This review/opinion post is probably going to be dripping with spoilers, so if you are considering reading this series, you may not want to read it.
Bella has agreed to marry Edward at long last so that he can turn her into a vampire and they can spend eternity together. An unexpected arrival on their honeymoon and a bit of vampire history leaves Bella and her family in grave danger to which they have little recourse beyond Bella’s new powers and vampire friends from all over the globe.
I think we’ve all heard how ridiculous this book is. I had it thoroughly spoiled for me so I knew exactly what was coming, and it wasn’t really less crazy because of that. To be honest, it feels like an entirely different series. Bella-as-vampire is a far cry from Bella-as-human although it was SO NICE when she stopped feeling inferior and actually grew a spine. It’s a shame it took her amazing vampire powers to get there, though. Switching the narrator over to Jacob was not even as nice as I would have expected given that he is far and away my favorite character in this series. Instead, we get him complaining, too. I know books need conflict, but honestly, he complains so much about Bella that it just drove me up the wall. So much whining could have been cut out of this book and it wouldn’t have suffered at all, especially given after Renesmee’s birth (disgusting scene, by the way, and not only does she have this ridiculous name but her nickname is Nessie!) he completely switches focus and it’s like he never cared for Bella at all. I don’t like the whole imprinting concept at all, it seems like a way to cop out of more actual love story.
It also particularly irritated me that after all the worrying about Bella turning into a vampire, she’s just absolutely perfect at it. I guess she had to be good at something, but after the complaining and the stress, it turns out to be nothing. So many words are wasted worrying and lamenting over nothing in this book.
I would also like to know how anyone could not notice that their partner was chewing on the bed while they were having sex.
I did like the wedding scene, though. I don’t really think anyone should get married so young after such a short acquaintance, particularly given that Bella didn’t even really want to get married, but wedding scenes always get me, maybe because my own is happening so soon.
So, I guess that’s the end of the Twilight series for now. It’s a shame the conclusion wasn’t, well, better. I have to admit that I spent most of this book sighing over how ridiculous many of the plot developments were.
Buy Breaking Dawn
Ridiculous is a great word for this book, even more than the rest of the series (which is pretty ridiculous in its own right).
Jen – Devourer of Books’s last blog post..Teaser Tuesday – Shadow of the Wind
This line had me laughing out loud: “I would also like to know how anyone could not notice that their partner was chewing on the bed while they were having sex.”
The book was so bad it soured me on the whole series. I really wanted to see Bella as a vampire; I didn’t want to follow her pregnancy. And her easy transition was a cop-out and uninteresting. And that imprinting thing was stupid. And the so-called tension with the other vampires didn’t have me fooled for a second.
Sigh. Felt good to vent.
Beth F’s last blog post..Where Are You? / Teaser Tuesday (May 26)
It certainly was an interesting twist in the series. Breaking Dawn was my least favorite in the Twilight series, but I did like parts of it and so can’t say I was completely disappointed by it. Like you though, I knew what to expect going into it and so it lightened the blow.
Literary Feline’s last blog post..Review: No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
I didn’t even blink really at the birth scene, I pretty much expected it by the time I got to it. What kills me is there didn’t need to be a baby at all and how is this child going to behave in the future when her parents look like teenagers and she does too? I mean, really. In the end she was just something else to fill pages and pages with but contributed nothing significant overall to the story. The series could have ended at the island or gone somewhere different afterward and been much better. The more and more I reflect on the book, the more I lump it with JKR’s washout book 7.
Keira’s last blog post..Guess the Chest #13-15
I haven’t read any of the series, but I’ve heard all about the pillow chomping. So ridiculous!!
Lenore’s last blog post..Library Thing Tuesday (55) + picture of Emmy
Honestly, I think the series as a whole is pretty ridiculous. I’ve always been bothered by how controlling Edward is. (Some of the messages these books send are not right.) Reading the part where Bella wakes up after sex and was covered with bruises was pretty disturbing, because now I’m picturing her wearing makeup and long sleeves to cover said bruises. It’s an alarming image.
EL Fay’s last blog post..Teaser Tuesdays
“I would also like to know how anyone could not notice that their partner was chewing on the bed while they were having sex.”
I was very much looking forward to your review of this book, and it did not disappoint!
S. Krishna’s last blog post..Book Trading: BookMooch
This book drove me crazy! I only sort of finished it…
Kailana’s last blog post..Magickeepers: The Eternal Hourglass – Book One by Erica Kirov
I was okay with the bruising from the sex… that was expected with all the “I’m so strong, you’re so fragile” and her eternal klutziness (well until she b/c immortal) leading to bruises all the time from doorjambs and low tables and flat floors. It was also proven how distracted she gets by kissing him so the whole missing ripping up a pillow is funny and silly to me instead of just plain stupid. Honestly, I wish the whole “I hate the smell of blood it makes me nauseated” played out into her being a predator’s predator, an immortal hunter of vampires.
Keira’s last blog post..Erotic Romance, Not Just Erotica and Romance
Haven’t read it, but I’ve read a lot about it, and it sounds absolutely melodramatic and ridiculous. There has been so much said about this series, but I think it’s really overblown and will probably never read it. My teenage daughter loves it though, and has read the series over and over again. I really hope that it falls out of favor with her soon, and that she moves on to other things.
Zibilee’s last blog post..Coventry Giveaway!
I really loved the first three books and, though I agree with your take on Breaking Dawn, I have to admit I still dig the series as a whole. I don’t know. I guess I’m too ridiculously loyal to things? Once I’ve committed to a book series, I get psychotic about remaining “true” to it! I’m especially weird like that!
And I totally agree that the birthing scene was… shudder city. Holy crap. I actually had to put it down at one point! And while the sexual tension built over three books, I was a little deflated by the… deflowering? Okay, that was terrible of me!
haha. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I still felt a little bleh about the whole thing. Meh.
Megan’s last blog post..My big, fat London weekend!
Cop-out = Best description of the series in its entirety. I’m glad I read these books and got them overwith, no more wondering “what am I missing”, now I realize that I am missing nothing except for the hours taken away from me reading these books.
Nari – The Novel World’s last blog post..Fatland – Review
I love reading reviews of the Twilight series. I enjoyed the books but can certainly see all the flaws. And Breaking Dawn was my last favorite. And the movie was a disappointment for me. Having said that, I’ll probably see the next one. Silly but fun.
Framed’s last blog post..49. The Wonderful World of Oz by L Frank Baum
I really enjoyed the series (with the exception of New Moon), and I’ll admit that Breaking Dawn sucked me in. I stayed up all night one night to read it. My problem with it wasn’t really that it was unbelievable (c’mon, it’s a vampire series it IS unbelievable), but that there was so much drama and action going on and then at the end, everything is suddenly perfectly fine. I think the story would have had a little more integrity if a major character would have died at the end.
Jennifer’s last blog post..Catching Up is Hard To Do — Eight Books at Once!
i thought breaking dawn was a good read and ended the satory well it also leaves an opening to a film or book about nessie, and jacob. so if you are really twilight fans then whats all the fuss.
I agree with the whole chewing thing…. it was terrible…but I love the whole island part,too romantic but good.
but the baby! it’s disgusting to have a baby in this age, im 19 too and it’s no way in the hell to be happy about being mother in this age… I mean I love babies but… bella is too young for all the stuff… being in love with someone who is 100 year older than her is unbelievable enough, I mean he is great but still like her daddy… anyway I love whole serie and I’ve read it like 6 times…
u know what was ridiculous and disgusting about twilight?… the eclipse movie… it was a total mess… it had nothing to do with the book… it was the worse movie I’ve seen in my whole life… if it wasn’t for robert pattinson I would leave the theater…