cryptaknight (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
cryptaknight) wrote2007-08-08 03:46 pm
cryptaknight) wrote2007-08-08 03:46 pm
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I picked up my pre-ordered copy of Eclipse yesterday; I was so glad I pre-ordered, because we got well over a hundred copies in, and were sold out by 7 pm. Anyway, I started reading as soon as I got home, and finished up about an hour ago.
I'll start out by saying I liked it, and that I got what I expected out of it. The set-up was the usual- Bella's attracting danger, Edward's feeling over-protective, and Jacob is complicating things. Yep, for all those Jake-haters out there (which, I'll just get it out of the way and say, I'm not one of), tough luck. He's all up in this. The love triangle becomes more defined, and complex, as Bella and the Cullens are threatened once again by crazy as hell, revenge-driven Victoria, who is coming back to get Bella with a pack of angry newborn vampires, forcing them to team up with the Quiluete wolves. The book satisfies as it reveals more back story, more vampire and werewolf lore, and we get to really see the monsters in action. What it doesn't do, frustratingly, is answer the burning question- so does he make her a vampire, or what?
It's all implied, because Bella never really wavers from her decision that this is what she want, despite all the many wrenches Jacob throws her way, and because Edward is suddenly much more willing to compromise, so long as Bella agrees to marry him. I do understand why Stephenie Meyer is forcing the marriage issue, and is sure is convenient that Edward's strength kinda makes fooling around impossible, but I'm with Bella on this one; why does it matter so much? It seems almost silly for a vampire to even need a marriage ceremony, as the supernatural ties between them would have to trump anything so official as a marriage license. Well, it matters because those are Meyer's moral/religious convictions, and that's fine. It's her world, after all.
As far as the back story goes, it's fascinating, but because we only ever have Bella's POV, we get it in a really info-dump sort of way. Rosalie and Jasper both give really perfectly recalled versions of their history, and we get a long campfire sequence while the Quileute elders tell all the werewolf background. Because they're fascinating stories, I was able to forgive the info-dump, but it's too bad that, at least in Rosalie and Jasper's cases, the characters go from mysterious to completely explained over the course of a chapter.
For me, though, Elipse was really Jacob's story. The title is taken from one of his lines, something along the lines of he may be her sun, but how can he compete with an eclipse, meaning Edward. Jacob is very, very good at coming off like an asshole, and handling everything with a cocky and aggressive swagger that belies Charlie's assessment that the events of the last book have left him hurting badly. Charlie's right, though, and his true feelings do break the surface at times. There's a phenomenon of "imprinting" going on in the wolf pack, a sort of binding, love at first sight situation, and Jake is having to watch some really heartbreaking stuff, and becoming really aware that sometimes loving someone isn't always enough. I think this is only made worse by the truce with the Cullens; while Edward may speak of jealousy and his fear of losing Bella, I think he knows he's got his girl, but it must be so much worse for Jake, because, despite his hopes, he knows with ever more surety that he doesn't have his. He has to come to accept that. I think it's telling that the epilogue is done from his point of view, and there's absolutely no closure at all, on his end. *ships Jake/Leah, anyway*
I really hope Meyer sticks with her desire to continue the series. I think it would be killer if the next book was truly a Jake book; he deserves some focus on him, whether all the Edward/Bella fans think so or not. I am also looking forward to the book from Edward's perspective, because I do love him, but I'd prefer a story we didn't already know the ending to.
I'll start out by saying I liked it, and that I got what I expected out of it. The set-up was the usual- Bella's attracting danger, Edward's feeling over-protective, and Jacob is complicating things. Yep, for all those Jake-haters out there (which, I'll just get it out of the way and say, I'm not one of), tough luck. He's all up in this. The love triangle becomes more defined, and complex, as Bella and the Cullens are threatened once again by crazy as hell, revenge-driven Victoria, who is coming back to get Bella with a pack of angry newborn vampires, forcing them to team up with the Quiluete wolves. The book satisfies as it reveals more back story, more vampire and werewolf lore, and we get to really see the monsters in action. What it doesn't do, frustratingly, is answer the burning question- so does he make her a vampire, or what?
It's all implied, because Bella never really wavers from her decision that this is what she want, despite all the many wrenches Jacob throws her way, and because Edward is suddenly much more willing to compromise, so long as Bella agrees to marry him. I do understand why Stephenie Meyer is forcing the marriage issue, and is sure is convenient that Edward's strength kinda makes fooling around impossible, but I'm with Bella on this one; why does it matter so much? It seems almost silly for a vampire to even need a marriage ceremony, as the supernatural ties between them would have to trump anything so official as a marriage license. Well, it matters because those are Meyer's moral/religious convictions, and that's fine. It's her world, after all.
As far as the back story goes, it's fascinating, but because we only ever have Bella's POV, we get it in a really info-dump sort of way. Rosalie and Jasper both give really perfectly recalled versions of their history, and we get a long campfire sequence while the Quileute elders tell all the werewolf background. Because they're fascinating stories, I was able to forgive the info-dump, but it's too bad that, at least in Rosalie and Jasper's cases, the characters go from mysterious to completely explained over the course of a chapter.
For me, though, Elipse was really Jacob's story. The title is taken from one of his lines, something along the lines of he may be her sun, but how can he compete with an eclipse, meaning Edward. Jacob is very, very good at coming off like an asshole, and handling everything with a cocky and aggressive swagger that belies Charlie's assessment that the events of the last book have left him hurting badly. Charlie's right, though, and his true feelings do break the surface at times. There's a phenomenon of "imprinting" going on in the wolf pack, a sort of binding, love at first sight situation, and Jake is having to watch some really heartbreaking stuff, and becoming really aware that sometimes loving someone isn't always enough. I think this is only made worse by the truce with the Cullens; while Edward may speak of jealousy and his fear of losing Bella, I think he knows he's got his girl, but it must be so much worse for Jake, because, despite his hopes, he knows with ever more surety that he doesn't have his. He has to come to accept that. I think it's telling that the epilogue is done from his point of view, and there's absolutely no closure at all, on his end. *ships Jake/Leah, anyway*
I really hope Meyer sticks with her desire to continue the series. I think it would be killer if the next book was truly a Jake book; he deserves some focus on him, whether all the Edward/Bella fans think so or not. I am also looking forward to the book from Edward's perspective, because I do love him, but I'd prefer a story we didn't already know the ending to.
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*flail*
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I also got the new Jasper Fforde, wheee!
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I didn't intend to finish it in under 24 hours- I just could not put it down.
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I loved it.
I just wish I could be more coherant with my review like you are :D
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