BOOK STATS
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Title: Queen’s Peril
Author: E.K. Johnston
Series: Star Wars Disney Canon Novel (prequel to Queen’s Shadow)
Genre: Science Fiction
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Audiobook
Narrator: Catherine Taber
Length: ~6 hours (352 pages)
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press;
Release Date: June 2, 2020
Source: Library (Libby app)
SYNOPSIS
A prequel to the New York Times best-selling novel Queen’s Shadow, further exploring the life of the iconic Padmé Amidala!
When fourteen-year-old Padmé Naberrie wins the election for Queen of Naboo, she adopts the name Amidala and leaves her family to the rule from the royal palace. To keep her safe and secure, she’ll need a group of skilled handmaidens who can be her assistants, confidantes, defenders, and decoys. Each girl is selected for her particular talents, but it will be up to Padmé to unite them as a group. When Naboo is invaded by forces of the Trade Federation, Queen Amidala and her handmaidens will face the greatest test—of themselves, and of each other.
MY THOUGHTS
This was so much better than Queen’s Shadow! This book begins shortly before the events of The Phantom Menace and follows the POV of Padmé and her handmaidens throughout the duration of the film.
I appreciated all the handmaiden’s different voices this time. I was able to appreciate them as distinct characters in this book. I enjoyed getting to know Padmé as a young girl and watch her develop her Queen Amidala persona along with her handmaidens.
Sprinkled throughout the book were scenes of Captain Panakah recruiting the girls who would become the handmaidens. While I enjoyed the scenes themselves, I didn’t always like the placement of these flashbacks throughout the story. I also thought the random scenes with Palpatine’s POV were unnecessary.
I got chills when I realized the significance of the framing scenes in this book. I recommend this for Star Wars fans who know that Padmé deserved better!
Carolibrary 