Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, #4) in Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer

Mar 25, 2008 Elizabeth rated it did not like it

Shelves: recently-read, ya, paranormal

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm going to say right off the bat that this review contains spoilers.

Spoilers ahoy.

I'm not even sure where to start. Should I start with the contrived pregnancy? Should I start with the ridiculous name "Renesmee"? Should I start with Jacob imprinting on the vampire hybrid infant/toddler/whatever of the woman he loves? Or should I go right to the only really good part of the book, which was meeting all the different vampire clans, covens, and nomads, in preparation for a confrontation with the V I'm going to say right off the bat that this review contains spoilers.

Spoilers ahoy.

I'm not even sure where to start. Should I start with the contrived pregnancy? Should I start with the ridiculous name "Renesmee"? Should I start with Jacob imprinting on the vampire hybrid infant/toddler/whatever of the woman he loves? Or should I go right to the only really good part of the book, which was meeting all the different vampire clans, covens, and nomads, in preparation for a confrontation with the Volturi, only to have it build up to exactly nothing?

Stephenie Meyers has betrayed her readers on a scale that I have only ever seen from Laurell K. Hamilton. A series about choice and sacrifice has as its final volume an elaborate piece fanfiction that includes every cliche you can think of, in order to tie up everyone's stories with a neat little bow. Now, I am a married woman with a child, but I certainly don't think that's something to hold up to teen girls as something they should have done by age 18. I was never thrilled with the marriage plot, although considering Meyers' background I could have lived with it, but I found the pregnancy plot ridiculous, and worse, a cop-out. Meyers could have created the same conflict with the Volturi by having Bella decided she wanted a few more years of humanity- as she almost does decide, before the pregnancy angle comes into play. She could have resolved Jacob's story by having him fall for Leah- which would have tied up that poor girl's loose ends, too. She even still could have included Bella's change as a method to placate the Volturi, only to be too little, too late. Unfortunately, instead the author seemed to decided to take the most outlandish ideas she could come up with and run with them.

The good: reading the middle section from Jacob's POV. It was refreshing to have a realistic teenage voice and realistic teenage reactions to things. I also appreciated the plot involving the wolf pack, especially Leah and Seth. Unfortunately, this was mitigated by having Jacob's section focus almost entirely on Bella and the pregnancy, and ended with the most horrific delivery scene I've ever read and Jacob's imprinting on baby Nessie (no joke about the nickname, sadly). Another good aspect of the book I already mentioned, which was seeing all the various vampires from around the world, and reading about their interactions. Unfortunately, they came in to prepare for the most anticlimactic scene yet in this series.

Overall, I would categorize myself as horribly disappointed. I'm still shocked that what I just read was the real book and the true conclusion to Edward, Bella, and Jacob's stories. What a waste of 756 pages. ...more

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Jun 15, 2008 Mahlet rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pnr, series

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

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Jun 25, 2008 Armina rated it it was ok

The Twilight Series was definitely a very pleasant experience. I'm all for encouraging and pushing and motivating this very pleasant experience. But I think Stephenie might have gone a little overboard when she was writing 'Breaking Dawn'.

I'm all for one's imagination to run wild, especially in Stephenie's case--her storytelling abilities makes me want to be a kid all over again just so I have an excuse for her to tell me a bedtime story. But then again, an excuse won't be necessary..even at my ...more

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Mar 26, 2008 Synova rated it it was amazing

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Sep 01, 2008 Stasha rated it really liked it

Shelves: chick-books, considered-religious, teen-angst

Borrowed Liz's copy...so each of the books in this series has contained symbolism that Stephanie Meyer used to create an allegorical connection to literature. In the other books, she explains her connections but in Breaking Dawn she didn't. I hate to say it but non-LDS readers will probably not see the allegory in this one without a lesson in LDS theology.
LDS Theology teaches that after this life, those who are righteous will achieve celestial glory where they will receive a perfect body, be in ...more

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Jul 30, 2008 Meghan rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites

Many people had issues with this book, but I found it was a natural continuation of the previous 3 books. Yes, there were a few twists and items that I was either disappointed or surprised by, but I still love absorbing every bit of the characters as possible and will continue to read Breaking Dawn when I start the Twilight saga again.

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Oct 01, 2008 Christine rated it it was amazing

Last book in the series - and I wish it weren't! I really got into this series even though I didn't think there was any way I would! I read all 4 books int he series within a week! ...more

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