Reviews with content warning for Injury/Injury detail - Eclipse

The characters in Eclipse feel stagnant and, in some cases, outright frustrating. Bella remains frustratingly passive, her entire existence revolving around Edward and Jacob without any real personal growth. Her internal monologue is gratingly repetitive, making her less of a compelling protagonist and more of a passive object being fought over. Edward is controlling to the point of suffocation, treating Bella as if she’s incapable of making decisions for herself. Jacob, meanwhile, crosses serious boundaries, with his aggressive persistence bordering on coercion. His forceful kiss and Bella’s half-hearted reaction to it are uncomfortable to read. The secondary characters—like the Cullens and the werewolves—have potential, but they’re shoved to the background in favor of the tiresome love triangle. Their personalities are thinly sketched, existing only to orbit around Bella’s drama.

Atmosphere/Setting – 5/10

Meyer’s portrayal of Forks retains its gloomy charm, but at this point in the series, the setting feels uninspired. The descriptions are serviceable, but they never evolve or deepen. The supernatural elements—the looming vampire threat, the werewolf transformations—should feel exciting, yet the way they are presented lacks weight. The world doesn’t expand in any meaningful way; instead, it rehashes familiar locations and dynamics. The only moments where the atmosphere feels immersive are during the action sequences, but these moments are too few and too fleeting. The setting could have enhanced the tension of the plot, but instead, it feels like a static backdrop.

Writing Style – 3/10

The writing in Eclipse is bloated with unnecessary introspection, dragging out simple ideas into endless monologues. Bella’s constant reiteration of the same emotions—her guilt over Jacob, her devotion to Edward, her general self-loathing—becomes tiresome fast. The prose is functional but uninspired, lacking the kind of elegance or depth that could make even the slower parts engaging. Dialogue often feels unnatural, especially during the romance-heavy scenes where characters express themselves in overwritten, melodramatic ways. The balance between dialogue and narration is poor, with long-winded passages bogging down the pacing. The writing doesn’t challenge the reader; instead, it repeats itself, hammering the same points over and over with little nuance.

Plot – 4/10

The core plot of Eclipse—a looming battle against Victoria’s newborn vampire army—has the potential to be thrilling, yet it remains disappointingly secondary to the endless love triangle. Instead of focusing on the external stakes, Meyer dedicates an overwhelming amount of time to Bella’s back-and-forth feelings about Jacob and Edward. The pacing is painfully uneven, with entire sections dragging due to Bella’s internal dilemmas. By the time the action actually arrives, it’s over in a flash, making it feel anticlimactic. There are no real surprises or deep thematic explorations, just repetitive romantic angst that has already been exhaustively explored in the previous books. Even the Volturi’s involvement, which could have added complexity, is brushed aside in favor of more brooding and arguing.

Intrigue – 4/10

At no point did I feel a sense of urgency while reading Eclipse. The book feels overlong, stretching its thin plot into unnecessary page count. The love triangle, which is meant to be the emotional heart of the novel, feels exhausting rather than engaging. There’s little forward momentum—Bella’s indecision, Edward’s possessiveness, and Jacob’s pushiness repeat in a cycle with no meaningful development. The only moments that briefly recapture interest are the action sequences and the glimpses into other characters' pasts (such as Rosalie’s backstory), but these are few and far between. Any real intrigue the book could have built is smothered by the relentless focus on Bella’s wavering feelings.

Logic/Relationships – 3/10

The relationships in Eclipse are riddled with red flags, yet the narrative refuses to acknowledge them as such. Edward’s controlling behavior—removing Bella’s car engine to prevent her from seeing Jacob, dictating her actions—should be addressed as toxic, but instead, it's framed as romantic. Jacob’s treatment of Bella is even worse; he repeatedly ignores her boundaries, and the narrative rewards him for it. His forceful kiss is particularly troubling, and Bella’s half-hearted slap followed by a mild scolding makes it clear that the story isn’t interested in critically addressing these dynamics. Outside of the romance, the werewolf-vampire conflict lacks logical depth. The supposed enmity between the two species is constantly mentioned but never fully explored beyond surface-level hostility. The world’s rules are inconsistent, bending to serve the drama rather than creating a cohesive supernatural system.

Enjoyment – 4/10

While Eclipse isn’t the worst book in the Twilight series, it’s one of the most frustrating. The love triangle, which should have added emotional weight, instead drags down the story with its repetitiveness and troubling romantic dynamics. The action is minimal and feels like an afterthought, the characters remain frustratingly one-note, and the writing overstays its welcome with unnecessary inner monologues. I found moments of engagement—particularly in the glimpses of other characters’ backstories and the final battle—but they were overshadowed by the sheer slog of Bella’s endless indecision. I wouldn’t recommend this book to anyone who isn’t already invested in the series, and even then, I’d suggest skimming through the middle to get to the few compelling moments.

Content Warnings

ecravens's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional funny mysterious tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

thatchickengirl23's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

2.75

Content Warnings

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