Merry Christmas! Happy Holidays!
Welcome back to my book review!
As you have already noticed, this review is covering the "Twilight" saga by Stephanie Meyer. Did you know that "Twilight" was Stephanie's debut novel??
The "Twilight" series of novels, which also includes, "New Moon", "Eclipse" and "Breaking Dawn" has made Stephanie Meyer a best selling author for young adults. That is the key word, right there - young adults.
So before anyone kicks off about what they liked, or didn't like about the books, remember who you are as an individual - do you count as a "Young Adult", i.e. a teenager?? odds are,
probably not. This is often the case when it comes to books like this being reviewed. The books are read and reviewed by somebody far older than the intended readership and so the opinion given doesn't fit those that the novels were intended for and can be
misleading.
The Saga, as it has come to be known is a teenage love story, albeit one between a human girl and a vampire. I like the story that has been written, and yes there
are some flaws, but in the scheme of things, the flaws aren't bad. Yes there are times I'm sat reading the books and literally saying 'get a grip' or 'what were you thinking?' before I remember that this is fiction! That aside, you have to understand that
the books are written from the point of view of the human girl - Bella. So while her reactions to things may not be the same as mine would be, or yours, this is a teenage girl experiencing her first love and we can all - irrespective of gender or age - relate
to how that feels. Yes, it can be irrational and yes, it seems that Bella is ridiculously clingy at times, but she also shows that she'll fight for what she believes in and that can be an admirable quality to have.
When Edward leaves Bella after an incident at the start of "New Moon", I actually get frustrated with Bella and her reaction - this is the part I generally will sit and say 'get a grip, pull yourself together' but
of course, like I say, this is a story from her perspective, so yes, Edward's treatment could seem a little harsh. Either way, much like with first love, we can all relate to first heartbreak and understand that we would all react in different ways. (When
I split up with my ex-fiance whom I had been with for 5 years, I binge ate and was single for a full decade before I met my current boyfriend but that's just me - I have self esteem issues). I do understand Bella's need for solitude, to try and understand
herself why she has this gaping hole in her life - self imposed though - she is so tuned into Edward and hia family, that Bella forgets herself and her other friends, she forgets to maintain her own personality and her own being - this is why Edward leaving
her feels so much worse than it perhaps was. Bella doesn't know who she is without Edward and this is evident from her actions in "New Moon" and why she is so fast to jump on a plane with Alice when Alice sees Edward going to the Volturi (spoiler alert for
those who have not read the books yet).
I think this is where Bella's realtionship with Jacob comes into it - Bella is trying to work out who she is on her own and whether
she is actually anybody without Edward beside her and Jacob (at first) is the brother Bella doesn't have. Of course, things change and Jacob sees his relationship with Bella as something more, something that Bella isn't ready for.
"Eclipse" is a book where you start to see a new side to Bella. She has come out of the other side of the whole Edward leaving thing and she's proven to herself that she has the fight in her
to protect those that she loves. In declaring that she's 'switzerland' to Edward and Jacob, she's clearly saying that if they want to be with her, they treat her as neutral territory and not to fight around her - notice how quick they both listened to her??
I admit, the part in the movie, just after Bella punches Jacob and he's telling Charlie why it has nearly come to blows with Edward is hilarious - the straightfaced delivery and deadpan expressions make me laugh every time - but I digress. What I'm saying
here is that you finally start to see a little more backbone with Bella, she's finding her own corner and defending it.
Lastly, "Breaking Dawn" a book of 2 halves, pre
vampire Bella and post vampire Bella. I admit, this book asked a few more questions that it answered, and the possibilty for spin offs in regard to the history of some of the other characters that appear to help as witnesses is amazing - but surely I am not
the only one who really wants to know what happens with Jacob and Renesmee?? I had heard of another novel coming out to this affect, but It may have been a falsehood - I'm just not sure. I actually like to see Bella transformed - her character is much stronger
and there just seems to be more to her than a clumsy teenager scared to get any older in case she ends up looking too much older than her boyfriend. The only question I ask is this - why does it take so long for a family of vampires to cotton on to what it
is that's needed when Bella is pregnant, as in Blood? Am I the only one that would have thought this would have been an obvious thought from the beginning, or at least when Bella really started looking awful?? Just always seemed silly to me that you have a
house full of vampires, a girl pregnant with the child of a vampire, and yet the one food source that nobody considers until it is a snide comment on Jacob's behalf is Blood.
All
this being said, I do like the books, they are an easy read and I do like the story and the characters. Heck, I wouldn't mind living in Forks myself!
I'm giving the series
a 4 book score purely on the basis that I do like them a lot and I've read the books countless times (I am not a Young Adult either!). If I was to score them as individual books, I think the lowest score would go to "New Moon". I just don't like the Bella
portrayed here, not in the first part of the book anyway.
As always, this is purely a guide. Enjoy what time is left of your holidays and as always, stay safe, and Keep
Reading!! xx