About a Childhood Hero

Leia: Princess of Alderaan by Claudia Gray

It's no secret that Princess Leia is one of my all-time heroes growing up. She was everything I wanted to be. So, when I saw that there was a young adult novel about my childhood hero, I bought it, despite the fact that I had never planned to read a Star Wars book.

My stance on Star Wars books is this: Star Wars came from the brilliant mind of George Lucas. The books about the first three Star Wars movies were NOT written by George Lucas. In fact, they were written BASED on the movies, which is a who other animal than a movie based on a book. So, because George didn't write them, I didn't feel they were legitimate. Same with every Star Wars book in the intervening years. Star Wars was meant to be seen and not read, as far as I was concerned. (Don't even let me get into canon, and why books that weren't written by George are considered canon!) I should have left this one at the store. It's not that it was a bad story, it's just that this doesn't feel like MY Princess Leia.

Carrie Fisher WAS Princess Leia, and was given free reign to create Leia's backstory. Somehow, I don't think that this book was it. We only see glimpses of the real Leia. I mean, she's "dating" a safe guy--one who is part of the junior senators. Where's the scoundrel that is the yin to her yang?

What I did like about this book were the little details. Like when she's on Naboo meeting with Moff Panaka and he realizes (I think) whose daughter she really is because he used to serve her. And when she meets R2D2, and gives him a mission to complete. Those moments were sweet. Otherwise, there wasn't much that made me want to continue.

Like I said, this wasn't a bad read. It's just that it wasn't a good read either. Merely ok when it could have been amazing. Leia was an amazing woman, and I just have a hard time believing that her depiction here is in any way what was intended by the people who created her and brought her to life.