Reviews tagging 'Addiction'

Midnight Sun by Stephenie Meyer

7 reviews

ananya_b's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective sad slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.75

I wish I could say something about this book that fits the grandeur of all of Edward's thoughts. But I can't. True, there are some parts - a thoughtful sentence here and there, and then the last chapter, which evokes feelings of longing and loss - that made me rate this book above just 1 star. But that's about it.

I try to hold myself back, but really, this is just going to be a rant on how badly I want my money and time back. This book was not worth either of them. Here we go!

Why is Edward so straight-up horrible? I don't remember Twilight being this awful, even though that was written from the point of view of a self-insert. He just appears to think himself superior to everyone around him, just because he can hear their thoughts and judge them based on that. But does he ever hear himself? Why is he so snarky and judgmental? He's either criticising people for thinking a certain way, or beating himself up for merely existing. I almost pity the other members of his family, who have to put up with such a mood-dampener on a daily basis, for eternity. And I wish he would either stop thinking about leaving, or just pluck up the courage and actually do it. I know that's the point of the book, but it's just so irritating - you'd think he'd have something else to think about!

And then let's talk about him as a boyfriend. He treats Bella like a fragile infant who isn't old enough to make her decisions. He dismisses her requests and believes that he knows what's good for her, better than she does herself - just like an adult with a child. I know he's technically over a hundred years old, so he should know better than someone who's seventeen - but he's stuck at seventeen, too! His brain is just as immature as hers - what gives him the right to make her decisions for her? It's not even about objective things like food or shelter - he refuses to accept the future she wants because of his misguided religious beliefs, as if he's the only one who's allowed to be right on such a subjective topic. 

He's a poor excuse for a boyfriend on all counts. Even during the climax, he does nothing but shout at Alice when she's trying to help, or sob. He never actually helps anyone, even Bella. Here's the most ludicrous example of that: "No longer racing, we moved slowly, Alice pushing Bella in her wheelchair so that I could walk beside her, holding her hand." Notice how the actual responsibilities are shoved off onto Alice or whoever else is around to help, while Edward gets to play the romantic love interest. You'd think if he actually cared for her, he wouldn't let anyone else but himself push her wheelchair!

I won't even talk about how boring or irritating Bella is. Edward even comes close to admitting, although not deliberately (Stephenie Meyer wouldn't dream of writing that!), that he's only drawn to her for her scent and the mystery of her thoughts. But here's an idea: maybe Edward can't read her thoughts because she hasn't got any!

Apart from a few luckily written phrases, the book also suffers from extremely poor writing. For instance, here's an actual sentence from the book: 

He ran and I ran.

It can't really get much worse than this. 

I could go on, but I'll end this tirade here. This has to be one of the trashiest books I own. I'm so glad I survived the ordeal of reading it. 

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lizziaha's review against another edition

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1.75

This book is great for a laugh, if you read it with the right attitude (that attitude being making fun of hundred year old loser edward cullen). This is truly psychopathic shit. Not only do we get a detailed recap of all the psychopathic behavior from the original books, we also get insight into Edward’s misogynistic and murderous thoughts. Like bro spent half of his time planning murders and the other half barely restraining himself from committing them. Also this book just solidified for me the fact that edward would’ve never fallen for Bella if he could hear her thoughts. Her internal monologue is everything he despises about anyone else’s thoughts. I also feel like it can’t be stressed enough that he literally stalks her!!!!! He breaks into her room while she’s sleeping and justifies it by killing a spider??? my guy get it together. And while we’re here, i just want to say that i have a hate-based parasocial relationship with stephenie meyer for how dirty she did rosalie. i will never forgive the misogyny that rosalie has been built around. when she could’ve been such an incredible character!!! this book is unhinged in the worst way imaginable. (emmett sweetheart this has nothing to do with you, you’re lovely) 

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cptnstphy's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional reflective sad tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Plot
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Reading about how Jasper handled James absolutely delighted me. Not only are his talents much more complex and powerful than Bella had ever known (cloaking himself in “boredom” as a disguise until the final moment) (cool as fuck), he was just so necessary for Edward’s sanity as they drove to the ballet studio. The way he forced calm on Edward via gentle touch to the back of the neck felt so caring and brotherly to me. So special. Jasper’s my new favourite, so underrated. Really cool to hear Alice’s planning too, how she thinks ahead and rearranges everything perfectly in her mind and props before it takes place. I also loved hearing right from the source how Edward’s life changed and how he felt happiness for the first time.

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lorenab's review against another edition

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adventurous dark mysterious 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? Yes

4.0

It's a very good book. It gives you a little more insight into Edwards thoughts and feelings toward Bella. 
The plot is (obviously) very similar to Twilight which takes away some of the suspense.

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megselyane's review against another edition

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

2.75


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isotope_s's review against another edition

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dark emotional reflective tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

2.75

Edward has a dramatic streak. He comes off much more rational in the books. Though I guess anyone would be a bit rash to make a romantic relationship out of a meal. Though we do have positive relationships with all sorts of animals that use to be meals…

The second half goes much faster from Edwards perspective. Basically from the meadow on is very fast paced. The rest is slow and meandering. 

Rosalie looks like a b—- in this one. 

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jeanneerin's review against another edition

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slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? No
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

I do not know why I masochistically feel the need to be a completist with this series. This book manages to be more frustrating and creepy than the original, with the incel attitude of Edward being front and center--he goes so far as to question Bella's right to exist in the beginning of the book. This is a fantasy version of Lolita more than an actual romance, and Edward's inability to let Bella choose for herself whether or not she should become a vampire feels like any male's inability to see a woman as more than a child or a pristine item to never be soiled in any way than as an equal. He puts thoughts in her head and words in her mouth, never really asking her what she is actually thinking. We are in his mind as he works out just how he will gaslight her as their relationship continues.

There is nothing new in this book since Edward and Bella both were never more than cardboard cutout characters and every scene seems to be from the original.

Still, I know I'm going to borrow the two books that managed to escape my notice before, so Meyer's must be doing something right. Or maybe it's just that I suddenly need potato-chip style books--I know I should put them down, but just can't seem to stop.

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