Breaking Dawn by Stephenie MeyerMy review
rating: 3 of 5 starsSince I had to wait a week for Amazon.com's free shipping to deliver the book this Saturday - I went on GR & A.com's website to look at the reviews for this book. And I ended up spoiling it for myself. So I knew everything that was going to happen and it sounded so contrived and stupid. And then I started reading. I was surprised how much I liked it -- I guess the key is to go in with really low expectations! :-) Based on most people's low reviews and the record # of returns bookstores are experiencing with this book . . . people had way to high expectations for a Stephenie Meyer book.
So I am on Team Jacob and liked the first part of the book--I'm ok with the whole EB stuff because Jake is too good for her anyway :-). I even didn't mind the whole pregnancy thing.
I hated the second part. It seemed like she had so much potential to use Jake in a great way -- to mature him as he grew into his Alpha position. And that was all wasted the second he imprinted on the stupid baby.
I also didn't like how everything was so freaking easy for Bella. Being a newborn isn't hard . . . can learn to use her shield in a few days . . . That is what you call character development? Give her everything she wants, make it really easy for her . . . make her noble and sacrificing . . . oh yeah and then make her the one that saves everyone. Oh and her obsession with SEX? Holy. Cow. Take a cold shower honey.
So there were a few parts that might deserve 4 stars. I liked the gathering of covens, etc. And a whole bunch that deserved 2 stars. But average it out and I didn't love it but I definitely didn't hate it. Surprising since I dislike Bella so much.
I must just add that all you moms out there who are letting your kids (10-17 age) read this book--shame on you! I have talked to LOTS of 11-12 year olds who are devouring and obsessing over these books. Wow! I am glad I wasn't exposed to this kind of stuff in my imagination at this age. I would even say recommend it for after marriage (post honeymoon) LOTS of sexual content--but also because it sets some pretty unrealistic expectations (not just in bed but how everything just works and and you're eternally happy with no hard work, etc.) ~ which are ruining enough marriages in the world today.
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I am on Team Jacob too. What a guy!! You're review was almost exactly what I thought too. I almost quit reading the book after the second part but ended up finishing it.
ReplyDeleteWow, rough review Kris! I haven't read any reviews online, but I am assuming that most people didn't enjoy it. I, however, LOVED it, and here is why. . .
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, when I read the first book I was really not enamoured to the series at all. The writing was so obviously done by a rookie author and the story was sickeningly obsessive about Edward. . . heck, by the end of the book I could hardly stand the guy.
Inspite of my inclination to drop the series all together, I did read the second book, and I liked it quite a bit better because her relationship with Jacob was so much healthier and more realistic than the one with Edward. Plus, her writing seemed to get a little better.
Third book I liked pretty well too, but I was getting really sick of the Nothing-can-ever-go-right and we are about to die constantly thing.
The reason I enjoyed the last book so thoroughly was because I had very small expectations of the book and I was prepared for more doom-and-gloom no-one-can-ever-be-happy writing, and instead I was surprised by the positive way things turned out. Meyer's writing style has matured quite a bit by this book, and as for the obsession with sex. . . they ARE newly weds, if anything it seems pretty true to life. I like that I didn't have to suffer through chapter upon chapter of Bella struggling to become a good vampire. There are some people in the world who are naturally good at things (your cousin Anna for example), let Bella have this one, why the heck not!
Anyway, it was easy, purely enjoyable reading for me. I have been reading so many difficult to get through or emotionally trying books that it was a good breather for me.
Ok, so I haven't read the 4th book, but I totally agree with not liking Bella AND that the content of the book is way too mature for a lot of girls reading it. My 12 year old niece is reading the first book, which is probably ok, but I told my sis-in-law not to let her read the others. On, and I really like Jacob over Edward. He is so much more realistc.
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