Entertainment : Books & Poetry
'Breaking Dawn' another breathtaking addition to 'Twilight' series
By Julie Feinerman, Staff Writer
August 22, 2008 | 3 p.m.
For all of the die-hard "Twilight" fans engrossed in the New York Times' bestselling novels by Stephenie Meyer, readers will certainly not be disappointed with her latest addition to the "Twilight" series, "Breaking Dawn." For newcomers to the series, a refresher of the last three novels will give a sense of what this breathtaking story is about.
The first novel in the series follows Bella Swan, a 17-year-old girl who moves in with her father in Forks, a town where myths and legends become the story of her life. She leaves her home in Arizona sacrificing her happiness so her mother would not feel tied down when her new husband, a baseball player, is traveling because of his career. Her moving says a lot about the unselfishness of Bella's character. Forks, located in the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State, has more rain than anywhere else in the country, and the constant state of cloudy sky suits Bella's sulky mood.
Once Bella gets over her anxiety of being the "new kid" she makes friends easily, she but seems to ignore unwanted attention from boys except for one in particular--Edward Cullen. Entranced by his smoldering golden eyes, bronzed hair and pale but beautiful face, Bella cannot help but become infatuated at first sight. Curious about he is, Bella tries to find out all she can about him and his family. After Edward saves Bella's life in the school parking lot by running at an impossible speed, she comes to understand that there is more to him than just a beautiful exterior. Realizing that Bella knows he is not human, Edward cannot help staying away from the one person he could not bear to endanger.
Edward is seventeen and has been so for centuries. He lives with his family and moves every few years to avoid unwanted curiosity. His family includes his father/creator, Carlisle, a respected doctor in town, and his mother Esme. Edward's brothers and sisters are two couples, Rosalie and Emmett and as Alice and Jasper. Alice and Jasper came to the family with a unique power different than Edward's. Alice is able to foresee the future but is not always accurate, and Jasper can feel and control people's emotions.
Aside from his superhuman speed and senses, Edward is also able to read the minds of those around him, all except Bella's, which remains a mystery. The excitement is all in the budding romance between Edward and Bella. The action and suspense follow when James, a seditious vampire whose obsession is tracking his prey and hunting them down, sets his sights on Bella. The race is on for the Cullens to find James before he can locate Bella, whose safety becomes Edward's top priority.
The second novel in the series picks up on Bella's eighteenth birthday. The Cullens have surprised her with a party, and when a paper cut makes Jasper bloodthirsty, Edward sadly comes to the realization that his relationship with Bella could only be the death of her.
"New Moon" readers will experience the worst kind of heartache. Bella will learn what it is like to try to move on from her first love, and to know that even when death is staring her in the face, as long as Edward is beside her, death can take them together.
This book focuses on Bella's relationship with Jacob Black after Edward disappears. The legend of werewolves becomes Jacob's reality after finding out he is one of them, and Bella is left to figure out the hatred they feel for the Cullens. Suffering from a broken heart, Bella has began acting more extreme by taking up anything that puts her life in danger. When cliff diving nearly claims her life, Bella leaves Alice with the illusion that Bella has committed suicide, and Edward no longer wants to live in a world without. He sentences himself to death, and as Edward's time runs out, Bella rushes to save the love of her life, even if it means they will both perish.
The third book concentrates on Bella's internal conflicts. Bella and Edward are once again a happy couple, and Jacob has never been more jealous or more in love with her. He purposely taunts Edward with thoughts of Bella and how distraught she was after Edward left her. The hatred between the vampires and werewolves is explained with a treaty that was signed decades ago, claiming no Cullen shall hunt, bite or kill any humans, which leaves Edward and Bella in an unfortunate predicament.
Sexual tensions arise when Bella wants more of a physical relationship with Edward. He persistently refuses out of safety measures, claiming sex would be too dangerous. They do eventually come to a compromise. Once Bella agrees to marry Edward they will at least try to attempt the sacred act. Before wedding plans are considered, Bella becomes the prey of Victoria, a scorned vampire. With full intent on avenging James, her dead mate, Victoria builds an army of newborns ready to kill Bella and the Cullens. Help comes to them in surprising forms, endangering Bella and everyone she has come to love.
Now available in stores, this novel is just as thrilling as its predecessors. Separated into three books--the first in Bella's perspective, the second in Jacob's and the third back to Bella's-- "Breaking Dawn" is all about family ties of family-- humans, vampires and werewolves. Picking up the day before Edwards and Bella's wedding, the novel follow Bella as she anxiously awaits matrimony, the immortal world and Jacob, who after finding out about her engagement has not been heard from since.
After a successful wedding and a hostile return from Jacob, the new Mr. and Mrs. Cullen honeymoon in South America where their love has never been stronger. A surprise pregnancy leaves Bella with a rapidly growing fetus, a dangerous situation. By the time they rush back to Forks, Bella already looks as though she is in her third trimester, and Carlisle predicts she has four days left until the fetus kills her.
In those four suspenseful days, Edward is left feeling powerless, and Jacob is fuming with rage. Together they deliver the impossiblem and Bella has finally become what she has most desired. With a surprising twist of fate, Jacob becomes inseparable from baby Renesmee, as does the Cullen family. With Bella and Edward's happy ending visible on the horizon, a misinterpretation leads the Cullen coven into the fight of their lives.
Fans everywhere should be on the lookout this fall when "Twilight" premieres in theaters November 21, 2008.
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