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"Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer | Pajiba - Scathing Reviews for Bitchy People

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"Breaking Dawn" by Stephenie Meyer

Cannonball Read / Sophia

Book Reviews | May 6, 2009 | Comments (36)

After some marathon reading yesterday, I am happy to say that I have finally finished Breaking Dawn (2008), the last book in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. And now that I know the entire story, my opinion hasn’t changed too much. The books are quick and easy to read and pretty addicting once you get started. Although they’re pretty empty and meaningless in the long run, they simply do not inspire enough energy for me to hate them.

**Now that I’ve finished the series, I think I might be discussing the plot of the entire series with no care for spoilers. I’m not sure if there’s anyone out there who could possibly care at this point, but if you do want to read the books, it’s definitely better to know as little as possible because wondering what would happen is what kept me going.**

I was annoyed with Meyer at the beginning of this last novel. Here I had been giving her praise for Bella being smart and independent and as soon as I started reading Breaking Dawn, Bella is suddenly 18 years old, pregnant, and married. Her husband is about 100 years older than her with all the corresponding knowledge and wisdom that entails and Bella is ready to give up her life for him and her child. That seems a little unhealthy and unbalanced to me, and I can see how Bella could be a bad role model for young teens. The love interests of Jacob and Bella are also frustratingly unreal. Edward doesn’t have much of a personality besides “loving” Bella, protecting her, and doing whatever will make her happy. And Jacob is the exactly the same way once he “imprints” on Bella’s daughter (which basically means that Bella’s daughter is in something of an arranged marriage from birth).

I thought Meyer might be making religious allusions when she said that the Cullens’ family bond was stronger than other vampire bonds because the Cullens made the “sacrifice” to refrain from (sin) human blood. It also felt like a bit of a cop-out that all of the difficulties that would have made turning into a vampire so difficult sort of disappeared once Bella became immortal herself. Bella didn’t have uncontrollable cravings for human blood, she did not lose her friendship with Jacob, and she did not lose touch with her father. She didn’t end up sacrificing much at all. Finally, Bella named her daughter Renesmee (after her mother Renee and her mother-in-law Esme), which I think is one of the worst baby names in the history of the world. I’m hoping she doesn’t start a trend.

On the other hand, the plot kept me moving throughout the series. My guess after reading the third book was that Bella would somehow avoid becoming a vampire, Edward would somehow die, and Jacob would end up with Bella. I wasn’t especially happy with the married and pregnant route, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bella actually became a vampire. I was curious what Bella would be like as an immortal and her change had something of the excitement of comicbook superheros acquiring their powers. Once Bella successfully became a vampire, though, the rest of Breaking Dawn lost a little of its edge because it was obvious that everything would end well. And I feel a little ambivalent about the ending. On the one hand, it’s cool that Bella uses her powers to protect her family and avoid a fight, but on the other hand it’s kind of anticlimactic. One pretty much unknown character is killed and any other kind of fighting is avoided. It could have been more exciting, but on the whole I enjoyed reading these books more than I had expected.

This review is part of the Cannonball Read series. Check out Sophia’s blog for more of her reviews.


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Comments

Ok, I have read the series and 'Breaking Dawn' is the Jumping of the Shark for the series. It was borderline ridiculous, not that it wasn't from the start.

But I was out with a couple of girlfriends at a local dive bar (and I do mean dive.) This boy was chatting us up and asked our names. One of the girls said her name was 'Renesmee'. This stupid redneck thought that was the 'purtiest' name he ever heard. Of course then I became Bella and my other friend was Alice.

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Posted by: wsapnin at May 6, 2009 9:06 AM

The problem I had with it (or, one of the many many problems) was that Bella didn't lose anything or go through any kind of real struggle. She didn't give anything up in order to be with Edward. Being a vampire came easy, she wasn't out of control. She keeps Jacob's friendship, her father (in a seriously ridiculous plot point) is fine with the whole vampire/werewolf thing as long as he doesn't know anything about it. Um...ok. Her choice had no consequences and everyone lived happily ever after. Blah.

Still, they are stupidly addictive to say they're so badly written.

Posted by: Carrie at May 6, 2009 9:42 AM

"Bella is suddenly 18 years old, pregnant, and married. Her husband is about 100 years older than her....and Bella is ready to give up her life for him and her child."

So this is a book based on the Michael Douglas-Catherine Zeta-Jones marriage?

Posted by: PaddyDog at May 6, 2009 9:48 AM

KIND of anti-climactic?!? I thought the ending was eye-gougingly bad. This conflict has been building since the second book, and it fizzles out so lazily. Sure, I'm glad no main characters kicked it, but I literally yelled "LAME!" when I read it.

I enjoyed the series as the fluff that it was, but the fourth book was a travesty from page one. The only redeeming part (as you mentioned) was watching Bella discover her "powers" or "abilities".

I just hope the young girls reading this understand the concept of fiction and don't aim to emulate these people.

Posted by: Patty O'Green at May 6, 2009 9:51 AM

This is why I'm convinced this series is nothing but horrible Anne Rice fan fiction. Say what you want about Harry Potter but that boy sacrificed left and right and his character actually grew over the course of the books. No self-respecting author would let everything end in a happy ending when it's a VAMPIRE BOOK. Are you kidding?

What the hell kind of message does that send? That there are absolutely no consequences for your actions, that's what. Being a teenage mother is absolutely delightful I'm sure. Uggh, gross.

Posted by: Maddie at May 6, 2009 9:58 AM

I still have plenty of bile in me to hate Twilght, it's a cancer upon our culture, getting more braindead every year.

Stephanie Meyer thinks of herself as a second J.K., she is not, because Rowling is an acutal writer. Nor is she a great Mormon writer, the greatest Mormon writer ever was Orson Scott Card, and Meyer isn't even fit to be mentioned in his presence.

Posted by: George at May 6, 2009 10:30 AM

Hm. I seem to be the only one thus far, but I found the sex very disturbing. Not just because there was no real description (which is just plain wrong, especially in a vampire novel), but also because what was described was the bruising Bella wound up with, and the way that all that bruising was okay because it was proof of their love. That is not a healthy message for young girls, which are the target audience of this book.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at May 6, 2009 10:31 AM

I'm going to be a follower and agree with everyone. I'm pretty sure that when I finished the series I rewrote it in my head. But the series did get my 40 something sister to read books for the first time since High School. So it will get a pass.

I'm also glad that Meyer decided not to rewrite the books from Edwards perspective. Ugh.

Now if J.K. rewrote the HP books from the adults perspective, I would totally drink that up.

Posted by: DoubleH at May 6, 2009 10:54 AM

I haven't read any of these, but my boss has (she's one of those who recognize how bad they are, yet still feel compelled to read them - multiple times. Frightening). AvB, she described that plot point to me and it immediately made my brain hurt. Thanks, Stephenie Meyer, for reinforcing that A). Sex is supposed to hurt for the woman, B). It's ok that he couldn't control his passion, because you're in !love!, and C). that Love Conquers All, even logic, good judgment, and a nasty habit of bedroom violence.

I really hope it reads less disturbingly than she described it - because she made Bella sound like the victim from at least eight of the last episodes of L&O:SVU.

Posted by: Tammy at May 6, 2009 11:00 AM

The third and fourth book of this series were torture to read. My poor roommate had to hear me periodically yell at them before I put the books down for a few days and then continue. And this last book is the worst, only saved by the brief section narrated by Jacob, who almost has a personality before imprinting on a baby. What?

Anna von Beaverplatz and Tammy>> The sex was way weird. And that's all I can really bring myself to say about it. Eeeeh. And pretty disappointing since that's all Bella talked about for the whole series.

Posted by: kelsy at May 6, 2009 11:11 AM

Oh, yeah, forgot about the creepy pedophile "That baby is my soulmate!" plot point. Where is Detective Stabler when you need him?

Posted by: Tammy at May 6, 2009 11:16 AM

I have some good news for everyone: I know about 100 teenage girls who have read all the books (my daughter and all her friends plus others--I work at the same school and we have a teen girl book club).

None of them take it seriously at all. Zip. They enjoyed the books just as escapist enjoyment, the end.

I was also somewhat worried about the whole bruised after sex part, and the imprinting on the baby creeped me out to NO END (still does, really), but the girls? Didn't take one bit of it seriously. To them it was just a fun, fluffy read.

So don't worry about the kids. If this admittedly small sampling of 14 year old girls is any indication, they certainly don't model their personal beliefs, much less their lives, after badly written fiction.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at May 6, 2009 11:24 AM

I read the whole series too and hated myself when I finished it. I ranted for weeks about the whole thing. One of my friends sent me to this, and I wish I had read it instead of the books because it recaps the whole thing, while inserting exactly what I was thinking, and it took me less time...
http://cleolinda.livejournal.com/630150.html

Posted by: spaztastic at May 6, 2009 11:47 AM

that's good to know Snuggipants because i found Edward & Bella's relationship very disturbing. i barely made it through Twilight--i think it is the worst book in the series--because Edward's behavior is so similiar to an abuser. i'm sorry, but telling your much, much younger girlfriend that you might snap and kill her at any moment just isn't romantic.

i actually thought that Breaking Dawn was the best book in the series, which really isn't saying much. Jacob was too good for Bella and i think he is the best thing about the whole series as he is the only character with a personality. since they had already done the imprinting with a 2 year old thing in Eclipse i saw it coming and it didn't really bother me, although my best friend thought it was deeply disturbing.

Posted by: pq at May 6, 2009 12:11 PM

Yeah, the imprinting thing didn't really strike me as sexual, I think, and so that part didn't really bother me (especially since, like pq, I also saw it coming like miles away. Seriously, like as soon as the whole imprinting thing came up, I was like, "yeah, how much you wanna bet that Jacob's gonna imprint on Bella's baby when she gets preggo in the next book?" [I really am enjoying use of the word 'like' lately, aren't I?]).

I'm really, REALLY glad to know your daughter and her friends didn't take it seriously, Snuggiepants. It gives me comfort and joy (even though it's not even Christmas) to know that. I think my concern is that although most girls won't read it and imprint it, if you will, as acceptable behavior, there are girls that are already leaning that way to begin with, and this will validate their thought process there. I hope not, but I fear it so.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at May 6, 2009 12:36 PM

Is this the one with the baby that eats her?

Posted by: figgy at May 6, 2009 12:51 PM

Nevermind, I don't care that much.

Posted by: figgy at May 6, 2009 12:55 PM

Meyer's existence and belief system is a cop-out, only logical it would follow in her writing.

Because, you know, Jebus is going to take away your sins, if you're a pregnant teen.

Posted by: Recondite at May 6, 2009 1:15 PM

I am avoiding this whole mess....books, movies, etc. Fodder for tweens and horny teens who aren't ready for the early Anne Rice vampire books (ok, they got lame after a while, too, but "Interview"? HOT!!)

I'll re-read Harry Potter, or any Stephen King, or the damn phone book instead of this tripe. I just know I'm gonna have to listen to my daughter go on about how Edward is "beautiful and amazing and sparkly..." GAG!!!!

Posted by: dammitjanet at May 6, 2009 1:32 PM

Well, ok, here's the deal: none of the girls found the idea of your boyfriend possibly snapping and killing you at any moment *romantic.*

None of them found that sexy, either. If they did, I'd be worried they had a very socially unacceptable and dangerous fetish in the making there.

But they did find it:

different (and it is that, especially compared to anything else they had read in their short lives)

compelling (like "OMG WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN?" even though I wanted to say "duh, y'all there's three more books, do you really think he's going to kill the main character right now?)

slightly thrilling, as in..at any moment: DEATH.

You know 14 year olds LOVE shit like that. Mix in a horrible crush and then when you see the movie with all the somber colors and moody weird I'm-so-emo music and you've got something that age bracket will sell their braces to read and see.

If nothing else, it was marketing brilliance.

And if I can just add as someone who works on adolescent literacy: to see almost every girl in a large middle school walking around with their nose in a book, reading it AT LUNCH, talking about the books nonstop, it made my heart very happy. A lot of them were girls who previously didn't read or hated reading and if this was their gateway drug to get them onto harder (eg: better) stuff, then hell fucking YEAH. Here, can I buy you a copy, child? Oh you want the hardcover version? SURE.

I'm springboarding them into some different (again, better) stuff now that the Twilight obsession is waning and they're biting. (Ha!)

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at May 6, 2009 1:52 PM

Funniest takedown of the Twilight series ever:

http://stoney321.livejournal.com/317176.html#cutid1

You're welcome.

Posted by: Ginger at May 6, 2009 1:56 PM

Oh, and another thing: I'm really miffed at the normally fabulous Michael Sheen; he's starting as Aro in New Moon. Now I'm going to have to actually see that stupid movie.

Posted by: Ginger at May 6, 2009 1:57 PM

obsession is waning and they're biting.

I see what you did there, clever girl!

If only I could've sold my braces when I was 14. I'd have been thrilled beyond words.

I'm probably a huge hypocrite when I talk bad about this series, of course, because I read every damn word of the books, couldn't put them down, and then saw the movie, and then bought the DVD. And, I totally get the "leading to reading" aspect; of course that's completely awesome. Especially if they go and read better stuff and are like, "OMG, what was I thinking? That stuff was shite!" and read good books. Hell, even reading bad books is good for your brain.

That particular aspect just left me feeling very unsettled.

Posted by: Anna von Beaverplatz at May 6, 2009 2:15 PM

I can't see any normal teenage girl taking this stuff seriously. I had an inexplicable addiction to Barbara Cartland books when I was 12 and I did not spend my life wanting to be wilting drip, marry a glowering duke and live in a majestic castle.

If some 14 year old gets to the point of being truly influenced, then I posit that the seeds of those issues that are pre-existing and if it weren't this series, it would be something else.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go pick my Worth gown up from the cleaners.

Posted by: malechai at May 6, 2009 3:31 PM

Stephen King said that one can learn a lot from bad writing. Let's hope the younger readers are making those connections. What's depressing about Twilight is that Snuggiepants list above mentions features that are present in any good story - but Meyer can't execute worth a shit.

To say that she writes in a pornographic style - same cuddling scene, same fight scene, same crying about Jacob/Edward/Her Parents, ad nauseum - is insulting to porn. Not to mention insanely ironic, given that there's nothing but the barest mention of sex amidst all the over-the-clothes petting and 5-second kissing.

And thanks for not providing one instructive piece of information on sex, S. Meyer! I'm glad we got all the gore of Edward chewing the baby out of Bella, but were able to blissfully skip over anything sexual that might, you know, actually come in handy some day...

Posted by: Carla at May 6, 2009 4:54 PM

I hated hated hated HATED this book! I never met a phenomenon I wasn't intrigued by and so it was inevitable that I'd read the Twilight series. And sweet Christ on a cracker they were awful. And yet I couldn't stop reading them and I finished Breaking Dawn on a long plane journey.

Is it me, or does NOTHING FUCKING HAPPEN IN THIS BOOK???? Bella, on whom I have wanted to land a fucking good punch from about five pages into book one, gets everything she ever wanted, inadvertently marks everyone for death, loads of bit part vampires turn up. Then the Volturi show up and then EVERYONE just stands around talking in a field for what feels like eleventy billion pages. And that's it. If I hadn't been on a plane with nothing else to distract me, I don't think I'd have had the inclination to finish. Fucking terrible.

Posted by: Popcultureboy at May 6, 2009 5:01 PM

The thing that I don't understand is how so many women (not teenage girls, but actual women) are in love with Edward. He has no discernible personality!! He's like a stalker for most of the first book, then he ditches her for the second book, then he forces her to marry him (sorta - she wasn't really into the idea), then when they have sex, he practically breaks her! Am I the only one who doesn't understand??

Posted by: Melissa at May 6, 2009 5:47 PM

I'd never read a vampire romance novel in my life before I stumbled upon Twilight back in 2008. I was disappointed aswell as happy that a movie was already in the works when I started reading... but anyways... yus... addicting, compelling, entertaining books. I was almost appauled at myself for how fast i got addicted to Twilight... I'm not usually one for that kinda in-your-face romance....

Posted by: Meimi132 at May 6, 2009 5:49 PM

Yeah, I do have to say, I do NOT get the grown woman love for Edward. Or anyone in this series at all, for that matter. Her characters aren't even fleshed out enough for that.

Now some of the teen girls I know have a serious crush on the guy who PLAYED Edward (can't even think of his name) but at least he's a real person and not an almost-nonexistent fictional character.

I'll also admit while reading the series that I had so many moments of either rolling my eyes or laughing AT the book I can't even count them all. (OMG HER DIALOGUE IS HORRIBLE.) But I read the books because my daughter was so into them and then my huge group of teen girls wanted to do them in our book club, so whatever.

I did find myself wanting to read some really awesome kick-ass incredibly written literature after all that brain mush, though.

Oh Ginger that link kicks ass so hard, I bookmarked it and am reading every single word and laughing my ass off. Awesome!

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at May 6, 2009 5:57 PM

Melissa She's in LOOOOOVE, she's in looooooove, she's willing to DIE for him because she's so in looooooooooooooooooooooooooooove!!!!!!!

Augh. That particular angle started to make me sick halfway through the first book. Yeah, we get it. You're retarded.

Posted by: Snuggiepants the Deathbringer at May 6, 2009 5:58 PM

Edward at first is intriguing. Once he opens his mouth and declares his love, he starts acting like a fussy britches who wears too much khaki. Also, he's always "chuckling" - Meyer can't stop saying that word - over how "human" and "silly" she is. That put some icicles in my underpants right there.

Jacob was a little better, at least had a sense of humor. But then Meyer kept having him hang around shirtless? It reminded me of how the gay guy on Melrose Place was always hanging around his man-lover shirtless-but-not-touching, as a sorta sexual shorthand, since Aaron Spelling wouldn't let him kiss. LAME.

Breaking Dawn was insufferable in the ending. Cue up the Smurfs music. Where was her editor! Carlisle shoulda died. Jacob shoulda died (instead of being hooked up with the dumb-named baby). Somebody shoulda ate it for all of this four-book trouble.

Posted by: Carla at May 6, 2009 8:01 PM

I'm just pissed that SMeyers didn't answer my burning question: Edward is described as being extremely cold. Is boinking him like having a popsicle up your hooha?

Posted by: That Girl at May 6, 2009 8:52 PM

I don't know this series from Adam, but if we're talking about BAD names...this must be read to be believed.

A couple of days ago, my sister phoned me, because our other sister phoned to pass on this important message: On HGTV, a couple was doing some sort of upgrade. I don't remember the man's name, but the woman? That poor doomed soul was named:

Spontaneous.

Why would I make that up? What would I have to gain?

A few years ago, one of my Francophone friends told me a girl (they went to primary school together) who was named Spatule.

That's French for Spatula.

Spatula got pregnant in the seventh grade, who's surprised?

I don't know how it works in other countries, but if a newborn is given a name that's just TOO stupid, the government can overrule it.

Posted by: Jo 'Mama' Besser at May 6, 2009 11:14 PM

Oh god, the writing is bad, but Meyer is GENIUS about pacing plot. Okay, so the ending was a bit anticlimactic (although I was glad that Bella the "fragile" human was the one to end up saving everyone) but everyone I talk to, adults, teens, readers, non-readers, just blew through this books in anticipation of what was going to happen next. If that isn't good writing in some small part, I don't know what is. It's like she's the Dan Brown of tween fantasy romance, and there's nothing wrong with that! As for young girls taking her story to heart, I haven't seen any evidence of that in my students, but I'm sure glad as hell to see them reading. Besides, if any young women do look to have their lives imitate art (or Twilight as the case may be), then they're no better than the grown morons who walked around going, "Ooooh, did you know Jesus was married????" after finishing The Da Vinci Code.

Posted by: Ariel at May 7, 2009 10:03 PM

Oh god, and the name Renesmee..... *shudder* Single worst name ever. Get over everyone calling your daughter by that stupid nickname, 'cuz it's a gazillion times better than the shitty name you've just stuck her with for all of eternity.

Posted by: Ariel at May 7, 2009 10:05 PM

Seriously, most of you need to hop off the "I'm a feminist zealot train for a while"

First time sex does hurt, it ranges from a slight twinge to full on dig your nails into the sheets pain. No matter HOW the hell gentle he is. To say anything less is just plain ignorant.

I'm sorry but most of you are assuming that teenage girls heads are filled with candy, clouds and rainbows. I actually think it's the other way around. I can pretty much guarentee no female Twilight reader is equating the bruises Bella received as the 'true' path to passion. It's insulting to me and I'm not even a teenager. All this self righteous ire and comparisons that neither Meyers or Rowling, King and whoever else made is just ludicrous. Until any of you write something even passably interesting....get a life.

Posted by: Marsha at June 19, 2009 3:34 PM





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