[BWF] Eclipse, by Stephenie Meyer (3 stars)

[KateNZ]

I distinctly remember liking this book best when I first read the series - there’s more drama and more tension. There’s also some decent character growth for Edward and Alice, we learn Rosalie and Jasper’s backstories, and the wolves are cool. But the rest of it was positively painful at times. It takes ages to get anywhere. It’s the worst written of the books so far (repetitive and melodramatic). And Bella in particular was so freaking annoying. I am obviously getting grumpy in my older age…

Will I finish the series? Of course. But I don’t have particularly warm memories of ‘Breaking Dawn’ so it might take me a few days to get through. There again, that one might turn out better than I remember. We’ll see.

Team: Sassy Sisters. Extra for M. Tagged x 53.

[Joanne]

LoL-Katrine, if I were you I would have stopped after book 2. It is obvious from your recent reviews your reading preferences have changed. I never read this series, I probably am 1 of 10 who did not. Just seemed like it would be a lot of teen angst and drama, which I had enough of in real life with my daughter 😂

[KateNZ]

Well about half way through, I agreed with you JoAnne! I’m slightly less inclined just to go for the ride second time around, I think.

The reason I wanted to reread them is that I’m always really interested in what makes books a social phenomenon. I still haven’t figured it out with these. In many ways these books are so standard. There’s nothing special about the writing (though it’s usually competent). The tropes are common including the love triangle, forbidden love, vampire/werewolf stuff. The teenagers are just teenagers. Is it that Bella is a slightly hopeless misfit heroine, so there’s hope for all of us to snaffle the beautiful prince and be adored unto either eternity or death? Having mortal enemies fight over us? (Surely not that anti-feminist … though I don’t think the books do feminism any favours). So it appeals both to romantic dreamers and people who are on the outer or who need to escape? The small town big action setting? (Except the action is pretty limited. This is not Stephen King…)

No insights, lol.

[Joanne]

Understand completely Katrine-I think if I went back and read some of the first Y/A fantasy I read here I would find myself in quandary as to why...yet there were some I totally enjoyed (Red Queen stands out-if you have not read it I recommend),

[Hannah]

Joanne wrote: "LoL-Katrine, if I were you I would have stopped after book 2. It is obvious from your recent reviews your reading preferences have changed. I never read this series, I probably am 1 of 10 who did n..."

I'm also someone who has never read this series, and likely never will!