Monday, June 30, 2008

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

In Eclipse, Bella has to face the fact that the two sides of her world cannot combine. While Edward was away in New Moon, she made friends with Jacob Black. He quickly fell in love with her, while she herself still could never think of anyone but Edward in that way. He made her feel safe and secure, though, so she took the relationship for granted. Edward, however, has a strong aversion to Jacob that goes far beyond jealousy and Jacob feels the same towards him. Neither likes the other to spend time with Bella. But when someone new comes to town and threatens her, everyone is forced to put aside their differences and work together to keep her alive. Eventually Bella realizes that she loves Jacob the same way she loves Edward. In the end, once the danger is averted, she is forced to make a decision that will destroy one relationship forever. I loved Eclipse all the way to the last page and anxiously await the fourth installment in the amazing Twilight series. -Cassie P.

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

New Moon picks up right where Twilight left off. Bella and Edward are still happily together when Bella’s eighteenth birthday comes up. When Bella accidentally gives herself a paper cut at the party Edward’s family throws for her, she sets into motion a chain of events that rapidly changes her life. Soon after her birthday, Edward tells Bella that he doesn’t love her anymore and his family is moving across the country. Tired of life without him, Bella takes to dangerous stunts so she can imagine his voice berating her. One day, word of one of her stunts reaches Edward and he, thinking her dead, goes on a suicide mission. Bella reaches him before he completes his mission and he admits that he always loved her. He and his family move back to Forks and he and Bella happily reunite. This second book in the Twilight series was just as compelling as the first. -Cassie P.

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Twilight starts off with a preface where the main character faces her imminent demise. Without any background information at all, I was already swept up in the book, even though I had barely finished the first page. Chapter One goes back to the beginning as Bella, the protagonist, moves to the cold, rainy town of Forks, Washington from sunny Phoenix, Arizona. The story goes on to describe how Bella meets a strange family in her new school. She soon becomes obsessed with one of them named Edward. While at first she doesn’t realize why Edward is different, she falls passionately in love with him and he with her. When she figures out the truth, it oddly doesn’t deter her one bit. The novel reaches its climax when the events in the preface occur. In context they are even more compelling. The happy ending perfectly concluded one of my favorite books of all time. -Cassie P.