Here's why it took me two months to finish Stephenie Meyer's "Breaking Down": I couldn't stand it.
Fellow Idol Chatter blogger and "Twilight" uber-fan Donna Freitas wrote that some fans had problems with the "happy ending." That was not my biggest problem with the book. I don't discriminate against happy endings--I was happy when Bella and Edward ended up together to begin a new, fulfilling, immortal journey. I also had no problem with Bella becoming a super vampire; it seemed justified given her 18 years of clumsiness. For the first time, she was on an even level as Edward and she discovered she had a particular power that was latent even as a human.
My biggest problem with "Breaking Dawn" is that its narrative is way too overstuffed with melodrama. I kept rolling my eyes every time another problem appeared and escalated. I felt Meyers took two more books and jammed them into one in order to finish the saga and satisfy herself and her readers.
In the span of a year, Edward and Bella get married, Bella gets pregnant, Bella's baby rips her way out, Bella almost dies, Bella is saved by Edward's venom, Bella becomes a vampire, Bella learns to hunt, Bella discovers her baby's own special abilities, Bella meets with Charlie and tries to explain her changes, Bella learns to use her power, Bella finally faces off against the Volturi and claims a triumphant victory. In between all this, the reader suddenly sees everything from Jacob's point of view and we discover that, yes, Jacob is meant to be with Bella's daughter, Renesme, who will reach maturity within just five years.
Perhaps there's too much 21st century in me, but I cringed a little when Bella and Edward got married. I know they are soulmates, but I was surprised Bella still got married even after saying repeatedly that she was not "that girl." Only after she married did she entertain the idea of going to college or having any ambitions. Then Bella became pregnant so quickly and everything spiraled into near-tragedy again; the baby began killing Bella and eventually tore out of her womb. The horror movie scene made me so queasy, I actually had to stop reading. The detour into Jacob's point-of-view was almost a welcome relief, except it seemed like a completely different book stuck in the middle of Bella's last saga.
Of course, once Bella becomes a vampire, more drama occurs: the Volturi is on the mission to destroy Renesme and the Cullens. This means Bella has less than a month to learn how to use her self-protective shield on others. Even the final confrontation was a let-down, slightly anticlimactic, all talk and not much action (even if it might have been Siobhan's doing).
I just felt so unsatisfied at the end of the book, even after Edward finally "hears" Bella's thoughts. Even though Meyers has stated the white pawn on the cover represents Bella's transformation into a strong and powerful being, I had trouble seeing that. Yes, she became physically and mentally powerful, but she still seemed a little flat. Even though she was an extraordinary vampire in some ways, she still felt ordinary to me. Her life always revolved around someone else--Charlie, Edward, Jacob--as a human that to have her life revolve around Renesme once she became a vampire made me feel Bella was still overshadowing herself. I'm not saying that a mother's life shouldn't revolve around her child's, but I felt Bella's personality was still one-dimensional. Also, I felt the visit with Charlie was too rushed; Bella met him once and he became a periphery character because he didn't fit with the narrative. Renee practically disappeared because Bella didn't think her mother could handle the truth.
At least one good change was Bella's insecurities and low-esteem mostly dissipated once she became a vampire. Every other drama felt so layered on top of each other that there was no room to breathe--so it was a relief that Bella finally stopped being negative about herself. I just wish Bella became a stronger character not because she got married, had a baby, and became a vampire, but because she was already a strong person who knew developing her inner strength outside of Edward was more important than relying on him for it.
Didn't like "Breaking Dawn" either? Share your reasons why below.
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OME (ome=oh my edward) WHO EVER SAID JACOB IS ANNOYING, YOU ARE SO RONG. think about it. if you were in jacobs shoes. dude, i felt so sorry for jacob. TEAM JACOB. and New Moon was the BEST book in the series. eclipse was the worse. eclipse was just so boring. and breaking dawn, i guess it was ok. its just, i felt like i didnt relate because is like a parent. Im 14 and i cant relate to people that could be my mom. Stephanie should have started when bella was 14 or 15.
Well said, especially the last bit: "I just wish Bella became a stronger character not because she got married, had a baby, and became a vampire, but because she was already a strong person who knew developing her inner strength outside of Edward was more important than relying on him for it." That is my main gripe on the whole series, actually, and this issue really came to my attention after the second book, New Moon. I was hoping Bella would finally surface from her dark world under a moonless sky and realize that a new moon can only last for one night. I wanted her to heal and come out the other end a stronger person. But in the end, Edward returned and things sort of picked up where they left off in a sense, although this time only this time they both saw how much the other person loved them. And that's fine, but it just doesn't allow much for personal growth, individuality and strength of character. I've brought this up with friends I know who like Twilight as well and they keep telling me that the story is written for teenagers and that I'm expecting too much depth from it. But I've begun to wonder if I was just hoping for "too much depth" from the writer. (Perhaps not, but I've wondered...) But in the end I'll always like Twilight for the potential I saw in it as a unique take on a vampire tale, I suppose, and the memorable characters in that world. Breaking Dawn is by far the least favorite of the four, though. It would have been more interesting to see Bella wait on the marriage, perhaps go to college, realize that she is missing out on some good human experiences and grow up; experience the world. Perhaps if the events of Breaking Dawn had taken place a few years after Eclipse, with a more well-rounded, strong Bella, I might like the book a little. I might have even liked it a lot. :)
I loved breaking dawn, although i agree it was a lot of stuff fitted into one book it was still amazing, i think that stephanie should come out wit a 5th tho just to expand on the already overly obessed twlight fans, including myself.
I love breaking dawn :D
I have many problems with this
1. BREAKING DAWN WAS PERFECT AND I LOVED IT!
2. I AGREE WITH "YOU GUYS ARE HATERS" IF NEW MOON WAS SO TERRIBLE THEN WHY DID YOU FINISH READING IT? AND THEN WHEN YOU FINISHED AND STILL HATED IT SO MUCH WHY DID YOU GO ON TO ECLIPSE? AND BREAKING DAWN? DON'T YOU THINK IF ONE WAS SO HORRIBLE ALL OF THEM WOULD BE? BECAUSE IF SHE LOST HER TOUCH DURING ONE OF THE BOOKS WELL SHE CAN'T JUST GET HER TOUCH BACK BECAUSE SHE IS ON ANOTHER BOOK.SO STOP SAYING YOU HATED THE BOOKS SO MUCH IF YOU LIKED THE OTHER ONES.
3. YOU SAY "ITS NARRATIVE IS WAY TO OVERSTUFFED WITH MELODRAMA" WELL ACTUALLY IT WASN'T BECAUSE ALL THE CONFLICTS WERE CONNECTED TOGETHER AND THEY ALL FLOW TOGETHER UNITEING INTO ONE BOOK. BECAUSE IF SHE NEVER MARRIED EDWARD SHE WOULD NEVER GET THE ONE HUMAN EXPERIENCE SHE ACTUALLY WANTED AND WITHOUT THAT SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE HAD RENESMEE AND BECAME A VAMPIRE SO SOON. AND RENESMEE COMPLETED THE WHOLE FAMILY WITHOUT HER THE CULLENS AND THEIR FRIENDS WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO GET TOGETHER AND FIGHT FOR THE ONE PERSON THEY ALL LOVED AND WOULD ALL FIGHT FOR NO MATTER WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES EVEN IF THEY HAD TO DIE FOR HER THEY WOULD BECAUSE THEY LOVED HER SHE WAS THE WHOLE REASON FOR ENEMIES AND FRIENDS AND FAMILY UNITEING AND WORKING TOGETHER AND AGREE TO RISK THEIR LIFE.
3. STEPHANIE MEYERS IS THE AUTHOR AND KNOWS WHO BELLA IS AND WHAT DECISIONS SHE WOULD MAKE IN HER LIFE YOU DON'T. STEPHANIE MEYERS KNEW WHAT SHE WAS DOING AND KNEW WHAT DIRECTION SHE WANTED HER BOOK TO GO IT'S HER CHOICE NOT YOURS TO DECIDE WHAT HAPPENS IN BELLAS LIFE CAUSE YOUR NOT THE ONE WHO ACTUALLY KNOWS BELLA, STEPHANIE MEYERS IS SHE CREATED BELLA AND KNOWS HER PERSONALITY AND DECIDSIONS.IF YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND THAT YOU OBVIOUSLY DON'T UNDERSTAND TWILIGHT AND ARE NOT A FAN. JUST BECAUSE BELLA SAYS SHE'S NOT "THAT GIRL" DOESN'T MEAN SHE WON'T MAKE THE CHOICE TO GET MARRIED TO EDWARD BECAUSE IF SHE DIDN'T SHE WOULD NEVER GET THE ONE HUMAN EXPERIENCE SHE WANTS AND IF SHE NEVER GOT THAT EXPERIENCE RENESMEE WOULD NEVER HAVE COMPLETED HER FAMILY AND SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE REALIZED HOW MUCH SHE WANTED A BABY UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE.
4.EVERY BOOK BELLAS CHARACTER GROWS STRONGER YOU CANNOT DENY IT EVEN WHEN SHE BECAME A VAMPIRE AND WHEN SHE WAS STILL HUMAN, SHE GREW STRONGER IN MULTIPLE WAYS NTO JUST PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY BUT HER PERSONALITY CHANGED IN MANY WAYS. I SAW HER STRENGTHEN BECAUSE SHE OVERCAME HER FEAR AND GOT MARRIED EVEN THOUGH IT WASN’T HER SHE DECIDED THAT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING FOR HER TO DO AND ONCE SHE WAS MARRIED SHE LOVED IT. SHE DECIDED TO DO THINGS SHE WOULD NEVER HAVE DONE BEFORE SHE MARRIED EDWARD. ALSO SHE GAINED PHYSICAL STRENGTH BY BECOMING A VAMPIRE.
There are many more but I forgot them all since its been a few months since the time I decided to post this.
Personally I liked the book, no matter how melodramatic it turned out to be. However I seriously disliked the ending of the book and the lack of a final battle (after all the preparations for it). I mean all the third part is about the Volturi's arrival and the fear of confronting them, but in the end everithing ends perfectly without any loss (excluding Irina). I'm obiously not a writer and I cannot teach Stephany how to write, but if there's a part of the book that needs to be changed, that is the Cullen vs. Volturi part, it's so disapointing. If I counld change it, I would make:
Aro never touches Edward so he never discovers the true nature of Renesmee. Instead Aro orders Chelsea to break the bonds among the Cullens and then discovers the mental shield that Bella casts.
Aro orders a physical attack upon the Cullens since both Jane and Alec are incapable of using their powers.
Edward kills Demetri, since he is the worst menace for any vampire who tries to escape the struggle.
Garrett and Kate are killed by Felix (because everybody that has plans for the future dies in almost every movie or book). Emmett fights against Felix but is incapable of defeating him. Bella rages after the death of Kate so she defeats Felix.
Sam dies, so Jacob becomes the only Alpha among all packs (some other wolves die as well).
Jacob escapes with Renesmee but Renesmee fears for her family so she shows Jacob her intentions and runs towards her family.
Renesmee manages to get to Aro and she touches him (Renata is unable to repel her because Renesmee doesn't represent a threat to her master). The conection between Aro and Renesmee is so strong (due to their contradicting powers) that Aro is able to see the truth.
Aro calls a ceasefire, but Cayo wants to continue. Then Jasper apears to calm Cayo and Alice shows up.
From this point onward the story returns to it's normal pace.
These are the changes that I would make so the story could have the action everyone was prepared for but that never came.
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