Kay's Bookshelf

There are no major changes in the way I’ve seen the main characters before and the way I see them after. Bella is… Bella (though yet again I found her less impressive than in the first book, she just… is, does not act in any actually out of the ordinary way at all), Jacob is… Jacob (most of the time acting like a really annoying teenager) and Edward is… obviously, Edward (still my favorite character, still oh so perfect).

The picture in this book expands a bit from the one in the previous books: we get to know Rosalie’s past, Jasper’s past, their human lives, their changing, and we also get to know the story of how the werewolves actually came into being. Some of the stories were interesting, some were less so (especially as their telling kept actual things from happening), but I sort of liked the fact that the author added them as they added new dimensions to the existing characters (Rosalie for example has been nothing but a prop so far, now we get a glimpse of how she feels, how she’s actually like).

It was really cute seeing Edward so attached to his… virtue ( :P ). Understandable enough since he was born at the beginning of the 20th century, when the morals were different, but still, the way he convinced Bella to marry him before anything physical might pass between them was cute (and at the same time amusing, the way the “traditional” roles were switched — he pleading to her to marry him, asking her to wait ’til afterward, and she only reluctantly agreeing :P ).

Another thing I have liked were the mixed thoughts Bella had about becoming a vampire herself. She wanted that more than anything in the world, and as soon as possible too — but she was also afraid of it, afraid of the change, afraid of the new way she might feel, afraid of losing her human side. I think it’s a really good thing the author pointed out both the good and the bad — Bella loves Edward and she wants to be with him forever but she’s smart enough to know that there is a price she’ll have to pay for that, it’s not all sunshine and games. Had it been the other way around (Bella oblivious of everything but being able to be by Edward’s side forever) I think her character would have lost some depth.

I have to say that only on reading this book I payed closer attention to Alice’s talent, and I found it way cooler than I had before. The way she sees the current state of things (how things will be if no one will radically change his/her mind from then on) and the way that she’s incapable of seeing what will happen if nothing’s decided as of yet (or if a werewolf is involved). For some reason I think that’s interesting and it sort of amuses me too at times (as when she thanks Bella for a present she (Bella) has yet to buy or when she gets annoyed that Bella wants to run away to Las Vegas and get married in secret without having the lavish wedding Alice would have liked :P )
Speaking of which, I was thrilled of the fact that the author has answered in this book a question I had since the last one: how come Bella could be influenced by Jasper and “seen” by Alice but Edward couldn’t read her mind and Jane could do nothing to her? The answer is really simple and I’m sort of disappointed I didn’t think of it first: what Alice and Jasper do are physical stuff, while what Edward and Jane do is play with the mind — and Bella’s mind seems somehow impenetrable by vampire intrusion.

I think the title of the novel comes from the fact that Bella’s love for Edward is so strong that completely obscures any other thing (up to and including the possible future she might have with Jacob):

” “He’s like a drug for you, Bella.” [Jacob's] voice was still gentle, not at all critical. “I see that you can’t live without him now. It’s too late. But I would have been healthier for you. Not a drug; I would have been the air, the sun.”

The corner of my mouth turned up in a wistful half-smile. “I used to think of you that way, you know. Like the sun. My personal sun. You balanced out the clouds nicely for me.”

He sighed. “The clouds I can handle. But I can’t fight with an eclipse.””

What I liked most: Pretty much everything Edward says, or does, especially when it’s somehow related to Jacob. I know he acts way way too perfect which sort of detracts from his authenticity (a vampire I can believe in, but a vampire that perfect?), but still I cannot help liking him a lot.

What I liked least: Argh. SPOILER to follow:
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Why oh why did Bella have to actually fall in love with Jacob Black?? The moments when she was aching for him were making me almost wanting to shake her up. I know what Edward had said (“[...]when I left you, Bella, I left you bleeding. Jacob was the one to stitch you back up again. That was bound to leave its mark — on both of you.“) was true, and okay, Jacob did help Bella a lot when she was having a hard time — but still, falling in love with him??
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End spoiler

Recommend it? YES. It’s even better than the previous one.

This book is a sequel to:
Twilight / Midnight Sun
New Moon

This book is followed by:
Breaking Dawn

Written by the same author:
The Host

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