Not only did I absolutely enjoy this title, but I waited to post my review so that my Star Wars obsessed teenager could read the title too.

We were both highly impressed by this title, and loved that it lined up well with The Phantom Menace - I remember as a preteen myself seeing the movie, and being SO impressed by Queen Amidala & it taking some time to understand her having a handmaiden pretend to be her - a part that as an adult rewatching the movies intrigued me & made me cheer for her at the same time.

Getting to know the backstory for this group of girls, with other POVs from well known favorite characters made this a title to enjoy, and was a great addition to the galaxy far far away.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this title, you’ve made two huge Star Wars fans very happy at getting to give our personal opinions about the story and cannot wait for more!

This was a very fun and quick read. I loved learning more about the background of Padmé and her handmaidens! There was so much cool story building that I would never have even imagined.

I ended up DNFing this book. I was expecting adventure and action like the star wars movies I Love so much but I couldn't get past the boring political parts.

I will not be sharing my review elsewhere.

As a star ways fan I wouldn't want to be asked to write a star wars novel because of how high passions fly when it comes to the series.

3 1/2 adult and 5 star Tween
This book is the perfect read for a tween. It has a wonderful blend of themes for tween to enjoy without all the swearing that has been found in other tween novels.

The story has more information about Padme that movie fan might be excited to read while others will not. The last quarter of the book runs next to the Phantom Menace which kids loved but adults disliked. You could say this is a expanse of the story movie giving reader insight into the queens life before.

As an adult the story read more like a girl who is trying to prove how strong and smart she is but for tweens they will be able to connect with the story line better.



My daughter gave the story a 5 and I give it a 3 1\2 because the story could have been handled a little better without making the queen feel forced into being a look at how strong I am girl!

I didn’t enjoy this one as much as Queen’s Shadow but that’s also my favorite Star Wars book ever, so, that’s saying a lot. I thought this was mostly solid, but the characters that aren’t Padmé or the handmaidens, particularly characters that don’t show up in Queen’s Shadow like Darth Maul and Darth Sidious, felt underdeveloped and unnecessary. Otherwise I loved this, it shows all the political intrigue of Episode 1, gives a bit more insight into Gungans without distracting from the point of the book, and gets in some queer parts, too (always my favorite)!

Let me start by saying, I *love* E.K. Johnston's writing. In Queen's Peril, she captures Padmé's voice in such a clear way that is super consistent with the films, but she also gives us an added perspective we didn't have the time to see in the prequel movies. I really appreciated this deeper glimpse into Naboo, Padmé's life as queen, and the events leading up to The Phantom Menace. As with Johnston's other books Ahsoka and Queen's Shadow, her writing is so crisp that the book moves super quickly. I read Queen's Peril in two sittings because I literally could not put it down. This is one of my favorite Star Wars books, and I look forward to anything Johnston writes in the future.

Rating : 3 stars.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publisher for giving me an advance copy of this book!

I was pretty much excited to dive into this story since I heard it was a prequel to Queen's Shadows which I still haven't read (but I'm planning on doing so soon). I've always been intrigued about Padme Amidala's life and to learn more about her character. We've always seen her through Anakin's eyes. It was refreshing to read from her POV.

This book takes place before and during The Phantom Menace which was very interesting. It feels more like an extension to that time period. We follow Padme when she's been elected as Queen of Naboo. She was only 14 and she already acts like a smart leader. In this book, we see her meet and choose her handmaidens. I really enjoyed their interactions and see the female friendship blossom as the story progresses. There's not really a lot that's going on. Sometimes I found myself bored by the story.

The thing I didn't like was the amount of different POV's we got. I highly enjoyed Padme's & her handmaiden's POV's but reading from Maul, Palpatine, Sidious, Anakin & Shmi's perspective was weird. I do like it when it brings more depth to the main character that's involved but I just felt lost here. Sometimes I couldn't even tell which POV's I was reading from, it felt scattered. I'm sure we'll be able to tell difference once the finished copy will be in your hands. Unfortunately, this aspect affected a lot my reading experience. It took me out of my reading because I had to re-read the same paragraph and guess who was speaking.

I also felt like something was missing. It was a quick read but it felt more like a novella than a novel. I don't know if I was supposed to read Queen's Shadows before diving into this new release but I'm sure people will appreciate the story that unfolds in Queen's Peril.

This book may feel a bit juvenile but it's totally accurate since we're reading from teenagers's thoughts. I found the story interesting but it lacked a bit of action and tension. I kept reading because I love getting more from an amazing character like Padme and I hope I will be satisfied with the sequel.

4.5 stars. I liked this one better than I did Queen's Shadow. I wonder if they should have been released in reverse. This really gives a great origin story for the handmaidens, which I enjoyed.

The author does a terrific job weaving the book into the story of The Phantom Menace (movie) without rehashing any of the content from the movie. I felt compelled to watch the movie after reading so I could put all the pieces of the story together. The book isn't essential to the enjoyment of the movie, but it sure did fill out what was happening on Naboo while Padme was on Tatooine/Coruscant, etc. I also want to go back now and re-read Queen's Shadow and see if some of the issues I had with that one, like keeping track of the girls, go away now that I've read this one. While Queen's Shadow was a quiet novel with more character moments than action, that is not the case here. This has both action and character development. I also thought the author did a great job of naturally including menstruation into the story. Again, it wasn't essential to the understanding of the plot, but it made sense for a novel focused on teen characters who have or start having periods.

(Violence - off page execution and torture. LGBTQ+: F/F relationships)

3 stars

I received an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review

When given the opportunity to dive into the life of Queen Amidala from the Star Wars megaverse, I was very intrigued. This story follows Padma's life as she wins the title of Queen and begins her term serving Naboo.

What I liked

This story was a quick and easy read, though I will say it reads for a much younger audience than I was hoping. Somewhere around the age of 8-14 would be ideal. I deeply enjoyed the camaraderie of the women of Padme's court. I think it is extremely important for authors to highlight solid and positive friendships between women as a whole, and this book definitely delivers on this. And while I found the story interesting for the most part, it was not enough of a story to stand on it's own two feet. It reads much more like a novella than a true novel.

What I did not like

The story lacked ... story. Again, it had its moments that filled in some interesting gaps behind the scenes of the main Star Wars storyline, but it wasn't enough. I found myself very detached from the characters for most of the story in general. And when I did care, it wasn't for Padme, she lacked any real development and felt extremely stale. Honestly, I cared the least about Padme as a whole. Although I will say that yet again, it had its moments where I did genuinely care for the other characters.

There was a lack of emotion, a lack of action, a lack of turmoil, a lack of tension. It read like a slow moving river that never really produced any rapids to keep me hooked. I think that if this book had not been such a quick and easy read, it would have been dnf'ed.

Furthermore, the writing was simplistic and juvenile which, of course, is why it felt more middle grade than young adult.

In conclusion

I may or may not continue the series from here. I do not know that it really gave me enough of a look into Padme that it really became necessary. Nice story, but not enough and very simple.

Queen’s Peril is a sequel to E. K. Johnston’s Queen’s Shadow and covers the time from when Padmé was elected Queen of Naboo up to the last moments of The Phantom Menace. Through this book, fans learn a lot more about Padmé and her haindmaidens. In fact I was rather surprised by how much we did not know considering Queen’s Shadow already dove pretty deep into that territory. Queen’s Peril is an essential companion piece as it puts together a complete picture of how the handmaidens came about, how Padmé came to power, and he she began to establish her rule as queen even as Darth Sidious fast tracked his grand scheme to topple the Republic.

Now Queen’s Peril might not be for everyone. Keep in mind that Padmé was elected queen when she was a teenager, so all her handmaidens are teenagers too. Essentially you’re reading a Star Wars novel about a bunch of female teenagers. That said, if you have an open mind and a deep interest in Star Wars, it might not be a barrier. As an adult male, I actually found the characters to be very interesting. It’s because these are characters who were essential parts to the films, but overlooked by everything, including the expanded universe. Until E. K. Johnston came along, we knew almost nothing about the handmaidens. But Johnston doesn’t just fill out the backstories, she brings these characters to life. They’re each unique with distinct personalities. And it’s not just the handmaidens we learn about, but Padmé as well. I mean, how is a teenager expected to be queen of a planet? How did Padmé of all people get picked for that role? And what’s up with all the different names? This book tackles those questions and more.

So if reading a book about a bunch of teenage girls isn’t a roadblock for you, you may be in for a treat. Keep in mind these aren’t any ordinary women. The handmaidens and Padmé are quite extraordinary. Each of them is talented in their own way, and together, they are a fearsome force. Surprisingly, the book is very much a lead up to The Phantom Menace and explains how they prepared for what was to come even though they had no idea it was coming. Good old Panaka’s paranoia drove them to acquire skills they might ordinarily have overlooked, but thanks to his motivation, he drove Padmé and the handmaidens to be quite prepared for anything and everything.

Beyond the handmaidens and Padmé, Johnston takes some breaks to provide readers a glimpse of other characters in the universe. There’s a few looks at Palpatine and what he’s up to, Darth Maul and his preparations against the Jedi, and even a cool scene between Shmi and Padmé. While there are some very nice breaks earlier in the book, the overlapping parts that highlight scenes that weren’t in the film are some of the best. It’s kind of nerdy, but seeing Maul scope out the palace and pick his battlefield for the inevitable fight against the Jedi was just such a cool and thoughtful touch. Yet those extra bits of attention happen throughout the book. In fact I thought E. K. Johnston’s writing was at the top of her game so far with this book as the prose, storytelling and character development meshed and rolled out superbly.

With great characters, an exploration of an oft overlooked aspect of the Star Wars universe, and smooth, engaging writing, Queen’s Peril scores high marks in my book. It’s a refreshing read that stands out from most other Star Wars books, be they canon or legends. I give Queen’s Peril a four out of five.

I loved E.K. Johnston’s Ahsoka novel so I went into this book with fairly high expectations. Unfortunately Queen’s Peril failed to hit the mark for me.
So this novel focuses on Padme and her handmaidens and takes place before and during Star Wars Episode One. It gives us more of a backstory to Padme and how she was elected Queen and how all of her handmaidens were chosen. I enjoyed this aspect and thought it was really neat to discover how Naboo politics work and how and why some of the things that transpire in Episode One come to pass.

The characters were great, especially in the first half of the book. I loved learning about all Padme’s handmaidens and how they recruited different experts so they could teach Padme and each other valuable skills. It was really neat to see them work and conspire together to create the perfect persona of “Queen Amidala” so that they could swap out Padme if they ever felt the risk was particularly high.
So when the story focused on Padme and the handmaidens, I really enjoyed the story. I started to lose interest when the POV started jumping to a bunch of characters who I did not feel like needed a POV. I do not want to name all of the characters as they may be spoilers, but if you have seen Episode One you would know them from the movie. Some of the perspectives just felt very unneeded and were so small and miniscule I failed to see the value in adding them. It took away from the focus on Padme and the creation of the Queen’s persona that I had grown to really enjoy reading about.

Another factor I did not particularly enjoy, is that I feel that if you have not seen Episode One (and this relates to the many POV’s) you would not be able to keep up with the story or know why we were reading a seemingly random character’s perspective. I prefer when a story can be read as a stand alone from its respected source material. In the authors previous work: Ahsoka, you can read it without having seen Star Wars: The Clone Wars (though I do not recommend it). With Queen’s Peril I would almost say having seen Episode One is a necessity. Sometimes we would just briefly mention an exchange that happened in the movie and if you had only read this book you may be confused. As a movie companion that is fine I suppose but I just prefer as a personal preference to have books from a movie franchise to be able to stand on its own a bit better.

All in all, I did like the book. It was intriguing to learn more about Padme and Naboo. It is not my favourite Star Wars novel but I do still think it is worth a read for a Star Wars fan, especially if you enjoy the prequels. If you have not seen Star Wars… maybe watch the movies first or at least Episode One.

I wanted to love this book. The cover is absolutely beautiful, and I love the idea of the storyline being about how Queen Amidala built her network of handmaidens. The first two thirds of the novel are strong and interesting, however then we are caught up to the same time period as The Phantom Menace (TPM) and this is when the whole thing falls apart.
The final third of the novel is very disjointed as it jumps around from character to character whose scenes do nothing to forward the actual plot of the novel. It relies heavily on the reader already having a fresh, and vast, amount of knowledge regarding events from The Phantom Menace. Anyone who hasn’t seen TPM within the last few weeks will be extremely confused as the story seems to be missing whole chunks of storytelling when it involves anything that happens in the movie. Even if you have the fresh knowledge of what happens in the movie, the missing chunks of storytelling totally pull you out of the story as you have to then think about the movie, and what happened during the missing scenes. I honestly feel that this must not be entirely the authors fault, because I loved Ahsoka and Queen’s Shadow. But something here went terribly wrong.
I was so very disappointed by this novel. I wanted a strong female lead Star Wars story, and while it started out that way, Queen’s Peril falls profoundly short.
I also have to mention that the Kindle copy I was provided was full of typos and formatting errors that I hope are fixed before publication.
***I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***

In Queen’s Peril (prequel to the beloved Queen’s Shadow), E.K. Johnston brings us back to the gorgeous planet of Naboo, reuniting with the beloved strong female characters of Padmé and her handmaidens at the beginning of her reign.

Seeing Queen Amidala’s transition to power after being elected, I was thrilled to watch the beginnings of the character dynamics seen in the first book. Indicative of Netflix's The Crown, readers are able to witness the incredibly precise protocol behind a beloved Star Wars character and her palace, with Johnston skillfully transitioning the narrative to a political intrigue/war-time story (colliding with the events of The Phantom Menace). While the distinction in names between the handmaidens is sometimes confusing (though, haven't they always been since EP 1 came out?! ), Johnston gives each character their own unique and 3-dimensional personality, giving them their own important space in the story. As someone who has loved Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens ever since I can remember, I had so much fun reading more about them (and seeing cameos from favorite Phantom Menace characters)!

Overall, I fell in love with this novel like I did with Johnston's first, and truly hope that we get to see more Padme in the future! If you want to dip your toes into the Star Wars book universe, I definitely recommend this and the first book, Queen’s Shadow

Thank you so much t for the amazing opportunity to have an early peak into the early life of one of my favorite characters!

Review posted at: https://www.instagram.com/p/CA-xpojALxp/

'Star Wars Queen's Peril' by E.K. Johnston is a story from the other side of Trade Federation's blockade of the planet Naboo during The Phantom Menace era.

We've already seen the ins and outs of the liberation of the Naboo people and the role Amidala plays in standing against that incursion.. to a degree. So, we don't see a lot of that here. Incidents like the ousting of Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, the introduction of Jar Jar Binks, the Skywalker pod racing, the Maul hangar duel, and the death of Qui-Gon are mentioned.. but mostly they act as historical landmarks on the timeline.. allowing us to draw the parallels between the two stories.. and know where we are.

What's wonderful about this book is that it's more of an intimate portrait of Padme and her inner circle. It begins before she even rises to power. I enjoyed learning about the steps it took her to get there and seeing a bit of what she was like, separated from the Queen persona.

I also learned a lot about things I'd always questioned and that was deeply satisfying.. like the reason she dressed as she did in the first place. I'd always found those costumes of hers to be so.. well.. gaudy. But to learn the extent of their purpose.. which was as heavily layered as the costumes themselves.. that was fascinating. Seeing the group of girls develop the Queen's image together was amazing, how and why they adopted the things they did.

Watching her go in as an idealistic citizen.. a smart, powerful female protagonist.. and surround herself with others like her, that too was intriguing. It gave me a whole new appreciation for a character I'd honestly never been that fond of. She was more than 'able,' she was calculating and driven. She knew how to show humility without seeming weak.

If I'd read this book before The Phantom Menace, I feel like I would have see in through an entirely different set of eyes. Actually, now I think I need to go back and experience The Phantom Menace again armed with the knew knowledge. Some of the early glimpses of Darth Sidious and Maul are especially interesting.

I loved getting to know the handmaidens. Each of them had distinctively different skills they brought to the table and their personalities and backgrounds were just as diverse. This story gave those supporting characters real depth.. and though I started out unsure of one of them, she absolutely had my respect before long.

Watching her build those relationships, along with the relationships between herself and her Queen's Guard was so much fun. She was at times.. frustrating.. for her protectors because she didn't just let them walk all over her, but she chose her battles carefully.. giving in on some issues and standing strong on others.

In hindsight, I picked up this title thinking I was going to read a story about the Queen.. and I did.. but I had no idea how well I'd get to know all those close to her. How much I'd come to like the handmaidens and Captain Panaka and his intelligence officer wife. This story isn't just hers, it's theirs.. and I loved every minute of it.

In 1999, we were introduced to the young queen of Naboo. She was poised, graceful, and mysterious, just emerging from childhood and yet so intelligent that she was ruling an entire planet. We saw the young women she was surrounded by, watched them fight to defend their home from those who would destroy it... and we had Questions. Who were these young women really? What twists and turns did their lives take to get them to this point? What exactly was the point of all those beautiful dresses and frequent costume changes?

E.K. Johnston answers these questions and so many more. While Queen's Shadow showed us the first year of Padmé Amidala's time in the Galactic Senate, Queen's Peril gives us the first weeks of her time as queen. We are finally properly introduced to the incredible young women who give up their lives to be the queen's handmaidens, with each of them being given their own time in the spotlight. Johnston takes us behind the scenes of life in the palace, from wardrobe to security to occasional teenage shenanigans, and then she breaks our hearts with what we all knew was coming — the Battle for Naboo.

Anyone looking for a play-by-play of the events of Episode I should turn instead to the film's novelization, because that's not what Johnston provides in the pages of Queen's Peril. Instead, we are given the scenes in between what we first saw on the big screen twenty years ago. We learn what happened on Naboo while Padmé traveled to Coruscant, are treated to conversations that fill our hearts with joy and sorrow, and come away with any even stronger understanding of what it means to live in the shadow of the queen.

This book is filled with strong young women who continually surprise and outwit the people around them, role models that this generation of young people very much need. I thank everyone involved in the publishing of this book for finally giving us the story of Padmé and her handmaidens, and I only wish it hadn't taken twenty years to get it.

We are brave (and hungry for good Star Wars content) your Highness.

And, yet again, E.K. Johnston delivers with Queen’s Peril, her second book about Padmé, which starts the day Padmé Amidala is elected Queen of Naboo. In this novel we get to follow the forming of the handmaidens, the maturation of a young queen and the lead-up to the invasion of Naboo (and beyond).

What Johnston has given us here, and in her other Star Wars novels, is a wonderful embroidery stitch that fills in the spaces between content, and deftly smooths over plot inconsistencies and questions we’ve been sitting on for years, while still delivering on great new content and delicious character development.

The canon threads that Johnston wove together to make this story would make even the finest Naboo fiber artists stop in awe.

[This is the text version of the review. I will also discuss this on upcoming episodes of the Steele Wars podcast and The Sith List Podcast]

When I first heard that E.K. Johnston would be following up last year’s solid Star Wars novel Queen’s Shadow with a prequel, I was very skeptical. But after reading the book, I was happily proven wrong.

Queen’s Shadow (released July 2, 2020 by Disney Lucasfilm Press) expands on the story told in Shadow while at the same time tying Padme and Naboo into the larger Star Wars narrative even better than its predecessor.

Queen’s Shadow took place after The Phantom Menace, telling the story of Padme’s transition from Queen to Senator and how vital her handmaidens were in every aspect of her life. Queen’s Peril is the story of how Padme transitioned from citizen to Queen, the first days of her working with her handmaidens and how the early days of her reign led right into the events of The Phantom Menace.

Cover of Queens Peril Cover
At its heart, this is a book about Padme and how she forms a routine and relationships with her handmaidens. While they are a bit hard to tell apart at times, they do have their individual personalities, talents and back stories. Just like in Shadow, Peril gives us a Padme more relatable than her onscreen incarnation. Padme is the idealist who wants to do what she can to make things better. She takes a situation- her security- and inventively changes it through the handmaidens to better suit her. Certain scenes, such as the first time she gathers her new team, or when they decide to buck authority for a simple night out, are very well-written and help make the galaxy far, far away feel more down to earth.

However, the novel is not just about Padme. Nearly every character from the Phantom Menace makes an appearance at one point or another, with many given weighty moments. This book made me want to watch The Phantom Menace again. The moments relate not just to the first Star Wars episode, but provide insight into other events throughout the saga (however, one of Jar Jar’s interests comes off as totally out of left field).

The book is an entertaining, quick read. However, there are some times, particularly with the character asides, where the pacing feels off. There was a concept or two (notably the idea that very few people know of the Queen’s true identity- based on my understanding, the candidates for Queen take a pseudonym when they run for office and don’t give it up) that went over my head. And if you haven’t read other Star Wars books, some references might not make a ton of sense. But none of this detracts from the whole reading experience.

Queen’s Peril is out this week. If you want to explore the state of the Star Wars galaxy right before the movie saga begins, these pages are definitely worth turning.

Queen's Peril is a lot. It's a lot more then you think it is, actually, which is both it's greatest asset and it's greatest weakness. E.K. Johnston's work on Star Wars has consistently focused on the almost mundane side of the galaxy, which has led her work to be a fascinating part of the new canon. Ahsoka was a great exploration of the character post-Clone Wars and how she lived her life, and this book's predecessor, Queen's Shadow, filled in many of the gaps between Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones with ease, giving a look into Padmé that we don't see too often while also smartly exploring the politics surrounding the Galactic Senate and Padmé's role in there.

Johnston's prequel, which explores the beginning of her reign, does double duty. Not only is a clear prequel to Queen's Shadow, particularly in the large focus on the relationship with her handmaidens carried over from that book, but also in setting up the events of The Phantom Menace, specifically from the political angles that haven't been explored yet. Much of the book is equally devoted to the beginning of the blockade as it is letting you see the friendships between the handmaidens grow, and thus those looking for an expansion to the lore will find plenty to love here.

The real draw here though is seeing how Padmé became the queen that we all know by the time of The Phantom Menace, and in that regard the book succeeds with flying colours. We get to see Padmé through every step of her coronation, as well as her beginning to navigate the complicated realm of politics, which is never boring nor confusing thanks to Johnston's smart and witty narration. And once the blockade does begin, we get to see some gaps from the film fixed up and even made more clear - the book does a lot to aid some of the muddled storytelling of The Phantom Menace, and will likely make the film much better in retrospect once you know these things are also happening in the background.

And the book doesn't shy away from darker thematic material either. Despite being a young adult novel, the book lets the inhumane containment camps that the people of Naboo are placed in during the blockade speak for itself, and some of the more disturbing content in the second half will throw you for a loop in how, despite not being very graphic, affecting they can actually be. It's not all darkness though - the book is laden with great humor, particularly a sneak out scene in the middle of the book that is extremely entertaining as it reminiscent of teenage coming of age films.

However, it does also need to work as a prequel to the whole of The Phantom Menace, and in that regard, the book is a little bit more mixed. There are a ton of cutaways to other characters, including a couple of surprises, and while some of them are really nice moments that tie into other books and comics (particularly a nice shout out to Master and Apprentice), a lot of them feel superfluous and like padding, filling out a story that really didn't need them as the main narrative was good enough already.

The incorporation of The Phantom Menace is also a little clunky - once the events of that film are reached it's almost a rush out of the door to not repeat the narrative of that film. As such, the book is more interesting when it stays on Naboo during this time, particularly with a subplot with handmaidens Saché and Yané that set up their close bond and romance in Queen's Shadow quite nicely. And for those who want more of Sabé thanks to the current Darth Vader comic, you'll get a lot of her as well, whose friendship with Padmé starts here as well as giving a glimpse into her bisexuality of previously referenced from Queen's Shadow.

Queen's Peril isn't a tightly constructed or focused as Shadow was, but it's arguably larger and more important then one would think, tapping into multiple sides of the canon for references and story beats while also giving more of the political side that the prior did so well. If anything, it makes me interested in seeing more from Johnston in regards to Padmé, Sabé, her handmaidens, and the rest of the Naboo people as she writes them so well. A delicate build to a satisfying climax.

Anther great installment in the Star Wars book-verse from E.K. Johnston. I really enjoyed her previous book and was so excited to get an ARC of this one! I really enjoyed seeing more of Naboo and their electoral process, seeing how Padmé and Panaka form her handmaiden group. This book has a wide range of voices and great characterization. I also loved the fast pace and the way that Johnston chose to unfold the plot, with glimpses of behind-the-scenes moments from the Phantom Menace. I think this book will be enjoyed by any young Star Wars fan.

I have such nostalgia for The Phantom Menace that it was heartwarming to travel back to the invasion of Naboo through the Queen's eyes. This book tells the story of not only Padmé but all of her handmaidens. It was a joy to uncover their individual backstories, personalities, and skills as they grow into the unit that saves their planet. Queen's Peril is a fascinating exploration of female friendship and loyalty, as well as a deep-dive into the decoy process that is glossed over in the film.

To not be too repetitive in regards to the film, the book skips many chunks of time, particularly the invasion and their time on Tatooine/Coruscant. This was my first time experiencing this phenomenon (large gaps in a book), but I believe it comes with the territory of such a large franchise trying to intertwine books and graphic novels and films all together. A quick rewatch of The Phantom Menace quickly put my mind at ease with the large time jumps in the later sections of this book.