Monday, February 18, 2013

Twilight Revisited



http://www.amazon.com/Burden-Soul-Kate-Grace/dp/0983752710/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1419023982&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=burden+of+the+soul

I just got through reading The Twilight Series for the tenth time.  (Midnight Sun was only for the 5th or so time.  I didn’t discover it until I was already a true Twihard though now it’s one of my favorites.  Again... please, Ms. Meyer, finish it!)  Obviously, I love the books.  I mean, who reads a series (especially one that long) 10x unless they really love it.  So don’t take my criticism wrong.  (If you’ve read my previous posts you should know that I will vehemently champion these books to anyone.)  


All that being said I have to admit that I really didn’t enjoy every minute of reading.  As always I was absolutely hooked through Midnight Sun, Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and the first half of Breaking Dawn.  It’s the second half of Breaking Dawn that I want to focus on today.

The first half is absolutely wonderful; just like the rest of the books.  Beautiful wedding, sweet honeymoon, and even the agony of Jacob and Edward as they watch Bella struggle for life against the pregnancy that is killing her are all so gripping.  And I really think watching Bella marvel over becoming a vampire and all the changes that brings are some of my favorite chapters of the whole series.  So what changes?

When Alice drops the vase everything changes.  Maybe it’s the sense of despair, the feeling of hopelessness that I don’t like?  I mean Bella honestly gives up all hope.  But I don’t truly think that’s it.  If that were all it was I would hate New Moon because she struggles with the same feelings throughout much of that book. 

Stephanie Meyer has said that this was the hardest part of the series to write because once Bella became a vampire Stephanie could no longer truly relate to her (having never been a vampire herself).  I think this is the key.  Stephanie stopped relating to Bella and so, as a reader, I have a hard time relating to her myself. 

Stephanie isn’t one of those super-professional writers who churn out book after book.  These were her first books and she poured her heart and soul into them (which is probably why I and so many others love them).  So when she stopped relating to Bella it became harder to write and this, more than anything, makes it harder to read.  It’s still a good story.  But you can tell that her heart isn’t in it the same way and so it loses its magic. 

Will I read them again?  Of course.  In fact, I honestly have a hard time finding something else to read for a while after them because I miss Edward and Bella so much.  The only characters I’ve found that even come close are maybe Lexi and Dez, or Kate and Vincent (but they’ll have to wait for their own post).

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