Once upon a time, there was a little girl. She was always curious, always rebellious. Meanwhile, her twin (not identical, of course) was always good.
And so starts the story of Tess, Seraphina Dombegh's half sister, and the twin of beautiful, virginal Jeanne.
We meet her when she is just 7 or so, investigating how babies happen by insisting that her young uncle and her twin kiss in a bed. Tess gets a beating for that.
8 or 9 years later we meet Tess again. She is deep in negotiations to insure that her sister will make a splendid marriage to a man who loves her. She is also in deep disgrace with her bitter, angry mother. Their father - whose first wife was Seraphina's dragon mother - is in disgrace with the court as well. He married a dragon, after all. All Tess wants is to marry Jeanne off safely and happily. Then, Tess will be free.
Oh, Tess. Did you really think it would be so easy? The wedding is just the beginning of Tess's troubles and her adventures.
And what adventures they are! It takes some unraveling to find out what young Tess did to anger her mother so very much. Her headstrong ways endanger her at every turn but they also give her the courage to do what is right. She rekindles her friendship with her best childhood friend, a quigutl, - a creature that is looked down on by both humans and dragons; - and with him/her, she discovers ancient powers under the soil.
The ending feels more like a beginning. I'd like to read more about Tess. But this ending has a happy-ever-after feel to it, without the Prince, or the wedding or even romance. You will be proud of how much Tess has grown. Read Tess of the Road by Rachel Hartman.
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