The first part of Breaking Dawn was going great. Edward and Bella got married. Jacob danced with her (awww). They went on their honeymoon. Everything's happy with a fairy tale ending. Then Bella gets pregnant. And things just flat out got weird. I don't know if it's because she had just written the sci fi book, The Host, or what it was. Either way...she went off on this bizarre tangent and I wasn't buying it.
I don't know if it was the bad writing (sorry but it was), the bad editing (sorry again but it was), or the bad plotline (really sorry but it so was). I just could not wrap my head around it or make it make sense. I kept asking myself logical questions about how such a thing could happen or why Meyer wrote it into the storyline. I kept thinking she was trying to get some sort of message across about political and religious things that I'm not about to go into.
In short, I couldn't just read and forget that I was reading a story. During the first three novels, I found myself completely enraptured by the story and the characters. I loved Bella, Edward, and Jacob. I cried with them and forgot that they weren't real. But with Breaking Dawn, I couldn't fall into the story in the same way.
Then we came to part two of the book: Jacob's voice. While I loved hearing Jacob's voice for the first time, it was out of character for the series and let's be honest -- it got boring. I kept having to force myself to continue. In fact, at one point I was ready to take it back to the store (but that would have messed up my nice collection on my bookshelf) and I was determined to see it thru to the end.
I almost wish I hadn't finished or even started....I thought the story started to wind down around 500 pages, only to be picked up again with the threat of the Volturi. Then it was like reading a whole new book. Suddenly it was the Stephenie Meyer from the first three books writing! It was intense and exciting. And the fact that Jacob imprinted on Bella's daughter made everything make so much more sense. But when it came down to the final scene in the clearing, it ended abruptly and with no real climax. It was a huge let down.
I was extremely disappointed. It was like Stephenie Meyer threw this book together in a hurried fashion with little thought to the flow or action or character development. It left on a sweet note and showed us a stronger Bella, but still it wasn't enough for me. I expected more. Sorry if you loved it. That's wonderful and that's what I wanted for myself! I wanted to love it. I wanted it to be everything I expected, but it just wasn't.
6 comments:
well then... if thats what you think. I thought it was pretty amazing, but obviously we have different opinions. did you NOT read the FAQ on her website??? i know what ur thinking, "oh shes just a little 13 year old, shes trusting a WEBSITE." yeah. right. im perfectly capable of trusting whoever i want... ugh im getting off subject, sry. breaking dawn was amazing.
I only read the FAQs after I read the book, which helped clear up a few of the logistics I was having trouble with. Unfortunately, I didn't have them on-hand while reading, so my brain kept getting in the way!
I really did like Alice's role in this book and I didn't catch the tie-in with the Merchant of Venice. Something I should have since I love Shakespeare (nerdy, yes I know)!!
I think Mrs. Meyer is right...our expectations were too big. We were going to love it or hate it.
"It's inevitable that the bigger your audience gets, the bigger the group who doesn't like what they're reading will be. Because no book is a good book for everyone. Every individual has their own personal taste and experience, and that's why there are such a great variety of books on the shelves. There are lots of very popular books that I don't enjoy at all. Conversely, there are books that I adore that no one else seems to care about. The surprise to me is that so many people do like my books. I wrote them for a very specific audience of one, and so there was no guarantee that any other person on the planet besides me would enjoy them."
But on another note, I'm really glad you enjoyed it and value your input. I want to know how other people reacted to it! Also, I want people to be able to love it because I really, really wanted to to. I just set my expectations too high, so it's my loss--no one else's.
And now onto the next book...
Just had a thought (okay my friend's thought)...Maybe Mrs. Meyer will write a book about Jacob and Nessie's relationship once she's grown up. I'd love to hear how that one turns out :)
that would be sweet! but not in jacobs point of view, i agree with you that his part kind of dragged. but in nessies point of view... that would be amazing!
very true. it would definitely have to be nessie :) too cute!
I kind of had the same sentiments. The beginning was great. It was so captivating up until the honeymoon abruptly ended.
Then it got SO strange. They'd only had sex a few times...she's 18...and all of a sudden pregnant? It was just very jarring and out-of-the-blue. Then it just got weirder and weirder.
It really felt like two separate books.
Honestly, I just wish Eclipse had been the end. That was my favorite of the series anyway!
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