Saturday, August 2, 2008

Breaking Dawn

If you have finished the book, what are your thoughts?

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DON'T READ THE COMMENTS IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE BOOK!

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

42 enjoyed the bouquet.:

Kari said...

I think I'm in shock. Maybe it's the lack-of-sleep? I feel like my best friend has told me she hates me while she punches me in the stomach.

Ryah said...

Right now, I am pretending it never happened.

Breaking Dawn? Never heard of it.

Someone owes me 15 bucks, and 8 hours of sleep.

Corinne said...

I am highly disappointed. In fact anger has flashed through by body more than once. These books had SO much potential and they seem wasted by developing a far-fetched, ridiculous story that doesn't do any justice to the wonderful characters SM created in the other three.

where was my beloved alice? where was my extra spit-fired, bella hating rose? where were the crazy-scary vulturi to shake me in my boots? Nothing was done to make these characters grow in this novel and left me sad.

I did not like it. I am not happy this was the turn she decided to take. I may have to consider this a trilogy since this fourth book has no place in the awesomeness that was Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse.

Corinne said...

Ryah and I decided the title should now be called "breaking spawn"

(the pawn on the cover, her having a baby, is that what the art was supposed to represent?)

Ryah said...

Corinne is right. The characters did not grow in the book, we learned nothing new about anyone, except for a few minor characters who were introduced at the last minute.

I feel like this book is a mockery. It was like reading really bad fanfiction.

It leaves me feeling uneasy. I want a book deserving to sit next to Eclipse on my bookshelf. This is NOT it. Off to Half Price Books to resell.

Erin said...

OK. Don't throw things at me.

To preface, I didn't enjoy this book like I absolutely loved the other three.

And while I can't make myself love it (even though I wanted to), I can't make myself hate it, either.

I felt like I hated the first half. But something struck me in the second half - when Bella changed - and it took a turn for the better. About the time they got their little stone cottage, I started to recognize elements that had made me love the series so much in earlier books - the love and family feeling between the Cullen's, Charlie's gruff, concerned nature, Jacob's unwilling devotion to Bella, Emmett losing arm-wrestling competitions, etc.

And while I totally get the need to vent, I really don't want this to turn into an "I hate the book" blog. Because really, what would be the point?

We still have the movie to look forward to. And I am looking forward to re-reading BD, so that I can pull out from it the things I did like - vampire wedding and hot lovin', a stronger Bella, a happy Jake, info on the Volturi and Denali clans and other vampires, Charlie happy. Sue happy. A happy ending, even if it isn't the one I envisioned.

I might make a list to post of the things I did like about it later, just to keep things slightly upbeat. I'd just rather focus on that now than dwell on the shitty aspects I can't change.

Side note: NOT having it end "my way" (which I don't know what that would have entailed, exactly) helps me let go of the series. I was really, really depressed to think that this was ending. Now I'm kind of OK with it.

So. To sum up, I didn't love it, didn't hate it. It's over, and I'm alright with that. I feel like it was tied up at the end, anyway. Or maybe I'm just sleep deprived and complacent.

I'm sure I'll post more later!

Erin said...

And I think the name Renesmee is total crap.

That's all! :-D

Ryah said...

I don't want this to turn into a hate blog either, but I can't get on board with this book.
I know we said we wouldn't post about BD for a while, but some of us felt this need to get this off our chests. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Ok, I won't resell, that was a little hasty. I do not look forward to re-reading this book, not yet at least.

Erin said...

No no no...I totally understand getting it off of your chests. I needed it, too.

It's just...what do you do when you have a site dedicated to the series and then people hate the last book? I was just worried that other posters would be put off by too much ranting.

Although, I have to say, the more used to the plot I get, the less I hate it. Again - don't love it, but don't hate it. I'm BD Switzerland.

And the more I think about it, the more SM this seems. Though for the first two hundred pages, I kept expecting a blank page and then a "just kidding! Here's the real story." But SM's big problem with Bella becoming a vamp was always the future she was giving up, so this was probably the only way she felt peace with Bella being bitten. And if I do my math right, I think SM was married by 20 or 21 and had her first baby before 23?

In other news, I think will also be writing a fanfic. I already have it outlined in my head. It won't be long, just a spoof. I'll share later this week if I have time ;-)

Kari said...

After a long day away from the computer (painful, yes), I found myself unable to stop thinking about BD. Like Erin, I was disappointed with the major plot "twists" but I am finding myself more willing to swallow it 12 hours later.

I did enjoy the second half of the book. I also kinda sorta MAYBE like the idea of Bella having a baby. Even if it was cliche. I love the wedding. I love Bella becoming a vampire. I love the Bella overall in this book. I'm happy with the vampire sex.

I'm still sad by the lack of Rosalie, Jasper and Alice. Mostly Alice. It was like the sugar-free version of her.

I wish there was more fighting with the Volturi. Those bastards deserved some pain.

Uhm, sorry, this is totally random but I am going on like two hours of sleep. I'm sure I'll think of more.

Erin said...

Sugar free version! lol! Perfect way of putting it.

I wanted Bella to kick some Volturi ass. I wanted more Tanya drama.

I know getting married at 18 is too young and having a baby is WAY WAY too young, but I am glad Bella had the chance before she was vamptized.

And I can't wait to sleep tonight!

Kari said...

I agree that Bella is too young for marriage / babies. Luckily she has a family who's willing to help. The whole time I'm thinking, "Where's my Rose?"

I'm so excited for bed. I am totally going now. After I check perez.

Ryah said...

So I was reading a lot of fan reactions to the book yesterday, and a lot of them are disowning the whole series, and SM, and I'm like, "whoa, that's too far." SM has given us three wonderful novels and awesome characters and this book should not ruin that.

That said, BD feels disjointed from the rest of the series. The writing is different. I was also angered by the fact that she gave everything that Bella wanted served up to her on a silver platter. The whole thing about giving up her mortality was that she would never have a family, never be able to see her friends or family again, and having to deal with the pains of being a newborn vampire. Not Bella, she got everything, and it was sooooo easy.
I feel like she started so many thoughts and never finished them. What was the deal about mentioning that Jake's mom's coffin was nailed shut? Then never explaining it. I don't know, it was weird. I know it's her story and she writes for herself, but maybe she should have kept this one away from the publishers.


That said, SM, we still love you and your books. I don't hate BD, that was my initial feeling, but I've mellowed and know I just really, really, really don't like it.

Erin said...

I still love the three books. I'm OK with BD. I agree that it seemed too easy and she got everything she wanted. I've been thinking a lot about that.

I think it comes down to the fact that BD has so many adult themes (marriage, children, responsibility, the joining of families, alliances, etc) but, when it comes down to it, BD is still a YA book. I think that maybe it's maturity could only reach a certain level. The YA audience can only handle so much disappointment and anguish (the backlash when New Moon was released was incredible, even though the audience of readers wasn't near what it is now).

Even though some of the plot is eye roll worthy, I guess part of me sees that SM sees Bella as the daughter she never had, and wanted all these things for her. The mistake she made, in my opinion, was diverting from the "canon" she created. She developed this vampire world we believed in, and stuck to it for three long books, and then in the fourth kind of ripped the rug from beneath us and pulled a "hey, male vamps are still fertile!" It didn't make sense with how everything else is dead. They can't even grow hair, but they can make sperm? Huh? I thought the only liquid in their bodies was venom. This totally goes against most of what she's taught us about her vampires so far, and that's why it feels so foreign.

Even though it doesn't make sense in our minds, I guess I'm a sucker for happy endings, and that's why I'm willing to deal with it. The more I think about it and the longer I have for the shock to go away, the more I'm okay with it all.

Sorry to ramble so much. I can't wait to actually talk about it in person with you guys.

(And I evidently need to re-read - I don't remember that part about Jacob's mom...)

Ryah said...

I totally need to re-read, as I skimmed the last 200 pages and made Corinne tell me what happened.

I'm ok with the ending. I knew they would live happily ever after and such, but, I don't know, it was anti-climatic.

Poor Jacob, I loved that part of the story was written in his perspective, but to imprint on Bella's 1/2 and 1/2 baby was so stupid. Well, I couldn't have your mom, but I guess half of her will do...gross.

And the whole venom to the heart thing? Really? What a cop-out!

I think I would have really liked the story minus the Renesmee disaster.

Kari said...

I agree about Jacob imprinting on a baby. Like ..been there done that with Quil. I'm sure SM was setting us up for Jacob's imprint, but still.

I am thinking the whole reason Jacob and Bella had the connection from the very beginning is because he was destined to be with her daughter.

I forgot about the coffin being nailed shut! I even said, "ohhh, that will come back later!" Nope.

I am looking forward to reading it again this week. I needed some time to digest.

Erin said...

I've been skipping around re-reading, and Jacob touches on that when Bella finds out he imprinted. He says something about how that's why he was so drawn to Bella to begin with. Not that that's how I ideally wanted him to imprint, but at least he's happy? He and Quil have their work cut out for them...how do you get husbandly feelings toward someone whose diapers you changed???

One thing I felt was left hanging: Leah. She was such a huge part of the Jacob section, and her story was never really tied up...thought it would be.

Erin said...

Oh, and I was waiting for the big climactic thing to be Alice...I thought there would be a huger revelation of why she was gone. Like she and Jasper had a secret love child held somewhere... :-) But nope, it was just like, "Alice is hiding! Come out, Alice! Alice makes everything OK again." Waaa waaaaa....

Erin said...

And (last thing...maybe) Ryah, the last 200 pages were the ones I liked. The first half, not so much. (Though I did like the wedding and first part of honeymoon...)

Ryah said...

I am glad Jacob is happy, and Bella and Edward.

I agree about Leah, I was actually rooting for her and Jacob to get together...but that didn't work out.

I will re-read the book, word for word, but not for a long time.

heatheryruth said...

Ok...I feel like I'm gonna get stones thrown at me...hehe! I enjoyed it! I don't think I loved it the way I did Twilight and Eclipse...but I thought it was good!

I was VERY surprised with the twist it took with Bella having a baby...and the whole "birth" was a little creepy (did you ever see that crazy mini series in the 80's called V? The baby reminded me of that!). Still the basic story and the premise it took I enjoyed! I liked that all the various groups came together, I liked that the Volturi were exposed for what they were! Not god-like but manipulative!

I felt she still wrote the characters the same...I did miss having more ALICE in the book, but then again...we got a whole "book" from Jacob's POV. I enjoyed the wedding and honeymoon (we got the vamp lovin' we asked for!) I enjoyed that Rose and Bella finally found a bond (even though it started about ONLY the child) Emmett was the same as always! Jasper was in the books about as much as he was in any of the others and being that he wasn't my FAVE character, I TRULY enjoyed getting so much from JACOB'S POV. Also I like that he imprinted on the baby, it made the draw to Bella so much more believable and understandable!

As I read through your comments there were thing I agreed with. I felt some things were left open (like the LEAH/SETH thing) However I suppose once Bella was changed...the story had to as well! The focus was more on her and her "family" than on everything else!

Some things seemed a little far fetched but I still liked the book overall! (I do agree that the name Renesmee is WEIRD!)

So those are my thoughts for now! I'm sure as more people comment, different things will be discussed! I just feel bad that SO FAR the reaction to the book is negative...I honestly enjoyed it and I'm not sorry that I read it!

heatheryruth said...

Oh yeah...I also bought City of Bones FINALLY! So I'll be reading that next and I'll know what you guys are talking about now! :) YAY!

Jes said...

Here is where I am at... haven't finished the book yet, but will by tmrw. (all the clans have just shown up)

Part 1- Ridiculous. Honestly, I can't believe that this went in a baby direction. I feel that SM gave us a completely different world in the first three books and then decided to just turn it upside down on its head for kicks in BD. I think tht the fact that Edward's body is still holding onto human sperm, that is vampire infested is absurd.
Sperm rant-i mean seriously, how old and stanky is that sperm? we all know that male sperm is a bit fragile as it is, and for us to believe that Ed had some still hanging out inside of his venimous, non human nurished body for 90+ years??? what the??

ridiculous.

Part 1 was like reading horrid fanfic- where was the substance of the story, where was the meat?
I laughed at this book while reading it.- I hate that fact.


Part 2- Though I am not done with it, it is better to read. I like the interaction between B&E better in these chapters. I liked reading about B's change. I did however feel like it was a big cop-out how B changed.
There are sooooo many cop-outs in this book.

Jacob- poor Jacob. I really wished a better life for him. The imprint was ridiculous and again, another cop-out to make this story and B's life perfect. Though I enjoyed his presence in this book, I couldn't help feeling pity for him and the choices that SM made for him.

Also, I dont get any true sense of Ed's relationship with his own daughter. The badly named baby felt like an alien too me the whole time I was reading...ugh, she just seems alien and creepy to me.

I have to stop writing now, I am depressed about this again.

Corinne said...

Heather--there will be no stones here! You're safe. You can like the book, we love differing opinions and discussions.

Although I don't know how Bella got pregnant, and I'm a bit wierded out by how easy it was for her to accept it and love the fact that she was pregnant, I am okay that Bella had a baby. I don't think that it is a horrible thing.

However, I DO hate the fact that Jacob imprinted on the baby. I don't understand the argument that it explains the connection Jake has to Bella. "Hi, I like you because you are going to be the mother to my future wife" doesn't seem like something anyone would say. Jacob liked Bella and Bella liked Jacob. It seems more plausable that SM just didn't want Bella to have to lose Jacob and it was convinient to tie them together with the imprint thing. How gross. Why couldn't it be a development of the realization that Bella and Jake are great as friends and can/should be friends by choice not "destiny"?

Oh well. I am still having many problems with these books. I do agree that there are good parts to it. I'm glad Bella and Edward are together and happy, but it just wasn't as stellar as I expected it to be.

Jes said...

I just finished. I liked the ending. I liked the whole part with the voltri, and I liked how all the good vamps were able to use there powers against the volturi collectively.

such a weird book. just wasnt expecting it to be like this.

yep, I like the 2nd half.

Kari said...

Heatheryruth -- I am so glad that you are positive about it right away. I had to digest it for a day or so. I'm kinda sad that my initial reaction was "my bf punching me in the stomach."

Parts of it were too hard for me to swallow at first but I am feeling better about it overall.

I am going to re-read this week.

heatheryruth said...

Yeah....Like I said...BD certainly had some "different" moments! But overall I liked it! I really liked the 2nd half with Bella's change being described and then all the "NEWBORN" vamp descriptions! I do agree with Jes (I think) it was in Jes' post!) that it seemed that Edward had a lack of caring for Renesmee! (BTW....liked the baby's middle name WAY more than her first name!)

So...I guess all in all I truly enjoyed it! I don't think it's my fave book of the series...I think that will always be Eclipse! Still I'm glad with how the story of the Twilight saga ended!

Maggie said...

So I guess I'm a little behind...but I finished the book last night at about 2am haha and I didn't have the energy to write my thoughts. But my initial response throughout the entire book has been...WHAT?? This does not sound like anything at all I have been expecting or thinking would happen.

The first few chapters about before the wedding and during the wedding were so Bella to me, but then during the honeymoon it wasn't sounding like her anymore...just different, but maybe that is what happens when you get preggers.

Initially, I did not like hearing Jacob's point of view, I only wanted Bella's. However, I really came to enjoy Jacob's mind (and the title chapters hahaha). It was easier for me to understand his hurt and pain. But I did think him imprinting on the baby was a cop-out, just too easy.

I liked the last part of the book the best, besides a stupid baby name (I also liked the middle name better too!!). But I thought Bella finally matured into the woman we all wanted her to be - strong and confident and not all wishy-washy. I also enjoyed that Bella and Edward could just be happy for once in their all too dramatic lives. And have hot vampire sex. The last part of the book felt more like the rest of the books instead of disjointed like I felt (and I can't remember who else said that...so many comments!!)

But overall, at the end of the book I thought it was all wrapped up nicely, and I felt like I could just imagine the rest of their forever as being peaceful and happy - since they need a break from drama. I liked the book, it was just not what I was expecting AT ALL, so I think I'm just stunned and sad that it is over.

Anonymous said...

Ok, so, during the first part of BD, I was a little...ehhhh about it. I have to agree that some of it did remind me of a fanfiction.
BUT, I was just mainly excited about BD, so I overlooked it. At first I was ehhh about the second book, I love Jacob, but I don't care much for his POV, I was expecting like...Edward.
Buttt, book 2 and 3 were some of the best ones.
True, it WAS a little creepy that Jake imprinted on Renesme, and also odd that Bella just all of a sudden lost all affection for him...and he for Bella...even if he DID imprint...still.
But I really enjoyed Jacob, he made me laugh. And Bella's change, was really cool. But mainly I was missin the charries, like Alice...I was hopin for Emmett and Jasper, but...eh.
Oh, and Esme, she was only mentioned a few times...
But, I liked Bella's power, and I did like the baby, despite her odd name. she was cute.
I would like for maybe her story to continue.
From maybe Jake's POV.
oh btw, City of Bones and Ashes are frikkin awesssommmeeeeeeeee.
=]
I WANT NUMBER THREE, NOW.

Anyways....BD was all right, 7/10...the twists definitely threw me for a ump, but I had to agree with the Romanian vamps...I wanted the Volturi to go DOWN.
maybe SM just wanted to end it as quickly as she could, she prolly grew tired...
who knows?

Jes said...

Reyne- thanks for posting with us! I like your name, is it pronounced like, rain?? (that would have been a good name for the baby!!!)

I agree, where are our beloved cullen charaters???

I too really enjoyed Jacob, he got me through most of this book. I miss Edward- Midnight Sun needs to happen fast!

Anonymous said...

Aw, thanks, yeah actually it is pronounced like Rain...=]
All thanks to my mommy for thinkin of that one.

But seriously...

Yes, I just missed...my homies.
Like seriously, I wanted more of Emmett, he's so funny and he could have had a bigger part as well as Jasper.

Yess, Midnight Sun needs to happen very, very soon.
Or like, The Host 2 or something...
The host was frikkin awesome, SM really outdid herself on that one.

I felt like she just kind of...gave out to easy on the last book of the phenomenal series.

If LOTR went on without something too upsetting, I think maybe she could have done a much better job.
-sigh-
I'll prolly re-read it again,
in like a month.

For a while I was hatin Jacob, but I love him now, I think they need to grow more on him, he could have a whole new series by himself, or Nessie...haha.
=]

Erin said...

She definitely should have been Carlie.

And Corinne, I agree - I don't know how Bella was just so OK with it. I mean, she's terrified to get married but OK with having a kid??!

I have to say, though, as time passes and the shock wears off and I re-read, I'm starting to like a lot of parts. The disappointments for me: That all of a sudden there are these new rules for vampires I don't understand (like that they have SPERM), and that the Volturi didn't get kicked around the meadow. And...the whole "off" tone of SM's narration in the first half. It didn't really sound like her other books for me until Bella's second part. But besides that, I loved seeing Bella as a vamp. That for me is the best attribute to the book. That and the happy ending for all.

Jes said...

yes bella as a vamp=awesome.

still so sad about the book-going to re-read starting tonight though... I kinda forgot I skipped a bunch of chapters at some point saturday morning...

Mandy said...

ok, i had to drive 2 hours round trip to get the book on saturday morning, so it may explain my positive reaction to the book. as a recent convert to the twilight saga, i have read all the books in a short amount of time. i thought this was a good conclusion. while i missed some of the main characters throughout, i was entirely satisfied that no one important died and that bella did become a vampire. before reading i felt sure she wouldn't.

on the downside, i almost couldn't read when i found out bella was preggo. i agree with earlier posts that she had been so anti-marriage that it was weird to see her flip sides about committing to a baby. the name renesmee made me cringe every time i read it.

i didn't really know what outcomes i had hoped for, but i felt satisfied.

Ryah said...

Know what else was missing (besides Karen Newton), the Volvo. Was it mentioned and I missed it. The Volvo is almost a character in itself.

Jill Berry said...

I finally had time to finish tonight! I've been dying to read your posts. Jess I laughed out loud at your sperm-rant. Hilarious!
I'll post when I have more time to digest, but first thoughts are...thumbs down. I like the second half better than the first,but all in all I thought it lacked creativity and punch. Worst part that sticks out for me is the honeymoon bruises...buzz kill. Best part for me was Bella opening her mind to Edward.

Jes said...

soooo... I just reread the first half of the book, and did anybody else catch the fact that Edward bit the baby out of Bella's stomach???....huh.

Kari said...

What? That's totally how I plan to deliver. ;)

Anonymous said...

I only read half of the comment thingys, but I have to say that I really enjoyed the book. It could have been a more action filled ending, but at least they all didn't die.

Hilarie said...

I finally got around to reading all your comments cause I just finished the book today. I guess that sums up my experience with it. I bought it exactly 42 minutes after it was released and just finished it - 5 days later. It definately didn't keep me glued to it.

Anyway... I loved that Bella kicked ass as a vamp. Loved the wedding and honeymoon and loved how Bella loved Nessie (have to use the nickname because her real name is the lamest name I have EVER heard!!!)

I hated the whole pregnancy/birth thing and how the whole book just seemed to not even be a part of the Twilight series. It seemed totally seperate - like not even the same characters! Especially Bella - even before her change. It was weird. And I hated how SM did not give the baby and Edward a relationship. It was bizzare to me. I think I would have been more accepting of the book if I would have felt the absolute love and devotion they ALL 3 had to each other. It seemed like to Edward the baby was just there.

I guess - to sum up for me - I wasn't that happy with it, but oh well... it is what it is. But sadly, the whole series has lost alot of it's magic for me. I can't keep from separating them now.

Does any of this make sense? I am totally rambling... Sorry!

And again, thanks for your awesome blog. I love it and it was the first I wanted to read when done cause you always have such an interesting and honest twist on things! :)

OH WAIT!!! I just remembered more... I can say that one thing I took away from the book was that even though I might not love the book - it made me again appreciate Stephenie Meyer as an author/storyteller. The whole book was an emotional roller coaster the whole time! I was going from absolute HATE to loving it - back and forth - all the time. And I thought it was very smart how the different perspectives were written so well -they actually read like 2 different people writing.

See... even in this comment... I just can't decide what I feel. I am so conflicted!!! Help me! :)

Ryah said...

Wow Hilarie! Thanks for saying such nice things about us!

I thought your comment made sense, and I do agree that Bella and Jacob's perspectives were nicely done, I could totally put myself into Jacob's cute, fuzzy, werewolfy head.

Jes said...

hilarie- you are so right about this being a emotional roller coaster, I keep going up and down... I am emotionally a wreck when I think of BD.