Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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149 of 176 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One word: Amazing! *NO SPOILERS* for those of you who havn't read it yet!, 6 Aug 2008
Breaking Dawn is a fitting end to the story of Bella, Edward and Jacob, and all the other characters we have come to know and love. Meyer really has a way with words, painting a scene exquisitly without boring the pants off the reader with too much detail! It is a very long book, and in fact it has three 'mini' books within, from the viewponts of Bella, Jacob, and then Bella again repectively, and yet I felt that every word was required, and I actually wanted more and more - I didn't want to let go of the story, and I read the whole book in one sitting (losing some sleep along the way too). The POW switch to Jacob is interesting, if not a tad irritating at first, because the reader gets that much more of an insight to is suffering and (in his mind) rightful hatred of the 'bloodsuckers'.
There are lots and lots of unexpected twists and turns in BD (perhaps a reason for some of the very harsh reactions against Breaking Dawn - it's not the book many fans expected it to be, however for me it had everything I expected and more, so surely that's a bonus?), with new plot lines and ideas, and new and old characters; in particular, I really felt that the reader comes to know the Cullen family properly, and to love them too. They have always been interesting minor characters in the previous three books (with the exception of Alice perhaps-she was always more of a major character), but in BD they all come to life beautifully.
Some readers would argue that the characters change personalities in BD, Bella in particular; I would say rather that all that she has been through is finally making its mark. She goes through two life-changing events in this book, and comes out all the more stronger for it. She was always stubborn, and I found that her personality developed and sharpened, which seemed a more natural development than if she had stayed exactly the same as the Bella we all know and love in the previous three books.
Other characters that undergoe a welcome development and grow from the 2 dimensional characters that they were before, are Jasper and Leah. We get an insight into both of their actions and behaviour in the previous books, and I for one found Jasper to be all the likeable instead of the cautious and slightly indifferent character we were faced with in Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse.
Not so much as a review from this point but a bit of a rant:
I really don't know why everyone hates the book so much! I think Stephenie Meyer is a victim of her own success, with fans writing their own version of events in their heads and developing Bella and Edward into people that that they never were! I'm not saying the BD is perfect, and neither were the previous 3 books in my opinion, but the characters behave exactly how you would expect them to, in accordance to how Meyer has portrayed them and bulit them up in the previous novels. They are S Meyer's creation, so she can do what she wants with them.
I knew a few spoilers before I read the book, so maybe I enjoyed it more because I was expecting less...there are some aspects of the book that I understand that some people might be less than happy with, with some scenes a bit more graphic than people might be used to. I personally wasn't offended by them and actually thought they added to the tension and drama of the plot, but I know this isn't the same for all readers.
I do, however, truely believe that the plot follows the only path it can (at the risk of sounding corney. I'm trying really hard not to give spoilers here people-harder than you think).
SM knew the outcome of the saga before she even wrote Twilight, and I think that that really shows: everything really comes together at the end, and I could really imagine how life would continue for all the characters beyond the pages. Some people were upset by the 'neat little package', but Hello? reality check: It's a book for teenagers (mostly) and it's S Meyer's first venture as an author; who wouldn't want to exert the power of the creator and make sure everything turns out just the way you want it to?
Sorry, I know im going a bit off the point here, but I can't help it, and if you enjoy BD as much as I did then you'll feel the same! NB: I was fully prepared to hate the book btw, I'm not giving it 5 stars just beacuse so many people have slated it! It deserves every one in my opinion.
Also, just to say, some people have been making a huge fuss about really small things, such as a name and a nickname for example, and I really think that's unfair on Stephenie! Yes, the nickname is a bit...well, yes, stupid, but the characters of the book themsleves admit this! It's not like they're living in a hunky dory world picking flowers and watching rainbows. The main characters react EXACTLY how they should act, and if anyone who's read the previous three books would know their personalities by now and should recognise that as truth. I think people should stop pasting their own faces over Bella and imaginag how they would have done things differently, and just accept that what Bella does is a consequense of her personality!
Not that it isn't a bit annoying but hey...
And back to the review...:
Anyway, enough of the rant. If you cancel your order, or decide not to give 'Breaking Dawn' a chance to even win you over as the other three books have done, all because of some stupid spoilers and rumours and bad reviews, then you will be missing a stunning conclusion to the saga. I'm still thinking about the book now, and when I finished it I actually sat in silence, in awe, for a few moments...please keep an open mind and enjoy BD like it deserves to be enjoyed!! Thank you :)
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185 of 219 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Twilight number 4, 31 Oct 2008
Before I even read this book, I read the reviews for it. I was shocked how everyone ripped it to shreds. Of course in those reviews were spoilers, spoilers that I couldn't believe. I kept thinking do I really want to read this book now! I loved Edward and the Cullen's. Bella irritated me a lot, but I still loved her with Edward. Jacob was never my favorite character, but he was needed to balance out the stories. I didn't want to read this book and ruin my whole view of these characters I've learned to love and hate all at the same time. I'd already bought the book though so I sucked it up and started reading...I couldn't put it down. I kept thinking who ever wrote those reviews obviously didn't read the book very carefully. I absolutely loved this book, and I'm glad I didn't listen to those reviewers. Sure there were flaws, but even book 7 of Harry Potter had flaws!
I decided to talk to some of my friends who were still reading or just finished the book. I asked what they thought, and all of them really loved the book also. I was curious by this and went back online to find more reviews on the book and came to a conclusion...you either love this book or you hate. There is no gray area inbetween. So my advise to anyone who wants to read this book and are unsure...read it and form your own opinion. Don't listen to any of the reviews good or bad.
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
A honest review, for a change (NO SPOILERS), 28 Jun 2009
I read the first 3 books in the series in about a week, having bought them together. I was hoping this one would come out in paperback but I heard that the hardback is selling too well and it won't happen for a while, I got this one too...
I have to say, most reviews you will get on here are from die-hard fans who just wanted more no matter what. I am 29 and a die-hard READER, so I feel that some constructive criticism is much needed.
I should point out that I absolutely ADORED the first book. It's incredibly well-written, fantastically witty, and of course as everyone knows, the intensity central to the storyline would make even my middle aged mother sigh with pleasure.
Then the second: again, enjoyable. Somewhat lacking the wow factor, but still a good (and easy) read, redeemed by the fact that it's not all fun and games, Bella's pain is really felt and you enjoy the happy ending. By the third book however you expect answers which REALLY should have come and ended the series with a bang.
Unfortunately as you know that doesn't happen an here comes Breaking Dawn.
First of all, nowhere near as well written as Twilight. You read the 2 and get the feeling they have not been written by the same person. You just don't get the intensity and passion between Bella and Edward. Without giving too much away, I loved the first book(s?) as although clearly fantasy with fictional characters, the backdrop is very mundane and the feelings very human, which makes it easy for the reader to identify with. Unfortunately this book goes way off that, at least for me.
After the happily ever after 3rd ending, you expect the 4th book to be so amazing that it justifies itself. Instead, Meyer throws up a storyline so far- fetched, unbelievable and watered down out that you really feel a bit cheated by the end of it all.
The book is basically divided into 3 parts, the 1st and 3rd are narrated by Bella, the 2nd by Jacob as Bella is 'indisposed'. This in itself is a good idea, unfortunately Jacob's section is WAY too unnecessarily drawn out and let's face it, nothing much happens. The only thing I felt this achieved was making you feel that Bella is really starting to get a bit annoying, in all her perfection.
A new central character is introduced in this book. For some reason, which I personally think has to do with the above mentioned writing style, you just don't get to love them.
There are a LOT of unexplained weird (and not in a good way) facts such as Bella suddenly not really caring about losing contact with her mother, which completely contradicts the events she is going through. Also, the storyline is somewhat removed from the familiar backdrop of boring mundane day- to- day Forks, which doesn't help to make it identifiable and believable.
Many readers have pointed out that you expect an ultimate massive vampire brawl, which just falls flat on its face. Again, I THINK you're supposed to feel that the enjoyment given by the tension building up to this makes up for the lack of such a fight, but the writing lets you down big style. Also, as this fight would be centered around this new character we don't really feel much for anyway, it all feels a bit pointless. And of course, Bella saves the day and you won't thank the author for making you feel that you are now so annoyed by her perfection and awesomeness that you don't really care there won't be any more books in the series.
I felt that a MUCH better way of ending the series would have been to tie up lose ends such as exploring some of the existing characters better. Some of them, like Alice, had MASSIVE potential. Oh well.
By all means, read this book if you enjoyed the others. I don't regret reading it. The only thing I really do regret is having had very high expectations, so be mindful of this.
Don't expect too much, just take this book for what it really is: the author's way of sucking Twilight fans dry!
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