Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Join the forum discussion on this post - (1) Posts

The Twilight Saga: Book 4

Audience: High School

Rating: ?

Synopsis:

Bella and Edward have graduated and they’re working hard to get their happily ever after. The conflicts with the wolves and the debates about when and how to change Bella are still there, however they’re overshadowed by the Volturi and the new (surprising) issues that threaten Bella and her new family.

Chatter:

(Spoiler Alerts! ) I didn’t rate this book because I can’t decide yet what I think about it as a whole. As parts, some of it really seems to fit the rest of the series. The preface and first four chapters were great. From there, the plot just turns… weird. The book wasn’t at all what I expected and I think I’m having difficulty aligning my expectations with the reality.

There were lots things about the book that bothered me. In a random order, here are the biggies:

• Renesmee is an awful name. Carlie as the Carlisle + Charlie hybrid is much better.
• The confrontation with Volturi was anticlimactic. I didn’t need there to be a battle, but after so many pages of introducing all these new characters, there needed to be more tension than there was. There wasn’t much tension in this book at all; it seemed like Meyer was too busy making sure every one was happy.
• Jacob and Nessie – ugh! What about Leah? She got no resolution. Also, Nessie won’t die, but Jacob will someday. I felt this was the most forced of all the plot lines. After comparing the Jacob-Bella-Edward love triangle to Paris-Juliet-Romeo in New Moon and Edgar–Catherine-Heathcliff from Wuthering Heights, it seemed unrealistic for it to be resolved without tragedy.
• Charlie’s reaction – bleh! Football would not make him forgive and forget his daughter’s deadly illness and shockingly different appearance. Her decision not to tell Renee is silly – it doesn’t involve sacrifice, it’s almost like she just doesn’t care about her mom anymore.
• And why is everyone so immediately against the baby? That Edward and Carlisle (compassionate Carlisle!) would immediately jump to abortion bothered me. Edward’s the epitome of an old-fashioned male; he was always more upset about Bella losing the opportunity to be a mother than she was. Since it wasn’t immediately obvious that the baby would be a danger, why would he jump to the idea that it needed to be destroyed?
• Also, this is the first time Meyer ever focuses on the werewolves-as-hunters aspect. Did it strike anyone else as completely hypocritical that the wolves would have any issues with the Cullens since their diets are identical?! It really devalues the tension between the groups in New Moon. (But it’s handy and convenient since now Jacob and his pint-sized love can hunt together.)
• No focus on Edward and Bella as a couple… partially because she’s so out of it for most of the book. I would have loved a scene where Edward tries to talk to her about the baby or even really any scene where they talk. The thing that is missing the most from this book is Edward; particularly Bella-Edward conversations.
• It bothered me that in the end, Bella lifts the shield to let Edward see her mind: she can’t see his, and the fact that he can’t see hers has always forced them to communicate. (Or not communicate like in New Moon).

Things I loved about Breaking Dawn:

• The beginning and the wedding scene. That seemed just like what Alice would have planned, and how Bella would have reacted.
• I liked Jacob’s chapters. (I would have liked some from Edward too!) His titles were amusing and it was fun to get a glimpse inside his head. I also appreciated that he finally became the leader he was destined to be. (Although, wouldn’t Quil and Embry have defected almost immediately too?)
• Seth! He’s my favorite new character – he cracks me up! He’s the personification of a young wolf pup – enthusiastic, always happy, likes everyone. Great addition to the book!
• I was so glad that Bella is ‘perfect’ as a vampire. This makes sense because she never felt she fit in as a human! Maybe she was ‘meant’ to be a vampire all along.
• I was also glad the reasoning behind her power was explained and I love that she finally is the one to save the day and protect everyone on the field. It was a nice change from her always needing to be the one who’s protected. But it was also completely in character, because Bella was always trying to sacrifice herself for others: Ballet Studio, Third Wife, etc…

Overall, I’m just not sure what I think! It just was too perfectly wrapped up. I LOVE happy endings and Bella and Edward certainly deserved one, but I was disappointed. Not that I wanted Bella and Edward to suffer – but it was their conflicts and the obstacles they overcame that made their relationship strong. I know there was the struggle with the baby and also with the Volturi, but the tension just wasn’t there. Too many other things were working out neatly that it made me too suspicious that everyone would get their way in the end.

Questions:

What was your favorite part of this book? The series?

What was your least favorite part of this book? The series?

Which character would you have liked to narrate part of the story?

What would you have named Bella and Edward’s daughter?

How do you think the Cullens will spend their ‘forever’?

Anything else you’d like to comment on?

Keep reading!

-Paige

Buy Breaking Dawn from Amazon