Breaking Dawn-I'm in the middle about it

[Pel]

This is the place to post your review of Breaking Dawn if you are in between liking and disliking the the book. You can only post on ONE review thread once.

In other words, say your peace on the one thread (liked, didn't like, in between) that most applies to you. You can edit your reply if you want, but not commenting back to other posters on this particular thread. Also, no trying to convince people on the other review threads over to your side this is where people get to say what that want in a respectful manner regarding how they felt on the book.

[Miss Vengeance]

I'm in the middle about the book. I had to read it twice just to make sure, though.

I definitely give props to Stephenie for taking it where she did. She took a lot of risk by ending the series that boldly. Personally, I didn't like it as much as I liked the other books, but I was content with it.

I just wish that Bella had at least SOME trouble with being a newborn and all. I can understand that she had time to prepare and everything, but it just would have been more...interesting if she had at least a tiny bit of trouble. I just thought it was kind of a...boring way to do the whole transformation.

I really enjoyed Jacob's book, though. His book and Emmett's pervy comments were what redeemed the book for me. I was really glad that I was able to get a chance to understand Jacob some more, seeing as I had based my opinions on him beforehand on his actions and not his thoughts. I was also super stoked to see Emmett talk a bit more. I've been waiting for him to make "big" speeches like he did in this book.

[Ouisa]

Breaking Dawn has been really challenging for me. I've read it three times now and I'm still not sure how I feel about it.

There is so much to like! I love Jake's whole book, the chapter titles, the blond jokes, the dogbowl. I liked much of the wedding and Isle Esme. I even liked parts of the nomadic vampires and the Volturi "war." And I will always love Bella's death on pg. 355 after reading it while listening to Justin sing "My Never" in Seattle. The book will also always have a place in my heart as it is part of this series that changed my life.

But had it not been for my love of the series, the author and this fantastic fandom I'm not sure I would have given the book a second glance. I didn't like so many parts of it! The biggest thing I didn't like about this book was how very neatly everything was tied up with the big bow at the end. I'm all for the happily ever after but so much of what I felt was the theme of the series was about choice and sacrifice. We read for years about how hard vampire life was going to be, how immortality came with a price. We suffered through all of Eclipse to understand that Bella would lose so much, Jacob, Charlie, her physical desires for anything but blood, curly haired children......And as we looked at those choices with Bella, we all wrestled with the choice ourselves. Could we give up all that for love? It was this central question that to me, made the books interesting. And Breaking Dawn shattered all that. There was no real price for Bella to pay. She got the husband AND the best friend AND a relationship with her father AND the baby AND the cool superpowers AND the desire and ability to go at it all night with Edward AND ....the list goes on. Although I'm very happy for Bella, I feel all the schmoopy joy cheapens the pain of the books before instead of redeeming them. And that makes me a little sad.

But I'm still here. Still a fan. There are lessons to be learned, questions still to ponder after Breaking Dawn. So while I'm not positive how I feel about this particular book, I know how I still feel about the series. And I'm glad we are back.

[-EB-]

I started out on the Didn't Like It, but the more I reflect on the book, the more in the middle I am.

Book 2 was wonderful and delicious. I just loved getting to delve more into the Werewolves and can only hope in many years down the road we shall see more of them again. Jake is snarky and just amazing. Even when I was mad at his reaction to Bella's Death, after hearing "My Never" and the way Stephenie intended or the emotion, I am no longer angry with him but feel heartbroken for the way it must have seemed right then.

This book felt like there was no release from the riding tension for me. There was no battle, there were no real falling outs. Everyone ended up happy (except Irina of course). For all that this is a fiction book, every other book had much more realness to them, much more pain. I guess I've gotten so used to the books being so painful, it is hard to accept that everyone is so happy.

I made too many assumptions going into this book and if a person can read it without ever having looked at a single PC, interview, quote of Stephenie's, I think they are best off because they are less likely to draw conclusions that will be shattered. In some ways it is nice though to think you know what's coming and get a surprise. Understanding the clues that Stephenie says led to this book will send me back into the Saga many times over.

[IceisNice]

I'm really torn about the book. I loved the wedding, and the honeymoon, and of course Jacob's book. In fact, I started to really love Jacob after reading how he views the world. But then it started to get weird. As much as I love Renesme, it's really hard to believe that Edward and Bella are parents. And Bella's change from human to vampire made it harder for me to relate to her. Then there was Jacob imprinting on Renesme. As much as I love a happy ending, I can't get used to it. I really wanted everyone to be happy, but the way it ended left me confused. Now all I need is a book five!

[KaseyHeartEdward]

I have read Breaking Dawn once and i am not sure how i feel about it. I loved many parts of it. I don't know the book just seemed really fast and crazy lol. And lets just say i was so not ready for a baby. I really want to like Breaking Dawn because Stephenie wrote it. And i feel like i owe it to her. She has helped me so much. So it is confusing not liking Breaking Dawn as much as i would like to. I just think i need to wait a while and read it again slow. since i was rushing to get it done by the Seattle Signing. That signing really helped it was good getting to hear why Stephenie wrote what she wrote. So hopfully soon i will like it. I think it just surprised me. so we will see what happens.

[obsessedsmallgirl3]

The first time I read Breaking Dawn I dislike it.... a lot!
The whole pregnancy, renesme(I did not like the name!), and the whole volturi thing
but
as I reread it (over and over and over again) it grows on me. I will never like it as the other 3 books but it is not the worst book I have ever read

and I especially liked book 2, jacob's perspective and how all the loose ends especially were tied up....alec's gift, the volturi's skin, the other guards, the denali clan...everything!

one of the things that i didn't like was the absence of alice. she is absolutely one of my favorite characters and there wasn't much in of her in breaking dawn. i also at first did not like the whole renesme issue. i felt that stephenie meyer was toying with us and just threw this curve ball our way. but once again, it's growing on me. i was not really bothered with the fact that jacob imprinted on renesme because it just made sense. sure it was a little weird that jacob used to love her mother in a romantic way but renesme is what jacob was always looking for: bella in a different way. and i was not bothered that renesme is only a couple days old!

i have way more to say but to lazy to type it all out but overall i feel that breaking dawn was a pretty good end to bella and edward's story (even if there are things i would change)

[gypsyeyes]

I am in two minds about Breaking Dawn, so I guess you can call it in the middle. As I've said to all my friends who asked about my feelings towards the novel: I didn't like it but I most definately enjoyed reading it. Though Stephenie said she set it up to go in this direction and it was where she was planning on taking the story the entire time, I must say it still blindsided me. All I could think, and in fact I said it out loud, was "Really? REALlY?" I'd read the pregnant storyline in good and bad and deplorable fan fiction and I guess I always assumed that it was something that would never-in-a-million-years happen. But happen it did. And who am I to criticise what an author does with their own characters? Stephenie had every right to take the story where she did, it was her fantastic idea to begin with after all.
In saying that, as a completely unexpected and partially unwanted plot twist, it was well presented and I'm sure that if It was a seperate story, I would have greatly enjoyed it, even more so than I actually did. The novel as an individual peice was really good. I loved the depth that all the charcters showed, especially how we got to see a lot more of the charcters we don't normally hear a lot from such as Leah (who incidentally I've always liked and like even more now) and Rosalie. And the Jacob chapter was great; though the first time I read Breaking Dawn I just wanted to get back to Bella, I love Jacob and was enjoying having his side of events for once (oh, and I love him).
Overall, Breaking Dawn was a great, albeit unexpected, storyline and I will continue to love and follow the characters and story Stepenie Meyer has created in her Twilight world with the faith and adoration they so richly deserve.

[oleander]

I had originally posted something in this thread on the hacked forum stating exactly what I did and didn't like about Breaking Dawn. Now that I've had time to sit and think a little more about everything, I'm still on the fence, but for quasi-different reasons.

The turning point for me, what made me go back and read it again with "different eyes," was an interview I read with Stephenie. She said that she was writing this more so for herself, allowing her characters to end things the way they wanted to...so really, who am I to object? I am but a voyeur in Stephenie's worlds and what right do I have to have any say or expectation in the denouement of a series I've enjoyed so much. Whether I loved it or not, it was still a very enjoyable read.

It is still, by and far, not my favourite of the series, New Moon will always take that top spot, but I don't hate it. I could never hate something so rich and vibrant with life, even if it takes some unconventional or even bizarre twists and turns. Much like life itself, we're never really sure to know or understand what's going to be on the next page or next chapter until we get there.

EDIT: Okay, so i've read it again and listened to it on audiobook and i can't say that i'm on the fence anymore. I really like it. The more I read/listen to Bella's transformation, the more I can see that she did make some serious choices that could have worked against her in so many ways. Why couldn't I be happy that she is finally getting her fairytale ending, and why are we so ready for things to fall apart and expect the worst?

I apologize for fence sitting. It just took me a little longer and more careful consideration to realize just how much I love this book, all of its freaky occurrences, the bizarre and almost impossible events, and even Jacob and Renesmee.

[Lizzie]

I'm also quite in the middle about the book.
There were so many things I liked about it. I really loved getting the story from Jake's perspective - I used not to like him, but now we had the chance to really get to know him and I've got to admit that I was wrong about him all the way. That definitely is a good thing about the book. I also liked the Volturi storyline very much. And, of course, the best thing was finally seeing Bella as a vampire. I thought Stephenie did a really good job describing her altered senses and her thirst and so on. Even Renesmee kind of grew on my after I thought about her... (terrible name though..!)

What I really didn't like was, how smoothly suddenly everything went for Bella... Take Charlie's reactions for instance - which parent in the world would have reacted like that!? First his reaction to the wedding - I really doubt that a father would say something like "Ah well, do what you want but better ask your mother first!"?? And then after Bella's transformation: Who would be so calm when seeing their daughter in a state like that?? I don't like his "Ignorance is bliss" attitude at all. In the end Bella has everything - Edward, a daughter, immortality, beauty, contact with her parents, Jake as a friend, a lot of new vampire friends and no problems at all with being a new born - she didn't have to make any sacrifices for being with Edward and I think it's just been too easy for her (except her gory pregnancy...).
Another thing I didn't like about the book was that Bella suddenly cared about things like shaving her legs and lacy lingerie - that's so not Bella!! But well... I can live with that.

Altogether Stephenie did a good job with "Breaking Dawn" for sure. Still I can't say "I love it" for there are justtoo many things that annoyed me...