Reviews with content warning for Murder - Eclipse

Reviews tagging 'Murder'

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

17 reviews

ging090803's review against another edition

adventurous dark tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Almost four stars. Bella is too much into Edward and Jacob is such a manipulative "boyfriend", I can't.
The only thing I like is the end with the battle, the practicing before, etc. Except that, the book is full of "who to choose" (which would be pretty easy for Bella if she didn't lie to herself), "who gives the most 'male alpha' vibe for Bella" and "who can better protect the weak human".
However, I have to give a point to Edward for having a nice development from "I gotta protect Bella from anything and I'll do anything to do so" to "I understand Bella is a human being with feelings and free will so I don't own her" while Jacob is just a whining b*tch who can't stop hurting Bella with his talk

"Well if you don't want me (AKA love me), I think I'll just kill myself" hmm wtf Jacob?"

Content Warnings

counciloffrogs's review against another edition

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emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Eclipse is a great example of what not to do when writing a book. It had plot holes, small loose ends never tied up, flat characters (ie. Bella is a clumsy pushover romantic and that’s it. I just described her whole character. It never develops further), and redundant beyond redundant writing. (Really, don’t need to hear about how large Jacob is every. Damn. Time. We see him.) Even goes as far as to use an actual slur in the epilogue.
As a sexual assault survivor, it’s a wonderful example of how once you’re in that situation it’s incredibly hard to leave because you want to excuse their actions against you and in some cases others around you are excusing their actions as well.
However, the part that is beyond triggering is how this whole series is treated as a love triangle. Bella is actively in danger and not only do the characters brush over it, the entire fan base does too.

I mean honestly, at one point Jacob says about assaulting and coercing Bella, word for word, “I knew you’d forgive me and I’m glad I did it. I’d do it again.” WHAT THE FUCK. How does anyone get through this series rooting for him and not screaming at Bella to press charges!

Did I hate eclipse? Yes. Do I recommend it to anyone ever? No. Did I struggle to keep picking it up? Yes. But was I also hanging on every last word and struggling to put it down when I did pick it up? Absolutely.

Something about how much I hate this book is so irresistibly, irritatingly good. Like somehow in writing like an absolute buffoon who’s never been in a healthy relationship, Meyer stumbled into writing the one YA series that doesn’t read like it infantilizes it’s audience. Did I have to skim passages because it was too detailed and too much actual assault being brushed off as boys being boys? Yes, but I never once had to skim as I cringed at a grown adult misunderstanding the dynamics and dialogue of a teenage relationship as badly as most of the writers in this entire genre. It’s awful and I can’t stand it but god I want to read more.

Content Warnings