Book Review: Eclipse and Breaking Dawn

One thing I have enjoyed a great deal over the past two years is sharing my reading life with the blogging world. Today I spent a great deal of time going back and fixing broken pictures from my 2007 Reading List. I also finished reading book 4 in the Twilight Series. When I started trying to close out my 2008 Reading List, I noticed that I have not reviewed the last two books in this series. I suppose it's because I read them back to back in the midst of all the holiday hoopla. So, in order to take care of all "unfinished business" from 2008, here are my reviews:


Eclipse is the third book in Stephenie Meyer's now famous Twilight Series. It continues the story of Edward Cullen, the handsome, extraordinary vampire and Bella Swan, the human high school senior. In this portion of the series, Bella is once again torn between her love for Edward and deep friendship with Jacob.


It is clear with this book that you must have read the first two to understand. Meyer does not spend a lot of time with backstory in her narrative.


Again and again Bella is forced to confront her choice of whether or not to maintain her relationship with Edward (and eventually become a Vampire). She knows it means she will have to give up a great deal...and quite possibly Jacob's friendship as well.


I think one of my favorite parts is when the Vampires and the Werewolves actually work together to overcome a group of young vampires who are set on killing Bella. It's the love of this woman that helps the opposing sides come together as one and break "history" so-to-speak.

I found this book, like the first two, a page turner. It took me very little time to read and I was "hooked" from the first page. I have read several reviews and know that some people fault Meyer with too much teenage angst in the pages. Since that is har target audience, I think it's perfect. And, for me, it just seemed "real" in an odd sort of way.



There was no break in time from reading Eclipse to moving into Breaking Dawn for me. People kept telling me, "It's the best one yet." I did have a moment of "stuttering" at the beginning because I thought that the outcome might go totally against what I wanted to see.


Some other readers assured me that it has a "happy ending"...so I pressed on. And they were right. It had a great ending.


This book begins with the wedding of Edward and Bella (a condition of Edward's before Bella can become "changed"). But it also deals with the treaty between the Quilete werewolves and the Cullens. The treaty agrees that no other human will be "changed" or used as food, in Forks or La Push and they will co-exist in harmony.


The tension grows as Bella is figuring out how and when and IF to "change". Of course, Jacob, her ever-loyal werewolf best friend is there each step of the way (OK MOST steps of the way). This continues to paint the triangle that exists between these three (Bella, Edward, and Jacob). But, Jacob realizes that he loves Bella too much to cut all his ties with her.


In the end, it's true love that pushes past all the laws, and rules, and rituals, and histories to paint a new picture of this fantasy world. I loved reading these books and found them hard to put down. I am happy, however, to move to something else to start my 2009 Reading List.


Let's just say, like Bella and Edward and Jacob: "I'm Satisfied!"


{Note: As I was finishing book 3, my Assistant Principal called me and told me that her daughter (who's home on leave from college) was flying through the books over holiday break. They didn't want to go buy the other two, so she was hoping to borrow them. She borrowed book 3 two days ago and came and got book 4 today. She's not a "reader" per say...but has loved these books for her holiday break.}

Happy Reading, Everyone!