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3.27 AVERAGE
3.27 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Dear Stephenie,
It is I, Molly, one final time. Again, I'm working really hard to be nice here, because I don't think it's helpful or good to be mean. But I'm going to be very honest with you here: I don't think it worked.
The premise of "what would a good vampire be like?" is an interesting starting place. It's weird. It's not something that had been done before. But, in the end, the problem that is at the heart of this book series—wanting to become something less than human, even if in lots of "fun" ways it's seemingly more than human, just goes against the grain of basic, inborn common sense. I kept thinking throughout this book series, "Surely we're not meant to agree with Bella on wanting to become a vampire...? Right? Surely Bella is one of those narrators you're supposed to be at odds with...? Right?" But now that it's all over, I think I was wrong. I think you must have wanted us to want this for her, too, to celebrate this. But I just can't. It's wrong. Everything connected with Bella's pregnancy and ultimately becoming a vampire was so deeply unsettling and disturbing, but I don't think it was supposed to be. Nevertheless, it was, because no amount of teenage drama and "But daddy I love him!" and (mostly) closed-door intimate scenes is going to diminish the "it's wrong for a person to want to stop being a person" thing.
I think this is seen most clearly in how Charlie handles the new situation. There was really something there—a man, seeing his daughter, transformed into something that is uncanny, still Bella, but not...It was gut-wrenching. There was really a great opportunity for some probing, compelling writing. In the end, though, all Charlie can do is basically turn away, close his eyes and refuse to admit to himself what, deep down, he knows has happened.
Other people can wax critical on the problems with the pacing, the dialogue, the anti-climactic showdown with the Volturi. But, in the end, Bella hurts the people around her with her decision—even if it has cost her nothing, she only benefits and wins and thrives, seemingly, impossibly. It's a desecration of her being that is never addressed, never acknowledged, never mourned. The woman is painfully, horrifically transformed into some kind of unbreakable, immortal, superhuman being that is beyond the creatureliness of the human person—but who cares! Now she can run really fast and kiss Edward a bunch and it's all just so fun!
HUH????
Stephenie, I'm not trying to be a bully. I'm not trying to be condescending or minimize the hard work you put into writing a very long, very complicated series of books. But please: There's a gaping hole, a huge existential chasm at the heart of this story. What good is eternal life if it is at the cost of one's humanity? What good is virtue that is inextricably bound to vice? What good is getting everything that you want if it means denying everything that is good for you? You constantly liken your vampires to angels—but how can an angelos, a messenger of God's "peace on earth and goodwill to mankind," desire, at the most basic, inescapable, essential level, the horrific and inhuman theft of human life—an inversion of everything central to the Christian message?
Maybe I'm thinking too hard about all of this, Stephenie, but you seem to have thought a lot about it yourself, and have placed little clues alluding to your own beliefs about the world and morality. But in the end, it just doesn't add up. Vampires are still vampires, no matter how beautiful and "vegetarian" and self-controlled, and humans are still human, no matter how badly they want to reject that.
Respectfully,
Molly
It is I, Molly, one final time. Again, I'm working really hard to be nice here, because I don't think it's helpful or good to be mean. But I'm going to be very honest with you here: I don't think it worked.
The premise of "what would a good vampire be like?" is an interesting starting place. It's weird. It's not something that had been done before. But, in the end, the problem that is at the heart of this book series—wanting to become something less than human, even if in lots of "fun" ways it's seemingly more than human, just goes against the grain of basic, inborn common sense. I kept thinking throughout this book series, "Surely we're not meant to agree with Bella on wanting to become a vampire...? Right? Surely Bella is one of those narrators you're supposed to be at odds with...? Right?" But now that it's all over, I think I was wrong. I think you must have wanted us to want this for her, too, to celebrate this. But I just can't. It's wrong. Everything connected with Bella's pregnancy and ultimately becoming a vampire was so deeply unsettling and disturbing, but I don't think it was supposed to be. Nevertheless, it was, because no amount of teenage drama and "But daddy I love him!" and (mostly) closed-door intimate scenes is going to diminish the "it's wrong for a person to want to stop being a person" thing.
I think this is seen most clearly in how Charlie handles the new situation. There was really something there—a man, seeing his daughter, transformed into something that is uncanny, still Bella, but not...It was gut-wrenching. There was really a great opportunity for some probing, compelling writing. In the end, though, all Charlie can do is basically turn away, close his eyes and refuse to admit to himself what, deep down, he knows has happened.
Other people can wax critical on the problems with the pacing, the dialogue, the anti-climactic showdown with the Volturi. But, in the end, Bella hurts the people around her with her decision—even if it has cost her nothing, she only benefits and wins and thrives, seemingly, impossibly. It's a desecration of her being that is never addressed, never acknowledged, never mourned. The woman is painfully, horrifically transformed into some kind of unbreakable, immortal, superhuman being that is beyond the creatureliness of the human person—but who cares! Now she can run really fast and kiss Edward a bunch and it's all just so fun!
HUH????
Stephenie, I'm not trying to be a bully. I'm not trying to be condescending or minimize the hard work you put into writing a very long, very complicated series of books. But please: There's a gaping hole, a huge existential chasm at the heart of this story. What good is eternal life if it is at the cost of one's humanity? What good is virtue that is inextricably bound to vice? What good is getting everything that you want if it means denying everything that is good for you? You constantly liken your vampires to angels—but how can an angelos, a messenger of God's "peace on earth and goodwill to mankind," desire, at the most basic, inescapable, essential level, the horrific and inhuman theft of human life—an inversion of everything central to the Christian message?
Maybe I'm thinking too hard about all of this, Stephenie, but you seem to have thought a lot about it yourself, and have placed little clues alluding to your own beliefs about the world and morality. But in the end, it just doesn't add up. Vampires are still vampires, no matter how beautiful and "vegetarian" and self-controlled, and humans are still human, no matter how badly they want to reject that.
Respectfully,
Molly
adventurous
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Fav part was Jacob's perspective
I am familiar with this woeful feeling of obsession come to a standstill. It’s like the day you realize that you’re too grown up for the Babysitters Club, the day you realize that you’ve made too many goes at Anne of Avonlea and Gil’s marriage proposal can’t bloat your heart. A sad day indeed.
It makes the separation easier when Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final installment, is a let down and sham. It should be called Breaking Down. It was my unrelenting obsession that led me to complete this 760-page tome. Though many supernatural transformations occur, the most disturbing is Bella’s personality transplant about midway through the book. The romance between her and Edward died with this transformation—for me, anyway. And a little nudger?! ew. There are so many instances of deus ex machina; even Poe would find it distasteful. And who ever wanted Jacob to narrate 200 pages? Ugh and ugh.
But alas, I will miss reading about my vampire/virgin/werewolf friends.
What will I obsess over now?
It makes the separation easier when Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final installment, is a let down and sham. It should be called Breaking Down. It was my unrelenting obsession that led me to complete this 760-page tome. Though many supernatural transformations occur, the most disturbing is Bella’s personality transplant about midway through the book. The romance between her and Edward died with this transformation—for me, anyway. And a little nudger?! ew. There are so many instances of deus ex machina; even Poe would find it distasteful. And who ever wanted Jacob to narrate 200 pages? Ugh and ugh.
But alas, I will miss reading about my vampire/virgin/werewolf friends.
What will I obsess over now?
adventurous
emotional
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
★x3 | (C-) 70% | AGES 16+ | The last book in the Twilight Saga sticks the board games LIFE and One Night Ultimate Werewolf together in a blender and sent it through a wattpad filter.
| Characters - ★x3 | A new character who we watch being created and grow up within 100 pages is actually just a poor girl who didn’t ask to be born. Renesmee is a precious little baby that I wanted to take out of the pages and hug and protect because goddamnit Jacob, can you NOT?
| Storyline - ★x3 | let me tell you. Excuse me for the language, but there was some weird fucking shit happening in this I had to read up on the fandom.wiki site and try to figure out what the hell I just read. Yah. It’s WILD. It’s nice that Bella and Edward have got a family, but I didn’t expect their family to grow like THAT. That’s weird bro.
| Writing - ★x3 | Yeah it’s fine. The style has stayed the same, the books have gotten longer. It’s fine. That wasn’t what I was concerned with while reading this.
Should you read this? You’ve made it this far. You don’t need me to tell you if you should read this or not. I trust you. Peace out.
-luna
| Characters - ★x3 | A new character who we watch being created and grow up within 100 pages is actually just a poor girl who didn’t ask to be born. Renesmee is a precious little baby that I wanted to take out of the pages and hug and protect because goddamnit Jacob, can you NOT?
| Storyline - ★x3 | let me tell you. Excuse me for the language, but there was some weird fucking shit happening in this I had to read up on the fandom.wiki site and try to figure out what the hell I just read. Yah. It’s WILD. It’s nice that Bella and Edward have got a family, but I didn’t expect their family to grow like THAT. That’s weird bro.
| Writing - ★x3 | Yeah it’s fine. The style has stayed the same, the books have gotten longer. It’s fine. That wasn’t what I was concerned with while reading this.
Should you read this? You’ve made it this far. You don’t need me to tell you if you should read this or not. I trust you. Peace out.
-luna
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I re read this series for a book club. I loved it when I was a teenager and I unapologetically enjoyed it as a full grown adult! It was fun to revisit Forks and look at Bella/ Edward/ Jacob/ the whole supernatural world through the eyes of a 34 year old.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated