Queen’s Peril is E.K. Johnston’s second novel about Padmé Amidala and her handmaidens and, in true Star Wars fashion, it takes place chronologically before her previous book, Queen’s Shadow. I guess that makes Queen’s Peril the prequel to a prequel era novel.

(I’m having too much fun with this.)

Anyway, back on target, Queen’s Peril takes place when Padmé is elected Queen of Naboo and follows her reign up through the events of TPM. In Queen’s Shadow we got to see how Padmé and her handmaidens operated like a well-oiled machine, but Queen’s Peril shows the work these young girls put into developing their roles and relationships in the group, and not everything is smooth sailing. I loved seeing how each of the girls were recruited by Panaka and the people they were behind the unified front of handmaidens.

There are many POVs throughout the story besides Padmé and handmaidens (Palpatine, Panaka, Maul, Shmi, etc.) and each show a different aspect of the events leading up to and during TPM. I have mixed feelings about how the story was told concurrently with TPM. I do like that we get to see the events from different perspectives, but this part of the novel cannot stand on its own without a knowledge of the movie. Although I don’t want all of TPM retold to me, the style of vignettes meant that at one point you’re reading about Padmé the night before Anakin’s pod race, and the next moment she’s already called to replace Chancellor Valorum. It’s possible that it won’t bother me whenever I read the novel again, but I found it jarring and disappointing on first impression. That being said, the events aligned with TPM are only about one-quarter of the total book.

Johnston delivers another great installment in the adventures of Padmé and her handmaidens. I would love to see another novel before the events of ROTS or even one with just Sabé after ROTS. I also want to mention that Johnston writes the most beautiful beginnings and endings to her Padmé novels. I was in tears with a smile on my face. If you loved Queen’s Shadow then you’re going to enjoy Queen’s Peril as well. If you haven’t read Queen’s Shadow, then you get to decide between chronological order and release order—that should be a familiar decision at this point. ( )

The 3rd book in the SWCC.
I love Padme so very much. It was really cool to get to see the behind the scenes of her handmaidens, and the way that they dealt with Panaka. It did feel like the later half went by very quickly, but it's things that happen during the movie so it makes sense to expedite the process. ( )

It was an easy read and fun, but more YA than I cared for. Definitely something to be loved by other readers. And there was great background information to Padme and her planet/people. ( )

Was this perfect? No. Did I enjoy it? Yes.

I was giddy before reading this - we learn more of the Planet Naboo and how their govern system works.

I loved how the queen's shadows were found, and the bonds that they had built before everything went to hell.

There were numerous parts - for me - lacking enough or no information. I get that this is in the timeline of Episode 1 (and most has seen the movie), but what about Padmè's inner thoughts when she met Anikin Skywalker?

Why skip those parts? And how about the inner thoughts when they have overthrown the Chancellor?

I will see how well it goes with the second book: Queen's shadow. ( )

Fall 2020 (October || audible & papercopy);

I'm giving this a 4, but I'm leaning more 3.5ish. I love, love, love EK's Padme voice, but this came down to two problems for me --

1. The part before the novelization area started was so fast and so short from anything I'd considered it being timewise between when Padme ascended the throne and the movie happening. Everything was so fast and in that a little less believable for forming the bonds that it relied on in the novelized part.

2. The moment the book becomes the novelization the whole text suffers dramatically in a fashion that never ends. It starts juggling between "outtakes" and narrative summary and I found myself frustrated so many more times than I really allow any books. ( )