A huge thank you to Disney Lucasfilm Press and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
// Content Warnings: violence, mentions of death, violence against animals/planet //
Please educate yourself on the content warnings for this novel before reading, as I may have missed some in my review.
All quotes are taken from Padawan by Kiersten White.
“All Obi-Wan wanted was to be a Jedi Knight, to go out into the galaxy and be an agent of goodness, of order, of the light.”
–Padawan by Kiersten White
// Quick Statistics //
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5 Stars
Writing: 5/5 Stars
Setting: 5/5 Stars
Plot: 4.5/5 Stars
Memorability: 4/5 Stars
// Quick Review //
This is the second novel I have read by Kiersten White, and though it is a stark difference from Hide, I absolutely loved Padawan. This is the perfect novel for those wanting to read about Obi-Wan Kenobi’s journey of self-discovery on his way to becoming a better padawan.
// Other Information //
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Page Count: 416 pages
Release Date: July 26, 2022
Series: Star Wars
Tag: Fiction, Young adult, Fantasy, Science fiction, LGBTQ+, Middle grade, Star wars, Space
// Book Description (from Goodreads) //
Obi-Wan Kenobi struggles with his place in the Force as a young Padawan in this coming-of-age adventure!
Obi-Wan Kenobi really wants to be a good Padawan. The best Padawan, even. But that’s feeling more and more impossible with his new master, Qui-Gon Jinn. All of Obi-Wan’s friends are off training to be real Jedi, getting mission experience, while he’s still on Coruscant, practicing his forms and sitting in silent contemplation. Ever since Qui-Gon’s former master, Dooku, left the Order, it feels like Qui-Gon has been too busy trying to connect with the Force or arguing with the Jedi Council to properly train his Padawan.
When Obi-Wan finally convinces Qui-Gon to take him on a mission to a remote planet once explored by an ancient Jedi, his master doesn’t show up the morning they are to leave—so Obi-Wan impulsively takes off by himself. Upon arriving on the mysterious, lush planet, he encounters a group of teenagers with no adult supervision—and who all seem to have some connection to the Force. Free from the constraints of the Order, Obi-Wan joins them in their daring adventures, but the Padawan side of him keeps questioning the teens’ strange relationship to the Force, and to the verdant planet around them, and what all of it might mean to his future. Obi-Wan will test the limits of his relationship to the Jedi and to the Force in this exciting, yet soulful exploration of one of Star Wars’ most enduring heroes.
// Review //
I want to start off this review by addressing the controversy that has erupted over Padawan‘s assistance in confirming Obi-Wan Kenobi as bisexual (also potentially asexual). Personally, I am glad that Kiersten White decided to include this in her novel in order to bring about more diversity within Star Wars. As a huge Star Wars fan and a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I believe it is important that people are able to see themselves in media, and the inclusion of Obi-Wan’s sexuality in Padawan is a major step towards this in a beloved series. Also, I must commend White for not only including this in her novel but also making it casual in the text. Obi-Wan’s sexuality is not flaunted to be shown only as a token of diversity but is authentically shown as a part of his character. Not only is it important to have diversity in media, but it is equally essential to make it realistic, relatable, and meaningful. So, thank you Kiersten White for making an already loved character in the Star Wars fandom that much more important for members of the LGBTQ+ community.
“‘…I was living in fear for so long. Afraid to fail, afraid to let others down, afraid of loss, afraid of even being afraid.’
‘And you’re not afraid now?’
‘No, I still am. But I’m not letting it control me anymore.'”
–Padawan by Kiersten White
Now, into the novel itself.
Kiersten White does a fantastic job of taking a well-known character yet introducing new aspects while staying true to the known Obi-Wan Kenobi. Now, this novel seems to be aimed more toward middle grade/young adults, and the maturity of Obi-Wan reflects this. Taking place long before The Phantom Menace, Obi-Wan is a struggling padawan who is at odds with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Though dedicated to the ways of the Jedi, Obi-Wan is seen struggling with connecting to the force. He feels as if he is being held back by his master and is not able to go on missions like his fellow padawans. In the Star Wars films and shows (and yes, I have yet to watch Obi-Wan Kenobi—don’t worry, I’ll watch it soon) we see an already trained Obi-Wan, one who is connected to the force and sure in his abilities. However—though staying true to Obi-Wan’s nature—Padawan explores the uncertainty that Obi-Wan struggles with while growing up in the Jedi Order. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing Obi-Wan struggle with connecting to the force, since it seems in the movies that he has no problem doing so. His battle with his training made his character that much more deep and realistic.
I have to mention that I found it funny how similar young Obi-Wan is to Anakin in Attack of the Clones. Around 28:10 in Attack of the Clones, Anakin complains to Padmé that Obi-Wan is holding him back. In Padawan, Obi-Wan complains through his narration that Qui-Gon is holding him back. It is eerily similar but also funny since Obi-Wan and Anakin’s relationship is like that of father-son, as Anakin says at 22:00 in Attack of the Clones. Gosh, I feel like I’m writing an essay and stating my evidence. But, I love Star Wars so why not?
I think it is worth mentioning that as long as you have seen the prequels, you should have no problem understanding the events of this novel. The story starts off at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant where Obi-Wan is being rebellious and skipping meditation (the Jedi equivalent of not eating your vegetables, I’m sure). From there, he discovers that Orla Jareni left the way to an unexplored planet called Lenahra. It is inhabited by a group of seemingly force-sensitive kids around the same age as Obi-Wan, though some are younger.
Kiersten White describes a rich and lively planet that is sometimes hostile to its inhabitants, yet sometimes not. As Obi-Wan navigates this new and supposedly deadly world, he also develops his connection to the force and his strength in using it. He vows to help the people he has met on Lenahra, even if his return to Coruscant reveals his expulsion from the Jedi Order. Staying true to his character, Obi-Wan wishes only to help those and bring some lightness to even the furthest corner of the galaxy.
The plot itself was excellent yet had more to do with internal struggles and evolution than that of Star Wars‘ iconic battles and light saber fights. If you go into this novel expecting loads of action and battles, you might be disappointed. However, I found the exploration of Obi-Wan’s doubts and fears to be crucial to understanding the character further. There was plenty of action towards the end of the novel, but as I said, this is not an action-focused story.
Obi-Wan’s meddling with the mystery behind Lenahra causes some issues for him and the inhabitants which he must face if he wishes to truly help the planet and its people.
Also, throwing it back to Attack of the Clones once more, Padawan mentions how Obi-Wan came to know Dex, which I thought was a clever easter egg and was a detail that got me excited.
Overall, I had a lot of fun with this novel and enjoyed its pleasant new characters and exploration of Obi-Wan’s character and background. I highly recommend it to any Star Wars fan, especially those who love Obi-Wan Kenobi. It’s essentially a Star Wars coming-of-age, which I love.
Visit Kiersten White’s website.
Add Padawan to your Goodreads shelf.
Maya's Reviews 