In the Serpent's Wake

December 1, 2021
Teenage Tess returns for further adventure. Picking up almost immediately after the conclusion of Tess of the Road (2018), this is both continuation and expansion--of the map, the cast of characters, and the scale of Tess' mission, which again includes seeking a World Serpent. This aim is now accompanied by a side of guilt, as the one she found in the first book was killed by a scientific expedition, leaving Tess' quigutl friend in distress. Despite an opening poem retelling the events of the first volume, there is little here to ground a new reader. The close third-person perspective moves among Tess, Marga (a Ninysh countess, naturalist, and adventurer), and Spira, a dragon scholar born without maternal memories who cannot take dragon shape. All three, plus a large cast of secondary characters, must situate themselves against a backdrop of political unrest caused by relentless expansion by the White-coded Ninysh into the lands of darker-skinned inhabitants of island nations. The themes here, not always subtle, revolve around story and history: who tells it, who hears it, and how hard it is to separate oneself from the (his)story that shapes you. Hartman's inclusive world grapples with questions of sovereignty and colonization, religion, and gender in ways that both reflect and comment on our own world, generally without sacrificing the moving, if busy, narrative. A compelling duology closer. (cast of characters, glossary) (Fantasy. 13-adult)

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December 15, 2021
Grades 9-12 *Starred Review* Continuing the heartfelt journey begun in Hartman's road-trip fantasy Tess of the Road (2018), Tess finds herself traveling by sea. To save her quigutl friend Pathka, Tess needs to find the Polar Serpent, the last of the mythical World Serpents. She has convinced Countess Margarethe, captain of the Avodendren, to take them in the name of scientific discovery. Their ship isn't the only one looking for the Polar Serpent, though. The other, helmed reluctantly by dragon Spira on behalf of the Mootseye, seeks to kill the serpent, though another passenger has a secret plan for the flammable pyria on board. Their high-seas race runs headlong into the volatile political situation in the Archipelagos, where myriad Indigenous nations have been subjugated by Ninysh colonizers. Each of Hartman's nuanced characters--Tess, Margarethe, Jacomo, Spira, and more--grapples imperfectly with the injustices they observe, doing the emotionally difficult work to move from ignorance or denial to acknowledgement and action. Hartman deftly reflects our own world's worries in this adventurous fantasy, but always with an eye toward hope and healing. The open-ended conclusion is satisfying but leaves space for Tess' journey to continue; to truly reckon with herself, she must travel full circle to home. This is a much-needed book about people forgiving and then sharing the "messy imperfections of [their] heart."

COPYRIGHT(2021) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

September 23, 2022

Gr 7 Up-In this sequel to Tess of the Road, aspiring naturalist Tess goes on a quest to find the last World Serpent, which has a magical ability to heal her best friend, Pathka. Hartman uses multiple points of view to drive the plot, while introducing new characters in this fantasy novel, many based in folklore. There are themes of Indigenous sovereignty and colonialism in this story. Accompanying Tess is Spira, a dragon that can only take the human form; Marga, a young explorer who is described as having brown skin; and Jacomo, a spiritual guide. Tess is also dealing with trauma from her assault in the previous book. The back matter contains a glossary and cast of characters. VERDICT Readers looking for a strong-built fantasy world will not be disappointed; however, those who enjoy action-driven fantasy or clear strong endings may be disappointed.-Helen Prince

Copyright 2022 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2022
In this sequel to Tess of the Road (rev. 3/18), Tess must get her beloved quigutl friend, Pathka, to the Polar Serpent for healing. She's also on a spying mission for her Goreddi monarch, so she insinuates herself into a Ninysh voyage of scientific discovery aiming to find the Serpent. The journey progresses through a vast archipelago colonized by the Ninysh, who have displaced and tried to crush the varied cultures and knowledges of the islands' many indigenous peoples. But Tess's quest depends on the expertise of many of those peoples, and both she and the voyage's aristocratic scientist leader are forced to examine their imperialist complicity as they learn to heed indigenous voices and claims. This is but one of many currents in this timely, challenging work, with its vital questioning of cultural superiority and of assumptions about heterogeneity -- in culture, gender, and physicality. Conceptually rich, serious, emotionally complex; a worthy addition to Hartman's already considerable achievement. Deirdre F. Baker

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

January 1, 2022
In this sequel to Tess of the Road (rev. 3/18), Tess must get her beloved quigutl friend, Pathka, to the Polar Serpent for healing. She's also on a spying mission for her Goreddi monarch, so she insinuates herself into a Ninysh voyage of scientific discovery aiming to find the Serpent. The journey progresses through a vast archipelago colonized by the Ninysh, who have displaced and tried to crush the varied cultures and knowledges of the islands' many indigenous peoples. But Tess's quest depends on the expertise of many of those peoples, and both she and the voyage's aristocratic scientist leader are forced to examine their imperialist complicity as they learn to heed indigenous voices and claims. This is but one of many currents in this timely, challenging work, with its vital questioning of cultural superiority and of assumptions about heterogeneity -- in culture, gender, and physicality. Conceptually rich, serious, emotionally complex; a worthy addition to Hartman's already considerable achievement.

(Copyright 2022 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)