’S WAKE, will be published February 1st, 2022. Her novels have been on the New York Times bestseller list and have received many awards, including the Morris Award, the Sunburst Prize, and the Monica Hughes Award. Rachel lives in Vancouver, BC, with her husband and whippet.

Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook