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andrewbenesh1 's review for:
Leia: Princess of Alderaan
by Claudia Gray
Leia, Princess of Alderaan, is Claudia Gray’s third entry into the world of Star Wars novels. It traces Leia’s first steps into the political world, as she moves from being the daughter of Bail and Breha Organa to being the rightful princess of Alderaan. The story is emotionally impactful, and raises difficult questions about morality, loyalty, and family that are both challenging and presented in a way that’s approachable for younger readers. Of particular interest is Gray’s characterization of Leia – the girl we meet here is not the battle hardened leader we see in Episode IV, but we can clearly see it sprouting. Whether you’re interested in the character of Leia, or the broader events of the Star Wars Universe, you’ll find plenty to enjoy.
Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the portrayal of complex relationships. This is particularly well done in the relationship between Leia, Bail, and Breha. Rather than writing them off as either smotheringly supportive or chronically distant, Gray shows a family that is at once both loving and strained. We see them vacillate between periods of great cohesion and moments of great doubt. Leia’s portrayal as intellectually sure of her relationship but emotionally uncertain is an insightful and important writing of the experience of youth as they move through adolescence, particularly when a history of adoption is involved. Moreover, Gray captures family dynamics well – boundaries, hierarchies, triangulation, and alliances are all well illustrated. We also see anger and disappointment handled in a safe and supportive way in a family system in this book, which is something that I feel is very underrepresented in current YA fiction.
Second to Leia’s family relationships, her interpersonal relationships really shine. We get to see Leia experimenting with how to trust others, what intimacy can look like, and balancing the responsibilities of the crown with her own personal values and need for independence. The result is relationships that feel authentic and messy. Conflict isn’t typecast here; there are no “bad guys” so much as people with whom Leia experiences disagreements and personality conflict. As an extra treat, we get to see Leia experiment with her first real romantic relationship. This is handled with Gray’s expert finesse – Leia is never lost to her romantic feelings, her story is never subsumed by the romantic plot, and the relationship feels caring and developmentally appropriate. Even Leia’s most peripheral relationships, such as the Chal Hudda, are presented with surprising depth ad meaning.
Character work is really the foundation of this novel. Gray brings us a truly diverse group of characters – from interesting new alien species (Sssamm) to characters who reflect viewpoints that aren’t well reflected in existing canon (Amilyn). I could write at length about Amilyn as a new character, and how her inclusion is representative of both progress for the SW universe and challenges many assumptions we have about the attitudes that are required for meaningful action (she’s an interesting foil to Saw in my mind), but instead I want to comment on her as a representation of character maturation. When she’s first introduced in the book, Amilyn is a sort of colorful airhead, who presents with almost a “magical pixie girl” characterization. It’s easy to be dismissive of her early on. As the story progresses, we begin to see that this outward appearance is less a one dimensional trope, and begin to have greater insight into how Amilyn is struggling to find herself when caught between planetary traditions, imperial oppression, and peer conflicts. The result is a character who many readers will connect to deeply.
The overall plot is solid, with lots of extra nods to both past SW media and the upcoming films. We learn more about the cultures of the galaxy, the birth of the political side of the rebellion, and get our first glimpse of worlds that we’ll be spending time on in the future. The plot is relentlessly engaging, and readers will not be disappointed. I did find Leia’s visit to Naboo somewhat odd; while there are always nods to the reader and Easter eggs in the story, this visit felt like it was more for the reader than for Leia’s own development. This isn’t a bad thing – in fact, I felt it was a touching homage to the heroes of the prequels. It’s just very different. The exploration of the galaxy reminds me a lot of the writing in A New Dawn and Ahsoka; the evil we see here is not the Dark Lord of the Sith but worker exploitation, artificial resource restriction, and casual abuse of power for personal gain. This more banal evil, which embodies the weight of imperial oppression, is explored from a more systemic lens than in other books, which makes sense given Leia’s political aspirations.
Ultimately, Leia: Princess of Alderaan does great justice to a character who is beloved around the world. It shows us new sides of a character we know personally, and takes us on an adventure that bridges into new territory for SW media while respecting existing canon. The novel is a great addition to the SW canon, and a story that’s worth sharing.
Perhaps the greatest strength of this book is the portrayal of complex relationships. This is particularly well done in the relationship between Leia, Bail, and Breha. Rather than writing them off as either smotheringly supportive or chronically distant, Gray shows a family that is at once both loving and strained. We see them vacillate between periods of great cohesion and moments of great doubt. Leia’s portrayal as intellectually sure of her relationship but emotionally uncertain is an insightful and important writing of the experience of youth as they move through adolescence, particularly when a history of adoption is involved. Moreover, Gray captures family dynamics well – boundaries, hierarchies, triangulation, and alliances are all well illustrated. We also see anger and disappointment handled in a safe and supportive way in a family system in this book, which is something that I feel is very underrepresented in current YA fiction.
Second to Leia’s family relationships, her interpersonal relationships really shine. We get to see Leia experimenting with how to trust others, what intimacy can look like, and balancing the responsibilities of the crown with her own personal values and need for independence. The result is relationships that feel authentic and messy. Conflict isn’t typecast here; there are no “bad guys” so much as people with whom Leia experiences disagreements and personality conflict. As an extra treat, we get to see Leia experiment with her first real romantic relationship. This is handled with Gray’s expert finesse – Leia is never lost to her romantic feelings, her story is never subsumed by the romantic plot, and the relationship feels caring and developmentally appropriate. Even Leia’s most peripheral relationships, such as the Chal Hudda, are presented with surprising depth ad meaning.
Character work is really the foundation of this novel. Gray brings us a truly diverse group of characters – from interesting new alien species (Sssamm) to characters who reflect viewpoints that aren’t well reflected in existing canon (Amilyn). I could write at length about Amilyn as a new character, and how her inclusion is representative of both progress for the SW universe and challenges many assumptions we have about the attitudes that are required for meaningful action (she’s an interesting foil to Saw in my mind), but instead I want to comment on her as a representation of character maturation. When she’s first introduced in the book, Amilyn is a sort of colorful airhead, who presents with almost a “magical pixie girl” characterization. It’s easy to be dismissive of her early on. As the story progresses, we begin to see that this outward appearance is less a one dimensional trope, and begin to have greater insight into how Amilyn is struggling to find herself when caught between planetary traditions, imperial oppression, and peer conflicts. The result is a character who many readers will connect to deeply.
The overall plot is solid, with lots of extra nods to both past SW media and the upcoming films. We learn more about the cultures of the galaxy, the birth of the political side of the rebellion, and get our first glimpse of worlds that we’ll be spending time on in the future. The plot is relentlessly engaging, and readers will not be disappointed. I did find Leia’s visit to Naboo somewhat odd; while there are always nods to the reader and Easter eggs in the story, this visit felt like it was more for the reader than for Leia’s own development. This isn’t a bad thing – in fact, I felt it was a touching homage to the heroes of the prequels. It’s just very different. The exploration of the galaxy reminds me a lot of the writing in A New Dawn and Ahsoka; the evil we see here is not the Dark Lord of the Sith but worker exploitation, artificial resource restriction, and casual abuse of power for personal gain. This more banal evil, which embodies the weight of imperial oppression, is explored from a more systemic lens than in other books, which makes sense given Leia’s political aspirations.
Ultimately, Leia: Princess of Alderaan does great justice to a character who is beloved around the world. It shows us new sides of a character we know personally, and takes us on an adventure that bridges into new territory for SW media while respecting existing canon. The novel is a great addition to the SW canon, and a story that’s worth sharing.