After a several-month layoff, I picked up Eclipse again this week and just finished it last night. I liked it much more than the other two books, making me slightly motivated to continue on pretty soon into Breaking Dawn. Bella's is still not my favorite head to be inside--still too guilty and self-loathing, too emotional and weak/swoony, though admittedly with some courage when it comes to battle. I liked hearing the Quileute mythology about how they came to be wolves, and I was interested in hearing about Jasper's back story and wars among the vampire groups and the stuff about armies of newborns. I'm still Team Alice, so it's good that Jasper is a bit more worthy a companion for her than the earlier books (and especially the movies) have presented him.
I can see why Lorri and Hope both told me they liked the camping scene with Jacob playing space heater and he and Edward finally communicating. Overall, I guess I liked it, too, but it was also really contrived feeling with neither of the two guys seeming like real people at all (then and hardly ever). Too eloquent, too noble, too "ooh, look how cleverly I'm playing the game to win Bella." And it cracks me up how riled up and ready for sex Meyer has Bella practically every minute of the book yet any of the intense scenes where Bella or someone else is actually pushing the matter are so chastely written. Ah, Mormonism ... ye crack me up many times.
I guess in the next book I'm looking forward to Jacob finding someone and how all of Bella's imperviousness to the Cullen and Volturi "gifts" plays out. Plus, did I hear there's finally some headboard banging? If so, I'm looking forward to seeing again how Meyer manages to keep all the characters hands and mouths solely resting upon lips, necks, collar bones, and waists!
Oh, and I still can't see why none of you (the Spoon women included) like Kristen Stewart as Bella. Having read in these books, she seems like she's playing Bella exactly as written. Is it that you somehow are thinking Bella's a stronger person than Stewart is showing? If so, I say read again!
11 comments:
Glad you read it and liked it. Definitely my favorite. I also love all the back stories. Alice is the best. I like Kristen Stewart as Bella. I think she does the part well, and her look is perfect.
Good to hear one vote for KS, Haley! Cool.
Was I wrong about the others of you not liking her portrayal?
Also, was just thinking about the book cover. What's the significance of the ribbon? Was it from something early in the book and I can't remember it now?
I'm on the Kristen Stewart as Bella fan bus as well.
You didn't miss anything. I think it just represents Bella being torn apart by her decision and having to choose between two people she loves. I don't think it has much significance. I tried to look it up but came up empty. By the way, while at Steph's site I found out that she is publishing a new book about Bree from Eclipse! It comes out soon and all proceeds are a donation to the American Red Cross for Haiti relief. Pretty cool.
I think Kristen does a good job as Bella, too. I think it's just Bella that annoys a little. (Although Kristen does sigh and moan too much for my liking). I also think that most of us agree that the movies just are not as good as the books. Breaking Dawn does have a few less mormony-written scenes. I think a few 12 year olds may have been educated a little. But, probably the best thing is that Bella's character is much more likeable. And, yes, Jacob finds someone! Have fun Dan. Glad you liked Eclipse (for the most part).
Wow, I'd thought it was universal hatred for the KS portrayal. How did I end up thinking that? Come one haters, where are you? Gotta hear your gripes....
Love your line, Amy, about some 12-year-olds getting a bit of an education. I look forward to seeing how Meyer handles that.
Heley, I'd heard the announcement about the novella about Bree before I read that scene in Eclipse and realized it had to be about that character. It will be interesting to see what Meyer does with it when you already know how Bree's life ends.
Arggg! I spent forever writing a comment for this inbetween lots of distractions in the form of two little girls and it apparently never showed up! GRRRroar!
Now I don't have time to write it again, but I will try to recreate it a little later. Boo!! I hate that!
I was a witness to all of the distractions. Sorry Em, I'm sure you had lots of enlightening comments for us. We want to hear what you have to say. You're in my living room right now so I really could just ask you what you said, but I'll patiently await your new comment.
I don't know about that Aim, but they went something like this:
Glad you liked Eclipse Dan, it's my favorite one. I like Kristen Stewart too so I think you got some wrong info/impressions. My only complaint is her breathy pause things.
Lets see-- I had some comments about Edward/Jacob and their ways:
1. Meyer is hardly the first one author to make men seem real. It is a very common practice in the world of romantic books and movies steered to women. The men are shown to be overly chiv etc to give women a break from the real men in their lives that have love handles and sit on the couch too long instead of spouting poetic verses of love to their women 24/7. I don't know how this makes women feel better or whatever, but it's definitely common. 2. I think Edward deserves a bit of a break in his too good to be true-ness, he HAS had almost 100 years to perfect his character. Not a lot of George Clooney's characters can say that. Jacob has SOME true to life moments and shows some immature behavior, but all in all (or at the end of the day if you like- heehee) he doesn't act like any 15 year old I've met.
Bella/sex machine:
Bella cracks me up in this book on this regard too. I also cracked up after reading a few scathing comments on Amazon by some mormon mothers that could not believe the smut their daughters had been subjected too. Good thing the mom most likely burned Breaking Dawn and prevented said daughters from ever reading it (yeah right mom! Nice try.) Ah Mormons- bless your pointy little heads. I was also glad to see the girl as the one that must be stopped when things got too hot. Perhaps I read too many mormon novels as a youth, but it seems that it's always the girl that stops things in a real chaste and (burgeoning on condescending) manner. So I was glad to see a break in the cliche' there. Kind of refreshing.
Well that about covered it I think, plus a few bonuses.
Should have checked before sending! I was trying to say in my first sentence about the men that Meyer didn't invent making men act unnaturally chivalrous or too good to be true in books and movies -don't know what exactly I was trying to say in my last comment, it was pretty weirdly written, but what I wrote above about covers my thoughts I was trying to portray.
Good comments, Em! I guess I knew that about men in romance novels (I don't think I've ever read one, however). Not sure it's a healthy thing for women or relationships, and it makes it even more dubious that books like this can ever speak enough truth to be important or good literature, but I guess I get it as escape.
Glad I wasn't alone on laughing at the hot-to-trot scenes and how they were written. Good point on it this being a change from most things that require the stop mechanism to be thrown by the woman. You also made me think some more and reminded me that I did kind of like how Edward's desire to be married before sex was also tied to his keeping open the slight possibility (in his mind) that he/vampires still have souls and wanting to preserve at least one piece he considers as part of a virtuous life even if he'd already gone against so much else. I do have to say I admire all the Cullens for striving to overcome their basest instincts.
Glad to hear another vote for KS doing a pretty good job and playing Bella basically as written. Agree with Amy that it's just so hard to like any portrayal in movies that are so, so badly done.
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