Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer (amazon)
I enjoyed the first couple books of the Twilight saga. By the third book I had grown tired of the constant “Bella in peril and is rescued” plot line that Meyer uses over and over. I was hoping that the fourth book would be better, but it wasn’t.
Spoiler Space!
I’m finding the comparisons of the Twilight saga to Harry Potter a little annoying. I can see why someone would compare the two just in terms of both being a publishing phenomena that cause people to line up at midnight to buy books, but Rowling is by far the superior writer. At least in the Harry Potter books good people die because they are fighting evil! Characters are sacrificed. Death is sometimes arbitrary, and life isn’t fair. There’s actually dramatic tension, and the characters grow and change. In contrast, Meyer is so in love with her own creations that nothing negative ever happens to them.
- Edward and Bella get married and have a magical psychic baby half-vampire baby (the sperm of the undead must be something) who is apparently so perfect that she doesn’t ever have a dirty diaper (hard to see how that would happen on a diet of blood) or a late night crying fit.
- The Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle is wrapped up nicely when Jacob falls in love (imprints) on Bella’s infant daughter. There’s no emotional fallout to deal with. All of the tension that was built up over the three previous books goes away due to the magical baby.
- There’s the possibility of some tension due to Rosalie’s obsessiveness over the magical fetus in utero, but Meyer keeps going to the edge of something horrible happening and never delivering.
- There’s no real fall-out when Jacob becomes an alpha wolf, with his own mini-pack.
- Bella has the easiest transition to vampirehood in the history of transitions to vampirehood.
- There’s a vampire standoff at the end where nothing happens other than Bella getting more vampire superpowers, and the fighting is averted due to the power of democracy.
The lack of dramatic tension and character growth is a book that is extremely bland and a vampire saga that is the equivalent of generic vanilla pudding.
2:17 pm on August 3rd, 2008 1
Glad to see you comment on this series. I’d never heard of it until last weekend - apparently I don’t get out as much as I should.
Either that or it hasn’t made its way down to the precocious sixth grade girls in my school yet. Anyway I went looking for info at amazon.com and found the lines really drawn - either love or hate. It’s nice to see your more balanced view.
6:09 pm on August 3rd, 2008 2
I think the Twilight series might be a bit beyond most 6th grade girls, so I can see why you haven’t heard about it!
6:57 pm on August 3rd, 2008 3
Thank goodness. It’s not that I don’t like finding new series for the girls to read - but I do get tired of seeing vampires everywhere. Could we just stake them already and declare them dead?
What I’d really like to find is a good SF series that girls would find interesting - something along the lines of Bujold’s Miles series or Lee-Miller’s Liaden book only for 5th-6th graders. Any suggestions?
8:17 am on August 4th, 2008 4
Maybe the Books of Ember by Jeanne Duprau? I haven’t read them yet, but I think they’re appropriate for your age group.
The fantasy author Sharon Shinn has a bunch of YA books that might work (The Dream-Maker’s Magic, The Safe-Keeper’s Secret, and The Truth-Teller’s Tale).
11:31 am on August 4th, 2008 5
I have the first two of the Duprau books. They don’t go out much - but I’m thinking the coming movie will help that.
Did not know about Sharon Shinn’s YA books. Thanks! 
9:42 am on August 5th, 2008 6
Haha, what I heard is that the book is “Simply Awesome!!” by most.
I am only halfway through the first volume because my friend forced me because I complained about what was so good about it. When i got the book, I thought there would be a lot of depth and action. But what do I get? Endless test about Edward’s body parts and how Bella will die if she doesn’t see him soon. I should not say anything until I finish the book but I already have a solid opinion on it.
In terms of writing, Mrs. Meyer writes well for those who like quick reads (like me) where I can skim without having to understand some complicated words like in other books (which I don’t mind so much). Story-wise, she fails.
9:07 pm on August 5th, 2008 7
I never quite understood how Edward’s body is supposed to be sexy, considering how many times he’s likened to chilly marble. I don’t think freezing while embracing your vampire boyfriend is particularly erotic.
8:31 pm on August 7th, 2008 8
Thank you SO much for sparing me from having to read this one. The first two were okay, but by the third, Bella was on my very. last. nerve. Meyer is NO J.K. Rowling. Okay, rant over. Don’t tell my students what I really think…
8:40 pm on August 7th, 2008 9
Yeah, if you found the third book annoying there is not much use in reading the fourth one. I had to read it because my YA book group is going to discuss it later this month, and I was holding out hope that the fourth book would be an improvement on the third.
I think the reaction to the book is split between those who hate and those who love it, just going by the amazon ratings and reviews.