Queen’s Shadow

Star Wars: Queen’s Shadow is a YA Novel written by E.K. Johnston. It was published by Disney-Lucasfilm Press.

SUMMARY: The time has come for Padme to step down as Queen of Naboo. As she walks away from the throne, she discovers other opportunities in which she can still serve her home planet. Serving as a Republic Senator, Padme can be a representative for Naboo, and attempt to better the galaxy in the political ring.

CHARACTER: A lot of us tend to paint Padme as a strong female character but is she? Or is she just paranoid, relying on those around her to bail her out? The conclusion Ive come to, is both. We know from The Phantom Menace that during the skirmish of Naboo with the Trade Federation, Queen Amadala has hand maidens, a body double, an altered voice for Royaltys sake and body double disguise. This book pretty much shows us that she has always been paranoid, before the Trade Federation conflict.

When Amadala makes her transition from Queen to Senator, its a bit tough for her make the adjustment. Padme uses the name Amadala as a stage name an alias. When Padme is with her handmaidens behind closed doors, they talk about Amadala like shes another person. Its weird.

Even as Senator, Padme has handmaidens, a body double, a security team, and even has someone tapping into the newsfeeds on Coruscant.

OVERALL THOUGHTS: The book leads to a dead end. There is no climax. There is no real resolve. Some issues are tackled with the story but overall, as a whole the story leads to nothing. I dont know if its supposed to tie into Clone Wars or if a second book is to be release but the epilogue suggests thats not going to happen. As Im making my way through Clone Wars season one. I cant recall any names that have been dropped in this book. I finished reading this book unsatisfied, underwhelmed, and a little confused.

RATING: I give this book an F. I expected a powerful YA novel about Padme. I wanted to close this book and feel that she was a truly powerful and in control character. Yet, I close the book feeling that she was just paranoid, relying on others to help her gain success.

I cant recommend you read this book… But as a Star Wars diehard, it’s best to go ahead and complete your library. And hey, you may like this book, everyone’s taste is different.

For girls who grew up with the original films, Princess Leia was the woman many aspired to be. We are seeing a new generation of young girls watch the Skywalker lightsaber fly straight into Reys hand and fine their inner strength through her journey. And for those of us who came of age with the prequel films, we had Padm. A young queen who stood her ground and fought for what she believed in (in both a political arena and a literal one on Geonosis). Surrounded by her loyal friends and bodyguards, Padm and her Handmaidens meant the world to those of us who saw ourselves in her strength and resolve.

Queens Shadow embraces this Padm and answers the question of what you do after youve ruled an entire planet. We see her enter a new arena of the Galactic Senate and must learn to navigate this new battlefield.

Just like the films, she is never alone. This book belongs to her decoy Sab just as much as it belongs to Padm. It is truly a love letter to these amazing, often forgotten women of the Star Wars universe.

This book is a trap. The immoral messages are clear in this book. Please do not have your teen daughter read this book. It is sad that those who are interested in Star Wars are lured into this book that is more about smut than Star Wars. Be warned! I wish I could have given it ZERO stars!

E.K. Johnstons Star Wars: Queens Shadow is the first of Disneys new canon of Star Wars novels to take place prior to the Clone Wars. The story focuses on Padm Amidalas transition from Queen of Naboo to Galactic Senator. Discussing the change, Johnston writes, Who was she, after 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 Padm and her handmaidens adopting different personas, tones of voice, and poses depending on their audience or the situation as well as Padms 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 Padm working to free the enslaved people on Tatooine through Sab 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 Padm 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 Sab to gather information at Dexs Diner (pg. 161). Padm 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 Padm visits Alderaan at the behest of Queen Breha, drawing upon material from Claudia Grays Leia: Princess of Alderaan (pg. 223-226).

Much as Padm Amidalas comments regarding the death of democracy in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith appeared prescient against the political backdrop of 2005, Johnstons 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 Padm appreciated. Loyalty to democracy.
And what if democracy does not return the favor? Padm asked.
Then you must work to restore the democratic process, Organa said (pgs. 191-192).

The overall effect of Queens Shadow is one of the strongest character studies in the current Star Wars canon of novels. Like Johnstons 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.

Queens Shadow is set between The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones and is concerned with Padm making the transition from Queen of Naboo to the worlds Senator.

Unfortunately, this is not the most thrilling of Star Wars topics and the author fails to do much to make it one. This results in a novel that doesnt seem to have an actual story. This is exacerbated by the novel taking place during a period where not much is happening in the Star Wars galaxy bar Darth Sidious manipulation of things behind the scenes. With no major or pivotal events Padm spends her time walking around in Senate corridors and going to some rather tedious meetings about such things as permacrete supply lines.

Even though this book is supposed to be dealing with how Padms instalment as a member of the Republic Senate affects her and her handmaidens there is, in fact, little effective change to the former queens life; the difference between her life as a queen and that of a senator portrayed here as being minimal. There is no worthwhile personal journey or emotional adjustment of any note. There just isnt any eponymous shadow for Padm to step out from.

Most of what adjusting there is revolves around her efforts at finding her place in the Senate which has already been shown to a certain degree during various episodes of The Clone Wars.

There isnt much development for any of the characters. Even Reillata, who is introduced with some vague hints that she might turn out to be a more controversial monarch that might also cause Padm some problems, ends up being little more than a characterless archetype of a queen of Naboo who plays no worthwhile role in the novel other than asking Padm to serve as senator.

Sab is the only one of the handmaidens who is of any real interest (and she is probably the best thing about the novel). Unfortunately, though, her subplot could have done with being more developed and far more a part of the story.

This is an attempt to provide Padm with a similar treatment to that received by those such as Thrawn, Tarkin, Plagueis, etc in Star Wars novels that focussed upon them. But Padms rise to power doesnt possess the same sort of political intrigue, machinations and plots that characterised their backgrounds. In comparison its fairly simple and boring, and not, therefore, the subject to form the basis of a whole novel.

Without the above aspects being better developed the novel is quite dull and lacking in depth. This is all a bit of shame because the novel exhibits a decent style of writing and some of the characterisation is quite good (although there is often a lack of distinction between the various handmaidens). Disappointing compared to the authors much better Ahsoka; but there was actually a story to be told there.