I was thrilled to get an early review copy of this book and found that it didn't grip me as much as previous Star Wars titles by E.K. Johnston which I absolutely adored. Life happened and this fell off my radar for a year and a half. Now that I've finally circled around to finishing it, there are things that I enjoyed and other choices that just confuse me.

Generally, this was a great peak behind the curtain into Qi'ra's life and I always like to see female lead Star Wars projects. Because of the nature of the crime syndicate plot, I'm surprised that they didn't make this an Adult book. There's quite a few brutal deaths, alongside Qi'ra being forced into slavery and trafficked. I think writing to an adult audience would have let this book shine a bit more.

One of the things I enjoy about reading Star Wars books is how interconnected it all is. However, authors usually allude to what happened in the other plot lines in case the reader hasn't consumed everything they need to understand. Johnston does try to weave together the Solo movie, Most Wanted by Rae Carson, and the most recent comics run that heavily featured Qi'ra, but often just dropped us into the middle of things with very little explanation on the page. The book builds towards a climactic confrontation with the mysterious leader of the gangs (<spoiler>Darth Maul</spoiler>) and we don't even get to see their meeting in the book! Plus, the epilogue has a huge unexplained time jump to Qi'ra post-empire but there's no explanation as to what is going on to the reader. Because of the lack of explanation I'd have trouble recommending this to someone who isn't a superfan of Star Wars, as they'd likely be a bit lost. As a superfan myself, I feel like we could have dug deeper into some scenes and I was a bit unsatisfied.

I really struggled with the narrator they chose for this audiobook. I wonder if they gave her a heads up about the accent before she accepted the job. Mid-way through the book the accent drops when she speaks as another character and it felt like she could emote much better. I feel like they have stellar narrators for the adult books, but for YA and Middle school it can really be hit and miss. Props to the sound designer who added sound effects to some of the deaths, because that made those deaths hit that much harder.

All of this being said, I'll still read any other books Johnston writes for Star Wars and I'm now motivated to catch up on the comics. I usually enjoy most Star Wars novels and this is odd for me to finish a book and have so many critiques.

What could be better than having an audiobook for a good book? Having the voice actress who plays the key character narrate the book. Nothing is better than having the voice of the character portray the character herself. Olivia Hack does a fantastic job with this story. It is as if you are with her on Qi'ra's journey from Worms to Dawn.

Review for the book:

Anyone who has read EK Johnston's previous Star Wars novels knows what to expect. "Crimson Climb" is no different. It is a fun and entertaining ride that delves mildly into the emotions and the trauma of one who has fought her whole life on the streets. Johnston helps to create a clearer picture of Qi'ra and how she becomes the woman who will eventually betray and abandon Han in "Solo" and eventually command the Crimson Dawn into their "Crimson Reign" against the Empire. Although the book wasn't her best, it is definitely a great addition into her "Women Who Changed the Galaxy" saga. Hopefully there will be more to come.

This is the backstory of Keira from Han Solo's past. Keira was not dealt the best cards as a child. She grew up fighting for acceptance in a gang in order to keep food in her belly. Keira thought she had a way off the planet when she schemed with Han. He got off and she was left behind to face the consequences of her attempted escape. Keira is smart and clever. In this narrative: she is a part of a major heist, she is bought and sold several times, runs a mission for a Jedi artifact, and ultimately rises in the ranks of the gang Crimson Dawn. Through it all, she remembers Han and uses his memory to cope through all life's challenges.

Highly recommend if you love Star Wars. Loved the narrator and I loved the sound effects.