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4.15 AVERAGE
4.15 AVERAGE
This is one of the most powerful YA books I've ever read - not only does it treat girls and women as a diverse group (compared to so many sci fi ensembles where there's a solo girl, as if that's the entire point of her character), but it also doesn't pull any "not like other girls" crap - diplomacy is valued, femininity is valued, physical strength is valued, agressiveness is valued, weirdness is valued. Like the Pathfinding teacher says - everyone has different skills, and they're useful in different enviroments. It's so refreshing to see that applied evenly to women and girls - not everyone has to be good with a blaster to be a worthwhile person.
I also loved that while it was written for a young adult audience, it didn't talk down to the reader about the difficult moral questions that the characters have to face - Leia and her parents and friends all have to come to terms with truths that some authors would sugar coat away from teenage audiences, much in the way things are hidden from Leia herself at the start of the novel. Claudia Gray obviously sincerly trusts and respects teenagers as people capable of dealing with powerful concepts of philosophy and morality. And I'm so grateful for that.
Thank you to Claudia Gray for making Leia's inner workings come alive for me. It really made me appreciate her with new eyes - and now I'm off to rewatch all of the films, to cope with finishing the book!
I also loved that while it was written for a young adult audience, it didn't talk down to the reader about the difficult moral questions that the characters have to face - Leia and her parents and friends all have to come to terms with truths that some authors would sugar coat away from teenage audiences, much in the way things are hidden from Leia herself at the start of the novel. Claudia Gray obviously sincerly trusts and respects teenagers as people capable of dealing with powerful concepts of philosophy and morality. And I'm so grateful for that.
Thank you to Claudia Gray for making Leia's inner workings come alive for me. It really made me appreciate her with new eyes - and now I'm off to rewatch all of the films, to cope with finishing the book!
I don't think I can genuinely express how much I enjoy Claudia Gray's writing style. So, I knew that I would most likely enjoy this book. The books started so strong, I loved seeing the feistiness of the young Princess Leia and her teen adjustment to finding her place as the heir to the throne. I love learning more about Queen Breha.
There was a major plot point that had been spoiled for me but was still so intense I was gripped. I loved learning about Holdo and her quirky nature. I also loved getting a glimpse of Tarkin’s relationship with Leia.
Honestly, this was such a good book!
There was a major plot point that had been spoiled for me but was still so intense I was gripped. I loved learning about Holdo and her quirky nature. I also loved getting a glimpse of Tarkin’s relationship with Leia.
Honestly, this was such a good book!
I kept tearing up while reading this book... Leia's relationship with Bail and Breha was beautiful and moving. Reading about Alderaan, knowing it's ultimate fate, broke my heart in a million pieces. Claudia Gray does such an amazing job writing Leia. ❤️❤️❤️
Having grown up watching my brother’s VHS tapes of the original Star Wars films, George Lucas’s expansive and exciting world and stories have always been a part of my life. And, like many others, Princess Leia has always been my favorite—in part, because she’s a blaster-wielding princess, but also because she was a bit of an outsider. Someone who didn’t fit the stereotypical mold and who fought her way to the top.
So, after seeing The Last Jedi and loving Leia’s character arc, I wanted to know more about the princess and general I thought I knew. And this is where Claudia Gray’s Leia, Princess of Alderaan comes in. I have loved every book I’ve read by Claudia and Leia is no exception. Here, readers see Leia as a teenager, an eager young woman who wants nothing more than to join the fight and keep her family and planet safe. Through a set of challenges meant to prove she’s worthy of becoming the heir to the throne, Leia learns that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the most effective way to rebel is through careful and discreet methods.
In Leia, Claudia continues to demonstrate how great of a storyteller she is through her clear, concise descriptions, witty dialogue, and vivid characterizations. While some characters are more familiar than others, each and every one of them is clearly defined and given a role to play, no matter how small or large. One of my favorite characters from The Last Jedi is Admiral Holdo, and I was so excited to see how she and Leia became friends in this book. Characters aside, the worldbuilding is deftly handled and so are the various political machinations, both of which Claudia executes clearly and efficiently.
While the pacing is a little off at times, my main complaint is the wisdom and lessons Leia learns are almost entirely told to her by her peers and family, and she rarely comes to these enlightenments on her own. Some of this can be chalked up to her being a teenager, but for the most part, it discredits her as a smart and savvy young woman, and makes her feel more like a puppet.
Overall, though, Leia, Princess of Alderaan is a fun and vivid story that is both familiar and new all at once. There are subtle hints and introductions to many elements seen in The Last Jedi, so if you’re looking for a bit more context for the film, definitely pick up this book! I look forward to reading Claudia’s other Star Wars novels, and may the Force be with Leia, always.
So, after seeing The Last Jedi and loving Leia’s character arc, I wanted to know more about the princess and general I thought I knew. And this is where Claudia Gray’s Leia, Princess of Alderaan comes in. I have loved every book I’ve read by Claudia and Leia is no exception. Here, readers see Leia as a teenager, an eager young woman who wants nothing more than to join the fight and keep her family and planet safe. Through a set of challenges meant to prove she’s worthy of becoming the heir to the throne, Leia learns that not everything is as it seems and sometimes the most effective way to rebel is through careful and discreet methods.
In Leia, Claudia continues to demonstrate how great of a storyteller she is through her clear, concise descriptions, witty dialogue, and vivid characterizations. While some characters are more familiar than others, each and every one of them is clearly defined and given a role to play, no matter how small or large. One of my favorite characters from The Last Jedi is Admiral Holdo, and I was so excited to see how she and Leia became friends in this book. Characters aside, the worldbuilding is deftly handled and so are the various political machinations, both of which Claudia executes clearly and efficiently.
While the pacing is a little off at times, my main complaint is the wisdom and lessons Leia learns are almost entirely told to her by her peers and family, and she rarely comes to these enlightenments on her own. Some of this can be chalked up to her being a teenager, but for the most part, it discredits her as a smart and savvy young woman, and makes her feel more like a puppet.
Overall, though, Leia, Princess of Alderaan is a fun and vivid story that is both familiar and new all at once. There are subtle hints and introductions to many elements seen in The Last Jedi, so if you’re looking for a bit more context for the film, definitely pick up this book! I look forward to reading Claudia’s other Star Wars novels, and may the Force be with Leia, always.
I absolutely loved this book!! I always wanted to know what happened to make her join the rebellion, and this was exactly what I needed to know. I loved seeing her drive and passion for doing the right thing. I loved seeing her navigate politics so well. The relationships and storyline were amazing and they were so many funny jokes I left quite a few times. There’s a lot of details in this story that tied into the movies too. It’s little pieces like that that make things really enjoyable. I hope there’s more. There’s so much more to the Princess I would love to learn.
i cant tell if i wanna make it four stars or five stars so ill make it five stars rn but man i enjoyed that more than i thought
edit: ive changed my mind after reading some aftermath im making it four cause it makes more sense than five stars
edit: ive changed my mind after reading some aftermath im making it four cause it makes more sense than five stars
I really enjoyed this book! Really interesting to read in light of everything that happens after this story takes place, both in the original trilogy and the more recent trilogy in progress.
This book is full of quotes that I want to paste all over my walls. Full review to come!
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This review was originally posted on The Bumbling Bookworm
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
So, I only saw the Star Wars films for the first time in January 2018, when I made the effort to watch all of them before going to see The Last Jedi in early February. For someone who always thought she hated Star Wars, I've very quickly become a huge fan! And what better way to continue my love of this series than by reading books set in the same world? I loved this origin story for Leia, I thought it was a fantastic read. It was a fantastic way to fill in some of the blanks in Leia's back story, especially for someone who hasn't been exposed to this fandom for literally decades.
So much of Leia's personality comes through, and I thought Gray did a fantastic job writing in what is an already well-established universe. My only criticism of this book is that it felt a bit repetitive at times - Leia will find something out, do something she's not supposed to do, and get in trouble, then she'll find something out etc. This is only a small criticism though and it didn't hamper my overall enjoyment of the book. I can't wait to read more books set in the Star Wars universe, this was such a fun read and I really enjoyed it - 4.5 stars.
Check out the rest of my review here!
Actual rating: 4.5 stars
So, I only saw the Star Wars films for the first time in January 2018, when I made the effort to watch all of them before going to see The Last Jedi in early February. For someone who always thought she hated Star Wars, I've very quickly become a huge fan! And what better way to continue my love of this series than by reading books set in the same world? I loved this origin story for Leia, I thought it was a fantastic read. It was a fantastic way to fill in some of the blanks in Leia's back story, especially for someone who hasn't been exposed to this fandom for literally decades.
So much of Leia's personality comes through, and I thought Gray did a fantastic job writing in what is an already well-established universe. My only criticism of this book is that it felt a bit repetitive at times - Leia will find something out, do something she's not supposed to do, and get in trouble, then she'll find something out etc. This is only a small criticism though and it didn't hamper my overall enjoyment of the book. I can't wait to read more books set in the Star Wars universe, this was such a fun read and I really enjoyed it - 4.5 stars.
Check out the rest of my review here!