I re-read Bloodline this week, after several years, and WOW what a reminder of how good that book is. As she did in Leia: Princess of Alderaan, Claudia Gray captures Carrie Fisher's spirited performance as Leia Organa perfectly with her writing. I loved the political thriller story, and getting to really delve into Leia's life at this contentious point in time. Plus, I think this book may be the most important one in terms of providing context for the galactic situation we see in the sequel trilogy. I would really recommend this book to any Star Wars readers who enjoy the politics of the story and Leia's character.
Spoilers ahead for Bloodline by Claudia Gray!
Of course, we have to talk about Leia's character in the book. We see Leia in a different place than we're used to from the original trilogy, but she's not quite the sequel trilogy's General Organa yet. She and Han have to spend a lot of time apart because of their varying schedules and interests, Ben is training with Luke, and though Leia is still a member of the New Republic's senate, she's looking for an out. She's grown cynical about galactic politics and the ability of the senate to make real change and help things. Throughout the book, we get to see her perspective change. While she still struggles to see how her peers in the senate will be able to change much with the barriers in place, she gets more of her hope back throughout the book. Leia's journey in the story is really amazing, and I always love reading about her. Not to mention how perfectly Gray represents her specific brand of wit, humor and compassion and love. I think that Gray represents her pain well too- she examines the long-lasting effects of Alderaan's destruction, and exactly what Leia feels when the fact that Darth Vader was her father is revealed to the galaxy.
Another big part of the book is planting the seeds of the Resistance and the First Order. We learn at a late part in the book about a senator who is working with powerful ex-Imperial figures to fund and create a military that they can use to reinstate Imperial values in the galaxy. We see through the book Leia getting more and more frustrated with the senate's inaction because of the two political parties refusing to compromise and people suffering for it, and she loses the trust of many in the galaxy. Leia eventually gathers some trusted allies and friends to start what becomes the Resistance, which ends the book on a high note.
The book has so many more elements that make it so, so good and definitely worth the read. Again, I'd really recommend it.