Comments on: Book Discussion: Breaking Dawn – Part II

By: Casey

Casey — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 23:58:16 +0000

I know I’m late to the game on this one so I won’t be surprised if no one answers me but after reading hundreds of comments here and everywhere else, and listening to dozens of women bemoan Meyer for the “bad message” I still have two questions that no one has been able to answer for me:

1.) Who made Meyer responsible for providing a “good message” to “teens and tweens?”

2.) Isn’t it a parent’s responsibility to monitor what their children read and to help them come to the “morally right” conclusions?

The way I see it, if you’re looking to paranormal romance for anything other than entertainment – you have a whole other set of problems. One book won’t make much difference either way.

It’s not that paranormal romance is incapable of providing substance and “good messages,” but the point of publishing books is usually profit. The good messages that come out are a bonus and usually a special intention of the author.

Why so hard on Meyer?

Just wondering – so thanks in advance.

By: Jasmin

Jasmin — Sat, 26 Dec 2009 07:48:45 +0000

Well, im only 12 but i agree.
Like wtf happened with Jacob & Bella?
All that crying and heartbreak for nothing?
And Jacob imprinted on Renesmee?
I was like so mad! Meyer showed Leah and Jacob getting closer maybe even connecting and he imprints on that fetus! It doesnt even have an ending for Leah And The Pack. Did Sam and Emily have children? Did Leah imprint? Did Seth? Did Embry? B.D left me with so many unanswered questions. I would have also liked a 10 years later thing for Jacob and Renesmee?

By: jennygirl

jennygirl — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:10:25 +0000

I was looking for some fantasy sci-fi suggestions and stumbled across this. I read this book before I started reviewing, and so didn’t think as critically about it as I was reading it. But things did seem odd to me. The whole Jacob imprinting business irritated and grossed me out to be honest. Like come on…are you kidding me?
And yes, I pictured a Scottish moat monster every time Nessie was brought up.

I didn’t even think about how Bella had no negative consequences to her actions. I know it’s a book and all, but life doesn’t work that way. The end was definitely too neat and tidy as well. A lot of stuff I chalked up to teenage things/issues/feelings and I haven’t been a teenager in a long time. But the more I think about it everything you have stated in your review is dead on point.
Brilliant and insightful review.

By: Malina

Malina — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:40:05 +0000

um,hello!?

you dont get it.yes,you are right in some points,but the story does have a message-as long as there is love you can have anything.i mean,cant you just get it?the story is a little like u said but it is well written.and how would you like it to end?bella dying,jacob beeing a lonely wolf for his life,edward commiting suicide,and volturi get away?i mean wtf?

By: spiceybiscuit

spiceybiscuit — Tue, 12 May 2009 19:42:43 +0000

I know I am way late w/this post but I came across your amazing blog a few weeks ago and now I am totally addicted. I am so glad I found your review; most of my friends (whom I all let borrow my Twilight books and they fell in love with the story)think I am insane that I hated BD. The honeymoon was so disappointing and I pretty much figured when Bella was “so tired and sleepy” she was knocked up. When it was actually confirmed in writing a few pages later, I actually put DOWN the book, walked away and didn’t start reading it again until the next day. I was beyond the point of disgust. Not because of the pregnancy but the direction that I KNEW the book would take. I was shocked and amazing at this book; was this the same author that just gave us the Host? Eclipse? The empty, lonely pages of New Moon when Edward left? The neat Pink Bow ending was a total failure…what, wait? The bad guys are just leaving? No one dies? Can’t Someone die? Esme? One of the pack? There were so many WTF! moments in the book I couldn’t even start nor do I want to. I agree totally with your issue about the “Message” 18, marriage, pregnant..sure why not! Ugh! I actually waited in line for the midnight release of this. I knew, KNEW, when I went to her signing here in Phoenix and there was a question about the book she was evasive…it gave me that Ohno! moment. And by the way, it doesn’t get better the 3rd time reading it either

By: Lulu

Lulu — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 20:15:00 +0000

I totally get what you were saying on this review. I really loved the 3 books especially Eclipse and I was really psyched to read Breaking Dawn… but Dang! When I finished the book, I was all for the happy ending and all but it was just too… comfortable… like everything just fell into place into a very perfect outcome… there is a little bit of struggle, but I would have expected more.

I did really got a kick on how Bella had super vampire control even being a newborn. It was all very convenient.

Thank you for the wonderful review. You voiced my emotions exactly about the book but I was too afraid to voice it out here coz people here in my place are just so crazy about Bella and Edward ending up together… regardless of how that happened. Thanks a lot. Best review I have read!

By: marissa.north

marissa.north — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:18:00 +0000

My feelings, exactly, Thea! No need to say more. :p

By: Vivi

Vivi — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 17:30:00 +0000

I stumbled across your post by mistake, but I’m glad I did.
You summed up exactly how I felt about BD! It was exactly like some kind of melodramatic teenage-fantasy fanfiction with a pretty cover. I was extremely disappointed. I suppose after reading the seventh Harry Potter book, I was expecting something similar in terms of an excellent finale – a more realistic happily-ever-after. But I was sadly disappointed Hopefully the movie will be enjoyable enough to make up for it, lol.

By: Miss eclectic

Miss eclectic — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 06:43:00 +0000

Breaking Dawn left me scratching my head...and desperately searching for the shreds of what was left of one of my favorite stories of all time.

It's 2 AM lol

So here I try to review this book.

BD starts out with a healthy dose of very HUMAN emotion from Bella. Bella is still, well Bella. She is anxious about all that is to come, teeming with self doubt...and clumsy as ever.

Still in love with Edward as much as she did in the previous novels, SM leads us back a step in time where Bella and Edward announce their engagements to Bella's parents. Charlie winds up laughing after turning more colors then a pack of skittles. Weird right...WAIT.

When Bella finally tells her mom, Renee (who as we in the past has young marriage...marriage in general ranked high on her shit list) becomes as crazy about planning the wedding as ALICE. No words of warning, no hesitency...RAW support.

This is where I checked my book to make sure I didn't get a fake.

After this point the book becomes surreal...until the point where Charlie cries, I just wanted to hug him=]

Now to the reception. The guest list was huge. And the majority consisted of Vampire covens (plural!) that I have never heard of. Which is okay since I GET it now. But it really put me off...and overwhelmed me when I read it.

Jacob comes backand brings tragic-cheery ness *aww, them dancing to their heartbeats was so amazing!* to the book until he freaks out when he finds out that Bella and Ed plan to have sex while Bella is still human. [One phrase: Breakable Bella.]

*I think that it's really low that Bella only cared about sex. That was basically the only reason and motivation she wanted to stay human. How pathetic?

The honeymoon was lame! SM killed the romance. I loved the longing and wanting: the tension between my starcrossed lovers in Book 1-3. I miss their shyness and innocence of before and am disappointed that when they were finally at this point...finally going to give eachother "all" that they could...

that SM ruined it by giving us NO suspsense. there was no tension. no longing...edward didn;t even look at Bella when she walked torwads him naked...totally exposed...Edwards blushing bride...as she would never be again once she turned.

Edward didn't revel Bella's delicate body or anything of the sort...no kisses or tender scenes, just a guess * on the reader's side* and then "and then he lead me into deeper water".

Then it skips to morning.

Edwards reaction to the bruises is understandable. I just wanted to hug him. =[

But bella's transformation to sex obsessed tempress was weirddd

BD lost all sensuality till the end of the book.

The pregnancy was frightening=\ but although I know it's weird that Bella switches to mommy mode...that's probably exactly how it happens...you don't know how bad you want what you didn't want before until it's given to you...and then might be taken away.

But you lose Bella before the first sex scene, RIP

I hated the name Renesmee but the baby was amazing. And as soon as she laughs at bella and ffromt here on the book is good, and I love a happy ending

but...I'll edit it this later, i'm tired.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 22:25:00 +0000

Wow, it’s nice to finally find a actual discussion of the book and not “omg, I’m in love with Edward Cullen” or ” Lets kill Stephenie Meyer”
I loved your review and I agree with almost everything.
Stephenie usually does such a wonderful job of making you feel intuned with the characters. In Breaking Dawn, Jacob was the only one I felt was actually “himself”. I realize that characters develop throught a series but not so drastically and without reason. We never really heard much from other characters other than the ones we just met.
I also agree with Patty. I’m sure Stephenie never anticipated this much publicity for her book. Actually, I’ve considered her maybe making the book the way it is to get some of the spot light off her…eventually. That way after all the wtf goes away she can get back to her normal life. I really do not think that’s the reason, but it is definitely something to think about. I wouldn’t blame her either. It can’t be easy having a bunch of screaming girls watching her every move waiting for her next book.
I applaud her for all her books. I really wish she could have wrote more for herself in Breaking Dawn. (she couldn’t possibly have in this book with so much change in it. But she has done a great job. They were far from great literature but it was something that easily took your mind away from the real world and brought yourself in her fanatsy.