“The clouds I can handle but I can’t fight with an eclipse.”
I have always been an avid reader ever since the age of six when I finished my first book. From that point on, I have devoured an assortment of books written by a variety of different authors and hailing from all genres. I have read everything from Pride and Prejudice to Full Tilt to the Harry Potter series, but this year I came across an entirely original series – a series so enthralling that it became my obsession for nearly a month. Every spare minute I had I devoted to reading Stephenie Meyer’s captivating Twilight saga.
In this series, an ordinary teenage girl from Phoenix, Arizona, Bella Swan, decides in the middle of her junior year of high school to move to one of the rainiest places in the continental U.S., Forks, Washington, and live with her dad, Charlie. In this small dreary town, Bella meets Edward Cullen and his “family” who have a monstrous secret – they are vampires. However, Edward and his family are not your average bloodsucking monsters. They live peacefully amongst other humans; they come out during the day; and most importantly, they survive by only drinking the blood of animals. Bella and Edward soon develop an unconditional and irrevocable love, but when Edward feels he and his family are interfering with Bella’s chance at a normal life, he leaves, resulting in a painful separation for both of them. Bella seeks refuge for her broken heart in long-time family friend, Jacob Black. However, after developing a natural, laid-back relationship with Jacob, Bella unearths another secret – Jacob Black is a werewolf.
Despite Edward’s attempts to protect Bella’s mortality and soul through separation, the two cannot live without each other, but when Edward returns Bella’s relationships get complicated. Werewolves are the natural enemies of vampires and so Bella must face the hostility and tension that comes from having a werewolf for a best friend and a vampire for a soul mate. In Eclipse, Bella struggles to reconcile the two parts of her heart because although she is in love with Edward and knows that she cannot possibly live without him, she also knows she loves Jacob too. The obstacle Bella faces of choosing to live a life with either Edward or Jacob, knowing that whatever decision she makes will break a heart, is a central conflict in the novel.
The other main conflict Bella faces in this book is of a more dangerous and violent nature. In the first book of the series, Twilight, Bella’s life is threatened by a sadistic vampire named James who after a violent battle at a ballet studio in Bella’s hometown, is killed by the Cullen family. James’s mate, Victoria, out to avenge James’s death by killing Bella forms an army of newborn vampires to do the job. The Cullens see Victoria building this army through Alice’s, Edward’s “sister”, premonitions and realize their family of seven older and experienced vampires will be an equal match up with Victoria’s powerful but reckless army of twenty newborns. The Cullens would like to have the upper hand in their fight against Victoria and her army, so they call upon some of their other vampire friends to help them in the battle. But when no one can be persuaded to join the fight the Cullens must turn to their enemies, the Quileute werewolves, for assistance.
The one question I have regarding this novel is the comparison Meyer makes between the love triangle of Bella, Edward, and Jacob to one of literature’s most famous love triangles, that of Wuthering Heights’ Cathy, Heathcliff, and Edgar. Meyer explains her position on this comparison using dialogue between Edward and Bella and certain excerpts from Wuthering Heights. However, I was wondering if someone else had more insight to the comparison made between the two love triangles. I can see some similarities between the two characters, however, Bella and Cathy’s situations and stories are so different I am having a hard time seeing them side-by-side.
Overall, this book is a wonderful, engrossing novel full of romance, action, suspense, humor and any other qualities a well-written story should possess. I would recommend this novel to anyone. It is, in my opinion, the best novel of the Twilight series!
I have always been an avid reader ever since the age of six when I finished my first book. From that point on, I have devoured an assortment of books written by a variety of different authors and hailing from all genres. I have read everything from Pride and Prejudice to Full Tilt to the Harry Potter series, but this year I came across an entirely original series – a series so enthralling that it became my obsession for nearly a month. Every spare minute I had I devoted to reading Stephenie Meyer’s captivating Twilight saga.
In this series, an ordinary teenage girl from Phoenix, Arizona, Bella Swan, decides in the middle of her junior year of high school to move to one of the rainiest places in the continental U.S., Forks, Washington, and live with her dad, Charlie. In this small dreary town, Bella meets Edward Cullen and his “family” who have a monstrous secret – they are vampires. However, Edward and his family are not your average bloodsucking monsters. They live peacefully amongst other humans; they come out during the day; and most importantly, they survive by only drinking the blood of animals. Bella and Edward soon develop an unconditional and irrevocable love, but when Edward feels he and his family are interfering with Bella’s chance at a normal life, he leaves, resulting in a painful separation for both of them. Bella seeks refuge for her broken heart in long-time family friend, Jacob Black. However, after developing a natural, laid-back relationship with Jacob, Bella unearths another secret – Jacob Black is a werewolf.
Despite Edward’s attempts to protect Bella’s mortality and soul through separation, the two cannot live without each other, but when Edward returns Bella’s relationships get complicated. Werewolves are the natural enemies of vampires and so Bella must face the hostility and tension that comes from having a werewolf for a best friend and a vampire for a soul mate. In Eclipse, Bella struggles to reconcile the two parts of her heart because although she is in love with Edward and knows that she cannot possibly live without him, she also knows she loves Jacob too. The obstacle Bella faces of choosing to live a life with either Edward or Jacob, knowing that whatever decision she makes will break a heart, is a central conflict in the novel.
The other main conflict Bella faces in this book is of a more dangerous and violent nature. In the first book of the series, Twilight, Bella’s life is threatened by a sadistic vampire named James who after a violent battle at a ballet studio in Bella’s hometown, is killed by the Cullen family. James’s mate, Victoria, out to avenge James’s death by killing Bella forms an army of newborn vampires to do the job. The Cullens see Victoria building this army through Alice’s, Edward’s “sister”, premonitions and realize their family of seven older and experienced vampires will be an equal match up with Victoria’s powerful but reckless army of twenty newborns. The Cullens would like to have the upper hand in their fight against Victoria and her army, so they call upon some of their other vampire friends to help them in the battle. But when no one can be persuaded to join the fight the Cullens must turn to their enemies, the Quileute werewolves, for assistance.
The one question I have regarding this novel is the comparison Meyer makes between the love triangle of Bella, Edward, and Jacob to one of literature’s most famous love triangles, that of Wuthering Heights’ Cathy, Heathcliff, and Edgar. Meyer explains her position on this comparison using dialogue between Edward and Bella and certain excerpts from Wuthering Heights. However, I was wondering if someone else had more insight to the comparison made between the two love triangles. I can see some similarities between the two characters, however, Bella and Cathy’s situations and stories are so different I am having a hard time seeing them side-by-side.
Overall, this book is a wonderful, engrossing novel full of romance, action, suspense, humor and any other qualities a well-written story should possess. I would recommend this novel to anyone. It is, in my opinion, the best novel of the Twilight series!
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