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A review by marstermash
Queen's Shadow by E.K. Johnston
4.0
For anyone who has ever wanted more of Padmé, or just more of the women of Star Wars in general, I wholeheartedly recommend this!
The book gives a new and insightful life to not only Padmé, but to her handmaidens as well and the strong connections and love that they share, finally making them actually characters instead of just robes in the background. It was super interesting to get the chance to look more into the inner workings of their roles (getting to see more about the decoy maneuver was a highlight!) and how they had to change alongside Padmé as she transitions from queen to senator.
Getting to follow Padmé herself was a treat. I absolutely loved the look it gave us into her, for the most part, untold story. Everything was so grounded in the already established world of Star Wars, but the book does such a great job of standing on its own that at moments that it can almost make you forget what’s coming in her story. Padmé is such a strong and unrelenting character, and this book showcases that while also never sacrificing her good or the ideals she stands for, even during the moments she doubts them herself. That is something that I think is truly the backbone of the story, keeping everything true to Padmé as she navigates and adapts to the new world she’s been thrown into.
Overall, the book is charming and filled with all the drama and politics you’d expect from Star Wars! There are even some sweet moments that I was super excited to see like the beginnings of her friendship with Bail, and Artoo making his appearances as well! I was also super drawn to the way Padmé thinks about Anakin throughout the novel. It’s subtle and she never directly names him, even in her mind, but whenever she does reference him (or the necklace her gave her) it’s always with so much fondness and care that you can’t help but smile.
There are some instances where the writing makes it a little difficult to keep track of whose narrating the chapter, but aside from that it is a fun and interesting read. A true gift to Padmé fans!
I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series!
4.5!
The book gives a new and insightful life to not only Padmé, but to her handmaidens as well and the strong connections and love that they share, finally making them actually characters instead of just robes in the background. It was super interesting to get the chance to look more into the inner workings of their roles (getting to see more about the decoy maneuver was a highlight!) and how they had to change alongside Padmé as she transitions from queen to senator.
Getting to follow Padmé herself was a treat. I absolutely loved the look it gave us into her, for the most part, untold story. Everything was so grounded in the already established world of Star Wars, but the book does such a great job of standing on its own that at moments that it can almost make you forget what’s coming in her story. Padmé is such a strong and unrelenting character, and this book showcases that while also never sacrificing her good or the ideals she stands for, even during the moments she doubts them herself. That is something that I think is truly the backbone of the story, keeping everything true to Padmé as she navigates and adapts to the new world she’s been thrown into.
Overall, the book is charming and filled with all the drama and politics you’d expect from Star Wars! There are even some sweet moments that I was super excited to see like the beginnings of her friendship with Bail, and Artoo making his appearances as well! I was also super drawn to the way Padmé thinks about Anakin throughout the novel. It’s subtle and she never directly names him, even in her mind, but whenever she does reference him (or the necklace her gave her) it’s always with so much fondness and care that you can’t help but smile.
There are some instances where the writing makes it a little difficult to keep track of whose narrating the chapter, but aside from that it is a fun and interesting read. A true gift to Padmé fans!
I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on the next book in this series!
4.5!