Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
If the first three Star Wars movies had been adaptations of these books, the prequels would have been my favorite Star Wars films. As it stands, this story is best told in book form with Johnston's writing, because the glimpse into Padmé's internal thoughts and the perspectives of multiple handmaidens (especially Sabé) are a treasure. Johnston's version of Padme is one of my favorite characters, and the bond between the young girls who are Amidala's handmaidens is an unparalleled dynamic.
Featuring a healthy dose of Alderaan, as well, which is always a plus for me.
Featuring a healthy dose of Alderaan, as well, which is always a plus for me.
This is a book in which almost nothing happens, by the standards of YA sci-fi novels.
Padme steps down as queen. She takes up her post as a senator, and adjusts to the new role over the course of several months. That's pretty much it. She travels a few places, and makes some friends, and does one (1) legislative thing. Most of what happens day-to-day is layer upon layer of calculation, planning, and maneuver; this is not altogether unexpected for a Padme book, but I personally was expecting a few more blazing guns.
That said: I completely enjoyed this book and did not find it the least bit boring.
Getting to know the handmaidens, both new and legacy ones, was very valuable, as was the look at how things operate on Naboo. Padme's character, for me, has always been hard to put a finger on. She's so smart, driven, and idealistic, and then rationalizing that with her later relationship with Anakin is a somewhat awkward process. Seeing her interact with friends, family, and colleagues and seeing her grapple with different roles was really helpful for me with that dissociation -- I really felt it during her funeral in the epilogue, in a way I haven't felt the sadness of her death yet. I feel like I know her a lot better after reading this book.
My favorite part of this book overall was the politics, which is good because that's what Queen's Shadow spends the most time on. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Onaconda Farr, Rush Clovis, and Mina Bonteri all make appearances and I LOVED this behind-the-scenes window into their daily lives and jobs, when they're not interacting with Jedi. Bail Organa is my MAN and I adored his every appearance. The one man in this corrupt republic that I truly respect! Getting to see Padme come into the Senate as a wild card outsider and earn her way into what would eventually become the Delegation of 2000 in-group was thoroughly awesome.
The only negative point I would bother to raise about this book is this: I felt a little Tatooine-baited.
The summary, as well as the blurb on the back cover, HEAVILY implies that this is a parallel story: Padme on Coruscant learning to be a senator, and Sabe on Tatooine working toward the abolition of slavery. I was so hype to delve into the Tatooine part of the story. Padme working toward ideals in the Senate, while simultaneously accomplishing real results on the ground through her loyal bodyguard? Sign me UP. I was wild to see how Padme and Sabe would truly go about tackling such a massive problem as the Hutt slave economy.
Turns out, this was a very, very minor part of the book. Sabe touches down on Tatooine, does some stuff, and then realizes abolition isn't realistic. Padme asks her to come back to Coruscant. The end. It does drive home just how hampered Padme was by the impotence of the Republic and Palpatine's manipulations. All her ideals and drive and fiery moral outrage couldn't win against mass apathy and corruption. This is in keeping with what eventually happened, so I'm fine with it -- but the book summary was misleading.
I wish I hadn't been set up to expect something that the book never meant to deliver. Killing the Tatooine B-plot before it could flourish also seemed to render all the Sabe POV chapters pointless. She kept coming up and having chapters written through her eyes, but she wasn't doing anything. She was just cooling her heels, doing busywork, and nurturing a budding romance. Again, fine, but does that really deserve entire chapters of perspective-shifts? Not in my opinion.
Other fun things:
Padme steps down as queen. She takes up her post as a senator, and adjusts to the new role over the course of several months. That's pretty much it. She travels a few places, and makes some friends, and does one (1) legislative thing. Most of what happens day-to-day is layer upon layer of calculation, planning, and maneuver; this is not altogether unexpected for a Padme book, but I personally was expecting a few more blazing guns.
That said: I completely enjoyed this book and did not find it the least bit boring.
Getting to know the handmaidens, both new and legacy ones, was very valuable, as was the look at how things operate on Naboo. Padme's character, for me, has always been hard to put a finger on. She's so smart, driven, and idealistic, and then rationalizing that with her later relationship with Anakin is a somewhat awkward process. Seeing her interact with friends, family, and colleagues and seeing her grapple with different roles was really helpful for me with that dissociation -- I really felt it during her funeral in the epilogue, in a way I haven't felt the sadness of her death yet. I feel like I know her a lot better after reading this book.
My favorite part of this book overall was the politics, which is good because that's what Queen's Shadow spends the most time on. Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Onaconda Farr, Rush Clovis, and Mina Bonteri all make appearances and I LOVED this behind-the-scenes window into their daily lives and jobs, when they're not interacting with Jedi. Bail Organa is my MAN and I adored his every appearance. The one man in this corrupt republic that I truly respect! Getting to see Padme come into the Senate as a wild card outsider and earn her way into what would eventually become the Delegation of 2000 in-group was thoroughly awesome.
The only negative point I would bother to raise about this book is this: I felt a little Tatooine-baited.
The summary, as well as the blurb on the back cover, HEAVILY implies that this is a parallel story: Padme on Coruscant learning to be a senator, and Sabe on Tatooine working toward the abolition of slavery. I was so hype to delve into the Tatooine part of the story. Padme working toward ideals in the Senate, while simultaneously accomplishing real results on the ground through her loyal bodyguard? Sign me UP. I was wild to see how Padme and Sabe would truly go about tackling such a massive problem as the Hutt slave economy.
Turns out, this was a very, very minor part of the book. Sabe touches down on Tatooine, does some stuff, and then realizes abolition isn't realistic. Padme asks her to come back to Coruscant. The end. It does drive home just how hampered Padme was by the impotence of the Republic and Palpatine's manipulations. All her ideals and drive and fiery moral outrage couldn't win against mass apathy and corruption. This is in keeping with what eventually happened, so I'm fine with it -- but the book summary was misleading.
I wish I hadn't been set up to expect something that the book never meant to deliver. Killing the Tatooine B-plot before it could flourish also seemed to render all the Sabe POV chapters pointless. She kept coming up and having chapters written through her eyes, but she wasn't doing anything. She was just cooling her heels, doing busywork, and nurturing a budding romance. Again, fine, but does that really deserve entire chapters of perspective-shifts? Not in my opinion.
Other fun things:
• R2-D2. He shows up quite a bit, and it's great! (When he's entertaining Padme's baby niece with "displays of lightning"? Classic Artoo.)
• I really like the Panakas and how their whole family is apparently on Padme's staff.
• Confirmation that QUI-GON KNEW PADME'S REAL IDENTITY THE WHOLE TIME. He was never fooled during TPM! I have known this for many years, but having it finally confirmed is a sweet, sweet victory.
• Dooku's cameo. Poor Mina Bonteri.
• Seeing Padme desperately try to track down Shmi Skywalker breaks my heart. Where's the AU?
• BAIL ORGANA
• Sabe's relationship with Tonra does give insight into Padme's eventual relationship with Anakin.
• THE VISIT TO ALDERAAN. Bail invites Padme's entire retinue on a weeklong holiday to Alderaan. It was pretty pointless plot-wise, but I LOVED it. I love Breha and I love Bail and I love that they got to hang out with Padme for a week.
• DEPA BILLABA. Her appearance is practically a cameo, but I love that she got this recognition!
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Padme as a senator is so good! And we got to meet her family in this one. Again, I'm just adoring this series for going more in depth with this beloved character. I'm immediately reading the next one.
It was pretty good! Not too big of an ending, but I'm learning to enjoy those kinds of stories as well. I do feel as though you have to be a big Star Wars fan to really enjoy it, or understand what's going on. Not saying casual fans can't, but you notice more if you have watched all the prequels, and the Clone Wars series.
Padme as a senator is so good! And we got to meet her family in this one. Again, I'm just adoring this series for going more in depth with this beloved character. I'm immediately reading the next one.
I admire people who have an actual system for rating books. For me, if I can’t put a book down, it’s an automatic five-star read, regardless of any discernible issues. Case in point: Queen’s Shadow. This book lacked a clear plot, but it felt like I was watching The Clone Wars again with Padmé as the focal point, so I was ALL about it. Familiar characters, political intrigue, classic Star Wars atmosphere, and more backstory for Padmé’s decoy Sabé? *chef’s kiss*
I’m sad that I only have one book left in the trilogy. I think that I am going to have to read some of E.K. Johnston’s original fiction soon.
I’m sad that I only have one book left in the trilogy. I think that I am going to have to read some of E.K. Johnston’s original fiction soon.
I reread this in preparation for the third book but also bc I miss Padmé
I’m just gonna sit here and collect all the tiny pieces of my shattered heart with that ending and all those references and making me remember why I love her so much and now I love Sabé too and I wanna watch AotC just to properly cry when Dormé dies to show my respect. And damn all these feels. Gotta go cry for a bit before I can face reality again. bye
I am so incredibly delighted with how much I loved reading this! I was a little wary going into it, because Ahsoka failed to impress me. But Johnston definitely stepped up her game here and did Padmé proud.
The good stuff:
- The prose: It wasn't groundbreaking, but it was smooth and easy to read, and a much-needed improvement from Ahsoka.
- The plot: I loved the insider look into the late days of the Senate, and the little bites of political intrigue.
- Watching Padmé build a friendship with Bail and Breha Organa... my heart!
- The fashion, honestly. I can't wait to see some of the fanart that comes out of this.
The still-good-but-I-wanted-more stuff:
- In terms of plot, the book was totally adequate for what it was (and for the Young Adult genre), but I couldn't help wishing for it to turn into a legitimate political thriller. We get glimpses here of the Senate factions which will eventually split into the CIS and the Alliance, and they're delicious, but I was desperate for more. I suppose Johnston couldn't allow Padmé to sense too much of the brewing conflict: if I'm reading the timeline correctly, we're still 5 years out from the Battle of Geonosis.
- Padmé's character arc feels incomplete. This is partially by design of course, but it's glaringly obvious that the book finishes in the middle of her development. There are a lot of questions posed here about Padmé's struggle with identity, but they aren't explored; and unfortunately they also are not adequately explored in the films. For a book literally titled "Queen's Shadow", it does not do much more than to tell us: "yeah, Padmé is trying to get out from under her own shadow".
The not-so-good:
- The first few chapters were choppy. This was the part of the story where Padmé's Queendom is wrapping up and we see her interact with her (many) handmaidens. The characterisations and voices of them all were so vague that for a moment I actually thought the book was written in a third person omniscient perspective. Once we got past the opening and the handmaidens disappeared into the background it became a lot smoother to follow. It felt like Johnston wanted to give a little bit of identity to each one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens, but apart from Sabé they aren't required for the rest of the story, so their rushed and limited characterisation was jarring and unnecessary. I much preferred the slower development we got to see between Padmé and her Senator's aides.
- Speaking of unnecessary: Rush Clovis being shoe-horned into the story was the undisputed lowlight.
Overall:
This is absolutely worth the read for any Padmé fan, and I'm happy to say that on the whole she is done justice by this book. There's so much more to her character left to explore. I definitely wouldn't mind a sequel set after The Clone Wars (right in the lead up to Revenge of the Sith) to round out her development.
The good stuff:
- The prose: It wasn't groundbreaking, but it was smooth and easy to read, and a much-needed improvement from Ahsoka.
- The plot: I loved the insider look into the late days of the Senate, and the little bites of political intrigue.
- Watching Padmé build a friendship with Bail and Breha Organa... my heart!
- The fashion, honestly. I can't wait to see some of the fanart that comes out of this.
The still-good-but-I-wanted-more stuff:
- In terms of plot, the book was totally adequate for what it was (and for the Young Adult genre), but I couldn't help wishing for it to turn into a legitimate political thriller. We get glimpses here of the Senate factions which will eventually split into the CIS and the Alliance, and they're delicious, but I was desperate for more. I suppose Johnston couldn't allow Padmé to sense too much of the brewing conflict: if I'm reading the timeline correctly, we're still 5 years out from the Battle of Geonosis.
- Padmé's character arc feels incomplete. This is partially by design of course, but it's glaringly obvious that the book finishes in the middle of her development. There are a lot of questions posed here about Padmé's struggle with identity, but they aren't explored; and unfortunately they also are not adequately explored in the films. For a book literally titled "Queen's Shadow", it does not do much more than to tell us: "yeah, Padmé is trying to get out from under her own shadow".
The not-so-good:
- The first few chapters were choppy. This was the part of the story where Padmé's Queendom is wrapping up and we see her interact with her (many) handmaidens. The characterisations and voices of them all were so vague that for a moment I actually thought the book was written in a third person omniscient perspective. Once we got past the opening and the handmaidens disappeared into the background it became a lot smoother to follow. It felt like Johnston wanted to give a little bit of identity to each one of Queen Amidala's handmaidens, but apart from Sabé they aren't required for the rest of the story, so their rushed and limited characterisation was jarring and unnecessary. I much preferred the slower development we got to see between Padmé and her Senator's aides.
- Speaking of unnecessary: Rush Clovis being shoe-horned into the story was the undisputed lowlight.
Overall:
This is absolutely worth the read for any Padmé fan, and I'm happy to say that on the whole she is done justice by this book. There's so much more to her character left to explore. I definitely wouldn't mind a sequel set after The Clone Wars (right in the lead up to Revenge of the Sith) to round out her development.