Very slow going, but feels very realistic to what a life on the road would actually be like - slow, a little scary, following your gut because what else are you going to do?, and falling into the next thing on the road to survive. Tess has a reason to be on the road for maybe half of the book, but her destination took a back seat to her figuring out what she was running away from, and what she was running towards. There is some excitement in this book, but I wouldn't come into this book expecting jam-packed action. It's introspective, and follows her character arc just as much as her journey arc.

Tess is a flawed character, without a doubt, but her headstrong and defiant attitude despite/because of what she's been through is admirable -- I  disliked her sometimes, but mostly, I really liked her! 

I don't read books about mothers all that often, but the comparison between the way Tess and Pathka both interpreted motherhood (both very traumatic in their own rights) was so interesting. Tess's evolving understanding of family/love was really wonderful to watch. 

Towards the end of the book, there's a character that sort of recounts her own journey back to her from an outsider's perspective, and you get a wonderful sense of how her journey not only affected her, but every person she met and every life she touched. It was the absolutely best way to end this book. I recommend it if you're someone who likes a good character-driven fantasy book.