Eclipse (Twilight, #3)

by Stephenie Meyer

book data

117,677 ratings, 4.14 average rating, 16,107 reviews (more data...)

rating	frequency	%
5		47%
4		28%
3		16%
2		5%
1		2%

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published

January 1st 2007 by Little, Brown and Company

binding

Hardcover

url

http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/eclipse.ht...

characters

Edward Cullen, Jacob Black, Bella Swan

setting

Forks, WA

isbn

0316160202 (isbn13: 9780316160209)

description

As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surro...more

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07/16/08

James rated it:

bookshelves: modern-fantasy

Read in July, 2008

"You gave it three stars?" she asked me, biting her lip and holding her breath.

"Yes," I finally answered with my marble lips, cold yet strangely comforting, even warm. "Stephenie, don't forget to breathe."

"Oh, of course." A storm seemed to rage in her for just a moment.

"I gave it a three. It's good." I would never lie to her, could never lie to her. Yet, somehow, she felt it was a lie and brooded in stillness f...more

Like this review? yes (341 people liked it)

78 comments

12/18/07

Lucy rated it:

Read in December, 2007

recommends it for: No one

I'm tempted to write a review for each of the Twilight books, but I really don't want to put myself through it. So this should do for all three books.

I understand the love for this trilogy. An unabashedly perfect, stunning, 'dazzling' hero who falls in love with an 'ordinary' girl; what teenage female wouldn't want to be in that situation?

Thing is, Edward is far from perfect, dazzling and certainly doesn't have a patch on Heathcliff - or even Michaelangelo's David, come ...more I'm tempted to write a review for each of the Twilight books, but I really don't want to put myself through it. So this should do for all three books.

I understand the love for this trilogy. An unabashedly perfect, stunning, 'dazzling' hero who falls in love with an 'ordinary' girl; what teenage female wouldn't want to be in that situation?

Thing is, Edward is far from perfect, dazzling and certainly doesn't have a patch on Heathcliff - or even Michaelangelo's David, come to that. And Bella is nothing like an 'ordinary' girl. What ordinary girl, when faced with her boyfriend hacking someone to pieces and burning the remains, would be completely calm - worried about her boyfriend's perfect face, in fact? What ordinary girl would accept that the two points in her love triangle are actually a werewolf and a vampire? Of course, Meyer wants us to suspend disbelief and enjoy the books as a fantasy; but the characters, the writing and the setting don't allow it.

Edward is far too perfect to go unremarked for so long, even in such a small town. As are his 'family', each of whom is utterly gorgeous physically and generally nice in character. How could such a family simply hide and be unremarked so easily? Why haven't any of them been noticed? Why is Edward living in a tiny town in the US when he has an entire world to explore; surely there are many more interesting places.

In the first book, I almost sympathised with Bella. She was in a new town, scared, miserable, but clearly strong enough to take a big step like leaving her mother's home permanently and moving to live with her father. I felt slightly sorry for her, and was glad when Edward finally stopped being nasty and patronising to her. I even smiled when Edward suggested Bella tell Charlie that Edward was her boyfriend.

In the second and third books, Bella was selfish, self-centered, whiny, and yet portrayed as self-sacrificing, brave, and 'stronger than she looks'. It seemed that every three pages Bella was swooning, being sick, crying or standing around and staring in shock. I don't read a book for the details of nausea. How could she be so utterly pathetic after all she had been through? Bella did not change at all throughout the three books; she remained ignorant, rude, and absolutely, foolishly blind to Edward's faults and her terrible situation.

Edward was completely flat; when he wasn't giving long, confusing speeches about what was going on and why he couldn't do this, that or the other, and why Bella should apologise and why he should apologise etc. etc., I found nothing of the character to identify with. He was nothing at all. I couldn't understand why Jacob - the only character in the books that I really liked - was so deeply in love with Bella after the way she treated him.

The romance between Edward and Bella was just that; 'romance'. Nowhere in any of the books did it feel like a true, strong, deep relationship. Even when Bella raced to Italy and saved Edward, I felt nothing. In fact, the only time any of these books made me feel something was at the very end of the third book, with Jacob's reaction.

Throughout the three books, the writing remained absurdly simple and badly constructed. More than once I had to flip back to understand who was speaking and who they were talking about; in particular Meyer's constant use of 'he' throughout the second and third novels was hard to follow.

The teenage girl side of me liked these books; pure shallow escapism is nice once in a while, and I did like the unabashed honesty of a 'perfect' hero. Naturally I wouldn't mind an Edward one day.

The writer side of me, the older side and the philosophical side wondered why I was reading these books at all. Surely there are better books with clearer tales, books with heroines who aren't needy, unhealthily obsessed with her boyfriend and utterly selfish? If anyone is looking for a good book to read, I highly recommend reading Wuthering Heights. (less)

Like this review? yes (88 people liked it)

67 comments

10/12/07

Saya rated it:

Read in August, 2007

recommends it for: Only read for the sake of the very few important things that manage to happen

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Eclipse took what magic was in Twilight and survived the boring but interesting New Moon and killed it off with it's length, lack of imagery, inconsistencies, and lifeless characters.

The high school romance theme is COMPLETELY abandoned- we have the occasional, random scene since we need some build up to Bella's very boring graduation where she doesn't care. I think the high school theme is one of the reasons Twilight was such a success, the reader was really in Bella's shoes as she ...more

Like this review? yes (41 people liked it)

27 comments

10/15/07

Veronica rated it:

recommends it for: Teen girls with far-fetched illusions of romance

I had expectations for this book, but I found it to be a terrible disappointment. Where to begin with?

First of all, I have lost most of the respect I had for Bella as a character. Her obsession for Edward has really gone overboard, to the point of becoming downright annoying, even unhealthy. She worships the ground he walks on, and is all too ready to dump her parents and friends just so she can spend more time with him without growing old. She doesn't seem to have any serious probl...more I had expectations for this book, but I found it to be a terrible disappointment. Where to begin with?

First of all, I have lost most of the respect I had for Bella as a character. Her obsession for Edward has really gone overboard, to the point of becoming downright annoying, even unhealthy. She worships the ground he walks on, and is all too ready to dump her parents and friends just so she can spend more time with him without growing old. She doesn't seem to have any serious problem with the idea of making her parents worry, or the thought of never see them again... she's willing to stomp over anything that isn't Edward, even things that can enrich her life. She's like a satellite, her boring life revolving solely around him. She has no self-worth, and spends a good deal of the book whining, complaining and sighing, I really wanted to shake her hard at times and tell her to GET A LIFE.

I also find it deeply disturbing that Bella is not more repulsed by the idea of blood lust. How could she accept the thought that she will want to kill people (even her family) so easily, just because of him?

Second, Edward has gone from charming to BORING. There is such a thing as being too perfect (read: dull), and Edward fits the mold perfectly. His character is so flat, and how many times can we hear Bella and Edward exchange their love for one another before becoming bored? I mean honestly, how perfect can he be before it simply becomes ridiculous? Most of the book is spent on the two of them fawning over each other and Bella saying over and over and over again how sexy and good-looking he is. Writing tip for the author: You don't need to tell us countless times that your character is wonderful. Actions speak for themselves. Jane Austen didn't need to remind us several times that Mr. Darcy was perfect... he simply was.

Third... Jacob. He's the reason I gave this book 2 stars. He was the most compelling character in the book. He wasn't perfect, but he was fun, honest, and very human, making big mistakes, but always trying to do his best... he was impossible not to love. He was real, not a perfect pretty doll with no flaws. Sadly, he was mostly wasted.

I also the think the magic Twilight had dissapeared. I liked the books because the author made the whole vampire/werewolf thing so credible, but now, with armies of vampires raging through Washington, credibility has gone out the window. Also the whole book was focused on on a love triangle that everybody knew how it would end, and it made everything very predictable. And how come nobody saw that Victoria was behind the killings, when it was so darn obvious even to the casual reader? Were they stupid? Overall, a great disappointment, I'm not sure if I'll read the next book in the series. Why bother? (less)

Like this review? yes (39 people liked it)

5 comments

02/16/08

Summer Owens rated it:

(review of isbn 1603960228)

Read in December, 2007

recommended to Summer by: practically every woman I know

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Sparked by a recent conversation with my friend Hillary, I have decided I need to post my thoughts about a certain series of novels written by Stephenie Meyer. Particularly the relationship between one, Bella, and the object of her affection. The supposedly uber hot vampire, Edward.

Believe me when I say Edward has been well cast in the movie which is scheduled for release in December of this year. I thought Robert Pattinson was exceedingly good looking when I first saw him in Harry P...more

Like this review? yes (28 people liked it)

6 comments

09/03/07

Ukrainer rated it:

Read in August, 2007

I succumbed and read Eclipse. I swear this is the last time I will ever write about Stephenie Meyer. I really am sick and tired of her books. Fortunately, the next won’t be released for a year, so I can put the series behind me for at least that long.

After offending several people with my dislike for the series, I am starting to feel vindicated. Something about the third installment has pushed some Meyer loyalists over the edge. I have heard students at work complaining about how r...more I succumbed and read Eclipse. I swear this is the last time I will ever write about Stephenie Meyer. I really am sick and tired of her books. Fortunately, the next won’t be released for a year, so I can put the series behind me for at least that long.

After offending several people with my dislike for the series, I am starting to feel vindicated. Something about the third installment has pushed some Meyer loyalists over the edge. I have heard students at work complaining about how repetitive the books can be, how little occurs in 600+ pages, how weak Bella is, and how repulsive some of the love scenes are. It feels good to be right.

This post isn’t intended to be a ripfest on Meyer, though. I really am feeling over her and her books. But here are a few reasons why:

* Throughout Eclipse, Bella compares herself and her relationship with Edward to Cathy and Heathcliff. That is a very brazen—and unwarranted—comparison to make. How big must Meyer’s ego be—how warped her sense of importance—to compare her book to Emily Brontë’s classic? I mean, seriously?
* Meyer beats the reader over the head with how much Bella and Edward love each other. Their love is unearthly (like Catherine and Heathcliff’s?); it surmounts all restraints and barriers. There never was such a love as theirs. Yet, for the life of me, after reading the three books I just don’t feel that love. I don’t even understand why the characters are attracted to each other. I’ve been told ad nauseum that Edward is attractive. But is physical attraction a solid basis for love? And what in the world can Edward (or Jacob, for that matter) find attractive about Bella? She whines and complains and trips and faints. Despite reading over 1500 pages about their love, I still don’t buy it. I feel no attachment to or investment in the characters or their relationship.
* The physicality in this book really has gone too far. One scene, in particular, is straight out of any romance novel. I’m not criticizing romance novels. They are what they are and don’t pretend to be anything else. This book, though, is masquerading as a young adult classic: “His hand curved around my elbow, moving slowly down my arm, across my ribs and over my waist, tracing along my hip and down my leg, around my knee. He paused there, his hand curling around my calf. He pulled my leg up suddenly, hitching it around his hip” (186). I blush even typing the words. Oh my.

Okay, I guess this is a Stephenie Meyer ripfest. I’m not sure why I feel so venomous (wink wink) about these novels. Maybe I’m just jealous that Meyer can write absolute filth and be a bestselling novelist. If nothing else, this should inspire me to write more and write better.(less)

Like this review? yes (28 people liked it)

14 comments

07/21/08

Larissa rated it:

bookshelves: 2008, americana, kinder, vampires

Read in July, 2008

Stephenie Meyer should be sending handwritten thank-you notes to every sorry teenager (and masochistic adult) who continues to slog through her Harlequin romp of a series. Were it not for what I will generously term my ‘anthropological interest’ in this ever-popularizing series, I for one would certainly be leading a caravan out to the old country to demand that she return the four and half hours that I lost reading New Moon. Even skimming, I felt robbed.

So why continue, you ask...more

Like this review? yes (23 people liked it)

2 comments

02/02/08

Sierra rated it:

Read in January, 2008

Okay, I gave two stars to this book because I kind of hate everything it stands for, but the facts remains the I've read ALL THREE books in this series cover to cover, and always feel a prick of glee when I get my hands on the newest one. I'm not sure what their diabolical pull on me is, and figuring it out would require the kind of self-analysis that would turn up things I'm sure I'd rather not know about. Here's the lowdown: Stephenie Meyer's books are hardcore teen romances with fangs-and-f...more Okay, I gave two stars to this book because I kind of hate everything it stands for, but the facts remains the I've read ALL THREE books in this series cover to cover, and always feel a prick of glee when I get my hands on the newest one. I'm not sure what their diabolical pull on me is, and figuring it out would require the kind of self-analysis that would turn up things I'm sure I'd rather not know about. Here's the lowdown: Stephenie Meyer's books are hardcore teen romances with fangs-and-fur window dressing. Not being the hugest fan of romance as a genre, I was hoping the vampires and werewolves would complicate the obsessive peregrenations of the heart that the series chronicles. Unfortunately, they don't. Does anyone read these books and actually not realize that getting bitten by a vampire is just a huge, chicken-poop metaphor for the giving of a young woman's virginity? I wish Stephenie had made her books thoughtful explorations of what it means to develop and experiment with your sexuality as a young person/feel torn between your vampire and your werewolf suitors/escape near death at the hands of bloodthirsty monsters, but she hasn't. For Bella Swan, everytime things get hot and heavy, her boyfriend calmly asks her to wait until he's bitten and transformed her so that he doesn't accidentally eat her during sex. Girls, what do we learn about sleeping with our young men from this story? Yuck. Also, although Bella is presented as a passably intelligent young person, she spends about 99.9% of her time thinking about how much she loves her sanguine paramour. I don't know about you, but while I was certainly very interested in sex and all its permutations when I was in high school, I was also interested in radical politics, bad hardcore bands, soft drugs and getting enough sleep before my stupid Zero Period PE class. Bella has no hobbies; she spends all of her time taking care of, being taken care of by, and thinking about the men in her life. This is not the kind of message I'd like to be sending to young women today; I know fantasy is fantasy, and sometimes it's nice to indulge your stupider ones, but three books-worth? Please. So I guess what I'm saying is that I read all these books so I can warn folks away from them in an informed manner....yeah, that's it. Here's my recommendation, since it won't fit in the intended field: I recommend this book to those who are capable of wading through pages and pages of bullcrap in pursuit of gem-like moments of unintentional hilarity. (less)

Like this review? yes (18 people liked it)

3 comments

05/22/08

Julie rated it:

bookshelves: paranormal, romance, young-adult

Read in June, 2008

recommends it for: Everybody... ok, Twilight fans.

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

I'm not sure I can write a very cohesive review for this, so I'm just going to mention some of my major thoughts and go from there.

Some of my favorite parts:

The title. It makes such beautiful, perfect sense now, that any worries I had about the final result of the Edward/Jacob question seem so silly! Way to come up with a perfectly suitable title with perfect imagery. :D

Asshattery. Good grief, but there was a lot of jerky behavior in this one, and most of it w...more

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05/11/08

Denys L.H. rated it:

recommended to Denys L.H. by: a dumbass
recommends it for: dumbasses that could care less about character developement

This book just made me hate the Twilight series even more. It made me hate Bella and Edward more. Hell, it even made me hate Stephanie Meyer for not double-checking her stupidity all in 629 pages. But I do love Jacob ever so much now. He rules. They suck. End of story. I read the third novel because of my curiosity, and we all know, curiosity killed my brain. This is my review of the novel and my opinion. Anyone who is unhealthily obsessed with Edward or the novel should not be reading this unle...more This book just made me hate the Twilight series even more. It made me hate Bella and Edward more. Hell, it even made me hate Stephanie Meyer for not double-checking her stupidity all in 629 pages. But I do love Jacob ever so much now. He rules. They suck. End of story. I read the third novel because of my curiosity, and we all know, curiosity killed my brain. This is my review of the novel and my opinion. Anyone who is unhealthily obsessed with Edward or the novel should not be reading this unless you want a good kick in the face!

We are introduced with Jacob (my hero) writing a letter to Bitchface (Bella) and just like himself, has many flaws, but usually ends sweetly. Charlie is not so crazy about Edward like his dumbass daughter Bella is because he put her in such an emo mood. Still, he lets her have her freedom but to only use that freedom to talk to others and not waste time with Edward or Alice because she barely has any friends. What surprises me about Bella is that she is planning to go to college! However, since Edward is practically running her life now, it was he who made the choice for her.

He insults werewolves because they're his natural enemies and blah blah blah, she should not hang out with him, but she reassures him they're still her friends. That's Bella for ya! Making situations a whole lot complicated then they already are. Then, Alice has a vision about Victoria hurting Bella (hoorah!), but this usually means melodrama all around and will not end well.

Some other things happen that aren't important, but Bella making the moves on Edward. She wants to DO IT, while her vampire sweetheart doesn't, only to the condition if she marries him. Why? Because he's a gentleman like that... duh! She agrees either way, as long as they get to DO IT.

Throughout the story, Edward and Jacob have a temporary truce to protect Bella from Victoria and her slave of vampire zombies. What we come to realize is that Bella finally accepts the truth that she is also in love with Jacob. I hear threesome coming our way! Edward doesn't like the fact Jacob is all around his meal--- er, fiance. He and Bella are shallow in this novel which makes me want to hammer them both in frustration. Then, the war begins and of course, Victoria is defeated and will not have a chance to kill Bella. I told you this will not end well.

The ending sucks. It tells about how Bella and Edward are planning to marry, then do the naughty thing, then he'll turn her into a vampire. I SMELL EROTICA COMING UP. To rub it onto Jacob's adorable, non-perfect face, they invite him to their wedding which just sounds really unpleasant. I felt really sorry for him. I just wanted to hug him, give him a doggy treat, and tell him he deserved more than a prick, AM I RIGHT? I only wish this series would end up the way it should be (Bella and Edward dead). :D(less)

Like this review? yes (19 people liked it)

12 comments

09/05/07

Jennifer rated it:

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: anyone

This is the third book in a trilogy – the other two books are twilight and new moon. I remember seeing twilight at Wal-Mart for the longest time. I picked it up several times, reading the back, debating on buying and reading it, and then putting it back. For the longest time, I thought well I’m not a big fan of Anne Rice or other vampire books so even though this sounds really good maybe I shouldn’t check it out.

Then in December of 2006 I was at the same Walmart buying Christm...more This is the third book in a trilogy – the other two books are twilight and new moon. I remember seeing twilight at Wal-Mart for the longest time. I picked it up several times, reading the back, debating on buying and reading it, and then putting it back. For the longest time, I thought well I’m not a big fan of Anne Rice or other vampire books so even though this sounds really good maybe I shouldn’t check it out.

Then in December of 2006 I was at the same Walmart buying Christmas presents for my nieces and nephew with someone and that someone said “Hey, I’ve seen you look at that book before maybe you should read it.” So, I bought it and read it and I was finished with it in like 2 days.

Then, I ordered new moon from my library and again read that one with in 2 days. I’m taking my time reading this one because I’m not sure if this is the last one or not and even if it isn’t it will be awhile before Meyer’s comes out with another one. I’ve been waiting since February and I’m not sure how long other fans of hers had been waiting.

I’m not all the way through this book, but so far, I’m very impressed with this one. It has more history in it, more of the other characters’ stories in it, and it’s a little bit more intense than the other two books of hers. I may not be a big fan of other vampire stories, but I am a big fan of this vampire story. Maybe, it’s because it’s young adultish or the way Meyer’s writes, but either way I’m hooked.

If you’re unfamiliar with the trilogy then let me give you a brief synopsis a young high school girl moves in with her father in Washington after living most of her life with her mother in Arizona. She meets up with a family of vampires, but not the scary bloodsucking kind. These vampires hunt animals not humans. She falls in love w/ one of the vampires, but he ends up leaving to protect her because the scent of her blood is too much among other things. In the second book, she befriends a son of one of her father’s friends who becomes a werewolf. The vampires and werewolves have a treaty and obviously aren’t friends. There’s more than just that, but that’s a synopsis. To me, it’s a little bit of romance, action, and the dramas of high school and being young thrown together in a way I don’t recall any other writer doing.

Like I said so far eclipse is the best one in the series, but I’m only on pg. 302 of 629. I’ll tell you all at a later day how the rest of the book was.

I finished the book and it was just excellent. She left it open for a 4th book so I hope like hell she writes one. I'm so addicted to these characters. (less)

Like this review? yes (16 people liked it)

2 comments

08/03/07

Milli rated it:

bookshelves: all-time-favorites

Ok. I've decided to come here and write down a few thoughts.

Hello, I am 31withkids and I still love these stories like I'm 15.

I rarely feel this way about a book and the characters. Most of the time I read something and take it back to the library and that's it. There's just something about these people that get inside your head and they won't leave. I find myself pining for the next book in the series - not due out for another year! - in a way that I haven't since I ...more

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11/04/07

Holly rated it:

bookshelves: young-adult

Read in February, 2008

It's finished. At least until the next, highly anticipated book. That book that is the beacon of hope to every disillusioned, silly, teenage girl who believes Edward really exists. Here's a bit of education for you: he doesn't. And even if he did, he wouldn't be interested in a selfish, self-absorbed, teenage girl.

My reviews of Twilight and New Moon still stand. Neither one was stellar, let alone worth the hype. I also think it's as if she wasted two books to get to this one. Ecl...more It's finished. At least until the next, highly anticipated book. That book that is the beacon of hope to every disillusioned, silly, teenage girl who believes Edward really exists. Here's a bit of education for you: he doesn't. And even if he did, he wouldn't be interested in a selfish, self-absorbed, teenage girl.

My reviews of Twilight and New Moon still stand. Neither one was stellar, let alone worth the hype. I also think it's as if she wasted two books to get to this one. Eclipse was enjoyable to read. Twilight and New Moon failed to fulfil their potential.

Eclipse wasn't stellar either, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. I could actually see myself re-reading this one. The writing improved dramatically. I think Stephenie Meyer suddenly remembered some of her college-learned writing techniques and realized what was missing in her previous work. I'd like to say she found a better editor, but I don't think so. Although, while the editing is still lacking, it is leaps and bounds above Twilight, which didn't seem to be edited at all. I appreciated the detail she finally provided. It was nice to see real conversations of substance. I appreciated the discussions and explanations. It was nice to see some back history provided for several of the characters. Although, the Cullen family is so involved with each other that it's still frustrating to see that even with the stories of Rosalie and Jasper explained, they remain one-dimensional characters. And any detail or substance to Esme is practically non-existent.

I still think Bella is a selfish, self-absorbed teenager and it's still hard for me to see why Edward loves her. Lusts after her, sure. And, I find the whole "I can't live without you" scenario annoying. I firmly believe that personal happiness is dependent on one person: yourself. Your life is enriched and blessed when you have the love and devotion of another, but they are not responsible for your happiness. I liked the interaction between Jacob and Bella when he tells her that he was right for her and the natural path her life would have taken. Jacob let Bella be Bella, he didn't try and control her. And had Edward not come back in New Moon, Bella would have been happy with Jacob. And just for the record, I'm not pro-Jacob anymore than I'm pro-Edward. They're just characters in a book.

I also find Edward's ultimate control over Bella disturbing. He orders and forbids. He acts like he owns her. And she lets him. This is not healthy. Nor is her ultimate submission to his family and what they want. She isn't her own person, but one who tries to be the girl she thinks each man wants. Is this typical of an 18-year old girl? Possibly. She's probably most like her true self when she's with Jacob. Also, in her relationship with Edward, she is prepared to give up everything: friends, family and children. And for what? An eternity as a vampire with a man whose most compelling attraction is his beauty, dangerous potential and the forbidden.

I do like Edward. I think that Meyer finally fleshed out his character quite a bit in this novel and I just wish she had done so earlier. I find it interested though that even though he's 100 (give or take a few) years old, she has him act more like he's a teenager. He may look like one, but theoretically he wouldn't act like one after all the life experiences he's had, even with the high school student charade they play.

Meyer has crafted a compelling story and characters with great potential. I have to give her that credit. Even though I was harsh in my criticism of the first two books, I continued reading them. I hope that the next book improves the series as this one did and not the reverse. I hope that we find more realistic substance to Edward and Bella's relationship as well.
(less)

Like this review? yes (11 people liked it)

3 comments

09/10/07

Melissa rated it:

Read in September, 2007

recommends it for: Wuthering Heights admirers

My notes to characters in Eclipse:

Bella: I'm so done with you. You're a self-absorbed little snot. You're not a strong modern woman because you don't want to be a teen bride, and you're not cute because you fall down a lot.

Alice: You're so not cute either.

Jacob: What you did is called "date rape," buckaroo. And to think I liked you best until the middle of this book!

Edward: Checking the brood-o-meter... yep, you're still no David Borean...more

Like this review? yes (14 people liked it)

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04/21/08

Missy rated it:

Read in May, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

****I know this was already a long review, but I added more at the end. Thus, you may be getting this as a second email.

I am so glad I read this series again. I have realized so much more than I did the first time around, and it all makes so much more sense. The author's website (www.stepheniemeyer.com) also helped things really set in. If you haven't already, I recommend reading the frequently asked questions, extras, and outtakes. Some are just for fun, but others answer quest...more ****I know this was already a long review, but I added more at the end. Thus, you may be getting this as a second email.

I am so glad I read this series again. I have realized so much more than I did the first time around, and it all makes so much more sense. The author's website (www.stepheniemeyer.com) also helped things really set in. If you haven't already, I recommend reading the frequently asked questions, extras, and outtakes. Some are just for fun, but others answer questions that explain the story much better.

For instance, I like how she addresses two things: why Edward left in New Moon, and why Bella fell in love with Jacob. The FAQ page answers why Edward left from his own point of view, but it also made me realize that he had to leave in order for Bella to realize that she couldn't live without him (this realization was not in Edward's plans, but it solidifies Bella's choice). In Eclipse she even wonders if she would choose Jacob over Edward if she didn't have this knowledge, and this would have been impossible to know had Edward not left. It also shows us that Bella is not making the choice to become a vampire over a typical teenage romance, or because someone so beautiful loves her, but rather because Edward is her true love.

I was actually mad at first that Bella had fallen in love with Jacob, and that she let that relationship go so far. I thought she was being stupid and selfish. Now I realize, though, that it makes her choice so much more valid. Had she become a vampire at the end of Twilight, it may have left all of us wondering if she really made the right choice, and if she would just regret the decision later. However, now that she knows exactly what she's giving up (her parents, a normal-length life with someone who helped her heal from the darkest part of her life, and children), it makes her choice seem much more like a sacrifice. She is willing to give all of that up for Edward. Like Stephenie Meyer says on her website, that life with Jacob could be the better life for her, but Bella chooses the Edward option anyway. This shows that her love for Edward outshines all of the normal "human" wants.

I was also mad that Bella cried for Jacob so much the last time she left him. I hated that Edward had to see her in so much pain and agony over another man; especially because Edward is so unselfish and really does just want her to be happy. This too, however, serves a purpose in my mind. Now that Edward has seen the depth of Bella's love for Jacob and her pain, he knows that Bella is acutely aware of all that she is giving up by joining his vampire world. It's been his concern all along that Bella doesn't realize all she will be giving up to be with him, but now there can be no doubt in his mind that she realizes this. It's strange how a second reading has put these things into perspective for me. . . .

Well, this was a long review, but very cathartic. Thank you to all of you who have made it this far! I do hope that in Breaking Dawn Bella marries Edward, becomes a vampire, and that Jacob imprints on someone. We know he won't imprint Bella, because the FAQ page tells us that it happens the first time a werewolf sees the person after they become a werewolf. I really hope the werewolves don't try to hurt Edward; I think I would die if anything ever happened to him!

One thing I love about Edward is that his love for Bella is so pure and so strong. I have no doubt that Jacob loves Bella, but his is much more selfish and self-centered. He just wants Bella. Edward wants Bella to be happy whatever the cost to himself. A few times in Eclipse he talks about the strong relationship between vampire "soulmates," and at one time he said the werewolf imprinting thing is ALMOST as strong as the way he feels about Bella. Now, when I read about imprinting, it sounds like there is no other love in the world stronger, and that nothing can break up a couple where one has imprinted on the other. Edward fully knows how strong the imprinting bond is, as he can read the werewolves' minds. However, he still knows that his love for Bella is even stronger. Isn't that sweet?! Oh, Edward is perfect!! One more thing: Jacob still has a human heart, and I have no doubt he will get over Bella and find someone else. Edward would never get over her.

(less)

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10/05/07

Jessica rated it:

bookshelves: ya

Read in October, 2007

recommends it for: people into sexy, romantic vamps mixed with a healthy does of teenage angst

I tried to like "Eclipse." I really did. However, I just couldn't get into it. First, it's way too long. Major events don't really happen until the last fourth of the book. The rest is basically a love triangle drama. Additionally, it's patently obvious to the reader that Victoria is behind the killings in Seattle from the beginning. I mean, are the characters in this book really that shortsighted?

This book also solidified my complete dislike of Bella. One of the incredibly...more I tried to like "Eclipse." I really did. However, I just couldn't get into it. First, it's way too long. Major events don't really happen until the last fourth of the book. The rest is basically a love triangle drama. Additionally, it's patently obvious to the reader that Victoria is behind the killings in Seattle from the beginning. I mean, are the characters in this book really that shortsighted?

This book also solidified my complete dislike of Bella. One of the incredibly annoying things about her is her views about turning into a vampire. She seems incredibly callous, with little real thought of the consequences of her actions. Does she really get that she's giving up her family and friends forever? Has she really thought about the fact that she'll probably be a bloodsucking monster bent on killing humans for the first few years? She doesn't seem to have any moral qualms about these issues. It's like they don't really matter in the face of her all consuming (and really unhealthy) love for Edward. Ugh. Another annoying aspect is that she seems obsessed with the age difference between her and Edward. She refuses to wait to turn, but it seems largely because she doesn't want to be "older" than Edward (who was turned when he was 17 or so). Yeah, the whole Volturi thing is hanging over them, but Bella seems more concerned about being as young and beautiful as Edward. Seems shallow to me.

Another annoying thing. Why does everyone in the Cullen family have a tragic past? This books reveals Jasper and Rosalie's pasts and they are, of course, tragic. Seems overwrought to me.

I also have to be honest. I find Edward one-dimensional. I get it, he's hot and sensitive. Yippee.

The one character I do still enjoy in this book is Jacob Black, even if he is all depressed and lovelorn throughout most of the novel. I found one line of his particularly nice. (It basically explains why the title is "Eclipse"). The epilogue in his voice was initially confusing though. It took me a moment to realize we were switching to his perspective.

Overall, you should read this if you want to keep up on popular YA novels, but don't expect much unless you're already a fan of the series. If you do want some good vampire stories (including some that don't include sexy, romantic, doe-eyed vamps), check out "Baltimore, or the Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire," "Silver Kiss," the 30 Days of Night graphic novels, early Anita Blake novels (before they became sex fests) or watch the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" TV series. (less)

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08/09/07

Rachel rated it:

bookshelves: yuckybooks

I was very disappointed in this book. I liked Twilight and enjoyed New Moon, but this installment felt like a dime romance novel to me. She didn't introduce any new characters and spent the whole book on the love triangle between Edward, Bella, and Jacob. I felt like the love scenes were cheesy and tiresome. I also felt that Bella was whiney and initiating. Doesn't she understand that she can't have 2 boyfriends? This seems to be a foreign concept to her. In addition, Meyer has taken Bella...more

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07/29/07

Jenne rated it:

Read in August, 2007

Agh. What is the point of any of this? Edward is so dull and controlling and creepy. I think even a seventeen-year-old would need more than unearthly beauty and a nice car to inspire this epic, world-ending love.
Jacob is the only real character, and even he keeps forcing himself on Bella in unsettling ways.

The whole story is endless repetitions of

Character: I'm going to do X.
Other Character: I will not allow it.
Character: (does it anyway)
Other ...more

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11/16/07

Amber rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, young-adult-fiction

Read in August, 2007

Despite what I'm about to say - let me first start off by saying that all three of the Stephanie Meyers books are probably worth of a quick read. The first two Twilight and Eclipse are easy to obsess over. Plus because you get hooked on the first two - you'll probably just need to finish the series....

In the first two books the crush you develop on Edward so intense and pungent that it blinds you to the mediocrity of Meyer's proficiency as a writer. It's even enough to allow you to o...more

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03/05/08

Katharhino Taylor rated it:

bookshelves: fantasy, romance

Read in March, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like New Moon, Eclipse started out annoying me, then managed to hook me and draw me in anyway.

As the story gets started, everyone is being stupid and cliched – Bella dense and somewhat selfish, Edward controlling, and Jacob rude. Only after the action started to pick up and the conversations between the three main characters began to gain a little depth did I find myself really getting absorbed.

Also like New Moon, once hooked I couldn’t put it down, and yet I finished...more Like New Moon, Eclipse started out annoying me, then managed to hook me and draw me in anyway.

As the story gets started, everyone is being stupid and cliched – Bella dense and somewhat selfish, Edward controlling, and Jacob rude. Only after the action started to pick up and the conversations between the three main characters began to gain a little depth did I find myself really getting absorbed.

Also like New Moon, once hooked I couldn’t put it down, and yet I finished the book feeling slightly ambiguous. Why is that? The plot is not the problem – it’s well crafted with both external and internal forces coming to a crisis with Bella at the same time, and concluding with a final decision that ought to be extremely satisfying. The werewolf/vampire interactions were really fun to read as well, with lots of delightful details about the way their minds work. Action scenes were well-written and suspenseful.

Characterization is mostly good. I appreciated getting a little more depth to some of the minor characters, especially Jasper, who has the potential to be really fascinating. I think I might have a teeny crush on Jasper – only a teeny one, because my heart belongs to Jacob. Jacob is the best character of all – really well drawn, very realistic and totally charming, flaws and all. This makes it even more difficult to sympathize with Bella; but Bella has always been a bit of a Mary Sue.

It’s hard to believe in someone who has vampires and werewolves falling all over her and still is remarkably clueless. I liked Bella for most of the book, but I did start to have issues towards the end when I couldn’t help agreeing with her that she was being really selfish. She was starting to acquire a rather Potter-ish savior complex, and no, she really wasn’t being fair to Jacob. Also, the conversation with Edward about sex/marriage was kind of “meh” to me. I do appreciate (as I know Alyson will agree) a man who will argue for virtue. In general, that makes me go weak at the knees. But I think Edward is using the wrong reasons in his argument, while Bella’s motivations are all confused – she’s believable and even likeable when it comes to hesitantly trying to seduce Edward, but then I find it hard to sympathize with her attitude toward Edward’s proposal. It seems selfish, again. I think one of the problems with Bella is that Meyer is trying to make her strong and independent and the next moment she’ll be fainting and dissolving in tears. Bella is a teenage girl with insecurities, which is fine and sometimes comes across quite realistically, but then don’t also try to make us believe that she is more mature than her age.

Edward’s characterization is equally spotty. Good Edward moments: his joy when Bella puts on his ring; the whole conversation with Jacob in the tent, even though the setup felt contrived. Ridiculous Edward moments: that he doesn’t feel the slightest resentment toward Bella for insisting he stay behind from the fight (not how things work in real life); the idea that Bella’s really hot (literally) kiss with Jacob wouldn’t bother him in the slightest. That’s really inconsistent and unbelievable, not to mention making Edward a little too perfect – which might be part of my problem with the ending.

However I think most of my uneasiness comes from the setup of Bella’s internal conflict. I realized, pondering it, what the problem is: after all the angst and struggle and indecision, not to mention my own strong belief in the idea that love is a choice, a conscious commitment – despite all this, Bella’s final decision is a non-decision. There’s no real uncertainty about what she’s going to choose. I mentioned this in my review of New Moon: when you set up the Fated Lurve that is Stronger than Death, you kind of paint yourself into a corner, as a writer. It doesn’t help that Bella’s literary comparisons have been Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights. I don’t care for Romeo and Juliet, and Wuthering Heights should never be mistaken for a romance. Not to mention the fact that both those works are tragedies and only work as tragedies. No one ever wonders what would have happened if Romeo and Juliet had been happily married for twenty years and only argued about the way Romeo would never wring out the dishcloth.

This is why the Jacob/Bella relationship is in many ways much more interesting than the Edward/Bella relationship. Sweet as Edward is, there’s no real natural conflict there, and all the artificially inserted conflict (like sex, protecting Bella, the timing on making her a vampire) ends up feeling forced and therefore slightly annoying. Whereas Jacob is everything a hero should be: funny, devoted, conflicted, flawed but not too flawed. I admit to tearing up a little bit during Bella’s goodbye with Jacob: “I could have been your air and your sun.” GAH! *sob* It’s not that I minded Bella choosing Edward over Jacob – it’s sad but well-written. It’s that she doesn’t really have any reasons for choosing; in fact she doesn’t choose at all. She just accepts that “this is the way it is.” If choice is the grand theme of your novel, I think there should be some, y’know, real choice involved. Poor Jacob is just as fated as Bella/Edward.

Despite all this, I did like the book. I liked it, I was interested, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It’s fortunate that Meyer is actually a decent writer. She’s created a fun mythology, mostly interesting and likeable characters, intense relationships, and readable plots. Did I mention being hooked whether I like it or not? I’m going to have to buy the next book, now.(less)

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"I pulled his mouth back to mine, and he seemed just as eager as I was. One of his hand still cupped my face, his other arm was tight around my waist, straining me closer to him. It made it slightly more difficult as I tried to reach the front of my shirt, but not impossible. Cold iron fetters locked around my wrists, and pulled my hands above my head, which was suddenly on a pillow. His lips were at my ear again. "Bella," he murmured, his voice warm and velvet. "WOULD YOU PLEASE STOP TRYING TO TAKE YOUR CLOTHES OFF?" " More quotes...