BehrItAll

Ok, most of this will be behind a cut because of spoilers.

Queen's Hope (Star Wars: The Padmé Trilogy, #3)
by E.K. Johnston

<b>3.5 out of 5 Secrets.</b>

I read the previous two books in the trilogy a couple of years ago and I loved those books. Padmé does not get enough love. So here I am finishing the trilogy.

Since I was going to read it regardless I didn't bother reading the dust jacket to see what it was about. I just knew based on the cover that it would be post-AotC. To be more precise I assumed the book would take place closer to RotS when Padmé was already pregnant. In fact, I was really looking forward to reading how Padmé and her handmaidens would redesign her wardrobe to hide her belly. (The previous books did a wonderful job of describing her wardrobe that had a dual function.) I was also really curious to see how Johnston would describe Padmé not knowing she was having twins.

They say you should never assume and I really jumped to conclusions with the cover. So, I was disappointed when I soon realized this takes place immediately after AotC.

I got over it quickly because I did like reading the details of how Padmé, Anakin (and C-3P0) planned the secret wedding. (3P0 got a lot more respect here than he did from Han in The Princess and the Scoundrel.) As a fan of gushy Padmé and Anakin fan fiction, this was up my alley. It was bitter-sweet to see them talk about a future after the war and I liked reading about how Padmé was trying to balance her public work life with the new secret marriage.

Of course the whole books is not about that. Sabé is a big part of it and I just loved her journey. It's funny that Padmé's face is on the cover, because looking back I feel that Sabé was my favorite part and probably the main character. Sabé's story was heartbreaking but also so natural because it shows how friendships change because the people change. Her whole realization that she cannot be Padmé's shadow anymore and that they are no longer the close friends they used to be - forget what I said about heartbreaking - it was soul crushing. We have all been there when we realize that certain relationships have devolved and you can't go back to the way things were.

It's not all sad. The scenes on the Wookiee ship was good comic relief. I liked Idda.

Palpatine's usual manipulations was entertaining. I knew that sly bastard would figure out

There is also a side plot with Saché that was slightly connected to Padmé's plot. But I kind of feel like it was unnecessary because we won't see the long lasting effects of the two plots merging. Saché's plot felt like a filler, or an afterthought.

Actually, when I think about it I'd say that this whole book is more character driven than plot.

I did like the cameo from Barriss Offee. Even though I can't stand what The Clones Wars did to her character, I agreed with her insights and thoughts about the war and the younglings.

Something that was really, really eerie was that there were some things that happened in the book that I have either written in my own fan fiction, or have read in someone else's fiction. It's freaky how more than one mind can think alike.

Examples:

I did enjoy this story mostly because of Sabé and Padmé. There were many other moments that were little gems but overall, it felt a little too all over the place to be my favorite of the trilogy.