As everyone could see from my review of Twilight, I didn’t fall for the story and become a Twihard. But, because a friend had loaned me the first three books, I decided to give it another try and read New Moon. I will say that I liked New Moon better than Twilight, but I still didn’t find it that enjoyable of a read.
The story picks up with Bella Swan, now the girlfriend of Edward Cullen and in on the vampire family secret. The Cullen’s are helping Bella celebrate her birthday, but the festivities go terribly wrong after Bella cuts herself and draws blood. Even though the Cullen’s do not go after humans, the scent is too much for the family. Edward understands that Bella is putting her life on the line by staying with him, so he does the only thing he feels is right- and flees. Bella is heartbroken, going through life in a haze for months. While she is still mourning over the loss of her eternal love, she meets Jacob Black, who brings a ray of sunlight into her bleak world. Jacob quickly becomes her best friend, and maybe even a love interest for Bella. But can she possibly love someone other than Edward?
Again, I liked this better than the first novel, but it still wasn’t great. I just don’t feel that Bella is that relatable of a character, and at times she just seems a bit pathetic. I wanted to shake her and tell her to snap out of it throughout most of the pages. While the action was missing from Twilight, it still doesn’t seem to be found here, and the writing is much more melodramatic and a little dark. And the same descriptive words were used again and again. Better than Twilight, but only by a half star.
[Rating: 3]
“She just seems a bit pathetic.”
This is exactly why I couldn’t make it more than just over halfway through Twilight — I just couldn’t get behind a character that was just so insignificant. The ultimate Mary Sue character.
I totally agree with you!
I think I was one of the few who began reading the series when it was first released, admittedly at first I was into them but after reading each one, I hoped for something better until the fourth book which is my least favorite. The funny thing is, I don’t like the movies but I always end up watching them =) Oh well.
I just read the series and thought they were quick, fun reads. I had resisted reading the books till now and was suprised that I ended up liking them more than I thought I would. However, I hated how the author would repeat things already learned from the previous books as if to bring new readers up to speed or when she would explain popular works of fiction like Romeo & Juliet, Pride & Prejudice and Wuthering Heights. I liked the references to these books, but not the school-like lectures (very didatic), which gave me visions of high school. Oh and don’t get me started with the uncomfortable and unromantic fourth book. If I was annoyed with Bella before, I was now yelling at her!
Pia, the 4th was my least fav too and I also get sucked into the movies when they are on TV too, lol
Oh dear, I hope I don’t get too wordy…. I read and liked the first three Twilight books… at first. But then, the more I think about them, the more my backlash against them grows.
I’m with you that Bella isn’t all that great of a lead. She’s quite ordinary, which is fine, and even a bit appealing in some ways. But all the kids in Forks are trying to be her friend, inviting her to do things, and she doesn’t enjoy or indulge in any of that. She’s so wrapped up in Edward that she lets everything else go. Not exactly a great role model for the target audience of the books.
And Edward is so controlling. Yes, I get that it is supposed to be all romantic and stuff, but he tells her who she can see and when? Yes, she circumvents him, but still.
I think the thing I disliked the most about New Moon, though, was how Bella completely shut down, for months, when Edward left her. That was crazy.
Now, I will say in Eclipse, I love finally hearing Rosalie’s story. And like a lot of books, I think the more minor characters like the Cullens and the Wolfpack have the potential to be more interesting than the main characters themselves.
At any rate, if you read the last two books, I’ll be interested to hear what you think. I did not care for Breaking Dawn at all. As far as I am concerned, the series ended with Eclipse. And also, I’m team Jacob.
I tried to avoid these books with all my might, but I finally broke down and borrowed the first book from my friend about two years ago. Much to my dismay, I actually liked it. I have no idea why either.
New Moon I found to be much more enjoyable than the first book. I think this is because there was far less Edward in it. I think he’s an awful character. But I liked the relationship that developed between Bella and Jacob. I thought it made for a much more interesting and fun read.