Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer
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Book Reviews of Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)
Book Review: A Beautiful End to an Epic Romance: Hoping to Help Negative Reviewers Understand Breaking Dawn!
Summary: 5 Stars
My Review:
I couldn't help but notice all of the negative reviews before I had even started reading Breaking Dawn. Everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion but some of the reasons for the negative responses to Stephanie Meyer's last installment in the Twilight series caused me to be in an even greater rush to finish the book so I could see what was so horrible about it. By the time I got half way through the book, I realized that I wanted to finish it so I could write a review myself-- to completely disagree or perhaps explain why I disagree with all of the negative responses.
**Spoilers**
1. Someone complained that one of the author's message in the book is that it is okay for teenage marriage and pregnancy. That it is okay to not go to college, etc.
I definitely disagree. First of all, Bella is 18 years old when she marries Edward. And let me remind you that it is rare these days for 18 year old girls to even still be virgins! Bella and Edward didn't think they could have children so of course it was a great shock to both when they discovered that she was with child. I don't think the author is necessarily saying its okay or that it was even her intent for us, the readers to take Bella's marriage and pregnancy that way. However, we live in a society where we think that putting our hands over our children's eyes or covering their ears is the best way to prevent them from seeing the evil in the world or making bad choices, etc. when really all we are doing is hurting our children. I personally feel that teen pregnancy is still a very big issue in today's society and I give Stephanie Meyer credit for putting it in there on top of the whole "abortion" topic. Teen pregnancy and abortion are issues that are happening around us every day. Moving onto the college issue, Bella and Edward had planned on going to college right before they learned of her pregnancy. Yes, maybe Bella was being a little immature with her reasons, but it was something they had planned to do. But might I also add here that this IS partly a supernatural story and so many things happen between the time she learns she is pregnant to the end of the book that I honestly don't blame Bella or Edward for putting college on the back burner.
2. Let's move on to the whole "imprinting" issue with Jacob and the werewolves (now explained to be shape shifters). I read in many reviews that the whole imprinting idea was "stupid," "disgusting," "disturbing," "perverted" and the list goes on. I am not trying to insult anyone's intelligence but I think the reason why most are upset or freaked out about the idea is because it is not something most readers have heard of. Ever hear of the saying that you fear what you don't know, and most people pass severe judgment on things that they don't know or understand. The reason why the whole imprinting thing didn't surprise me or disgust me throughout the Twilight series or between Jacob and Nessie (Edward and Bella's child) is because I have been reading romance novels for over 15 years. I was an English major while I was in college and now I teach English. But the Romance genre has always been my first love. The reason why I bring this up is because being a romance novel fan for so many years, you can imagine how hard it can be to find something new, something fresh. So of course when supernatural and paranormal romance novels started to become popular, I jumped right into it. I am sure many romance novel readers would agree that the "imprinting" idea that Stephanie Meyer introduces in her Twilight series is NOT a new or unfamiliar idea. I can give dozens of examples of "imprinting in romance novels. One example that came immediately to mind is Christine Feehan's book Dark Prince. Mikhail is the prince of the Carpathian people and his race is dying (they are like vampires only they do not hurt humans). After a few centuries, if they do not find their mate, the other half of their soul, they begin to lose their ability to see in color, to have emotions, and eventually, will become a dangerous, mindless creature. Mikhail finds his mate, and she becomes pregnant. Long story short, something happens that causes his mate to be close to death and Mikhail's only hope is for his healer, Gregori to save her. As he starts to save her, he can see the little baby in her womb, a female child, and realizes that this small child is his mate. All Gregori has to do is wait until she grows up and matures into a woman. There are hundred more examples of "imprinting" in the romance/supernatural novel world. This is exactly what Stephanie Meyer has done in her Twilight series and I think it is quite brilliant. I don't find it disgusting or disturbing simply because Jacob knows that little Nessie is just a child and even though they are destined to be together, he does not see this child in a sexual, perverted way at all. The need to be around her is something he cannot help because it is fate that has put them together, two halves of the same whole. The only other reason why I could think people that it was disturbing is because it is Bella's child he has imprinted with and perhaps people thought that it would cause an awkwardness since he seemed so in love with Bella. While I think Jacob loved Bella, I always felt that Jacob's love was more of an infatuation tied in with the love of a best friend. Not for one second did I feel that Jacob's love for Bella was stronger than Edward's. I often was a bit irritated with Jacob because sometimes I thought he was a bit irrational and too quick to make decisions where Edward was always thoughtful. I am definitely not knocking Jacob, I loved his character and it was a great way to show two different ways of thinking, Jacob the hot headed one and Edward the calm, calculating, thoughtful one.
I also noticed people mentioning that they still felt sorry for Jacob, almost as if he got jibbed in the end. How can anyone say that? First and foremost, Bella always saw her vampire family and Jacob as her family. Once Jacob got over his distrust over the "blood suckers" and we saw through his eyes in the second part of the book how much he had grown to respect and even feel apart of the Cullen household, my pain for Jacob's loneliness started to fade. And when he realized that Nessie is and would eventually be his mate, all the pieces just fit perfectly. He not only found his mate, the person he REALLY was supposed to be with, but he also GAINED a family, along with his pack and most importantly-- he still has Bella in his life. So why do people still feel so sorry for Jacob?
3. Moving on to Bella. Another annoying comment that many made was that Bella had absolutely no growth as a character, she was still immature, still allowed others to fight her battles, etc.
When I read those reviews I really started to wonder if people actually read the book or not. First and foremost, Bella's character is complex. I would say that in some ways from the very beginning we see a young woman who is way beyond her years, perhaps an old soul, who sees things and the world differently than most 17 and 18 year olds. But I also agree that in many parts of the first 3 books and even in the beginning of Breaking Dawn we see a very immature side of her as well. Bella not really wanting to get married but doing it to get her way. Bella listening to everything Edward says without really stating her own opinions. But for those of you who think that Bella has not changed or grown into the woman that I saw by the end of the book, please read again. The first signs of her truly becoming a mature young woman is when she not only realizes she is pregnant, but how fiercely she protects the life inside her. So much so that she goes behind Edward's back (which is rare since she normally depends on him for everything) to insure that no harm comes to their baby. Once Bella is turned into a vampire, I never saw her as the young, clumsy, immature girl-- I saw her as a woman who was worried about her baby, filled with love for her husband, surprised but grateful that Jacob was still around even though her motherly instincts kicked in and she was irritated at the thought that Jacob would have such an important part of her daughter's life, if not more. Bella, who was always unsure about herself physically, filled with insecurities, became a confident, determined, and fierce woman by the end of the book. How can people say her character has not shown growth?
4. Lastly, people have stated that they were disappointed with Edward in this book, that Stephanie Meyer should have made Book Two in Edward's point-of-view instead of Jacob's, that Edward never formally thanked Bella for giving him a child, that Edward owed her an apology for even considering aborting their child and calling it such names as "monster" and "it"; and that Edward didn't have much of a role in this last book.
First and foremost let me remind everyone that this is ultimately Bella's story, told through her eyes. Yes, we get to see a little through Jacob's eyes and while some thought that his part of the book was boring, I would have to disagree. Through Jacob's eyes we truly get to see how lost Edward was. Let's admit it, the cool, calm Edward we have grown to know was completely in a dark place through the better part of the book. Through Jacob's eyes we get to see this; Edward's fear to even leave Bella's side, how he begs Jacob to talk to her to change her mind about keeping the baby, etc. Personally, I think that if Meyer made Book Two in Edward's eyes, we wouldn't get half the information that Jacob gave us, especially with the splitting of the packs, etc. Edward was consumed with pain, anguish, fear, often starring off into space. I think Edward's frame of mind would have been very disturbing which I honestly do not hold against him. Moving on to Edward and the whole owing Bella thank you and an apology...Well, first of all, if Edward owes her an apology, then the whole Cullen family PLUS Jacob AND the wolf pack as well. Maybe it is just me, but Edward was not trying to abort the "fetus" because he is inconsiderate or didn't want the responsibility of raising a child. HE FEARED FOR BELLA'S LIFE! NO one, including the gentle and intelligent Carlisle had no idea what Bella was carrying! From the very beginning, all Edward wanted and has shown is is love for Bella, his devotion to protecting her, his FEAR of losing her. So of course one of the logical things that popped into his AND the rest of the Cullen family AND Jacob's head once they saw how sick and weak she had become from carrying the life inside her was to get it out of her to save her life. But what made up for all of it was when Edward finally heard the baby's thoughts. He then realized that it was not a monster or just a fetus or an it; it was his child, Bella's child, and their baby loved Bella, loved the sound of her voice, loved the sound of Edward's voice. When Edward rested his head on her belly gently to listen, that is when I teared up. That is when I realized that Edward knew that what she carried in her womb was not a monster but the culmination of their love. Edward saved his daughter's life by delivering her when no one else could, even kicking Jacob out of the room. Edward showed many tender moments, talked about Nessie with awe, and even showed fatherly jealousy and irritation when he learns that Jacob is his baby girl's mate. Yes, I am not saying I completely disagree with the comment that Edward's role was a bit secondary compared to the other 3 books, actually 2 considering that Edward was pretty much a ghost in New Moon for most of the book. But again, this is Bella's story and I think we all can agree that (and maybe this is part of Bella's growth) Bella has A LOT to deal with once she is finally turned into a vampire. It's no longer just about her and Edward, or her, Edward and the Jacob triangle. Now Bella has a baby, her family is in danger, she is just learning her own powers, etc.
There is so much more I could comment on but I think these are the main issues that most seem to keep bringing up. I give this book a 5 star rating but don't think that I wasn't left with some wishes of my own or with a question or two.
1. One thing that did bother me just a bit was the fact that Nessie seemed to show more attention to Bella and Jacob than her own father, Edward. This is not such a big deal because their were tender moments between them, especially towards the end when Nessie reaches for Edward and he kisses her goodbye, the little caresses, tender words, his obvious love for her. But I just noticed that more often then not, she was either with Bella or Jacob.
2. Another trivial thing but Jacob made a huge point, on several occasions, about how much Vampires smell. I was a little surprised that Meyer didn't add how Nessie smelled to Jacob considering she is half vampire and half human. I mean, does she smell more like a human then a vampire? Just was a bit curious about that.
Other then those small things that I noticed and perhaps a few more I can't think of right now, I found the book well worth 5 stars. I think Stephanie Meyer did a very good job at showing us her vision and I can only hope that the Twilight movie does good in December so that I can see the other 3 Twilight books come to life on the big screen!
Book Review: To: Eventide
Summary: 5 Stars
"Bella didn't have to sacrifice anything apparently. She gets Edward AND a baby AND immortality as a vampire. What about poor Jake--not a problem, he IMPRINTS on the baby, which I find disturbing not so much because it is a baby (though that is creepy just as it was with Quil) but because it's Edward and Bella's baby. Can we say cop out? Life doesn't turn out so neatly. People love and lose (and don't fall for the object of their affection's daughter). But in Meyer's world everyone is one big happy family."
Bella did sacrifice to get what she wanted - that's the point. She gave up her mortality (and if Edward's right, her SOUL), and she gave up a normal life. The very fact that she gets immortality, Edward, and a baby whom Jacob imprinted on PROVES the point that she gave up a normal life.
And maybe you can view Jacob's imprinting as a cop-out; maybe you can see it as creepy. That's your opinion. I think I'd like to remind you all that Quil imprinting on Claire? Yeah, that's not romantic, like Jacob's on Nessie isn't romantic. The girls are too young; therefore the wolves don't see them that way. They act like the girl's best protectors/brothers/friends in the world, and that has no hint of romantic interest. The romance comes when the GIRLS are old enough. It's not like that yet.
I like to go with what Bella said, on the subject of Jacob, in that she thought things "got messed up along the way" and now they're finally set right. The fact that Jacob imprinted on Nessie was the reason he needed to be around Bella the entire time. He needed to be there for the eventuality of Nessie. Have you heard of fate? I think I like the fate factor in this set-up: if it weren't for Jacob, Nessie wouldn't be. If it weren't for Nessie, Jacob wouldn't have been there.
Also, life is depressing enough with George W. Bush as our president. Who wants to read a story with a depressing ending on top of that living hell? I look to reading as an escape from reality, not the continuation of it.
So, girls don't worry. If you have problems, they will ALL work out. Is that what the author wants to tell her fans?
Oh, yes. Bella didn't have to struggle at ALL. Bella didn't have to give up her mortality, or face the prospect of DYING because Edward might have killed her when he changed her. She certainly didn't face hardship and struggle - "New Moon" ring any bells? - and of course, she never ONCE wondered if she wouldn't get her happy ending. She certainly NEVER struggled with a REAL problem, like confusion between her feelings for two boys.
I consider this the most ridiculous over-generalizing statement. Bella does have her problems. She has real problems set in a fantasy world. And I certainly don't read the books and say, "Gee, this in this fiction book everything turned out perfectly. I bet my life is going to be perfect too." That's just plain stupid.
"Or is it marriage and family by 18 are the way to go, forget about college, developing as a person, all you need is a husband and a child."
So...being a teenage slut, going out and sleeping with boys instead of choosing to stay in a solid relationship - we SHOULD be looking up to that instead? That's what the celebrities we admire right now advertise. That's what every girl sees in the media - sluts and other various bad things - so why in the world do you complain about a girl who is choosing to actually get married and have a family `the right way'?
"No disrespect to people who marry at 18, but Meyer paints a glorified picture of the situation; most 18 years old aren't going to have an endless supply of money and never worry about how the lack of an education will affect their future."
And...OBVIOUSLY normal eighteen-year-olds don't get married or have endless supplies or money, or think about the lack of education. Are we forgetting that this is set in a fantasy world, where they are vampires with all the time in the world? That's not a normal situation; it's a fiction book. That's why they have the money and lack of education: in THEIR world, it doesn't apply. I think that everyone outside of their world - namely, in real life - has a better grasp of reality when they're eighteen. And if they don't...well, then our world is definitely more messed up than it already is.
"Yes, this is a novel, a fantasy, we shouldn't expect or require realism--then why go the mommy route at all? Just focus on Bella and Edward. Bella didn't want children, yet when she finds out she's pregnant she doesn't even freak out; she's carrying a vampire's child and it's just "my heart had grown, swollen up to twice its size in that moment."
"Going the mommy route" is another component of that happy-life image that EVERY woman, regardless of age or even year of birth, is exposed to. Everything in our lives - from way back in history to the present day - says that girls should want to be mothers. Everything. Why are you picking on one book?
Bella might not have wanted children - but isn't that also realistic, that women who don't particularly want children end up pregnant sometimes? And isn't it also REALITY that these women - more often than not - also end up loving their children? And just because Bella didn't scream or throw a tantrum or start sobbing doesn't mean she didn't freak out. Instead of acting out about her fear, she internalized it. That's the character she is: that's the person SM created. And she loves Edward - if a woman found out she was pregnant by the man she truly loved, and she was already MARRIED to him, is it really so far out of the realm of reality to consider that she would love the baby, too?
"Or is the author's message be passive and let others take care of you (what if there is no one else--no, no, girls, there is ALWAYS someone)."
I don't see how Bella let anyone take care of her. She was determined to be herself, all the time. Edward left, she was heartbroken. Yes, that was extreme depression. And she leaned on Jacob - her FRIEND, and don't people who are heartbroken usually lean on their FRIENDS? I think that she became stronger after "New Moon" - let's imagine, for a moment, that you've lost the love of your life, he said he didn't want you, you're depressed for a long time, and suddenly you have him back.
This would destroy most people. They would refuse to take their love back - or they would take them back, and become different people. Either way, they wouldn't be the same person anymore. I saw no change in Bella: she was the same strong character. She knew who she was, and she knew what she wanted. She's always known that she wants Edward - what's wrong with that? What's wrong with needing a person in your life? Humans are naturally social creatures: we need to trust at least some people in order to feel complete in and of ourselves. That's how we are. So...what's the problem with this, again?
"One of my big issues with the series is how Bella has never had outside interests beyond Edward (or Jake), that she's not an independent person."
So, what? It's better to be boy-crazy? How is that a better message to send to young girls?
And Bella has always been an independent character. She's never fit in with people and knows it, but that doesn't make her lock herself away. Instead, she stays pleasant and kind, instead of internalizing anger and becoming vindictive because she doesn't feel like she can fit in. She knows her mind, and she knows what she wants. Even the big, scary vampire can't make her think anything differently. Whether Edward is teasing her or genuinely being scary, she isn't afraid of him - because she loves him and she knows it. She is strong-minded and strong-willed.
"Don't even get me started on Bella's power."
Her mind was strong - I've already said that. And Bella is a naturally protective person - she always worries about others, always wants to keep them safe. I think her ability to shield her family and friends, her loved ones, from the danger that the Volturi represent is a wonderful way to show physically what she feels emotionally.
"Also, the explanation of why Edward can get Bella pregnant is ridiculous considering the rules Meyer originally established for her world."
My theory, as presented to a reviewer who asked for it:
First of all, it's been cleared that SM made the point to say it was female vampires that could not have children, and that most bodily fluids were replaced with venom. Therefore, I thought that if the venom didn't replace the semen, it must have simply changed it somehow. Carlisle and Jacob had that talk in the book, about the differences between vampire, werewolf and human physiology, and that vampires have twenty-five chromosomes, werewolves twenty-four, and humans twenty-three. Therefore, something did get changed in vampire DNA when they were transformed. This means that the semen would be different from human, which was why Carlisle thought that Bella and Edward wouldn't be compatible and didn't think to warn them. However, that obviously wasn't the case and therefore, Renesme came to exist - a half-vampire, half-human hybrid, because of the non-matching chromosomal pairs between them somehow combining in just the right genetic way to create a baby.
Does that clear it up?
"The best fantasy, horror, and science fiction stories all have a morality/deeper element to them. Fairy tales, as they were originally designed, were meant to teach children a valuable lesson. This does not (and should not) lessen the entertainment value of a story, but I think it's a cop out to say "it's a fantasy," as if that excuses anything. If you look at Lord of the Rings, The Hero and the Crown, The Phantom Tollbooth, The Last Unicorn, Harry Potter, Stoker's original Dracula novel, The Prydain Chronicles, The Little Prince--all of them deal with themes of sacrifice, choice, gaining wisdom, growing as a person, and/or are thought provoking/contain deeper messages."
And the Twilight saga doesn't have meaning to it? What about the ever-universal `love', `loss' and `gain', and `sacrifice', `choice', `knowledge', `growth'? Oh, wait; are most of those listed there? And let's add `fate' and `betrayal' to that list.
Love is shown Bella's feelings for Edward; how there is more than one type of love in the world; how one can struggle to deal with two loves at once; friendship, family, romantic, maternal, paternal, for a sibling, for a parent...
Loss is resolved with gain, showing that good things can happen to good people. In real life, good things happen to bad people and bad things happen to good people more often than good on good and bad on bad, but it is possible.
Sacrifice - well, Bella sacrificed, didn't she? She knowingly chose to give some things up, and it's not her fault that some of those things came back to her. But overall, she did let some things go - the most important being her humanity. She's no longer human. What would motivate a person to give up their humanity? What can make a person do that? And what kind of things would make a human in real life give up their humanity - not in an `I'm a vampire' way, but in the ways that create rapists and serial killers, people like Hitler? That's giving up humanity, too - how can we compare Bella to them? I consider that a deeper meaning, something to think deeply about. Because, plain and simple, she gave up being human.
Choice goes along with sacrifice, as does knowledge. And growth ties in to loss, as well as knowledge. Let's not forget fate: Jacob was there for Nessie, and if it weren't for Jacob, Nessie might not be there. Edward was changed into a vampire at seventeen, and if he hadn't he'd never have met Bella.
And fate also goes with betrayal - if James and his coven never came to Forks, Laurent would never have met Irina. The Denali coven wouldn't have stayed away from the battle involving the werewolves. Irina wouldn't have come and seen Nessie, and gone to the Volturi.
All these interconnecting ideas that I associate closely with the book are proven in the actions written on every page. The Twilight sage has meaning - you look for it, like you would any other book. Let's see "Harry Potter" for a moment - many people seem to think it's evil or something along those lines. That's a bit more extreme than saying it has no substance, but it's the same root point: they say there's no meaning to it, that it's there for one thing only.
Well, isn't that what you're saying about the Twilight series, or at least "Breaking Dawn", by writing it off as something that is mere fluff and for-the-masses?
Book Review: Breaking Dawn was NOT was I expecting. It was SO MUCH MORE!
Summary: 5 Stars
Breaking Dawn was a very fast paced and action packed installment of the Twilight series. Twilight introduced us to Bella, her father, and Edward and the Cullen clan. Even the town of Forks is a character in this book. It was the foundation. New Moon gave us heartbreak, suspense, reconciliation, and reunion. We also got to know Jacob and the Quileute tribe legends, which gave us the background for the werewolf (shape-shifter) plot line. Eclipse developed the love triangle and the natural progression of Edward and Bella. And now Breaking Dawn takes all of these foundations and continues the story from there.
Throughout the first three books, many characters were described in so much depth that you could almost feel as if you knew them intimately, so much so that you could anticipate what they would do in every situation. And I think therein may lie the polarization we're seeing in readers' opinions of the story. With so many people so engrossed in this saga, each was bound to have strong expectations of what "should have" happened in the story. And when it deviated, I'm guessing that it took many by surprise, reacting with shock, betrayal, and anger.
I, for one, absolutely loved this book! In fact, it is my favorite of the four. It felt more mature, not just in the content but in the writing style. Every question I had was answered, but sometimes the answer was contained in one little sentence that could have been easily overlooked if you weren't reading carefully. There were no wasted words here. I didn't feel any absence of emotion, and the characters flowed seamlessly for me. By knowing them so well, I didn't need pages of every single thought Bella had to describe her interactions with Edward. I got enough of that in the the first three books. This final book went beyond and gave us the story without as much of Bella's internal dialogue. (Of course, we got plenty of Jacob internal dialogue, which was nice because we didn't have that before.)
This book kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The tenderness, the unexpected surprises, and the humor kept me reading from 12:30AM when I got home from the store, to 10:30AM when I read the last page. Not even Harry Potter's final book kept me completely awake like this. I went through a whole range of emotions, each one so potent it was as if I was living the story. That, to me, is what makes a 5-star book. I read fiction for entertainment, and this book definitely met the mark for me!
Ok, that's my basic review, sans spoilers. If you have the stamina (or the interest), below I have specific instances of what I liked, sometimes seeming almost a rebuttal of some of the main things that so many people seem to be having problems with. For some reason, I feel a need to offset some of the hateful comments I've been reading. It makes me sad that so many have taken their disappointment in the book and directed such hateful emotions toward Ms. Meyer. She stated just last night in the Q&A at Chicago's concert series that she had planned this ending from the very beginning. It was the publishers that wanted to keep Bella a teenager for a longer period of time. I feel as if Twilight and Breaking Dawn is Ms. Meyer's original story, and New Moon and Eclipse were products of publishers and marketing.
*** SPOILERS BELOW ***
Things I Liked:
* Very fast paced. It was as if I couldn't read fast enough! Many are complaining that there are not enough scenes with Bella and Edward, but I personally felt there was so much inner dialogue with Bella in the first three books, that if I didn't know her by now, I never would. So, in a sense, I didn't feel any of that missing.
* Lots of unexpected twists and turns! This was awesome! What was I honestly expecting? Really, I didn't have too many expectations, but I suppose I thought the first half of the book would be Bella hesitating to become a vampire, and then I thought it would focus on the hardship Edward would have to go through actually biting her and taking her human life from her.
With the advent of Bella's life-threatening pregnancy, the hesitation to change her wasn't there for Edward. It was either that or lose her entirely. This story twist was unexpected, but totally satisfying for me. Actually much more exciting than the boring story plot I had thought of!
* Bella's pregnancy. The biggest shock for me! As many other readers, I didn't think that Edward would be able to father a child. But the explanation she gave in the book satisfied me. Edward had said previously that he couldn't have children. Well, of course he would say that because he didn't know himself. But Ms. Meyer had planned this pregnancy all along, so she explained that she was always very careful about how she had to word these questions, limiting her explanations as to why female vampires couldn't get pregnant. (See Twilight Lexicon's News page for Aug. 5, the Q&A from the Chicago concert.)
* Jacob's story. I wasn't expecting a change in Point of View, but I suppose it was foreshadowed in the Epilogue of Eclipse. And I was pleasantly surprised! Though it's hard to go through the pain he endures for Bella, the sarcasm he uses to deal with it had me laughing out loud. I enjoyed the bonding between Jacob and Edward, something we wouldn't have gotten had we not had his story line. Another highlight in this section were his chapter titles. Hilarious! With Jacob's book, we were able to see the characters from someone else's point of view, and I felt we were better able to see Edward's pain. Had we had Bella's pregnancy told from her eyes, we wouldn't have seen half of this as Edward was always trying not to show her how he was feeling. (Not to mention she was so out of it for a good portion of it that we wouldn't have had much to read.)
* Bella's birth. Yes, I know it was graphic, but that made it so much more powerful. (And I confess, I'm the type that enjoys Stephen King novels.)
* Jacob's imprinting on Renesmee. Ok, it wasn't my favorite part, but was described and fell in line with how it was described in New Moon. There was nothing sexual about it; in fact his behavior following the imprinting was more like an overprotective father. And it made sense, as they both had 24 sets of chromosomes: half-breeds.
* Bella's transformation into a vampire. Wow! What descriptions! To read about how much pain she felt gave us that much more appreciation for her level of self-control, which is the explanation behind how she could bypass the newborn stage all together. And the pages of description of how she viewed everything from her new vampire eyes was remarkable. It gave me a whole new appreciation for how much self-control Edward had with Bella when she was human. (Which would explain why he was able to always keep her off him whenever she wanted to do more than kiss.)
* Bella as a vampire. I loved her as a vampire. She seems so much more sure of herself, and she is able to embrace her new life with grace and joy. Of course she's not the same person (thank goodness); she's seeing the world through very different eyes. The difference in her is also described by how she sees her memories of mortality, as if she's looking through murky water. Being a vampire definitely suits Bella; it's as if she was born for it. It's about time that Edward is in awe of Bella; she deserves it.
* Introduction of other vampires. I loved reading about different vampires and how different other people's gifts could be. And we finally got to know the Denali clan better. It was just enough to be interesting but not so much that it had to become its own book. It also gives Stephenie (or fanfiction writers) plenty of opportunities to expand other characters' story lines.
* Nice happy ending. There was nothing I wanted more than for Edward and Bella to finally be together without any more interruptions (James, Volturi, Victoria and the newborns). They really deserved that. And I was thrilled that Jacob could finally be at peace from the torture Bella had put him through for two books.
My favorite part was the very end, the final two pages, when Bella is able to finally show Edward what is in her head. That one thing right there completed the bond they already had, making it infinitely more powerful and intimate.
Disappointments:
There aren't many, but there are a few.
*Really not a Young Adult book. I think this book did cross the line from YA to adult, not only based on content, but on the style in which it was written. It required more thought and consideration from the reader to find their answers buried in the prose. The difference between the style of Twilight and the style of Breaking Dawn is very obvious. And I do think the publishers should have put a label on this book, for the birthing scene alone.
* Honeymoon. I wouldn't have minded a tiny bit more detail of their first experience making love. It didn't have to be a lot, but it could have been more than them just walking into deeper water. I did love the way Ms. Meyer answered my own personal question of how Bella could possibly make love to Edward if he is always as cold as ice. Wouldn't be very comfortable, I'm sure.
* Absence of Alice. Lots of Rosalie. I love Alice, so it was tough having her take *such* a backseat. Rosalie definitely had the bigger part, and even though I thought her interactions were Jacob were funny, I never saw any redeeming qualities in her. It was plain that she cared far more for the baby (that she was never able to have) then about Bella's safety. I was just hoping that maybe this was the opportunity for Rosalie and Bella to bond, but I didn't feel that at all.
* Renesmee. My first reaction was: "What kind of a name is that??" But I'm giving Ms. Meyer a break here. There are plenty of names I hear throughout the day when my kids tell me about their classmates, that I'm quite used to unusual names. It was just very difficult to adjust to.
* Lack of scenes between Edward and Renesmee. We know that Edward loves Renesmee because of the reverence Bella hears Edward use when he talks about her, but we see far more interaction between Jacob and Nessie than Edward and Nessie. Jacob acts more like the dad than Edward. I would have preferred to see a little more there.
* Anticlimactic Volturi ending. I was thoroughly expecting a battle. Even a little one. They could have at least gotten rid of Demetri and one of the nomad vampires without having us suffer through the loss of one our beloved Cullens, but nothing. I know that a battle would have made this book maybe another 100 pages, it just made me feel as if the air was let out of my balloon. Of course, the flip side to that is that we know the Volturi will not leave the Cullens alone forever. Eventually, they will try to come back to accomplish their original mission. It's not as if the main characters will change that much; they're all immortal, so they'll all meet up again someday.
Overall, a wonderful story told with much finesse. It may have felt a little rushed, but I think that's from the viewpoint of the other three books that told a 200-page story in 400 pages. I don't need everything spelled out for me to the nth degree; I can read between the lines. And Breaking Dawn certainly made that necessary. It was an incredible finish to the Twilight Saga!
Book Review: In Defense of a Thoughtful Ending to the Twilight Series
Summary: 5 Stars
Now that the saga is over, and I've had some time to digest, I can unequivocally say that I did not expect the story to play out exactly as it did... but who would, really? However, I can't deny that I definitely saw some of it (a lot of it) coming. Some of the issues people seem to have with the plot twists seem blatantly obvious to me, so I wanted to post some of my own theories on why SM resolved things the way she did in Breaking Dawn. Given, these are simply my interpretations of why I didn't find every twist out of place, and I could be completely wrong.
1) How come Bella is suddenly okay with being a wife and mother, when she was so abhorred to the idea before?
I think, for Bella, like a lot of people, you can't imagine yourself in these roles until you are. And what's more, for Bella, she especially can't because of her mother's warnings about marriage and because she thinks it's impossible to have children with Edward anyway. Not to mention she's only 18. But that doesn't mean that she is incapable of fulfilling these roles, she just has to mature into them.
The marriage issue was already discussed, in Eclipse, when Bella explained it as nearly a formality in her mind-a way to make Edward happy. But, in the end, it was fitting for her to want to become Edward's wife because it meant she was prepared to dedicate her human life to him, literally. It was a necessary step in the novel to show that she was ready to abandon her human ways (worrying about what other humans would think about her early marriage, for example). She gave herself to Edward as a human, through the typical human method-marriage, before giving herself to him as a vampire.
Her reaction to being pregnant did not seem far-fetched, either. If anything, it went along with the stories of how most women feel when they realize they are carrying another human life inside of them. And how even more miraculous for Bella when she thought it was impossible! Is it really a surprise that she immediately wants to protect it? I think it's unfair to assume that Bella would immediately be terrified and beside-herself. Yes, she's young, but not THAT young. I find it funny that people think it's okay for Bella to decide to become a vampire for all eternity, but then she's clearly way too young to handle maternity. Bella at 18 isn't your typical 18 year-old, and readers should know that.
2) Why and how does Bella get pregnant?
The why part of the question seems obvious. After what Rosalie told her in Eclipse, this seemed a natural plot development. Bella has everything that Rose does not, a big part being the ability to conceive. If Bella were robbed of this chance, I think many, including Stephenie (who is a mother) would see it as a tragedy that she missed such a monumental human experience. It might not be what many readers wanted for Bella, but it's no surprise that SM took it there.
The how part is a little less clearly defined, but let's thank SM for not getting into all the gory details of vampiric male anatomy, shall we? Although, to me, the provided explanation is pretty clear. Edward is frozen, as he was when he was first created into a vampire. Therefore, like all men, at any adult age, he has the ability to reproduce, because for men fertility is constant, unlike women. And though Edward's body is technically dead (his heart doesn't beat, he doesn't have normal human processes, etc.) it still functions in its frozen state. And interestingly, so do sperm, as science has found ways to preserve human sperm to be used at a later time by "freezing" them. So is it so unbelievable that Edward is physically able to impregnate Bella? Maybe it's a stretch, but I think since this is fiction, why not?
3) Why does Renesmee grow at an accelerated pace?
This question also jumped out to me on the message boards as having a clear answer. Renesmee is linked to Jacob in BD, perhaps having a similar genetic make-up because she is a "half-breed," as Alice puts it. She's hot to the touch, she is unable to be forseen in Alice's visions, and she might even have 24 chromosomes. Interestingly, like Jacob, she grows at an accelerated rate and then plateaus at a mature state. Think of Jacob's transformation into a werewolf in New Moon. It seemed that by the day he was getting bigger, and every time Bella saw him, he had grown several inches. This is exactly like Renesmee, throughout Bella's pregnancy and in her childhood.
4) Why does Jacob imprint on Renesmee?
So, it might seem a little creepy, but as soon as you knew there was a potential for Bella's offspring, of course Jacob would imprint! He wasn't meant to be with Bella, or he would have imprinted on her originally. But he loves Bella, maybe innately because he saw in her so many qualities that his eventual soul mate would have. Plus, since Renesmee is genetically more like Jacob, we can presume that she is a better candidate for reproduction of werewolves. And SM couldn't leave heartbroken Jacob for all eternity. He had to find his match, and if it weren't Bella, who else would readers have settled for? (I mean, not that they seem to be settled with Renesmee either, it's just the lesser of two evils)
5) How come Bella doesn't go through the normal "newborn" phase?
This was an unpredicted plot twist, but I don't think SM just did it because it was convenient for Bella not to always be thinking about drinking blood. She could have accelerated through that part of Bella's story and ended up with the same essential plot. But, isn't it interesting how Renee always told Bella how she came out of the womb a fully mature adult? She had wisdom beyond her years as a human, and so it was the same with her vampire birth. Bella is mature by nature, and that maturity, whether it be a superpower or not, meant that she was able to better handle the temptations of "childhood," if you will.
6) Why is Bella's special power a shield?
Okay, people who have complained about this have me baffled! What did you expect? We already knew Bella could shield herself from Edward, the Volturi, etc, and Aro even speculated in Breaking Dawn how interesting it would be to see the power manifest itself when she became immortal. Duh. The ability to project her powers on others was unpredicted, but if she simply could just do the same thing she could do as a human, what fun would that be? For all of Bella's insecurities about her human existence-her awkwardness and accident-prone ways-it makes sense that her power as a vampire should be something rewarding and powerful. And, Bella, being the martyr she is, even in human-form, would of course devise a way to protect the ones she loved, and that is exactly why her shield developed as it did.
Like I said, the plot is not hole-proof, but it's not swiss cheese either. I think there are a lot of obvious answers to many questions that SM might not have put down on paper, but that doesn't mean she didn't think through them. I'm curious to hear others speculations about these and other issues they had with the book!
Book Review: Thank you SM for a great end to a great series
Summary: 5 Stars
I am not the typical Twilight series fan. I'm a "normal" 23 year old male who was turned on to it by my mother. I like to read anything that sounds intriguing and a forbidden love vampire story piqued my interest. I'm not as devoted as most of the Twilight fans are and to be honest my expectations were never astronomically high before I read each book. Stephenie Meyer has some specific talents and she does have a degree in literature, so she knows what she's doing. But after reading Twilight it is obvious she is writing for a younger, female audience, so I am not expecting a Nobel Prize type winning book or for them to even be on par w/ the books that SM draws her inspiration; but that doesn't matter to me. I read the series because of the very original, engaging, "guilty pleasure" type story. This fantasy series is definately one that has the ability to grab anyone who reads it and immediately make them wish the Twilight world was real and hope that the kind of love Bella and Edward experience can be obtained. Not many books can do that.
I loved Twilight. It was a great love story but I wanted more. I was happy to see things shaken up a bit in New Moon and was relieved how everything worked in the end; although I was a little concerned with this Jake character and how he made Bella feel. Eclipse was the first time I felt a little let down. By this time I was really engaged in the series and had begun enjoying it for more than the story. I was one of the many who was totally shocked by the Bella/Edward/Jake triangle. I have had some "triangle" experiences in the past and they only left bad memories. A few weeks after I finished I started to cool down a bit and I re-read the first 3 books (I love how easy the books are to read. It's refreshing to turn away from Existential Philosophy to read something like this). After the second read through I had a change of heart. My new feelings were that I thought Jake's part was neccessary for the book and Bella's character. I should have known right away that stories need conflict and everything can't be perfect all the time. The Jake drama was important to test Bella on what she really wanted and that new dynamic really brought the series to a new level. I think a series where Bella/Edwards love is perfect and unchallenged all the time would become very stale and I am glad SM was brave enough and smart enough to bring in that conflict.
Now for Breaking Dawn. There were a few things I was expecting to happen in Breaking Dawn:
-Bella/Edward have a memorable wedding/honeymoon, w/ everything that entails...yes, like having sex with a vampire
-Bella becomes a vampire, of course.
-The Volturi delt with
-Jake issue resolved
That's all I was really hoping for and if SM delivered on those fronts I'd be happy. Well, SM did deliver and it was great! (I realize a lot of people didn't like the book. You're welcome to your opinion as am I. I'm not here to argue.)
The wedding/honeymoon was certainly memorable and tastefully done. I thought the new pregnancy element was a great addition to the series (I don't really care what SM has said in the past about the preggers issue. It's fantasy fiction and she can change, or write in whatever she wants.) The pregnancy added much more depth and conflict. The series needed another driving force and the pregnancy and baby added to that ten fold. I think just a story of Bella/Edward/Jake/Volturi drama would have been slightly repetative and stale. The baby/pregnancy was a great new dynamic. I loved it. I loved reading and finding out how the baby would grow and what it might become. What Twilight fan wouldn't want to see what a Bella/Edward baby would be like? I'm glad SM didn't make us wonder forever. Very interesting stuff.
At first I was a little annoyed about Jake's POV after my feelings from Eclipse, but after I actually read it I found him to be a great, well rounded, funny character. I laughed out loud a number of times. It became one of my favorite parts of the book. I actually prefer Jake's POV during the preganacy rather than hearing Bella/Edward and the rest of the vamps worry and complain for a chunk of the book. That would've become old real fast. Although I would say that it wouldn't have killed SM to atleast go back and forth between POV's instead of staying with Jake. But like I said Jake can hold his own and SM switched back at the perfect time.
I was so pleased at Bella's transformation and how SM presented it. I loved experiencing everything along with Bella + (!!!!!) SM was so smart to adapt, transistion, and transform Bella/Edwards relationship accordingly. One thing that started to get old for me was Bella/Edward always worried and complaing about a whole bunch of issues. But after Bella's transformation, there was almost NONE of that (as it relates to just their relationship). It was so refreshing to see them be a "normal" vampire couple. It really aloud them to express their love and SM did a tremendous job. It's a shame the series had to end. Now that Bella is a vamp, I think the real adventures can begin and the real love expressed (Although SM did do an amazing job showcasing the power of their love after she vamped).
I thought that the Volturi element and storyline was interesting. It was cool to see Bella become a private eye for a short time. I liked that. The confrontation w/ the Volturi at the end left a little to be desired but SM did a smart thing and gave a reason why it wasn't an epic battle...because of BELLA and her power!!! It was perfect to see Bella be strong and useful for once instead of weak and needing the help. In the first 3 books she was being protected by vampires and in the end she ends up saving them (and more). I loved it. What a great character arc for Bella. Props to SM for thinking of it.
The Jake/Nessie (I don't mind the name. There are plenty of odd names in this series)imprinting was wierd and a little too perfect (as it relates to the Bella/Jake drama), but SM has explained the imprinting ad naseum and neither was enough to take away from the book over all. And the sub-plot involving Jake telling Charlie was a tad contrived but still, not enough to detract from the book over all.
To me the ending was perfect. Everything was resolved (maybe a little too perfectly...but again...it is a fairy tale and I wouldn't have wanted anything other than a perfect ending)and finally Edward/Bella can be together with their undying love forever. Bella using her power to let Edward read her mind was one of the most beautiful moments I've EVER read or seen in a love story.
I read this series just to be entertained and engrossed in a unique, beautiful love story. That's what I wanted from the beginning and that's exactly what Breaking Dawn delivered in the end. This series was a truly unique, beautiful, love story and any young adult (for whom this series is written for) or just any fan of stories will undoubtedly be a better person for having read them.
Cheers SM!