Lost Stars

While many young adult style novels exist in the Star Wars genre, this is the first labeled as such. It is also the second in the new Disney franchise, a Romeo & Juliet style tale at many levels, and touches on the events of episode IV through VI. Ms. Gray tackled a lot with this story - and succeeds on all levels.

Both the main characters are strong, growing throughout the story. Ciena Ree is a strong female character, resourceful and insightful. Appearances by a few well-known characters from the franchise feel accurate, and add to the story - these are not just cameos. The settings also feel very Star Wars, and the moral questions raised are equal to those from the movies, leading right up to the appearance of a thoroughly evil emperor Palpatine.

This author wrote another Star Wars novel the following year, which I read shortly after it came out. I commented there that I liked her writing style, and that shines through in this book as well. While the ending to that book felt rushed, this one feels just about right. All-in-all, a five star performance. I plan to visit another of her books soon.