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3.16 AVERAGE
3.16 AVERAGE
I mentioned in my first-time read & review of "Twilight" last month that I surprisingly had a lot of fun reading the first book, and thought it was overall enjoyable. Unfortunately, that enjoyment did not carry over into this installment. There's an array of ways I didn't enjoy this, but a few main ones are:
-the way mental health and depression are dealt with. Bella is given little to no real help, and instead treated with an attitude of "get over it, it's been long enough".
-the passive role women take when men are around; there is this feeling of women being submissive bystanders to men's strength or, even more frightening, their anger. Even in the first book when Edward started to get angry, Bella didn't put up with it- in "New Moon", both Bella (for the most part) and Emily seem to take backseats to whatever the men are doing/want.
-The pacing is all over the place? The first part begins to lag almost immediately, then there's is a brief good stint while Bella and Jacob become friends, then pacing goes OUT the window. It makes for a very stilted kind of read. Additionally, the dialogue is just...not enjoyable. There are a few points where it's fine, but honestly it becomes very repetitive and dryyyy.
At first I really enjoyed Bella and Jacob's friendship, and I loved seeing them work on motorcycles and hang out and just be friends. But then (after That Thing We All Basically Know Happens) it just becomes borderline toxic, and I felt like everything they had was thrown out the window, which was sad.
I DID enjoy when Alice finally came back in the last fourth!! Alice and Bella have such a beautiful friendship, and I stand by my opinion that Meyer wrote that relationship wonderfully (in an alternative universe, "New Moon" is a Bella x Alice romcom where they travel through Italy in that Porsche <3 ). Actually, the whole last fourth of the book was the best, and I really think having the vampires gone for so long was a big mistake in this book. Getting a look at the vampire world, including the Volturi, was very cool and I would have loved more of that.
On the whole I didn't really enjoy this. There were some fine parts, but "New Moon" is a far cry from the fun of the first book. I hold no nostalgia for the series either, but even if I had read this as a teen I'm not sure I would have like it more than this.
-the way mental health and depression are dealt with. Bella is given little to no real help, and instead treated with an attitude of "get over it, it's been long enough".
-the passive role women take when men are around; there is this feeling of women being submissive bystanders to men's strength or, even more frightening, their anger. Even in the first book when Edward started to get angry, Bella didn't put up with it- in "New Moon", both Bella (for the most part) and Emily seem to take backseats to whatever the men are doing/want.
-The pacing is all over the place? The first part begins to lag almost immediately, then there's is a brief good stint while Bella and Jacob become friends, then pacing goes OUT the window. It makes for a very stilted kind of read. Additionally, the dialogue is just...not enjoyable. There are a few points where it's fine, but honestly it becomes very repetitive and dryyyy.
At first I really enjoyed Bella and Jacob's friendship, and I loved seeing them work on motorcycles and hang out and just be friends. But then (after That Thing We All Basically Know Happens) it just becomes borderline toxic, and I felt like everything they had was thrown out the window, which was sad.
I DID enjoy when Alice finally came back in the last fourth!! Alice and Bella have such a beautiful friendship, and I stand by my opinion that Meyer wrote that relationship wonderfully (in an alternative universe, "New Moon" is a Bella x Alice romcom where they travel through Italy in that Porsche <3 ). Actually, the whole last fourth of the book was the best, and I really think having the vampires gone for so long was a big mistake in this book. Getting a look at the vampire world, including the Volturi, was very cool and I would have loved more of that.
On the whole I didn't really enjoy this. There were some fine parts, but "New Moon" is a far cry from the fun of the first book. I hold no nostalgia for the series either, but even if I had read this as a teen I'm not sure I would have like it more than this.
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
adventurous
dark
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Bella is definitely the unreliable narrator to a tee, but she's also confused and trying to figure out life so I'll give her the benefit of a doubt. She's constantly changing her mind. Which isn't uncommon as a teenager or even as a person. But man does she change it a lot. The second Edward is like I got to do what's best for you and my family and pieces out. She's like okay. I shall be depressed. And that's totally understandable. And that seasons kind of just pass by when you're not feeling up to being a part of the world. But then she meets Jacob someone who she probably should known as a kid because of their dad's being best friends. And of course he falls for her but we all know that... And we all know that in some twisted way she loves him too. The love triangle has entered the building and I can't look away. Yes this is the first time that I've read or listened to the books because I couldn't get through them as a teen so here I am trying.
And from a a big fan of the movies perspective from what I've gathered from listening to New Moon, I think they did a pretty good job bringing this book to life... They definitely captured Bella's confusion and indecisive nature while being obsessed with Edward becoming a vampire and then also staying loyal to Jacob and his pack. It's a mixture of wanting what you can't have versus what's in front of you still... Teen angst versus 100-year-old teenags versus a teenager turning into a wolf. It's all these complex things coming together to make a a beautifully complicated love story that's also a story about found family and friendship. With some vampires and werewolves and the human mixed in.
And from a a big fan of the movies perspective from what I've gathered from listening to New Moon, I think they did a pretty good job bringing this book to life... They definitely captured Bella's confusion and indecisive nature while being obsessed with Edward becoming a vampire and then also staying loyal to Jacob and his pack. It's a mixture of wanting what you can't have versus what's in front of you still... Teen angst versus 100-year-old teenags versus a teenager turning into a wolf. It's all these complex things coming together to make a a beautifully complicated love story that's also a story about found family and friendship. With some vampires and werewolves and the human mixed in.
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Abandonment
Moderate: Death, Suicidal thoughts, Grief, Injury/Injury detail
slow-paced
po tym wszystkim musialam odmówić koronkę do miłosierdzia bożego
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes