Questioning Qi'ra's Force Sensitivity in Crimson Climb
A Now This Is Lit discussion on E.K. Johnston's Crimson Climb.
I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who assume I promote Star Wars books I don’t like because I “have to.” Which couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s not that I’m obligated to say things I don’t mean about a book — in reality, I genuinely enjoy most of the Star Wars books I read and am happy to share that honest opinion with the world.
The other side of it is really the simple fact that I am a trained critic. When I review things, I structure my critiques to point out which readers a book would appeal to most and, by default, point out things that will let a potential reader decide for themselves whether or not to consume a story for themselves on their own time.
In my review of Star Wars: Crimson Climb by E.K. Johnston, I concluded that the novel is some of the author’s best Star Wars work to date. It displays monumental storytelling growth while maintaining the same high standard of excellent character focus and depth Johnston is known for.
I did not admit in that review, however, my biggest fear about the book: That it would be perceived unfairly or largely ignored by fans who normally have no issue promoting the work of veteran Star Wars authors, especially in the young adult category.
We briefly discuss this in the latest Now This Is Lit episode, along with plenty of other thoughts … and a revelation I honestly didn’t think of until my guest Hayley jotted it down in our shared show outline document.
You can listen to the full book discussion below.
The reaction (or lack thereof) to Crimson Climb is fair, but complex. Just because you’re a fan of Star Wars books doesn’t mean you’re obligated to enjoy or even praise every single new addition to the ever-expanding canon.
However, it’s impossible to pinpoint one or even a handful of specific reasons this book still doesn’t get the attention it deserves. Perhaps I’m part of the problem — I published my day-of review, but neglected to even mention the book again until over six months after its release. One could easily argue that this book being sandwiched between two High Republic releases — not even a fault, more just a fact — didn’t help it thrive.
But that’s more of an excuse than anything else. The reality I’m facing at the moment is that I can like and support a book in every way I know how, but some people just aren’t going to give certain authors second, third, fourth? chances. That’s their right. Johnston crafts her books in a very specific way unique to her, and it doesn’t vibe with everyone. I can also say that I’ve noticed past causes for criticism in prior books weren’t a factor in Crimson Climb (meaning, in its simplest form, learning and growing are possible), but others aren’t as easy to forgive as I might be.
One of the reasons I’m grateful for book discussions like the one I released today is that, for example, Hayley and I came to the recording with different opinions on Johnston’s work, but were still able to critique the book as a work of art and focus on the elements of it that spoke most meaningfully to us and to the larger Star Wars story as a whole.
There need to be more book discussions like these. I don’t necessarily want to agree with everything a guest thinks or says — but I’m not interested in arguing over it for the sake of it. Opinions are meant to be shared, and you never know when someone will present an idea that makes you look at an entire book differently. Is Qi’ra Force-sensive? I never considered that could be possible, but now I have. I love when this happens. I love the magic of sharing a love for storytelling and prompting each other to think deeper and differently about the stories we read.
Now This Is Lit is a podcast (and newsletter!) about Star Wars books, the people who make them, and the readers who just can’t get enough of them. You can find the show wherever you get your podcasts, and subscribe to the Substack for more deep dives, guides, interview transcripts, and book love.