Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Book Review - Eclipse and Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

So, as I have told many, I am not a freak about these books, like most of Utah is. I read the first two for book club and they were VERY entertaining. But I do not like Bella. She is totally selfish in my eyes and she bugs me. Some would say I'm just jealous, and maybe that is true. I also feel that while very entertaining they are not very well written. Meyer repeats herself too much and I'm not just talking about certain phrases (I'll barf if I have to read about how "Edward smiled that crooked smile that I love so much." again - EWW) . She repeats whole conversation over and over and rehashes and rehashes. It made me crazy. It got to the point where pretty much every conversation between Bella and Edward made me want to fall alseep. Also, Meyer needs a new proof reader because I am horrible at proof reading (those of you who read my blog regularly are aware of this) and even I found at least 5 typos, extra words ect., in each book. But please, don't get me wrong Very entertaining.

I thought Eclipse fit perfectly with the first two. Great continuation of the story with nice suspense and resolution - well as much resolution as you can get in the third book of a four book series. My favorite part? Jacob and Bella in the same Sleeping bag! That part was great.

On to Breaking Dawn. I have to say it. She went too far. Again - very entertaining, I couldn't put it down. But soooooo weird that I'm not sure if I liked it or not....

These books totally mess with my head though. I am seriously feeling a time crunch on my life. Why can't I be a mother for twenty years and then go to med school for a decade and then vaccinate African babies for a decade and then go to school to study anthropology and do that for a decade or two and then spend a few decades traveling and learning languages and going on humanitarian missions or reading, reading and reading. Do you know how much reading I could get done if I didn't have to sleep at night. TIME! I need more time. A few more centuries is all I'm asking!

5 comments:

Becky said...

AMEN SISTER!!!

Ok, so I just started the third book but I am seriously thinking about not reading it or the last book because Bella is bugging me so much. I think the books are pretty entertaining but, DRA-MA!

Jules said...

Julie I have serious issues with these books too. I felt like they were way too long and over detailed. I found myself skipping parts just to get to some depth. Also I am way bugged by Bella too, she is way too dependent on Edward and Jacob both.

The biggest issue I have is the way these books affect young women. If a young woman is grounded and normal their fine reading these, because they can distinguish between reality and fiction. Unfortunately there are many troubled young women out there who are way too into these books and now want to find their own Edward and become vampires. Too weird for words.

I too was way bugged by the typos, they were just in too much of a hurry to get these out because of the craze. I really hope it ends soon. I have yet to read the last book and I hear it is a ton of pages. Lets just say I have better reads on my list right now. Thanks for the honest review.

Kathy said...

I only made it through one - the first one. It was all too ridiculous/funny to me. I'm sorry - I'm not an animal lover really and Edward totally reminds me of a dog! Sniffin' around all the time. Protective but on the other hand you never know when they'll bite your face off. He loves to run around and chase things. The part when they're in the field and the sun is on him and she touches him - he says something like "you have no idea how great that feels" I know he's talking about the sun but still all I could think of was a dog stretched out getting scratched. I suppose he'd make a better werewolf by the way I've described him. I never got to the werewolf saga so I don't know how she describes them - anything like vampires?

Emily said...

Whatever, I loved it L. O. V. E. D. loved it!

So whatever with you?!?! IT's FICTION, in otherwords, the author is allowed to go crazy!

Any apricots left?

Anonymous said...

I'm not quite done with Breaking Dawn yet, but I was so agreeing with you about the rehash of conversations! Book 4 did not need to be 700 pages long if they could just stop having these "sure" "you're right" "no way!" dilogues. I'm telling you this is what I really liked about A Room with a View. The READER does the thinking and the filling in! Julie--you should definately read it!
BUT I DO LIKE THE BOOKS! Her writing style isn't the greatest. But she has me staying up late because I want to keep reading to get to a good part.