So I started this series of three books with this one, the last one, thinking (mistakenly) it was the first. My wonderful daughter, now at college, recommended the series to me, saying: "There's a lot of talk about fabric. You'll love it, mom!"
And, indeed, as billed, there was a lot of talk about fabric and sewing, but let's get something straight from the start: the costumes Amidala wore in the movies? Totally a legitimate reason to watch the prequels. Forget the story line, just gimme the yardage, freeze the frames and let me study how the patterns drape and fall!
So that's the perspective I read this from – as someone who knows her way around a needle and thread (hence, The *Fabric* of Words, after all…lol!).
Ok, down to the book review. I'm recommending this as a Holiday Pick for YA Star Wars fans, and specifically for fans of EK Johnston's writing. The fact that this was a book 3 totally escaped me as I was reading. I never even noticed it.
Amidala struggles with how she must hide her marriage to Anakin and not have a traditional Naboo-spectacle type wedding, with the expected princess dresses (let's admit it – there would've been three or four, at least, right? Not just the one in question). Anyway, while she's excited to be joining her life with Anakin's, it means she must hide this most important of life decisions from everyone close to her, friends, family and her hand-picked and extremely loyal handmaidens.
All except one, Yané, who she turns to for help incorporating traditional wedding fabrics into her much-scaled-down dress and veil. In return, Yané asks Amidala to rescue some friends, artists studying on another planet, who are in increasing danger from the changing political climate of the Clone Wars. It's important because one of these artists is Naboo's current Queen's sister.
Meanwhile, Amidala's closest handmaiden and friend, Sabé, (not the one she turns to for help, but that's kinda unavoidable) is on her own mission to liberate slaves on Tatooine. It's a long-term undercover op, one that involves living with the locals and gaining their trust.
Amidala's mission rescuing the current Queen's sister is successful, and she returns to Naboo, where she and Anakin are married. We get Anakin's POV here as well, and he is very well portrayed as an early 20s groom who isn't really ready for marriage.
But we all know "settling down" is not in the cards for Amidala or Anakin. He's a Jedi, she's a Senator, and Bail Organa and Mon Mothma have a mission for her (delivering medical supplies) that only she and Sabé can pull off, because they truly are look-alikes.
It's been a while since Sabé impersonated Amidala, and in the Senate, no less. But she agrees to put her Tatooine mission on hold to do this one last thing for her former Queen.
Of course, it works, but only to the casual observer. Sabé doesn't know about the new marriage, and responds .. let's just say oddly .. on occasion, especially toward Anakin, and there are awkward moments, jeopardizing the mission's cover. And because we all know of Anakin's ties to Palpatine, who is anything but a casual observer, this ups the stakes – of possibly exposing Amidala -- considerably.
Sabé comes to the realization she's been put in a horrible position by Amidala. These are not the actions of the Queen and BF Sabé was so loyal to. She almost doesn’t recognize them, or the young woman Amidala's becoming, willing to put her double in mortal danger without confiding in her. She was bound to figure out Amidala's big secret. What else do newlyweds want to do, after getting married, right? It's a downright cowardly omission on Amidala's part.
Meanwhile, Amidala and her mission are evolving, even as they're in greater danger of being exposed.
I won't spoil how it ends, because I think it wraps up this SW trilogy.
In any case, I'm looking forward to reading the first two.
SW fans and sewists, enjoy!
