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feyley 's review for:
Queen's Peril
by E.K. Johnston
There were aspects of this book that I really enjoyed and aspects that I absolutely hated. Seeing how Padme got her handmaidens, how they trained, and their side of the events during the Phantom Menace was fascinating. While we do follow Padme during the movie at times, we don't see her thought process or the perspective of her handmaidens. It is revealed during this book that they are just as much the Queen as she is, they all portrayed her together and shaped her image as a group. That was my favorite part of the book.
I did not enjoy the constant flipping to other perspectives, outside of the handmaidens and Padme. And I really didn't like that they skipped over vast parts of the story just to keep things moving. I would have been perfectly happy just seeing the events prior to Phantom Menace. Instead, they jumped through huge events in the book making it absolutely necessary that you have seen the movie. Now, that's not a big deal because this is obviously a Star Wars book but I'm not a fan of books that require you to have seen/read other things unless that is clearly stated on the book. This is part of a series but it is supposed to a prequel. It just rubbed me the wrong way that there were whole sections missing from the book. It would be one thing if we were seeing the perspective of the handmaidens stuck on Naboo during all the events but the book kept flashing between all the charcters.
Overall, there was just so much potential in this story, showing the perspectives and the personalities of all the handmaidens (and Captain Panaka). Jumping around to other characters, some of which we only see once, is annoying and takes me out of the story. I was really excited to read this, Padme is my favorite character and I wanted to see more of her thoughts on the events of Phantom Menace. I only partially got that.
I've been contemplating reading the next book in this series but I really don't want more of the same from this book. I don't mind a multi-perspective book but this was simply too much for me. I also want a complete story, not the fragments that this one had. Makes me sad that there aren't more Star Wars books from Padme's perspective.
I did not enjoy the constant flipping to other perspectives, outside of the handmaidens and Padme. And I really didn't like that they skipped over vast parts of the story just to keep things moving. I would have been perfectly happy just seeing the events prior to Phantom Menace. Instead, they jumped through huge events in the book making it absolutely necessary that you have seen the movie. Now, that's not a big deal because this is obviously a Star Wars book but I'm not a fan of books that require you to have seen/read other things unless that is clearly stated on the book. This is part of a series but it is supposed to a prequel. It just rubbed me the wrong way that there were whole sections missing from the book. It would be one thing if we were seeing the perspective of the handmaidens stuck on Naboo during all the events but the book kept flashing between all the charcters.
Overall, there was just so much potential in this story, showing the perspectives and the personalities of all the handmaidens (and Captain Panaka). Jumping around to other characters, some of which we only see once, is annoying and takes me out of the story. I was really excited to read this, Padme is my favorite character and I wanted to see more of her thoughts on the events of Phantom Menace. I only partially got that.
I've been contemplating reading the next book in this series but I really don't want more of the same from this book. I don't mind a multi-perspective book but this was simply too much for me. I also want a complete story, not the fragments that this one had. Makes me sad that there aren't more Star Wars books from Padme's perspective.