New Moon...Review

About the book:
Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

I liked it, sort of. But, like Twilight, it was a slow starter for me. The dialogue was still clunky and sappy and often felt like Meyer was, again, trying too hard. She still needs a good editor. Bella's narration is awkward throughout the book.

All the way through this book I wanted to throttle her. She's still weak and whiny. She used Jacob something fierce. Her melodrama over losing Edward was enough to make me vomit. There's a point during grief where you need to leave the valley of despair. To camp out there is unhealthy.

Teenagers tend to think the world revolves around them, and Bella is typical in this. I think one of my main complaints is that she has not grown or evolved as a person. Meyer has failed miserably in developing a strong character. I still don't see any reason for Edward to like her. She has no depth, she has no interests other than Edward and herself. Her vision is typically teenager in that her life will begin and be one great romance once Edward has turned her. Perhaps my error is in wanting her to be so much more than she is: a teenage girl.

And Edward. Hello? What happened? Edward's age and life experience should make him a man of depth. In this book, he was as bad as Bella. The "I can't have her, I think she's dead, so I'm going to end my life too" scenario is so unlike how the character of Edward should be.

Book 3 is next. Hopefully, somewhere along the way the series will be redeemed. I'm not holding out much hope. I still don’t get the hype. Especially from grown women. Silly, idealistic, teenage girls going nuts over it, I can see. Grown women? I don’t get it. But, then again, I don’t get the hype over High School Musical either. And grown women go nuts over it too.

Read 2/08

* *
2/5 Stars

Comments

  1. Willful suspension of disbelief. Bella is also the only person Edward could ever have a normal relationship with since he can't read her mind. I think 3 will satisfy somewhat but remember a 4th book is due soon.

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  2. Honestly, I can't see how any other books are going to make this story better. I will give them a chance, though. Eclipse came in at the library so I will be reading it soon.

    I can see the logic behind the argument that because he can't read her mind he can have a "normal" relationship with her. But the thing is though, they don't have a normal relationship. In addition to the whole vampire/human thing not being normal, their relationship simply consists of high drama, stolen nights and trouble. Perhaps that's why it appeals to teenage girls so much. It's modern fantasy. There is no substance to their relationship, there is nothing other than the whole, "I love you, but I can't be with you" or "If I can't have you I'm going to die" or "I want to be with you, but you have to stay human no matter what." Neither one is a better person because of the other. Bella is actually a more negative, willful person because of Edward. Edward had potential in Twilight. There was more depth to him. Here he's as shallow as Bella is.

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  3. I like your take on the series, and I do agree with a lot of it. I've had fun with the books and didn't look for much depth in them. New Moon was my favorite. I think it's because I really like Jake and got to see a lot more of him in that one. I was actually disappointed when Edward came back.

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  4. ABSOLUTELY agree with you. I think it's fine as escapist reading, but let's not pretend it's high literature.

    I don't mind reading the books, I enjoy them well enough, but I don't see the draw for grown women. Aren't we experienced enough to realize that this is almost absurd romantic fiction?

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  5. You know, after talking with my good friend Sherri yesterday about these books, I realized why I don't like them. It is not because it is juvenile reading or that Bella drives me crazy...it is the fact that Stephanie Meyer is LDS and I feel like the way she writes these books is not acceptable. I mean really...the theme through all these books is lust. Pure and simple. Bella is one hormonal chick. Always having Edward spend the night even though nothing happens...what kind of message does that send to our youth who are all over these books? Like that is cool or even okay. Good grief. And, there is such a theme of depression and despair throught the books...nothing uplifting. Several of my friends and I have mentioned how we wouldn't want our kids reading these books. Well, why are we reading them then? When I read the online summaries of the last 2 books in the series it really reminded me of how easily it is to be caught up in the world with things. Why would we want to fill our minds with all that nonsense when there are so many other good things out there? I'm glad I didn't waste my time reading the final two books. Just my 2 cents!

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  6. I have friends who would completely agree with you. What bothers me on that angle is the fact that LDS booksellers sell them and so people don't realize that they aren't LDS books. Because of that so many LDS girls read them and I just hope they will realize that it's not appropriate for the boy you love to stay in your room all night, or it's not ok to always lie to your parents! The fact remains that they aren't LDS books, They aren't published by Deseret Book (although they are sold by Desert Book). Yes, Meyer is LDS, but she didn't write them for an LDS audience or with LDS characters. But because of the LDS part, she's held to a higher standard.

    I was more bothered by the fact that they're treated as high literature and they're pure pop trash romantic fluff. They're completely over-rated. I actually liked the last one, which surprised me a great deal, because I didn't like the first two and thought the third one was ok. I checked them all out of the library. I read them mostly so I could write snarky reviews and tick off the people who think they're the best thing ever written and who stand in line at bookstores at midnight. I love Harry Potter, but I didn't stand in any lines at midnight to buy the books!

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