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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I can only imagine how hard it must be to write a book and even harder when it is about such a beloved character. I tried to enjoy it as much as I could but the abundance of cliches and similarities to Lost Stars which I didn't realize was written by the same author made this book really bad for me.
Again, I ended up wanting to know more about side characters, more than the actual main character, but I can't be neutral since the sidekick was no other than Amilyn Holdo.
The good: it's very easy to read, can be enjoyed probably by anyone.
The bad: follows the rich falls for the poor cliché, with all that entails: different values that cause a confrontation in how to combat the Imperial control. Also Leia sounds like a spoiled little kid throughout the whole book and it got on my nerves so much.
It took my mind of the quarantine so that's that.
Again, I ended up wanting to know more about side characters, more than the actual main character, but I can't be neutral since the sidekick was no other than Amilyn Holdo.
The good: it's very easy to read, can be enjoyed probably by anyone.
The bad: follows the rich falls for the poor cliché, with all that entails: different values that cause a confrontation in how to combat the Imperial control. Also Leia sounds like a spoiled little kid throughout the whole book and it got on my nerves so much.
It took my mind of the quarantine so that's that.
There is something deeply depressing and heart breaking about Leia Organa's story. Not just this one, though it has it share of heartbreak and every moment Leia spends with her parents drives a stake through my heart. But Leia is so strong and so brave and everyone she loves gets taken from her. This book was wonderful, seeing how Leia's growth went from innocent to informed. Seeing the foundation of the leader Leia grew up to be. It was great. All of Claudia Grey's SW books are wonderful but this one has a special spot in my heart.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I echo everyone that said this was an excellent portrayal of a younger version of a character beloved by so many (especially by me). I hope and pray they use this for movie/series material someday. Truly my only complaint is that the recent Kenobi series renders the tiniest bits of this a bit wacky, lines like “this is the most danger I’ve ever been in in my life” and “my parents have never been this scared”…. Well, I’d argue now that you were kidnapped as a ten year old, Leia, that’s not true lol. But I recognize the universe is always expanding detail by detail. A small tiny rewrite that adjusts for these things would be cool as hell. A few mentions of that as an example of the horror of the empire, or even an acknowledgement that Leia had seen the Force at work, or had asked someone (Obi Wan) about her birth parents before (since Panaka brings it up)…things like that. It felt missing because of the series. But not egregiously so. Again, thats what happens. And speaking of the Force! I am such a whore for young Leia using the Force before she knows what it is/knows she has it and I GOT THAT IN THIS BOOK!!! Fangirled so hard. I loved this very much. Onto Princess and the Scoundrel😍😍
Edit a few minutes later: Kier was great and all, but I’d have cared so much more if Leia’s teenage romance was a girl/femme-presenting person. Leia is canonically bisexual at least to me. And to me, the Star Wars universe would just have queerness be normalized, so it would’ve been just as normal for her parents to tease her about “choosing wisely” for a girl as it was for a guy. Getting some canon rep like that would’ve been so sick. But the incels would’ve had a field day, so I get it. I can dream though. Instead, I’ll just say that she and Amilyn had a thing once her grief for Kier wasn’t so accute😌 people headcanoned that after TLJ anyway right?
Edit a few minutes later: Kier was great and all, but I’d have cared so much more if Leia’s teenage romance was a girl/femme-presenting person. Leia is canonically bisexual at least to me. And to me, the Star Wars universe would just have queerness be normalized, so it would’ve been just as normal for her parents to tease her about “choosing wisely” for a girl as it was for a guy. Getting some canon rep like that would’ve been so sick. But the incels would’ve had a field day, so I get it. I can dream though. Instead, I’ll just say that she and Amilyn had a thing once her grief for Kier wasn’t so accute😌 people headcanoned that after TLJ anyway right?
Book centered on Leia at 16. Cool glimpse into her life then, with how she came to find out about Gail and Breha Organa working to form the Rebellion, and how she came to be involved since an early age. Appearances by Tarkin, R2-D2, C-3PO, and a handful of others. Introduced the planet Crait.
Definitely a young adult book.... felt like a fanfiction. Well meant but not very well thought out. Almost all of the SW lore talks about the imperial spies.... and yet there are none here. The practicality of the empire not spying by all means necessary for those that they suspect this much that Moff Tarkin is at their doorstep is a joke. Reprogramming a droid, bribing/forcing a person to spy, or planting a listening device would be easy.... and yet not considered. I believe in one of the other books that the Emperor Palpatine even had spying devices all across Coruscant and yet no connection here in a practical manner....?
Um yeah growth in Leia and progression of story line were decent. Not so subtle nod to early director Krennic/Rogue1 reference. But yeah overall kinda meh. It really did take a while to get into the story and this Leia...
Also very much a Fuck You for making Captain Panaka and empire cronie that never would have happened. Captain Panaka faithfully served Padme’ and wouldnt become a dirty rat like that. You can fight me on that!
Um yeah growth in Leia and progression of story line were decent. Not so subtle nod to early director Krennic/Rogue1 reference. But yeah overall kinda meh. It really did take a while to get into the story and this Leia...
Also very much a Fuck You for making Captain Panaka and empire cronie that never would have happened. Captain Panaka faithfully served Padme’ and wouldnt become a dirty rat like that. You can fight me on that!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This had a lot to overcome for me, and it did trip up once. I naturally don’t like women lead characters, women narrators, and leia herself. And wow I was invested and actually feel like I can relate a little to leia now. As far as meeting expectation this blew it out of the water.
This could be any YA novel. The romance was pointless and not fully developed. The last line of the book was trite foreshadowing.