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A review by ehmannky
Master & Apprentice by Claudia Gray
adventurous
tense
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
4.5
I really enjoyed this book and I definitely recommend it as a good starting point if you want to go deeper into Star Wars canon. Not only do we get a chance to spend more time with Obi-Wan, my son and favorite male character in this whole damn universe, but I think it gave a lot of insight into the galaxy at large and the Jedi Order. And I liked the emphasis that resisting evil and temptation is a lifelong process you devote yourself to, and that moral perfectionism isn't the goal, just doing better than what you did yesterday. I also liked that the book addressed flaws in the Jedi order, but that these flaws don't make it a bad entity, just one that needs to be pushed. In another universe you could see them pushing back against the Senate and becoming more autonomous or at least push for greater change (such as listening to Qui-Gon and start pressuring to get the big Republic to take a stronger stance against slavery, which is something the Jedi couldn't get rid of on their own). I love that they're complex and I love that they still had such potential for positive change and I just love the Jedi overall.
I will say that the more I dive into Star Wars books and TV shows and go beyond the three trilogies, the more I am super convinced that the Jedi, while they had flaws, were 100% correct about their rules against attachments. And it's like really clear in all media that this doesn't mean they cannot love or have feelings, but a certain kind of possessive and toxic love is a really bad thing and you must work against it if you are a level 10000 Space Wizard with a ton of political and social power. Because you have Qui-Gon and his love for the people he finds in the galaxy, Obi-Wan, his friends, and even the mysterious person he was in love decades before, but he's able to approach this love without fear and anger and he can let things go. And then you've got my boy Rael Averross, who rules, whose love is so tainted by fear and terror at loss that he can't effectively do his job. I loved the parallel.
I will say that the more I dive into Star Wars books and TV shows and go beyond the three trilogies, the more I am super convinced that the Jedi, while they had flaws, were 100% correct about their rules against attachments. And it's like really clear in all media that this doesn't mean they cannot love or have feelings, but a certain kind of possessive and toxic love is a really bad thing and you must work against it if you are a level 10000 Space Wizard with a ton of political and social power. Because you have Qui-Gon and his love for the people he finds in the galaxy, Obi-Wan, his friends, and even the mysterious person he was in love decades before, but he's able to approach this love without fear and anger and he can let things go. And then you've got my boy Rael Averross, who rules, whose love is so tainted by fear and terror at loss that he can't effectively do his job. I loved the parallel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Slavery
Moderate: Gun violence, Trafficking, Grief, and Death