E. K. Johnston includes interesting elements throughout the story but none are followed through, and I feel like there was a lot of missed potential. Queen’s Hope is definitely targeted towards the younger end of the YA age group, so I recommend this series for younger readers.

The conclusion of Johnston’s celebrated trilogy focusing on the lives of Padme Amidala, former queen of Naboo, and her handmaidens, her closest confidants and friends.

And now we’ve reached the end of the “Queen’s” series…Oh, what an ending it is.

Starting at the very tail end of Episode 2 and following through the earliest weeks of the Clone War, were introduced to a galaxy on the brink of something great and terrible. It’s a much different setting than the previous entries in the trilogy, something touched upon by the characters themselves. But there’s still chances for small bits of happiness and relief (especially near the end of the book.)

One of the most apparent themes throughout the book is the recognition maturing and everything that comes with it. People change and their actions correspond with the maturation of the intervening years (between “Queen’s Shadow” and “Queen’s Hope”.)

Growing up and moving on is one of the hardest parts of life, and the women of the galaxy aren’t immune to it. The handmaidens find their own places in the world, particularly Sabe and her very personal mission in the Outer Rim. The acknowledgment of this provides one of the most poignant scenes in the novel. (A few tears might’ve been shed.)

We also finally get an answer or two that’s plagued the minds of less ship-happy fans of the saga: Why did Padme decide to love and marry Anakin Skywalker, despite his many flaws.

I feel like we’ve finally reached the balance in POV shifts between characters. “Queen’s Shadow” felt a little too limited in who and how the story jumped around, while “Queen’s Peril” felt too over-saturated with characters’ stories. “Queen’s Hope” struck a happy middle of the two. We see the galaxy from a fair few different sides, but the all worked and flowed well amongst each other.

My one major critique is the mission Anakin and Padme head off on in the hours before their wedding. Those particular scenes felt out of place at the time to merely fit with a later plot point. I don’t mind the purpose behind their mission, but I might’ve enjoyed it more if it took place afterwards.

A small aside: Happy Anidala is peak Anidala.
Highly recommend checking this one out for all the great Padme, handmaiden, Naboo, and Anidala content.

Queen’s Hope, by E.k. Johnston, is the third book in her Padme-centered trilogy. Admittedly before this book, I had only read the first one, Queens Shadow. At the time it just didn’t really click with me but after reading this I can’t imagine why that was. I really enjoyed this book! It’s such a unique look at both Padme and her handmaidens from The Phantom Menace. In the film, they are mostly just background characters, but here they become full-fledged characters of their own. And I think that’s what makes these books special for a lot of people. Each of these handmaidens are so unique in their own ways and that allows people to find themselves within them. Their characterization is the heart and soul of this book.

But these aren’t the only perspectives Johnston writes from. She also tackles Anakin for a little bit in this book and I think she does a great job. The novel takes place just after Attack of the Clones and she perfectly captures that same character we see on screen.

What I did have a little trouble with was understanding what exactly the point of this story was. The story was good but I just didn’t see why we were getting it. I feel that I might have understood more if I had read the other two books because I'm sure this wrapped up a lot of character arcs and tied up some story threads. This is likely just a case of me needing to read the other two books.

All in all, I found this to be a solid Star Wars novel, even though I don’t believe I am the target audience for this book. It breathes new life into Padme and the characters that surround her. If you’ve read the other two books then this will be a perfect conclusion, but if you're like me and haven’t read the others yet I would recommend reading those first. You can still enjoy the book it just might not be your cup of tea.

Check out my full review on Tatooine Times: https://tatooinetimes.com/star-wars-reviews/queens-hope-book-review/
“For one of the very few times in her life, Padmé Amidala had no idea what to do. She kept secrets all the time, but this one was different.”

Every politician in the Galactic Senate has an agenda, as does E. K. Johnston in Queen’s Hope, the third installment of the Padmé trilogy. The world in which we live is every bit as diverse as the Star Wars universe, despite inhabiting only one planet as opposed to countless in the galaxy far, far away. Johnston’s work has always been exceptional in that her novels exemplify the inclusivity and diversity that makes Star Wars appeal to a wide array of audiences. However, there is a fine line between diversifying and incorporating characters to reflect the world around us and shifting the original narrative. This line becomes blurred in Queen’s Hope, which may bring conflicting views towards the character of Padmé Amidala. While the relationship surrounding Padmé and Anakin has always been scandalous in nature, most authors have approached their relationship in a generally positive light; channeling the theme of starstruck young lovers. Johnston’s latest novel certainly incorporates and explores an alternative element and dynamic to their relationship.

Despite the potentially controversial nature of some elements in Queen’s Hope, the theme of devotion and duty within the senate and Padmé’s cohort remains the same. The Padmé trilogy focuses heavily on the friendships and alliances that exist between Padmé and her carefully selected handmaidens who have followed her from the courts of Naboo to the Galactic senate on Coruscant. In many ways, the novels follow Padmé’s decoys every bit as much as they follow the elusive and mysterious senator. In Queen’s Hope the developing war may be at the forefront of the plot, but the individual story lines that follow the original handmaidens are often anything but violent and provide heartwarming and satisfactory closure for the young women and girls that readers have come to love.

As with most Star Wars novels that connect to the film trilogies, only small fragments of information and easter eggs are presented to dedicated fans. While this remains true for Johnston’s novel, the glimpses into the developing Clone Wars, as well as the developing relationship between Padmé and her soon to be fallen lover, Anakin, will excite and engage even the most reluctant reader. As someone who has eagerly consumed any Star Wars content that provides a deeper look and understanding of Padmé and Anakin’s bond, Queen’s Hope was an absolute literary treat.

Queen’s Hope is certain to please readers of all ages and interests. Whether you are a The Clone Wars enthusiast or Padmé devotee, Johnston’s novel provides a near perfect balance of action and emotion that will leave readers yearning for more pages to turn. If you are an audiobook enthusiast, then make sure to check out the book’s preview below, narrated by none other than Catherine Taber.

I want to thank NetGalley and Disney Publishing Worldwide for an advanced copy.

Queen’s Hope takes place right after the Battle of Geonosis. Anakin and Padmé go back to her lake house to get secretly married.

Shortly after this wedding, Padmé is tipped off to a situation that causes her to call one of her most loyal handmaidens to step in her place but this time as Senator Amidala. Of course, Sabé takes this task on for her best friend but she quickly realizes this may be a more difficult role than ever expected.

Though this story is very much Padmé’s it is also Sabé’s as well. It goes a lot between these two storylines. I do love her handmaidens but I was expecting more of Padmé and Anakin than anything.

I’m happy to have this final book of Padmé’s story from E.K. Johnston on my shelf. I love this character and hope more authors build on these stories Johnston built.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Queen's Hope follows Padme Amidala and her hand maidens at the start of the Clone Wars. As Padme manages her new marriage and a vital secret mission, her friend and handmaiden Sabe steps into the role of Senator Amidala.

This was a fun read, particularly for readers interested in the political aspect of Star Wars. There's a lot of secret missions, a lot of political talk and maneuvering, and not really a lot of action. As this is the third of E.K. Johnston's Padme books, the cast of characters also includes several of Padme's handmaidens. Although all of them have roles, Sabe was the only one with a major role throughout the book, and Sache had some moments from her own perspective as well. I particularly appreciated how Sache's perspective introduced a character who used zhe/zher pronouns.

I also enjoyed the variety of perspectives we got throughout the book, not just from Padme and her handmaidens, but also from Anakin and Palpatine, as well as relatively brief asides about other female characters such as Shmi Skywalker, Beru Whitesun, and Breha Organa. As someone who really hasn't spent that much time engaging with Star Wars literature, it was awesome to see the ways in which this story was able to further open up the world of Star Wars, while still fitting in a relatively slim span of time between films.

Overall I quite liked this book, as I've enjoyed all of E.K. Johnston's Queen Amidala trilogy.

Queen's Hope is the third book in EK Johnston's Padme Amidala trilogy. Set just after the dawn of The Clone Wars, we find Padme standing at the precipice of a new life with Anakin Skywalker. The honeymoon is cut short by a special mission that finds Padme in the middle of some dangerous entanglements. In her absence from the Senate, Padme enlists former handmaiden Sabe to cover for her as the governing body grapples with the realities of war.

The book finds all of our main characters at the edge of what could be a promising future or a disastrous fate. Hard decisions are pondered while the galaxy continues to change around them.

While it might not be my favorite of the three books, Queen's Hope still offers a bold look at the some of the strongest characters of the era. New additions bring fresh perspectives and Johnston's prose is consistent with the other two books in the series. Her themes of hope in the face of uncertainty and determination in the face of fear are palpable and are resonant in the modern world.

Recommended.

What started as a Padmé-focused endeavor grew larger in its second outing, the “Queen Trilogy” ends with a smaller scope in Queen’s Hope, and while it reigned in some issues from the second outing and feels more like the first, this trilogy ends with what feels like half of a good novel.

E.K. Johnston’s second novel in this trilogy, Queen’s Peril, went all the way back to Padmé’s first days as Queen and the eventual invasion of Naboo (aka The Phantom Menace), and Queen’s Hope steps past the opening novel, Queen’s Shadow, by taking place a little further into Padmé’s time in the Senate and her relationship with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, picking up right after the end of Attack of the Clones. While Queen’s Shadow was as much a Sabé book as it was Padmé, Peril broadened its focus to middling results, so while Hope reigns that back in, and I enjoyed the POV choices for the final installment, when it did or didn’t switch seemed inconsistent for what and who the book focuses on, and overall it weaves a few threads together which leaves an impression of a novel half written. There’s some intriguing plots that unravel but we never see fully play out, be it the conspiracy Padmé uncovers or Sabé’s work, so knowing this is the end of the trilogy, nothing’s planned at the moment as a follow-up (besides maybe Sabé’s appearances in the current Darth Vader comics), and many trilogies end with story left to tell elsewhere, Hope’s threads feel incomplete even here. Most of these developments are just getting started as the book finishes, so getting to the final page felt like running down the trench of the Death Star and finding it drops off unexpectedly. I’m all for leaving room to tell more stories, and as I said these are threads I’d want to see more of, but knowing at least one of them will never fully take off, it seems strange to start them without ever likely having a chance to see them through. Hopefully E.K. Johnston gets a chance to return to some of these things, specifically Sabé despite her time in the current comics.

Whereas Padmé of Shadow and Peril is adjusting to her new lifestyle, be it ruling a planet or navigating galactic politics, Hope finds her comfortable for the most part in her role in the Senate, but now learning how to balance that and her sisterhood with the handmaidens against a change in her personal life: married in secret to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. I was worried this book would focus too much on how her relationship with Anakin has changed or life, or center it around him, but thankfully it keeps Padmé’s choices, in the relationship and how it carries on, hers to make. However, as I mentioned before, the time the book spends in Anakin’s POV, while delightful and shows Johnston has a good read on the young man dealing with this new situation, often seemed strange it wasn’t in Padmé’s, as while we have the lead-up to their wedding ceremony from her POV for the most part (along with a funny, leaving the planet for a moment, thing that happened on their way to altar), the entire ceremony is from his POV and not from hers at all. This happens a few more times, when it feels like we should be seeing a scene from Padmé’s POV, we don’t, and leaves Hope disconnected partly from its main character (as she’s not even the POV for the ending). Though when she is in focus, I liked the little adventure Padmé goes on, investigating a lead into some mysterious shipments that wasn’t always clear to me even by the end, as she meets an eclectic crew of a merchant ship (run by Wookiees and a Legend species I hadn’t heard but want more of now), starts putting her blaster to work in the war as well, and makes a big deal with a surprise ally (though that last one is the thread that feels like this book abandons in the middle when the book ends). Watching her balance her responsibilities, desires to be with the person she loves, and still be true to herself and her goals makes for a compelling arc for Johnston to tackle in Hope, and it fits well with the other two entries’ hyper-focus on a small slice of these pivotal parts of her life; like those before it, I didn’t even know I wanted or needed these flashpoints in her life fleshed out, but I’m glad they were.

With Queen’s Shadow, Sabé was elevated as a character in exciting and meaningful ways, as Johnston deeply developed the relationship and kinship it takes to be the shadow a queen turned senator, but also looking for something for herself. Peril took us back to show how such a lasting bond was created and forged between Sabé and Padmé, while Hope finds Sabé able to do something she hasn’t for over a decade: find herself. In Shadow, Padmé sends Sabé and Captain Tonra to Tatooine to try and free slaves there in her stead, as she tries for a larger push in the Senate itself, but their initial attempts result in failure, but in Hope the pair tries again. Together, the rumblings of a relationship between helping them build their married couple cover, they find satisfaction and fulfillment in their work on Tatooine, causing Sabé to look to her own future as Padmé seems to grow more distant. Sabé’s pulled back to cover for Padmé as she goes on the secret mission and she struggles like never before being her friend, their time apart changing them in small and large ways neither could predict, but for Sabé it means deducing her friend’s biggest secret and the wedge it drives between them. It’s fertile ground to cover and the book does it well, allowing us to see Anakin in two different lenses, the two sides inside him, and how Padmé makes peace with both. There’s a little manipulation by Chancellor Palpatine, once again having a few POV parts, but I’m glad it was minor and not the main reason Sabé and Padmé clash over the lives they now live. It leads to an emotional ending for the pair but it doesn’t change Sabé’s obviously lasting commitment, as seen in the current Darth Vader comic run. She’s starred in its opening arc, where she and the remaining handmaidens tried to kill Vader since they think he killed Anakin and Padmé (in a way, yes he did), and she only recently returned and finally learned Luke Skywalker is Padmé’s child with Anakin, so her story is far from over at the moment but such information definitely puts a target on her back. I do hope we can explore more of her work on Tatooine with Tonra and the White Sun group, I don’t think that’ll happen in the comic, since it’s the other thread that gets really interesting before the novel has to chance to really explore their work in detail.

Hope delves into friendships/partnerships that grow apart due to various circumstances as two people separate and find their own personal joys and futures. It’s relatable for many, as it’s not often we keep the same people in our lives, as while I have my core group from grade school to this day, most of my friends since than have come and gone over the years and I’ve only recently added new long-term friends thanks to my wife. The falling out with the others was often due to finding different passions or simply not being in vicinity with one another, and while Sabé and Padmé’s reasons are complex in some ways, it does boil down to those simple differences that can make even the tightest of bonds wilt away, which made it relatable to read and helped add an additional emotional punch to their final scene seeing as many can feel a similar change in friendship’s past. As much as I relished how well Johnston wrote their gradual differences, it reads too neatly tied by the end, especially due to the book’s brevity.

Whereas Peril went overboard with a lot of POV switches towards its end, covering lots of characters tied into the events of The Phantom Menace, Hope pulls back and its restraint is well appreciated, with only a handful of interludes that focus on various women of the galaxy. Most aren’t surprises, mind you, but the little snippets are delightful and enlightening, from the first to the last, while one with a certain figure in Luke’s young life promises more for the character and I hope we’ll get to see that story as well, as it’s long overdue she gets her chance in the spotlight. Alongside these female-led interludes, Chancellor Palpatine’s few moments are delightfully sinister, and I’ve liked his added thoughts on the situation, showing his tendrils are far and wide, but often I wondered why we had to have his scenes instead of more Padmé, Sabé, or anyone else.

E.K. Johnston's Queen’s Hope concludes the “Queen Trilogy” closer to where it started, with a tighter focus and more intriguing moments between two very close friends, but it's short to the point it feels like half a novel for how many threads are left hanging in the middle and the POV choices seem oddly placed for certain moments.

I’ve really been looking forward to reading this book especially with it being pushed back. Unfortunately it did not live up to my excitement. It was still a good book and written well, but I just didn’t enjoy it as much as the others. I would definitely recommend it to hardcore Amidala fans and fans seeking LGBT+ representation in Star Wars

As a huge fan of Queen's Shadow and Queen's Peril, I was THRILLED to have the chance to read an ARC of Queen's Hope. E.K. Johnston did an incredible job fleshing out Naboo culture and tradition and breathing life into the Queen's handmaidens in the first two books and I was excited to see how the full decoy switch would work in the Senate.

Unfortunately, where the first two books had the advantage of peaking behind the scenes into large moments of Padme's life that weren't already depicted, Queen's Hope struggles to bring find space between the events of Episode II and The Clone Wars series where we see Padme take on countless risky solo missions on behalf of the Senate. At the end of the day, Queen's Hope seemed to struggle to bring anything new to Padme's story. The storyline with Sabe was definitely interesting, but I had hoped to see something new in Padme's life.

To fill the space between Padme and Sabe's narratives, Johnston makes the risky move of jumping into the minds of various key characters from the greater Star Wars universe. Imagine a Star Wars greatest hits playlist that jumps from Anakin Skywalker, to Bail Organa, to Yoda, to Darth Sidious himself still playing the role of Chancellor Palpetine. This for me, was another weak point, as these are beloved familiar characters with their own unique complex motives and background that include distinct speech patterns and thought patterns. In the earlier books, Johnston seemed to take immense care in distinguishing between the narratives of Padme and each of her handmaidens, so I had hoped other characters would receive the same treatment. Unfortunately though, these moments from outside perspectives really disappointed and fell flat for me. One example, Yoda and Jar Jar have incredibly iconic and distinct speech patterns but seem to tire of them mid-way through the page and begin speaking as the other characters do. *Note: I did read an ARC, and do not know to what extent dialogue may have been changed before final publication.*

I acknowledge that this novel is geared towards a young adult novel, but the characters are adults, and part of a beloved science fiction pantheon. They should speak like adults. Some of the phrasing and dialogue seemed incredibly juvenile and immature for the key players in an intergalactic war. Maybe its just me, but this doesn't seem to be a problem in the other YA Star Wars books coming out.

All in all, I will read every Padme Amidala adventure that Disney cares to create, but Queen's Hope seemed rushed and careless. Queen's Shadow remains my favorite of the series and I will probably never tire of re-reading it.

Thank you to Disney Publishing Worldwide and E.K.Johnston for the Netgalley e-ARC.

Another great installment in the Star Wars universe! This final installment in the Padmé trilogy was a solid read, though it missed the emotional mark for me that the other two Padmé books nailed. This is by no virtue the fault of EK Johnston's writing, it continues to bring me immense joy, this period of Padme's story just happens to be one I'm not particularly fond of. I am sure I am an outlier in this and that others will love Queen's Hope much more than I did.

That being said, I really, really loved Sabé's arc in this book. I would read a million books about her and Tonra's lives during TCW and beyond (the Vader comics have been a real treat as of late) and I think her pov was the strongest in the book. To be fair, I felt like all of the handmaiden's povs were super strong, but Sabé has always stood out to me, especially as she finds herself stepping out of the queen's shadow, as it were in this novel.

I would still recommend people check out this book. It was super fun, just didn't end up resonating with me the way the other Padmé novels did.

A lovely continuation of the story of Padme Amidala. he story remains interesting and well-paced throughout and fills in the emotional toll being placed on Padme and her handmaidens as we begin the Clone Wars.

The author does a great job of keeping the story moving quickly, but has well placed, well thought out interludes, that go a long way to create more lore and change the readers perspective of other established stories.

I'd recommend this book to anyone looing for a thoughtful, easy to read sci-fi, adventure, romance. The need to have read the lead-up stories isn't necessary, so this makes for a good jumping off point, or a continuation.

(I read this as an audiobook so this is reposted from my audiobook galley review!)
I’ve had the privilege of being able to read almost the entire Star Wars books and comics canon at this point, and I often say that my top tier is the Thrawn novels, the Padmé novels, and the High Republic. This novel is no exception. It’s a wonderful ending to a trilogy that has done the incredible work of trying to give so many women in Star Wars, not just Padmé, additional screentime and development. My jaw truly drops every time someone else is brought into play, and how it makes the universe richer for it. It makes sense for these women to interact with and know each other and for their effects on different generations to be felt. Reading these books feels like someone really understands the full picture of Star Wars.
Much like how the Clone Wars TV show was really about Ahsoka and the clones, this novel and trilogy was just as much about Sabé as it was Padmé, and the message for teens reading, or an adult like myself about determining who you are as an individual, and as a queer woman, was so wonderful to see in Star Wars. In general, the queer representation in the Padmé trilogy, and the High Republic, is astounding. This novel has Star Wars’ first canonical trans woman, and a trans woman of color at that. It also has other queer and trans characters woven into the story in a natural and interesting way.
One of the things I loved in this novel was how when queer identity was brought up, it was a part of character or world building, for the character themself, someone around them, or an important part of Star Wars. It made it clear how queer identity can be used as storytelling and how queerness is inherent to Star Wars, something I loved dearly about another recent Star Wars YA favorite, Midnight Horizon. When gender was discussed, it was to give depth to clone or handmaiden identity, to show the development of the Jedi’s early relationship with clones, and to further develop this novel’s main question of what it means to be a handmaiden once you’re all grown up. Chosen names are reiterated as respected on Naboo, which reverberates throughout Star Wars to future generations of women like Rey, who is a descendant of Naboo herself. This is what representation is about - that identity is inherent to who you are and the world you inhabit, fictional or otherwise.
There is just so much to love about this novel, and since I am currently reading the Star Wars (2020) comics run where Sabé appears in the time of the Empire with Vader, it made it all the more bittersweet. I could talk about this novel and its parallels to the High Republic for days as well. An all around wonderful end to a tremendous trilogy.

Thank you Netgalley and Disney Publishing/Disney Lucasfilm Press for allowing me to read and review this title! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Set in between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith, Padme Amidala and Anakin Skywalker are newly weds in the conclusion to the "Queen's" trilogy: Star Wars: Queen's Hope. If you are familiar with Star Wars, or know enough about the Clone Wars, I think you'll be fine in reading this trilogy. We are given more of an insight into the life of Padme and her handmaidens as they navigate the ranks in politics and a war on the horizon.

E. K. Johnston adds more development to new characters (some with LGBTQ rep), and old characters we know and love, or in some cases give in to the hate. I've been loving the new Star Wars canon books, in the YA genre, and I feel they are perfectly written for any reader at any age.

I do wish we had more POV from Padme though. As much as I like to continue learning about the current/former handmaidens and what they are up to, this is still Padme's series. There were times, while reading the eARC, it was jolting to switch POVs without an indication of who was up next. I'm not sure if this will change in the final printing. It's been a while since I've read the other two books, so I am unsure of the format currently.

The friendships and relationships were handled very well and I did like the moments between Anakin and Padme. Of course I wish there were more.

Overall Queen's Hope is a good end to the trilogy.

4 stars

Queen's Hope by E.K. Johnston is an incredible conclusion to this trilogy. Johnston has not only honored the Prequel Trilogy and Clone Wars but has brought so much depth to it. Not only are there big galaxy wide stakes in this story but there are major personal stakes. Padme and her handmaidens take the spotlight in an intimate story set during the height of the Clone Wars conflict. I cannot recommend this book enough. I would like to thank Disney books and Lucasfilm publishing for the digital copy of this book. We will be talking about it very soon on our show.

If you are looking for a novel that adds the long overdue depth and nuance to a beloved character, a novel with incredible queer representation, or a novel that highlights the importance of female friendships then you will find everything you need Star Wars: Queen's Hope. This book does not disappoint on any account whether you are new to reading Star Wars novels or have been reading them for years.

Queen's Hope is the third installment of the "Queen's" series which focuses on the character of Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens. Although the Star Wars Prequel trilogy is nearly twenty years old, Padmé is a character that continues to have a growing fanbase, particularly among the young women of the Star Wars fandom. With the incredible amount of depth this series of novels gives for this character, E.K. Johnston and these novels should absolutely be given credit.

Queen's Hope is a fairly easy read with a modest length that may be a draw for some readers that prefer shorter stories. This book can absolutely be enjoyed by people of all ages, but the LGBTQ+ community will feel an extra sense of validation that was so refreshing to read. Padmé's relationship with her handmaidens has always been a main focus of these books and Johnston is able to portray how female friendships can change over time in a way that was very relatable. Queen's Hope is also not lacking in the romance department, Johnston writes a healthy balance between all of Padmé's relationships throughout its pages.

You can tell the true passion that E.K. Johnston has for Padmé as a character and Queen's Hope really makes her shine and gives her a voice that was often neglected throughout the trilogy of films. I highly recommend this book and will be gladly re-reading more than once!

Queens Hope is a great addition to the story of the character that many women look up to in the Star Wars community. From the moment i read the words "Shmi Skywalker" I was instantly hooked. The pacing of book felt natural even during lull moments. The conclusion and fleshing out of Padme and Sabe's relationship highlighted them as individual characters, but also connected them to larger overarching story. My favorite part was seeing the representation of the LGBTQIA+ community was a breath of fresh air in the Star Wars universe. Overall, this book and series are a beautiful addition to the Prequel trilogy story.

Those who have read the first two books in this series know what to expect. The Padme books are the space between the movies and cartoon series. They develop Padme's character and provide much needed background and depth where George Lucas failed her. "Queen's Hope" is no different from its predecessors. It has intrigue, strength, friendship, loneliness, joy, development, and a love of all things "wardrobe." Any reader who has read "Queen's Peril" and "Queen's Shadow" will not be disappointed, and they will love the story EK Johnston weaves and hope for a future post-"Revenge of the Sith" book about Sabe and the handmaidens.

I actually made it to the halfway point of this book before I had to stop reading, this reads like a very bad fanfic and although I wanted to give it a chance because I love padme to me this didn’t feel like her at all. the mannerisms felt so repetitive that it made my eyes hurt

THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC!!

Before we begin, let me preface this with the fact that this was my most anticipated book of 2022. When it got delayed last year, I literally cried. I loved the first two. I loved Ahsoka. So I was ready for this book.

This book was great! Albeit a little disappointing. When I heard this was going to be a Padmé story set during the beginning of the Clone War, I was expecting a little more clone wars and for sure a little more Padmé than what I got. I feel like out of all of the Points of View in the book, Padmé was the least frequent despite it being her book. I was also anticipating a little bit more of the Anakin and Padmé early relationship exploration. I was very intrigued by that as a main point to this book, but it really wasn't a main point.

However, the representation alone in this book is enough to make you read it. There are multiple trans and queer characters, perhaps the most canon queer characters in a piece of Star Wars media at this point. More of this. More more more.

It felt like a bunch of cameos strung together into a book. Which is all fine and good, but a little disappointing.

I do love how concise and clear E.K Johnston's writing style is. She is very straight forward and easy to understand which makes her one of the best introductory Star Wars authors.