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jenny_librarian's review against another edition
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
3.0
I think I know what the author was trying to do with this. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. To tell the story of a character third hand through an entire novel, that character needs to be so mythical, to have such a life of their own that the reader still feels them as if they were there.
The story I read didn’t make Phasma anything more than other run-of-the-mill Star Wars villain. The problem is that SW has such iconic characters that the story of a calculating woman who murdered anyone standing in the way of her survival and rise to power isn’t grand or surprising. If anything, reading this made me care about Phasma less. And it’s a damn shame, because she’s one of the few true female villains in Star Wars.
You know who I did like reading about, though? Cardinal. I already loved him from reading Black Spire, but seeing him unraveling was a treat. The last 100 pages of this book were better than the first 250. I wish the entire story could’ve been about him instead, and another story written about Phasma.
Delilah S Dawson can write and make me truly care about characters, but unfortunately this book wasn’t it for me. However, I strongly suggest people skip to Black Spire, because that one is so much more worth it!
The story I read didn’t make Phasma anything more than other run-of-the-mill Star Wars villain. The problem is that SW has such iconic characters that the story of a calculating woman who murdered anyone standing in the way of her survival and rise to power isn’t grand or surprising. If anything, reading this made me care about Phasma less. And it’s a damn shame, because she’s one of the few true female villains in Star Wars.
You know who I did like reading about, though? Cardinal. I already loved him from reading Black Spire, but seeing him unraveling was a treat. The last 100 pages of this book were better than the first 250. I wish the entire story could’ve been about him instead, and another story written about Phasma.
Delilah S Dawson can write and make me truly care about characters, but unfortunately this book wasn’t it for me. However, I strongly suggest people skip to Black Spire, because that one is so much more worth it!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Gun violence, Violence, and Murder
Moderate: Child abuse, Genocide, Slavery, Torture, Police brutality, Cannibalism, Pregnancy, Gaslighting, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Child death, Fatphobia, Transphobia, and Death of parent
aliananana's review
adventurous
dark
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
phasma is one of those characters i loved in the new star wars trilogy. she was every bit mysterious yet stood out with that chrome armour of hers, and im glad this book covered her story. this phasma was every bit of ruthlessness i expected her to be. the movie did a joke of throwing her into the garbage chute never to be seen again.
i didn't like the way the story was told though. the beginning wasn't enough to keep me hooked because it felt like the classic "i gotta get to xyz planet where no one can find me - oop i got caught ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
the story was told by a resistance spy (vi) who got caught by the first order and interrogated by a stormtrooper captain (cardinal). tbh idk how cardinal thinks she has info about phasma and how nobody else realises there's a resistance ship hanging out in the hanger but let's just roll with it. vi tells phasma's story through siv's narration, which was kinda choppy and didn't fit?
and it dragged. the middle felt really long (i was actually wondering when it was gonna end) then the end happened so quick.
yes the characters are not exactly likeable and they made some wacky decisions but i think it shone light on the part of the star wars universe where not everyone is a hero. it's a different take on it, and it's why i enjoyed it (also the reason this is a 4 star rather than 2-3)
i didn't like the way the story was told though. the beginning wasn't enough to keep me hooked because it felt like the classic "i gotta get to xyz planet where no one can find me - oop i got caught ¯\_(ツ)_/¯"
the story was told by a resistance spy (vi) who got caught by the first order and interrogated by a stormtrooper captain (cardinal). tbh idk how cardinal thinks she has info about phasma and how nobody else realises there's a resistance ship hanging out in the hanger but let's just roll with it. vi tells phasma's story through siv's narration, which was kinda choppy and didn't fit?
and it dragged. the middle felt really long (i was actually wondering when it was gonna end) then the end happened so quick.
yes the characters are not exactly likeable and they made some wacky decisions but i think it shone light on the part of the star wars universe where not everyone is a hero. it's a different take on it, and it's why i enjoyed it (also the reason this is a 4 star rather than 2-3)
stats:
× time taken to read: ~5 hrs
× date started: 24/07
× date completed: 22/08
× format: e-book
× date started: 24/07
× date completed: 22/08
× format: e-book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Torture, and Violence
jaygabler's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Dawson absolutely nailed this assignment, creating a Phasma origin story wrapped in a compelling story of internecine conflict far richer than the usual bad-guy sniping. Introducing Vi Moradi to boot! 5/5, no notes.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence and War
e_flah's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Phasma was not what I was expecting in the best way. Books that rely on a character telling another a story can be hard to pull off. Phasma absolutely works because we have two excellent characters to serve as anchors -- Vi as she tells Phasma's story and Siv who is our viewpoint for the recounted portion of the story. I fell in love with Vi from the very beginning. She's clear-headed during a crisis, able to think a bunch of moves ahead, but also felt very human. I could easily read a whole book just about her and Cardinal as they take turns antagonizing each other while slowly becoming friends.
Phasma also shows us a slice of the Star Wars galaxy that felt very different from anything else I'd seen. Parnassos is dystopian in its harshness, which was a refreshing counterpoint from the settings we usually see. The peek inside the First Order also did a lot to build out how the institution is portrayed in the sequel trilogy movies.
Phasma also shows us a slice of the Star Wars galaxy that felt very different from anything else I'd seen. Parnassos is dystopian in its harshness, which was a refreshing counterpoint from the settings we usually see. The peek inside the First Order also did a lot to build out how the institution is portrayed in the sequel trilogy movies.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death
Moderate: Gore, Torture, Violence, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
vita_s_west's review against another edition
adventurous
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Answers how Phasma got to where she is but not why is she like that.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture
Moderate: Violence
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