ghostmuppet's review against another edition
2.0
This is a short YA book focusing on the Tico sisters, and linking directly into the Last Jedi. It provides some background to Rose (and Paige, but we never really saw that much of Paige) and explains their close sisterly bond.
However, the story and writing style were a little dull, and i often drifted and wanted to read something else. The pace was alright, but the subject matter...
I have read a number of Star Wars books recently, and the plot for them all seem to be to help other worlds out with supplies. Yes, i get the fact that this can be a harsh environment, but surely these authors can come up with something a little different.
Anyhow, this is another crossed off my list of New Canon books to read.
However, the story and writing style were a little dull, and i often drifted and wanted to read something else. The pace was alright, but the subject matter...
I have read a number of Star Wars books recently, and the plot for them all seem to be to help other worlds out with supplies. Yes, i get the fact that this can be a harsh environment, but surely these authors can come up with something a little different.
Anyhow, this is another crossed off my list of New Canon books to read.
colinmcev's review against another edition
3.0
It's fine. This is a middle grade novel, and it reads that way, so if you're a grown-ass adult like I am, you're probably only going to get so much enjoyment from the book itself. Lol But if you're a completionist Star Wars nerd like I also am, who absorbs every piece of media associated with this awesome franchise, you won't be dissatisfied either. It gives you everything you want in that regard: you get an established back story for a major character (Rose), fleshed out details about minor characters (Paige), and brief cameos by the likes of Leia, Holdo, etc. There's nothing particularly special about the story, but it was cool to see the relationship and rapport between sisters Rose and Paige, how Rose overcomes her fear and comes into her own, and it was neat to see how the story weaved into the first two films of the sequel trilogy. And as an added bonus, I listened to the audiobook, which was read by the great Kelly Marie Tran herself (which was the primary reason I sought it out in the first place). So I have no complaints.
mmwiseheart's review against another edition
4.0
Cobalt Squadron is geared toward children, and, as such, can be a little repetitive at times. For example, Paige and Rose Tico's matching necklaces are explained every two to three chapters. Otherwise, I really enjoyed the character development and the glimpse into characters so minor that they aren't named in the movies. I also enjoyed the quick pace of the plot and the vivid descriptions of scenes.
speasyspice's review against another edition
3.0
LOOSE LIPS SINK STARSHIPS (But don't worry, there aren't any spoilers for #TheLastJedi in this #OMPReads!) It's not a big secret that the ladies of One More Page loved the new Star Wars movie, but if, like me, you left the theatre desperate to know more about Paige and Rose Tico, then this book is for you! STAR WARS: COBALT SQUADRON, written by YA superstar Elizabeth Wein, is the story of the Tico sisters' adventures prior to the events of The Last Jedi, featuring a close-knit bomber squadron, the missions that lead Paige and Rose into the struggle against the oppressive First Order, and the deep, heartfelt ties that bind them to each other and to the Resistance. With cameos from General Leia Organa and Vice-Admiral Holdo, and bringing the action right up to the beginning of Last Jedi, COBALT SQUADRON has the thrilling battles, emotional truths, fascinating worlds, and indomitable hope that marks every Star Wars story, making it perfect for younger and older readers, brand-new and die-hard fans alike.
wanderlustlover's review against another edition
4.0
I could not wait to get this book. I love Elizabeth Wein so much, and I was so happy to see her name on the spine of a Star Wars book. I was deeply not disappointed and I ended up in tears in this series, which we knew had to happen given how we find Paige and what she is mourning when we first meet her in the series. It was so, so, so well written and my heart to The Tico Sisters forever.
Live plurk readthrough notes below:
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Hello, Paige & Rose.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Eeeeee! That’s wonderful. I’ve been blowing through the middle grade novels in a fast flush. This is my third one now. Sadly, I don’t currently have a fourth pulled from my library yet.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
How far are you in? Am I totally right in these sisters aiming to break my heart by this ending?
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Oh nifty! Then, we might be just along with each other. Since I just started it when I tossed up this plurk.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Like my others, listening is inspiring arts
Rose Board
Rose & Paige Board
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
“But at least if they were going to die,
they were going to die together.”
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
The bittersweet glory of all their love and loyalty.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
The first ship that goes up in such anti-climactic silence is powerful and put me straight almost into tears. It’s sssuuccchhhh a Wein thing. A very Codename Verity series thing she did. I love it so hard.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
kiss me, Hardy, kiss me quick
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Oh, yeah. I’m in tears at the fruit scene.
I’m not too surprised since Wein is one of the 1% of authors to make me cry in the past, but I hadn’t expected it pre the Paige loss of that happened in this book.
Live plurk readthrough notes below:
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Hello, Paige & Rose.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Eeeeee! That’s wonderful. I’ve been blowing through the middle grade novels in a fast flush. This is my third one now. Sadly, I don’t currently have a fourth pulled from my library yet.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
How far are you in? Am I totally right in these sisters aiming to break my heart by this ending?
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Oh nifty! Then, we might be just along with each other. Since I just started it when I tossed up this plurk.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Like my others, listening is inspiring arts
Rose Board
Rose & Paige Board
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
“But at least if they were going to die,
they were going to die together.”
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
The bittersweet glory of all their love and loyalty.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
The first ship that goes up in such anti-climactic silence is powerful and put me straight almost into tears. It’s sssuuccchhhh a Wein thing. A very Codename Verity series thing she did. I love it so hard.
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
kiss me, Hardy, kiss me quick
ɑรรɑรรiɳcɑptɑiɳ
Oh, yeah. I’m in tears at the fruit scene.
I’m not too surprised since Wein is one of the 1% of authors to make me cry in the past, but I hadn’t expected it pre the Paige loss of that happened in this book.
esseastri's review against another edition
4.0
I knew this book was going to wreck me, but I didn't realize quite how badly it was going to wreck me.
A lot of the emotional punch of this book, however, does come from knowing what's going to happen. The fault of a lot of Star Wars books, I find, is that they rely on you knowing things that are going to happen. The entire prequel trilogy and any book or tv show that's set in the Clone Wars or in the Rise of the Empire period between RotS and aNH are all good and emotional and effective on their own--but they all both gain and lose things from the fact that you know who lives and who dies and who's going to be evil and who's going to save the day. I say that's a "fault" of the books, but to be honest, it works both ways; it can kind of take the tension out of things to know that Rose has to survive the book to make it to the movie, but it can also add a hell of an emotional punch to know that Paige goes through all of this only to die in the first few minutes of the movie.
Sorry, the DVD is out by now, did you want me to tag the spoiler?
Here's the thing: the actual plot of the book wasn't really anything special. The Resistance sends its bomber crews to help a besieged planet get the supplies it needs to run its own rebellion against the first order. On the surface, it reads a little bit like it's just there to fill a plothole--where the heck were the bombers in the Force Awakens, you ask as they appear, oddly shaped and lugubrious in fight in the sky over D'Qar at the beginning of the Last Jedi? Well, they were out in the Outer Rim, on one of Princess Leia's famed mercy missions. And it seems a little perfunctory. But there's a lot of character depth hidden behind Rose's power bafflers, and if you only look out of the viewport instead of at your long-range scanner screens, you'll see it.
And that's where the emotional arc of this book really soars. No one really cares about the mercy mission--it's a good excuse for the Hammer and her crew to not have been in the last movie, and it's a good connection to Rose and Paige's backstory, but that's just it. Their backstory is essential to this book and to the movie that follows hot on its heels. Their backstory is essential to Rose and her character and everything that she does over the course of the Last Jedi. Because she's already made her decision; we see her make it in this book, dodging TIE fighters over the acid-soaked world she's trying to help save. She's fighting the First Order, come hell or high water because they killed off her world and so many worlds like it, and they killed off her sister and her friends, and all that she had left in this world. But her sister wouldn't want her to lose her sense of wonder, her sister would want her to ride the fathier anyway, so that's what she does. She keeps hope. Because despite everything she's been through, she's already decided. And she has to be there, ready to help Finn decide. Ready to help the Resistance decide.
And that's what makes this book important. That's what gives this book a fourth star over it's three-star plot. The relationship between Rose and her sister is vital to the understanding of how Rose works, and how Rose works is vital to understanding the underlying message of the Last Jedi: that you're not doing this to fight what you hate. You're doing this to save what you love. To save what you have left. To find new things to love so you have more to save and more to love. To have hope. To stand up and decide.
And knowing that makes this book so much more emotional. And so much better than it's plot-hole-filling plot.
A lot of the emotional punch of this book, however, does come from knowing what's going to happen. The fault of a lot of Star Wars books, I find, is that they rely on you knowing things that are going to happen. The entire prequel trilogy and any book or tv show that's set in the Clone Wars or in the Rise of the Empire period between RotS and aNH are all good and emotional and effective on their own--but they all both gain and lose things from the fact that you know who lives and who dies and who's going to be evil and who's going to save the day. I say that's a "fault" of the books, but to be honest, it works both ways; it can kind of take the tension out of things to know that Rose has to survive the book to make it to the movie, but it can also add a hell of an emotional punch to know that Paige goes through all of this only to die in the first few minutes of the movie.
Sorry, the DVD is out by now, did you want me to tag the spoiler?
Here's the thing: the actual plot of the book wasn't really anything special. The Resistance sends its bomber crews to help a besieged planet get the supplies it needs to run its own rebellion against the first order. On the surface, it reads a little bit like it's just there to fill a plothole--where the heck were the bombers in the Force Awakens, you ask as they appear, oddly shaped and lugubrious in fight in the sky over D'Qar at the beginning of the Last Jedi? Well, they were out in the Outer Rim, on one of Princess Leia's famed mercy missions. And it seems a little perfunctory. But there's a lot of character depth hidden behind Rose's power bafflers, and if you only look out of the viewport instead of at your long-range scanner screens, you'll see it.
And that's where the emotional arc of this book really soars. No one really cares about the mercy mission--it's a good excuse for the Hammer and her crew to not have been in the last movie, and it's a good connection to Rose and Paige's backstory, but that's just it. Their backstory is essential to this book and to the movie that follows hot on its heels. Their backstory is essential to Rose and her character and everything that she does over the course of the Last Jedi. Because she's already made her decision; we see her make it in this book, dodging TIE fighters over the acid-soaked world she's trying to help save. She's fighting the First Order, come hell or high water because they killed off her world and so many worlds like it, and they killed off her sister and her friends, and all that she had left in this world. But her sister wouldn't want her to lose her sense of wonder, her sister would want her to ride the fathier anyway, so that's what she does. She keeps hope. Because despite everything she's been through, she's already decided. And she has to be there, ready to help Finn decide. Ready to help the Resistance decide.
And that's what makes this book important. That's what gives this book a fourth star over it's three-star plot. The relationship between Rose and her sister is vital to the understanding of how Rose works, and how Rose works is vital to understanding the underlying message of the Last Jedi: that you're not doing this to fight what you hate. You're doing this to save what you love. To save what you have left. To find new things to love so you have more to save and more to love. To have hope. To stand up and decide.
And knowing that makes this book so much more emotional. And so much better than it's plot-hole-filling plot.
mezzythedragon's review against another edition
4.0
This is the story I would have preferred in the movie regarding Rose and Paige. Rose is still at the forefront, though, and Wein showcases her tech skills more.
the_fabric_of_words's review against another edition
5.0
This is the story of Rose and Page Tico and the mission undertaken by the young sisters immediately before the beginning of the movie, The Last Jedi.
Page is the woman at the beginning of the film who struggles to release the bombs from her incredibly slow-moving bomber. Rose appears throughout the rest of the film and later saves Finn.
It is a moving tale, well thought out, and it expands on the theme of sacrifice for the greater good, but also gives us more insight into Rose's motivations during the movie.
Wein also wrote Code Name Verity. I was hoping for a similar, dual-POV tale, but as told from Rose's perspective it is still gripping -- in part because we know what happens, ultimately.
We cried at the end.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.strikingly.com/
Page is the woman at the beginning of the film who struggles to release the bombs from her incredibly slow-moving bomber. Rose appears throughout the rest of the film and later saves Finn.
It is a moving tale, well thought out, and it expands on the theme of sacrifice for the greater good, but also gives us more insight into Rose's motivations during the movie.
Wein also wrote Code Name Verity. I was hoping for a similar, dual-POV tale, but as told from Rose's perspective it is still gripping -- in part because we know what happens, ultimately.
We cried at the end.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: http://amb.strikingly.com/
colls's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed the back story about Rose and her sister and having it narrated by Kelly Marie Tran lent such credence to it and made it feel very much a part of the overall story.
libkatem's review against another edition
4.0
I'm a big fan of Wein, in how she writes about flight, and how she writes about relationships between women. It was lovely to see the sisterhood between Rose and Paige. Their goodbye (which the savvy reader will recognize as their final goodbye) gutted me. Especially because the whole novel serves as Rose's growth.A quick YA read, and further illustration at just how devestating the First Order is. I also hope to see Bravo Rising again! Good stuff from a great author.