New Moon

[psubrat]

Dear god, I don't even know where to start!

Things I liked:

• Jacob. Period. End of sentence. I thought he was the most compelling character in this story. The journey he went on from a boy to becoming a werewolf, and his almost acceptance of it, was what kept me intrigued. He matured. Unlike Bella who still seems to be in a state of stunted personal growth. I like that he was perceptive about Bella -- what she liked, what she didn't like. He loves her in a way Edward can't. He accepts her for her and isn't constantly asking, "What are you thinking?" He just seems to know. Right now, I'm firmly coming down on the side of Team Jacob. That could change over the course of the next two books, but for now, yeah, I'm on Jacob's side.


• The "Victoria is coming to get Bella" plot held my interest.


• Not every other word was "beautiful", "adonis", "angelic", etc. I guess there's only so many ways you can describe a werewolf.

Annoying stuff:

• 150 pages of teenage breakup angst. Oh. My. God. I wanted to claw my eyes out. I was grateful that Meyer put me out of my misery by skipping three months of more of the same -- Bella being a zombie. I did understand the breakup feelings because I remember how I felt when my high school sweetheart and I called it quits (and we were in our early 20's!). I was messed up for a while, but we'd dated FOUR years, not six months. But hey, everything is a crisis when you're 17 & 18, so I tried to cut Meyer some slack there.


• 300 pages of NO FREAKING PLOT other than Jacob's journey as seen through the eyes of Bella. While I did enjoy Jacob's story, I wanted PLOT. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so.


• The "Victoria is coming to get Bella" plot disappeared in favor of saving Edward from committing suicide. WTH? I had whiplash from the change in gears. "Victoria's coming! No! We're saving Edward, he of the angelic, beautiful, gorgeous face and the sweet sweet breath!" o.0


• Bella going to the Cullen's house to have the family "VOTE" on her becoming a vampire. I cringed that entire chapter. Seriously cringed. I cannot believe how much this 18 year old girl wants to become a vampire. And maybe that's just my age showing, but damn. Give it a freaking rest, Bella. Ugh.


• Was I the only who groaned when Alice showed up? No? Really? Man, it's really lonely over here on Team Jacob. I knew immediately that his story was done right there. Made me sad. And the last scene between him and Bella killed me. Folks, I'm not liking the sparkly vampire.


• I secretly hoped that one of Bella's extreme sporting events would end in her demise, but I knew if that happened, there'd be no more story.


• The fact that even after, what, like 1,000 pages, we're no closer to really knowing anything about Bella other than she loves Edward and wants to become a vampire. Maybe that's all we need to know?

I'll probably start Eclipse tonight before I go to bed. I hope I have more pros than cons with this next one.

Comments

[scarlettgirl.livejournal.com]

Hee! I told you! My eye's nearly broke from the rolling. I just love how the "men" in her life make all these decisions for her and she's okay with that because they "love" her. Wait, maybe that's the next book. Oh, who the fuck knows, all she does in moan and angst anyway.

And I L.O.L'd hard at the blank chapters. Oh, the pain.

*falls over laughing*

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

I get the angst, truly I do, but geez Louise, I wanted to bash my head up against the wall after a while. But as I said, at least every other word wasn't beautiful or a descriptor there of.

I seriously raised an eyebrow when I got to the blank chapters. Why put them in at all when you can just say, "After four months, I was still in mourning and it had reached levels of epic proportions." Maybe Meyer was going for the dramatic?

[flanneryflyer.livejournal.com]

Man, it's really lonely over here on Team Jacob.

No! It's not! I promise! Didn't you see my picture from Paris? I am TOTALLY 100% TEAM JACOB.

It's like... frigid, controlling, undead vampire or hot (literally) wolfy Native American? NO CONTEST.

I'll probably start Eclipse tonight before I go to bed. I hope I have more pros than cons with this next one.

This is why this series makes me SO MAD. Don't get me wrong, I devoured all the books (like you at a rate of basically one per day), and I've seen the movie multiple times (I have it on my computer). But the writing is just really bad. The "plot" and characters are kind of compelling, and it's cheesy as hell, which is what I think gets you, but on merit of actual writing ability, the woman doesn't deserve to have sold 25 million copies. JK Rowling is at least really adept at telling a story, developing plot and characters, and really making the themes and people in her books round and realistic (in terms of emotion, not in terms of turning into cats and such). Stephenie Meyer basically got fan fiction published, and not even GOOD fan fiction. But still, for whatever reason, it's totally addicting. It's crack!

Okay. I'm sorry to have just gone off on a huge rant!

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

Don't worry about the huge rant, really. I'm so glad that someone else is on Team Jacob with me. I don't know why the sparkly vampire is annoying the crap out of me right now, but I'm hoping that changes as I read the next two.

As for Meyer's writing style...I agree, it's not the best, but the woman hit an audience and ran with it. Good for her. I can only hope to do the same one day. I agree about JK Rowling's ability to tell a story...there's at least plot there and you know it's leading up to something, whereas I kept wondering where things were going 400 pages in!!!

Yeah, it's certainly crack, but I'm afraid my age is keeping me from really enjoying the books the way they're supposed to be enjoyed.

[angstchic.livejournal.com]

Really kinda loving your reviews here. I think there may have been actual nodding as I read. :P Like I told you on the phone the other day, it's hard to read a series when you find yourself wanting to annihilate the main character.

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

...it's hard to read a series when you find yourself wanting to annihilate the main character.

Seriously. I couldn't help thinking every time she did something stupid, "Oh, this time she's really toast." My favorite stupid thing she did was the cliff diving. COME ON! The girl can't even walk without falling down, what made her think she was going to survive something like that? Jeezus. ::slap, slap, slap::

[angstchic.livejournal.com]

Seriously. I couldn't help thinking every time she did something stupid, "Oh, this time she's really toast."

And if you were like me, you got hopeful. Really hopeful. Excited even.

[snarkhunter.livejournal.com]

Oh, I don't think Jacob's story is *over*. (::evil grin::)

Here's my thing: Suicide by Volturi? Really, Edward? I mean, really? SUCH a bad plan. Morons.

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear there's more Jacob coming, but I'm pretty sure that he doesn't get the girl in the end because the girl is pretty damn stupid and completely selfish. But, yeah, glad to hear he'll be back.

Here's my thing: Suicide by Volturi? Really, Edward? I mean, really? SUCH a bad plan. Morons.

I rolled my eyes really hard on that one and kept shouting, "GO BACK TO THE VICTORIA COMING TO GET BELLA STORY PLEASE!!!" Ugh.

[eyesthatslay.livejournal.com]

*giggles*

Oh how I love it when you get your snark on girl. Hee.

Though I'm going to have to say you're going to laugh when I post what I thought of New Moon. We are nearly polar opposites on Jacob! :P

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

Oh how I love it when you get your snark on girl. Hee.

I was snarking? ;)

As for Jacob, I posted my comment about him over on your review. Hee!

[eyesthatslay.livejournal.com]

Hee! I knew you'd have to defend his honor. :P

[psubrat.livejournal.com]

He has an honor worth defending! :P

[thefrenchmaid.livejournal.com]

I repeat my review of all of Meyer's books: a car crash - not much happens but you can't seem to look away.

[tvnerdgirl.livejournal.com]

I heart Jacob as well. And Bella drives me nuts as does Edward...I think he's the fist Bipolar vampire ever ;)

[samolly.livejournal.com]

Team Jacob :(
Well, I forgive you ;)
I do like Jacob as a person and his story is told much better than Edward's in ALL the books, I prefer Bella with Edward. And I love the Cullen's much more than the Pack.
The suicide attempt was super stupid, but so was underestimating Victoria.
Make sure your read Midnight Sun on SM's website when your done w/ the books.

[cinn48.livejournal.com]

Yup, totally count me on the Team Jacob side of things too. I haven't been keeping up with the reading as quickly as you, but it was the Jacob storyline that compelled me to read the books.

Edward, creepy, clingy, stalky and completely un-compelling. There is nothing remotely sexy or hot about him. I actually think the head Cullen (whose name I can't remember right now) is the most interesting of the Cullens, can we get his origin and life story? He seems so conflicted with wanting to do good in the only way he can, by turning people into monsters. He actually seems like a character, instead of a caricture!

[txvoodoo.livejournal.com]

Babe, if you're put off in book 2? Oh man…. ;)

The blank chapters were HYSTERICAL. Not how SMeyers meant it to be, I think ;)

[mebs12.livejournal.com]

My sister gave me the first 3 books for Christmas when I was in Texas. I got through Twilight & New Moon in two days and read Eclipse on the flight home. I agree about Jacob maturing although he gets stuck in his Bella worship too. October, November and December gave me a chuckle also.
You'll like Eclipse. More Edward/Jacob interaction. Bella needs to stand up for herself better. The whining is getting old.
I never re-read books, but I did just go back and re-read Twilight. I found I went through it too fast the first time around and now knowing what has happened can see more of the subtleties in it.
I haven't started Breaking Dawn yet.