Bella Swan is still deliriously happy to be with Edward Cullen, the love of her life who just happens to be a vampire. It’s Bella’s eighteenth birthday, but it reminds her that she is growing older while Edward remains a teenager. Regardless, he wants to celebrate and whisks her off to the Cullen household for a party. At the party, Bella falls and tears her arm open, bleeding everywhere and exposing her vulnerability to the world as the vampires can hardly keep themselves away. Convinced he’s doing the right thing, the family, including Edward, leave Bella behind. This devastating separation drives Bella closer to Jacob, who has a secret of his own, and results in misunderstandings and drama as the strength of Bella, Edward, and their relationship is pushed to the limit.
This doesn’t really need a review, as there are reviews scattered across the entire internet, so this is more a collection of thoughts than a proper review.
Various other bloggers told me I would and in fact I did like this book better because of Edward’s absence. Bella whined, but at least I didn’t have to hear about how perfect he was for pages on end. I like Jacob much better than Edward. He seems more like a real person. He is, of course, in love with Bella and he’s gorgeous, but I prefer his earnest, cheerful personality. I know how the series ends, but I’d have firmly declared myself for “Team Jacob” if I was 10 years younger and paid attention to the fuss surrounding the release of Breaking Dawn. In fact, I liked this book all around better than Twilight. Yeah, their relationship is more or the less full of the same problems that bugged me the first time, but I think I’m beginning to “get” why teenage girls are so enthralled with Edward. He really will do anything for Bella and it probably is his devotion that teenagers want. I don’t think I’d want a boyfriend who would kill himself if I died, but at 13, I’m sure I would have thought it terribly romantic.
I’m a little annoyed with Bella’s self-deprecating attitude though; it seems worse here. She values herself based on the attention that others give her. She only recovers from her depression when she has a new admirer in Jacob. I think this series would have been stronger had Bella come into her own and not just followed the whims of her vampire boyfriend or werewolf best friend. That said, I haven’t finished the series, so maybe she does, at least a little. I’ll find out as I plan on continuing. I know what happens, but these books are fun, even with their irritating edges. I still think I’d have to talk to any children of mine about the messages this series is conveying, but I don’t have to worry about that and can focus more on the enjoyable factor.
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