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Where is the line between romantic and delusional?
A SEEMINGLY DECENT BD REVIEW,
And not in a good way.
In Breaking Dawn, the highly-anticipated 4th book in Stephenie Meyer's enthralling Twilight Saga, the author does nothing but... disappoint.
When we first meet heroine Bella Swan in Twilight, rabid fangirls immediately felt a connection to the insecure, nothing-special, klumsy teen. What captivated the audience even more was how she managed to get the perfect, mysterious, debonair Edward Cullen to fall in love with her. Of course, girls everywhere fell in love with the fantasy Cinderella story our lovable star has gotten herself into. Twilight, the first book, gave us a taste of first love about to bloom.
In New Moon, fans grew even closer to Bella when she gets a dose of her first heart-break. Edward Cullen, gentleman and blood-lust-oppressor extraordinaire, thinking back on the near-death experience his sweetling endured because of badass nomadic vampire James, has suddenly decided that staying with a weak, vulnerable human such as Bella would inevitably endanger her life. Martyrdom as one of his trademarks, the vampire unadvisedly chooses to leave the one love of his life – even if it killed him. On the other side of the world, a destroyed Bella tries first to cope with the repercussions of being left behind and then moves on to trying to piece her life together with the help of newfound werewolf-bestfriend, Jacob Black. Considering how perfect Edward is, of course he could not live without his amour. Due to a misunderstanding between the vamps, Edward receives news that Bella has committed suicide – so he decides to have himself killed as well, thinking that they can be together in the after-life. Bella jets off to Italy to stop Edward and comes out, as you might expect, succesful. Both continue on with their life in bliss. The underlining messge in New Moon? Love will find it's way back to each other.
As one advances to the 3rd book however, the starlet becomes less endearing and more annoying. Fickle-minded is an understatement when used to describe Bella. Remember werewolf-bestfriend Jacob? Yeah, him. Well, he falls inlove with our leading lady and openly shows his views on her dating a Vamp. As with most fantasy novels, Vampires and Werewolves have an open dislike for one another. Translation: they are mortal enemies (ironic, since neither dies). As the two battle it out with witty quips for the affection of their love, Bella simply cannot help by adding to the drama. She repeatedly tells the Vampire-boyfriend that she and her Werewolf-bestfriend are simply no more than that – while continuously disproving the point by leading Jacob on. While this reality-tv like plot ensues, another wicked vampire is brewing up a plan to avenge her lover, James, and kill Bella (What is it about her and vamps?). As the book progresses and our characters learn about this nefarious plan, dog and leech decide to band together to protect their lady-love from evil, broken-hearted, bitter Victoria. By the end of the book, the main characters come out victorious with the battle. The heroine, however, inconsistent as ever, decides to cheat on perfect vampire boytoy with werewolf buddy before finally deciding that she cannot live without Mr. Fangs. Heartbroken, Mr. Paws decides to leave. Eclipse tells us that true love always prevails.
Ah, the 4th book. The book I've been ranting about for 6 days now. Where to start?
Divided into 3 parts (3 books, as it is called in the novel), narration varies from Bella, to Jacob, then back to Bella again.
In the “first book”, we once again read from Bella's usual perspective. The story starts with our heroine pondering the situation she has gotten herself into – that is, engaged to Dazzle King Vampire Edward. The upcoming nuptials, ofcourse, has been entirely Edward's idea in negotation with Bella and her raging hormones. Translation: He will not have sex with her (no matter how horny she my be – and he) out of wedlock. Reluctantly, Bella agrees because apparently, she can wait no longer (Wow. Any of you girlies experience this? I surely have not. Then again, a vampire doesn't sneak up my house and sleep beside me in my bed during the dead of night). Heaps of other circumstances have been hovering at the back of her mind as well – such as her 2 new cars (which she doesn't want, by the way), an unlimited credit card (which she also doesn't want), a fabulous wedding thrown by her sister-in-law-to-be (which she keeps saying she is grateful for but complains about in numerous occassions) and her parents' approval of all of this (Yes, because she apparently think it's better if they didn't. Right.).
As expected, the wedding ceremony was spectacular. The real spectacle, of course, happens when infamous werewolf-bestfriend Jacob decides to make an appearance. As a gift to the blushing bride, thoughtful new vamp groom invites supposed werewolf bestman because he knew, again because he is perfect like that, that she wanted him to be there. Giving the bestfriends privacy, Edward finds something else to occupy his time with while the buddies catch-up. That didn't take too long however, because Jacob starts to go berserk once the topic of their marriage consummation arises (I completely understand where he's coming from. Necrophilia is sick – even if it is with a perfect vampire). Sensing the turn of events as he eavesdropped on Jacob's mind, husband immediately asks Jacob to leave.
Brushing off the unnerving encounter, the pair play the part of perfect couple as if nothing out of the ordinary just occurred. Once the newlyweds have finished mingling with their guests, they jet off to a beautiful location called Esme Island – yes, after Edward's mother (I guess generosity and romantic gestures run in the family). The couple enjoy their time there in pure wedded bliss, until Husband becomes Father when he impregnates Bella after 2 weeks of sex.
Now, let me recall a couple of months ago, during a q&a with Authoress Stephenie Meyer, did she not say that Vampires have venom instead of body fluids? How then, pray tell, did Bella get herself pregnant? It shouldn't matter then that one of them is still human. If I recall correctly, sperm is a body fluid, not venom. Does he have some kind of super dazzle sperm or something? 'Cause if that's the case, then I don't see how vampires cannot breed with other vampires. If the male vampires have dazzle sperm, shouldn't the female ones have dazzle eggs, as well? Correct me if I'm wrong but that just doesn't add up.
Anyways, tallying back, like all male creatures, Edward freaks about the prospect of being a father to this abomination – and he is not alone in this. Most of the Cullens do some freaking out as well, with the exception of Esme, Rosalie, and Emmett. We soon find out where all the fears come from - ofcourse, the creature growing inside Bella isn't fully human; she's half-vampire. And as a vampire, well, she needs to feed on blood. But the characters figure this out much later, so while they are trying to think about what can heal Bella, the little monster inside her belly is feeding off of her.
In “book 2”, with Jacob as the narrator, I found reading his thoughts much easier than reading Bella's. He offers a fresher perspective for the audience and we all take comfort in being away from Bella's usual laments. Although not exactly as entrancing as the sneak peak of Midnight Sun we got from Edward's POV, it still felt good to be away from Bella.
Most of the pregnancy were shown through Jacob's eyes. How he dealt with the situation and how he thought of it. By this time, he developed a kind of kinship with Edward – who turned into an empty-shell of man upon realizing how helpless he was in Bella's case.
When the pack heard about this hybrid the Cullens were breeding, they all call for a meeting and decide that this creature Bella is nursing is a threat to everybody. Sam, as Alpha, has then decided that this has to be stopped. Jake, realizing the danger was not only to that thing Bella was carrying inside her but to her as well, didn't hear any of it. So when Sam made direct pack orders, Jacob turns ass and decides to assume his role as Alpha. He heads off in hot pursuit of the Cullens to warn them about the Pack's about face to their treaty. Little Seth joins in on the ride as he has developed a fondness for Edward.
Soon enough, only female werewolf Leah, Seth's older sister, decides she wants to stay with Jacob and joins his pack. The trio dedicate their lives in making sure the Cullens were protected.
The birthing was from Jacob's eyes and we discover how gruesome it was. The child actually tore at Bella's stomach to get out. Jacob, seeing his bestfriend dying before his eyes, decides that he has to kill the thing that did it to her – their child.
Ah yes, THE CHILD. The daughter who has Bella's eyes, Edward's everything, and Charlie's curly hair. The one named after both sets of grandparents – Renesme Carlie. I swear, I still burst out laughing whenever I hear that. Oh, and here's the clincher, her nick name is Nessie – as in the Loch Ness Monster. HAHAHA.
Jacob goes down to find Rosalie cradling the baby. He couldn't get full view because Rosalie's front was facing the same direction as he... he crouches down, ready to pounce, when Rosalie turns and he gets to see the baby. All of a sudden....
BOOM.
“I am in love” thought the Dog. YES, he imprinted on Nessie. YES, he imprinted on the daughter of the girl he loves more than anyone else in the world. YES, he imprinted on a half-vampire. YES, he imprinted on a girl who will only mature up to 7 years old in her physical form.
NECROPHILIA and now PEDOPHILIA? That's really sick.
With that, Jacob's narration ended.
When we finally get back into Bella's head again, we read about a whole chapter of her whining and whining in her head – seemingly dead. But alas, she is not... for while Jake was imprinting on her daughter, Edward started biting her and injecting venom into her heart, making her a vampire.
Bella wakes up 2 days later, in full vampire form. Beautiful face, perfect body, melodious voice, and superpowers to boot. Yes, Bella becomes Supervampire – or superbella. Whichever you prefer. Next to her, the Cullens seem dispensible because apparently, she is better than all of them.
The problem with all of this is that Bella lost her essence, she is no longer the girl everyone identified with.
Amazingly, the story didn't end there. Instead, we find Bella faced with another bitter vampiress whose lover, Laurent, was killed again because of Bella. Sneaky, little, thing that she is though... she decides to contact the Volturi instead of staging an all-out war by herself. Irina, one of the Denali's, sees little Nessie and remembers that Vamps were banned from making little vamps because of their inability to control themselves.
The Volturi, always glad to have more to do, decide to pay the Cullens a little visit and see what they were stirring up controversies for now. Alice, upon foreseeing the future in her mind, immediately gets wind of this and alerts her fellow Cullens. Having already grown attached to the little one, the Cullens decide to host a vampire-gathering to bear as their witness that Nessie is harmless.
Actually, I got pretty excited at this part because lots of new Vamps were introduced – along with their powers. SM may have lost her talent for writing stories, but her characters are as captivating as ever.
To my utter dismay, the little gathering was nothing more than a little fart in the wind. Building up the tension to what may be a great war rivaling JK Rowling's “The War at Hogwarts” chapter in the final HP Novel, SM decides that Bella and her superpowers are stronger than all the Volturis. That, and her daughter. So yeah, the VAMPIRE SOIREE was nothing more than that – a soiree.
The book did not climax.
While reading this, it was reminiscent of reading a thousand fanfics all of which had a happy ending. Stering clear of “The Great Sacrifice”, which is famous in the fantasy genre – that is, killing one of the favorite characters in the book, SM gave all the fans what they wanted. She wrote the book thinking like a reader, and not like an author.
No grandeur.
She didn't add anything essential to the book.
She just tied up loose ends.
With that, we bid adieu to the Cullens.
We're all morons. We're all idiots. We're all still trying to find ourselves - searching for ourselves. Ultimately, I think that that's what life is all about, finding yourself. And once you do so, you die. And it's a tragedy. But tragedies are always beautiful in a heart-shattering, painful way. So what else is new?
Imagine settling for a life you can have because you don’t have the courage to go after the life you really want. That’s what made me do it—make one of those decisions—the kind that bends your future in a whole new direction. Every day the opportunity exists to change your life. But most days, the idea of having to change the big things in life just seems like too much work.
I like nonsense. It wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living. It’s a way of looking at life through the wrong end of the telescope,
My biggest fear? No, it's not spiders or snakes or even clowns. Although I do tend to have nightmares about them. But this fear is so much bigger. Bigger than me or you. The fear of leaving this world without affecting someone's life. Without leaving a memory of me somewhere on this earth. Yeah, that's what I’m afraid of.
They say we'll never see half as much as they did.
We wonder why black & white photos capture our soul. I think it's because without color, we aren't drawn to make-up, or the color of our eyes, or our hair, or how tan our skin is. Black & white captures the innocence on ones face & their vulnerability. The glow comes from the inside brightening our eyes, our skin, & smile. It grabs the truth that liberates us.
