Review: Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer

 

The legions of readers who are hooked on the romantic struggles of Bella and the vampire Edward will ecstatically devour this third installment of the story begun in Twilight, but it's unlikely to win over any newcomers. Jake, the werewolf met in New Moon, pursues Bella with renewed vigilance. However, when repercussions from an episode in Twilight place Bella in the mortal danger that series fans have come to expect, Jake and Edward forge an uneasy alliance.

The plot patterns have begun to show here, but Meyer's other strengths remain intact. The supernatural elements accentuate the ordinary human dramas of growing up. Jake and Edward's competition for Bella feels particularly authentic, especially in their apparent desire to best each other as much as to win Bella. Once again the author presents teenage love as an almost inhuman force: "[He] would have been my soul mate still," says Bella, "if his claim had not been overshadowed by something stronger, something so strong that it could not exist in a rational world." According to Meyer, the fourth book should tie up at least the Edward story, if not the whole shebang. Ages 12-up. (Aug.) Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information

My Review:

In the novel, New Moon, author, Stephanie Meyer did something so downright predictable, it split young adults (as well as Twilight-loving moms) into two frightening categories. She developed a relationship that was more than simple friendship between Isabella “Bella” Swan and her werewolf friend, Jacob Black.

Immediately after reading the novel, people started taking sides in the debate on whether Bella should get the opportunity to live a normal and mortal life with her best friend, or whether she should continue her whirlwind romance with her vegetarian vampire. Merchandise declaring a stand in Team Edward or Team Jacob began popping up everywhere. While fans eagerly awaited the third book, Eclipse, the online battles rose to insurmountable proportions. Thankfully, Eclipse gave us a new team to root for: Team Switzerland. 

 When I began reading Eclipse, I was hoping there would be a way for both the vampire’s and werewolves to co-exist. I was tired of hearing all of the enemy talk. Honestly, the werewolves seem much more aggressive than the vampires, it was hard to take the vampires as much of a threat in the first place. But I am happy to report Eclipse does come to hold a delicate balance between the groups of supernatural creatures.

Poor Bella has had a rough time since she took off in the middle of the night with Alice to save her boyfriend, Edward, in Italy. Her father, Charlie, has put restrictions on the time she can see Edward. Her friendship with Jacob is tenuous because she chose the vampires over him. The only thing she really has to look forward to is the fact she still has Edward in her life and they are about to graduate. Unfortunately, the graduation isn’t something Edward is looking forward to because his family has agreed to turn Bella into a vampire per the orders of the Volturi.

While Bella is both excited as well as scared over her impending transformation into an immortal being, things still aren’t quite right. She feels badly for hurting Jacob, and Edward isn’t allowing her to go see him because he can’t follow her on to Quileute lands in order to check on her safety. While in my mind it is stereotypical controlling behavior and signs of an abusive relationship, others will vehemently disagree with me.

Edward takes Bella out of town to visit her mother before she is turned to a vampire, but there is a boundary disturbance back at Forks between the vampires and werewolves and they return. Bella learns there is more going on than just jealousy, or a feud between species. Victoria, James’s mate from the first book, is searching for Bella because Laurent never returned. If you read New Moon, then you know Laurent never returns because he was ripped to pieces by the Quileute Werewolves.

Through the book we also learn of vampire attacks the Cullens are keeping an eye on. They discover that in Seattle, someone is building an army of sadistic newborn vampires. Even though Seattle is close to one hundred miles away, the Cullens fear all of the attention this army is getting will also gain the attention of the Volturi and force them to come clean up the mess and check on Bella’s immortality while they are in the area.

We learn some cool things in this book that I hadn’t been expecting, mostly to do with Jasper. The only information we knew about Jasper until this point was that he is in love with Alice and he is an empath (the ability to read and manipulate other’s emotions.). Through Eclipse we learn he was the youngest Major in the Confederate Army during the Civil War. He was strong, bright, and obviously talented. One night he offered assistance to three women who were traveling, and they turned him and trained him to be a General for their army in the Southern Vampire Wars. Tired of the fighting and bloodshed, he eventually left and became a nomad, travelling until the fateful day when he met Alice.

Because of Jasper’s extensive experience in the Southern Vampire Wars, he leads the Cullen family, as well as the neighboring Quileute Werewolves, into a truce to battle the extremely strong and destructive newborn vampire army.

I have to admit this is one hell of a book when it comes to action and suspense. I was expecting the same brooding and whining emotions I have now associated with Twilight to come through, but once the characters have a task at hand, their brooding and self-loathing gets put on the sidelines so they can fight for their right to their immortal lives. It is both refreshing and fun. The characters seem much more at ease with one another.

I won’t spoil the ending, even though I am dying to. I will leave you with my rating. Eclipse, part of the Twilight Saga gets a whopping 4 kisses from me. While is not the best in the series, it will forever be one of my favorites.

There is tons of mystery, suspense, and action. There are resolutions when it comes to Edward possibly turning Bella himself, Plus - I forgot to mention; there might also be a proposal in there somewhere! Go out, buy this book, and read it. I promise you won’t regret it.

 

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