Status
Available
Series
Publication
Disney Lucasfilm Press (2020), Edition: Reprint, 368 pages
Description
Fantasy. Science Fiction. Young Adult Fiction. Young Adult Literature. HTML:Written by the #1 New York Times best-selling author of Star Wars Ahsoka! When Padmé Naberrie, "Queen Amidala" of Naboo, steps down from her position, she is asked by the newly-elected queen to become Naboo's representative in the Galactic Senate. Padmé is unsure about taking on the new role, but cannot turn down the request to serve her people. Together with her most loyal handmaidens, Padmé must figure out how to navigate the treacherous waters of politics and forge a new identity beyond the queen's s
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User reviews
LibraryThing member DarthDeverell
E.K. Johnston’s Star Wars: Queen’s Shadow is the first of Disney’s new canon of Star Wars novels to take place prior to the Clone Wars. The story focuses on Padmé Amidala’s transition from Queen of Naboo to Galactic Senator. Discussing the change, Johnston writes, “Who was she, after
Building upon the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Johnston portrays Padmé working to free the enslaved people on Tatooine through Sabé as her agent, in particular trying to find Shmi Skywalker (pg. 115), though, unknown to her, Shmi is already with Cliegg at this time. Other links between the events of The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones include Padmé enlisting R2-D2 to help her based on his bravery when she previously fled Naboo (pg. 122), building a coalition with Mon Mothma and Bail Organa (pg. 150), and sending Sabé to gather information at Dex’s Diner (pg. 161). Padmé also begins to experience the strains in her relationships with Rush Clovis and Mina Bonteri that will play a role in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (pgs. 178, 192). Johnston works to link this with other novels in the new canon through a scene in which Padmé visits Alderaan at the behest of Queen Breha, drawing upon material from Claudia Gray’s Leia: Princess of Alderaan (pg. 223-226).
Much as Padmé Amidala’s comments regarding the death of democracy in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith appeared prescient against the political backdrop of 2005, Johnston’s scene of Senators Organa and Amidala discussing democracy is equally apt in 2019:
“‘Loyalty to the Republic is paramount,’ Organa said. He managed not to make it sound patronizing, which Padmé appreciated. ‘Loyalty to democracy.’
“‘And what if democracy does not return the favor?’ Padmé asked.
“‘Then you must work to restore the democratic process,’ Organa said” (pgs. 191-192).
The overall effect of Queen’s Shadow is one of the strongest character studies in the current Star Wars canon of novels. Like Johnston’s previous book and the work of Claudia Gray, these books demonstrate that the young adult novels often have more to offer than the works marketed to adult readers in their detailed examinations of the characters.
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all, when she was not Queen of Naboo? She had entered politics so early and with such zeal that she had no other identity” (pg. 16). The question of identity runs through the novel, with Padmé and her handmaidens adopting different personas, tones of voice, and poses depending on their audience or the situation as well as Padmé’s own identity change from leader of a planet to a single part of a much larger bureaucracy.Building upon the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Johnston portrays Padmé working to free the enslaved people on Tatooine through Sabé as her agent, in particular trying to find Shmi Skywalker (pg. 115), though, unknown to her, Shmi is already with Cliegg at this time. Other links between the events of The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones include Padmé enlisting R2-D2 to help her based on his bravery when she previously fled Naboo (pg. 122), building a coalition with Mon Mothma and Bail Organa (pg. 150), and sending Sabé to gather information at Dex’s Diner (pg. 161). Padmé also begins to experience the strains in her relationships with Rush Clovis and Mina Bonteri that will play a role in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (pgs. 178, 192). Johnston works to link this with other novels in the new canon through a scene in which Padmé visits Alderaan at the behest of Queen Breha, drawing upon material from Claudia Gray’s Leia: Princess of Alderaan (pg. 223-226).
Much as Padmé Amidala’s comments regarding the death of democracy in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith appeared prescient against the political backdrop of 2005, Johnston’s scene of Senators Organa and Amidala discussing democracy is equally apt in 2019:
“‘Loyalty to the Republic is paramount,’ Organa said. He managed not to make it sound patronizing, which Padmé appreciated. ‘Loyalty to democracy.’
“‘And what if democracy does not return the favor?’ Padmé asked.
“‘Then you must work to restore the democratic process,’ Organa said” (pgs. 191-192).
The overall effect of Queen’s Shadow is one of the strongest character studies in the current Star Wars canon of novels. Like Johnston’s previous book and the work of Claudia Gray, these books demonstrate that the young adult novels often have more to offer than the works marketed to adult readers in their detailed examinations of the characters.
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LibraryThing member Herenya
This is about Padmé Amidala (or is it Amidala Padmé? I can never remember) and her handmaidens, mainly Sabé, as Padmé transitions from queen to senator. It’s a bit of an odd jumble of a story, wavering back and forth between Padmé and Sabé, and it didn’t carry through the threads from
Is this because this is a story designed by committee? Because the story is limited by Star Wars canon about what happens next for Padmé and for the republic senate? Or because Johnston was rightly confident that she knew what the important parts from The Phantom Menace were -- Padmé, her handmaidens, her wardrobe, her fierce determination to fight for justice, respect for Qui-Gon Jinn -- and figured that fanfiction doesn’t need a rigorous plot if the individual scenes offer what readers want?
I listened to the audiobook and I liked it, I just wanted it to be something I liked even more.
“You are an idealist,” Bonteri said. “That's not a bad thing.”
“I know,” Padmé said. “I have worked very hard at it.”
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things like the assassination attempt or the trip to Tatooine as I expected.Is this because this is a story designed by committee? Because the story is limited by Star Wars canon about what happens next for Padmé and for the republic senate? Or because Johnston was rightly confident that she knew what the important parts from The Phantom Menace were -- Padmé, her handmaidens, her wardrobe, her fierce determination to fight for justice, respect for Qui-Gon Jinn -- and figured that fanfiction doesn’t need a rigorous plot if the individual scenes offer what readers want?
I listened to the audiobook and I liked it, I just wanted it to be something I liked even more.
“You are an idealist,” Bonteri said. “That's not a bad thing.”
“I know,” Padmé said. “I have worked very hard at it.”
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LibraryThing member funkyplaid
DNF p. 55. Certainly the worst Star Wars novel I’ve yet read, and I’ve read quite a number of them. Five chapters of nothing happening, twee court fantasy, and far too many detailed descriptions of knowing glances between handmaidens was more than enough for me. The least creative of Star Wars
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trilogies is somehow made even staler by Johnston’s treatment, and thus I had to bow out before any more damage could be done. Show Less
LibraryThing member wanderlustlover
Spring 2019 - Book/Kindle/Audiobook,
I waited twenty years for this book to exist and it did not disappoint. This tale is set at the end of Padme's reign as queen through the first year of her being a Senator, and I am in love with everything about it.
I love the careful attention given to the
Read it. Read all of it. Tell your friends. Especially all your girl-friends.
I waited twenty years for this book to exist and it did not disappoint. This tale is set at the end of Padme's reign as queen through the first year of her being a Senator, and I am in love with everything about it.
I love the careful attention given to the
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handmaidens everywhere in this book. I love the absolute heartbreak choice of how she started chapter one and mirrored it the start of the epilogue (which I will leave that vague so as not to spoiler anyone who hasn't read/doesn't know the reference yet). I love how she's made to pay politically the hard game of fixing the fact the Senate has no reason to trust anything she says after he absolute rejection of them at 14. I love how slow she figures out what she's good at and how the relationships with Bal and Monmothma actually come about (with slow, canny wariness). Read it. Read all of it. Tell your friends. Especially all your girl-friends.
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Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2019
Physical description
8.25 inches
ISBN
1368057942 / 9781368057943