Bloodline Review!

Bloodline, by Claudia Gray, is an adult novel placed four years prior to The Force Awakens.  It is Ms. Gray’s second work in the Star Wars universe following Lost Stars.  As with Lost Stars, this book does not disappoint!

The best thing about this book is the character development.  Having already read Gray’s third novel, Leia of Alderaan, I knew going in that she knows how to write the character of Princess Leia and came away very impressed with how she progressed to a an older Leia and the challenges that come along with that age progression. Further, she delves into Leia as a mother, a wife as well as a politician.  For the many Leia fans, this book delivers on all levels.

While Gray does well with the well-established character, she shows her abilities with original characters as well from Ransolm Casterfo to Joph Seastriker to Greer Sonnell.  Gender and age matters not, she is simply a fantastic writer.  With Casterfo, you have a younger male counterpart to Leia who challenges her but shows faults of his own.  In Joph, you have the youthful exuberance that you can’t help but like.  Finally, there’s Greer who is a tough yet somewhat vulnerable character that is also easily likable.

If there is any criticism at all, and it’s extremely minor, is that the villain story line is predictable.  That said, the story is so well laid out that you don’t care that you know who’s behind it all.  The beauty is how that individual is dealt with and yet, even with resolution, you are left with questions.

I certainly hope we haven’t seen the last of these characters and that after Episode IX, we get more details fleshed out on the First Order and it’s development from Rae Sloane to Snoke (who hasn’t been mentioned yet in the canon to this point in the timeline).

Up Next:

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