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saguaros 's review for:
Leia: Princess of Alderaan
by Claudia Gray
Full disclosure: I'm a huge Star Wars fan but I've never read any of the books except for a couple several years ago. I usually am just invested in the movies (and TV shows). Until now. Back in November/December I did a re-watch of all the movies in preparation for the last one coming out, and then proceeded to binge The Clone Wars, and the Rebels (and obviously The Mandalorian, Baby Yoda forever). All this to say, I've been in a Star Wars mood with a thirst that cannot be quenched... so I turned to the books.
I don't usually read a lot of tie-ins either so I wasn't sure how to approach this at first. As with any prequels, there's something different about reading a story where you know more of what's gonna happen than the characters do. Usually bad things. There's a sense of doom hanging over everything. Like watching the prequels and knowing who Palpatine really and having to witness everyone missing it until it's too late. In this, every scene--even the happy ones--that included Alderaan, its people, its beauty, just filled me with sadness. It was great, though, for me, to get so much more details on its culture, and on Leia's childhood, her ties to her planet, and especially her parents. We'd seen Bail Organa in the prequels and again in Clone Wars and Rebels, but I loved him here, more in focus. And oh, Leia's mom as well, a character I had never met before (and I'm so glad I did. But again. SADNESS).
My main issue with the book was the romance. I don't dislike romance. I don't even dislike THIS romance, per se. It just felt unnecessary. We know it's not gonna last, that he's going to leave or die or they're going to break up etc. So we're not settling in for an endgame story here, but it still takes a fair chunk of the emotional plot. It got better for me as I shifted my approach from 'love story' to 'Leia's character development'. Then it became an experience she has to go through to become the woman we know. But to be honest, I still think a friendship would have worked fine, especially since we're told she's never had friends her age before. Between Kier and Amilyn Holdo (whose characterization I'm still unsure about--I liked her, but I still have my doubts about her being space Luna Lovegood), there would have been a bigger focus on friendship, alliances, and trust. In a way, I still feel like Leia deserved to be loved in that way but, I don't know. It felt like it was added because for some reason YA books need romance.
The rest was fantastic though. Loved Leia's characterization and growth, seeing the beginnings of the rebellion through her eyes--the fears, the struggles, the passion and dangers. My heart was in my throat when she went to Naboo and wore one of Padmé's dresses without ever knowing the significance of it. I genuinely felt stressed and fearful when Tarkin showed up on Alderaan or when he called her to his office.
I didn't think it was possible for something to make me love Leia more, but this did it.
Those last lines were cruel, though, Claudia Gray. How very dare you break my heart this way.
I don't usually read a lot of tie-ins either so I wasn't sure how to approach this at first. As with any prequels, there's something different about reading a story where you know more of what's gonna happen than the characters do. Usually bad things. There's a sense of doom hanging over everything. Like watching the prequels and knowing who Palpatine really and having to witness everyone missing it until it's too late. In this, every scene--even the happy ones--that included Alderaan, its people, its beauty, just filled me with sadness. It was great, though, for me, to get so much more details on its culture, and on Leia's childhood, her ties to her planet, and especially her parents. We'd seen Bail Organa in the prequels and again in Clone Wars and Rebels, but I loved him here, more in focus. And oh, Leia's mom as well, a character I had never met before (and I'm so glad I did. But again. SADNESS).
My main issue with the book was the romance. I don't dislike romance. I don't even dislike THIS romance, per se. It just felt unnecessary. We know it's not gonna last, that he's going to leave or die or they're going to break up etc. So we're not settling in for an endgame story here, but it still takes a fair chunk of the emotional plot. It got better for me as I shifted my approach from 'love story' to 'Leia's character development'. Then it became an experience she has to go through to become the woman we know. But to be honest, I still think a friendship would have worked fine, especially since we're told she's never had friends her age before. Between Kier and Amilyn Holdo (whose characterization I'm still unsure about--I liked her, but I still have my doubts about her being space Luna Lovegood), there would have been a bigger focus on friendship, alliances, and trust. In a way, I still feel like Leia deserved to be loved in that way but, I don't know. It felt like it was added because for some reason YA books need romance.
The rest was fantastic though. Loved Leia's characterization and growth, seeing the beginnings of the rebellion through her eyes--the fears, the struggles, the passion and dangers. My heart was in my throat when she went to Naboo and wore one of Padmé's dresses without ever knowing the significance of it. I genuinely felt stressed and fearful when Tarkin showed up on Alderaan or when he called her to his office.
I didn't think it was possible for something to make me love Leia more, but this did it.
Those last lines were cruel, though, Claudia Gray. How very dare you break my heart this way.