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CoffeeGurl(580 days)
Rating
Having read Twilight, I couldn’t wait to read its sequel, New Moon. The wonderful like tale between century-ancient teen vampire Edward Cullen and our heroine Bella Swan left me wanting more, and New Moon doesn’t disappoint me as a follow-up. On the contrary, it is more riveting than the first. It is her eighteenth birthday and Bella has one worry on her mind: she will age and eventually die while Edward will be a gorgeous seventeen-year-ancient forever. Which begs the question: how could their relationship possibly last under such circumstances? She wants to become a vampire and be part of the Cullen family, but Edward wants her to live a normal, pleased life as a mortal. So what if she ages and dies? He likes her so much that he wouldn’t want to continue to live once she’s gone anyway. An unpleasant incident during her birthday party at the Cullens’ place forces Edward to make a harsh choice, one that breaks Bella’s heart. Without Edward, she feels hollow inside, and lives life in autopilot to keep her father from worrying. But her friendship with sixteen-year-ancient Jacob helps her a fantastic deal, and he soon becomes something of a life buoy to her. But, when Jacob abruptly withdraws and becomes temperamental, not to mention large and older-looking than his sixteen years, Bella becomes worried. What is happening to Jacob? Has he gotten involved in some sort of gang or cult, one place together by the same people he had once detested? On top of everything, Bella feels the need to place herself in constant danger in a desperate attempt to hear Edward’s voice in her head. As if she needed more danger! After all, a vampire is on the loose, waiting for the opportunity to kill Bella. People have reported sightings of “bears” and “large dogs” in the area. But nothing matters to Bella, not without her Romeo: Edward Cullen.
There is one thing I like about Meyer’s style in these novels: she takes her time to develop the relationships between the protagonist and the two main guys in her life. Bella’s relationship with Edward is perfectly developed. Their intense like for each other is really believable and I felt the depths of her pain as she mourned over the breakup. The parallels between their romance and that of Romeo and Juliet is a fantastic touch. Edward and the Cullens take a backseat in this novel in favor of Jacob. I loved reading how their friendship develops and the feelings they have for each other (Jacob is in like with her, whereas Bella sees him as a brother) are also believable. This is the typical vampire vs. werewolf thing found in many paranormal novels. The one huge difference is that both characters are sympathetic and likable and you don’t know which one to choose. I am more inclined toward Edward, but Jacob is also a fantastic character, if a small immature and impulsive. Then again, most sixteen-year-ancient boys are. They are both gorgeous though. Man, if only there had been boys like that in my high school! But the class of ’95 was sadly devoid of ultra-sexy vampires and werewolves. Lol. There is huge friction between the vampires and the werewolves, which makes their conflict really believable. You don’t know the direction the series will take in the next installment, and that makes it completely riveting. Bella is a bit annoying in this installment. She strikes me as self-centered, and she uses poor Jacob throughout the novel. Of course, this is all brought up and she is aware of her behavior, which makes her somewhat sympathetic because of it. Her “normal friends” are extremely annoying, especially Mike, which is why I’m glad they don’t appear much during the second half of the novel. The whole thing with the Italian vampires — the Volturis — is fascinating. They show the right dark side of the vampire world. But that doesn’t keep our heroine from trying to become one herself. Anyway, I absolutely LOVED New Moon and can’t wait to get home so that I could crack open Eclipse. I don’t want to rush though. I want to digest the first two books before I read the third (and last?) installment. In the meantime, I recommend this one. These Twilight books are somewhat addictive and I hope this is not just a trilogy. I want more!
I got ‘NEW MOON’ as a mother’s day present because, after a few inquaries from my husband, all I could reckon of that I really wanted after reading ‘TWILIGHT’ was to get my hands on the rest of the books in this series! So my husband although a bit confused dutifully went to the teen section of the local bookstore and bought my copy of ‘NEW MOON’ and from the time he brought it in the house until I finished it I was barely able to place it down.
Although it is hard to say I reckon that I may have liked ‘NEW MOON’ even better than ‘TWILIGHT’. One reason for this is that the action started much earlier in the book. From Bella’s discoveries about the LaPush Gang, to the return of her nemesis, all the way to the mysterious and ancient vampire sect, the action in ‘NEW MOON’ rarely slows.
The second reason I liked ‘NEW MOON’ so much is Jacob Black. It was a joy getting to know his character and to see Bella blossom when interacting with someone outside of the Cullen Family. Don’t get me incorrect I like Edward and the entire gang but in my opinion, Jacob Black brought out all of the best qualities in Bella whereas Edward seems to reduce her to a like sick, disagreeable…well…brat. Not to mention Jake is just an all around sweetie!! For these reasons, I am reluctant to say that no matter how much I like Edward (and I do) I am officially on Team Jacob!
On one last note, I cannot recommend this series enough. If you have not read it rush and get on this ban wagon now! It doesn’t seem to matter how ancient you are or what sex you are for that matter, I have not met one person who has read this series that has not become completely addicted to it (What DO you place in these books Stephenie Meyer??). Do believe the hype it seems to just get better with time.
Although I too was enthralled by Twilight[ that explored the like between a vampire, Edward Cullen, and a mortal, Bella Swan]this sequel in my opinion is far better. Yes, like other readers, I too was disappointed that the vampires were not a dominant feature in this novel, yet the way the author wrote, you could sense their presence throughout the novel, so it didn’t really seem like I missed them. This second novel explores the emotions of Bella as she learns to live on knowing she might never see Edward again. The main theme here is the friendship between Bella and Jacob and how that friendship is challenged not only by Jacob [who wishes more] but the knowledge that Jacob is a natural enemy of the vampires by virtue of his birthright [shall not give away too much]…suffice to say, the vampires do make a reappearance, and the second half of the novel does proceed at a quick pace with lots of thrills thrown in for excellent measure. I loved the way the author draws Bella’s character, lovelorn yet strong-willed, courageous yet weak, Bella is a study in contradictions, yet we can’t help but like her for she is someone all who have been in like can relate to. Her like for Edward is all-encompassing, and utterly believable even with the vampire/werewolf angle! I can’t wait for the third novel, and it would be fantastic to see Bella’s wish to join the vampire clan fulfilled, and how she deals with the challenges…would it change the like between Edward & Bella…gosh, I’m getting ahead of myself, this is purely wishful thinking on my part. I highly recommend this author!
So many of the reviews are more about the character’s actions- I’d prefer to really discuss the book. My sister just started high school, she’s 15 and she lent New Moon and the first book, Twilight to me. Despite our age gap (I’m sixteen years older) I found them a very engaging and entertaining read. I’m glad to share these with her and I’d suggest them to anyone who is staring at a younger, somewhat mysterious female relative wondering what to buy them for Christmas.
The pacing is excellent. The book is a quick, satisfying read. My feeling is that the author works through scenes rather than writing in a linear fashion- and the scenes are honestly cinematic in their structure which I personally like. She gets to the point in her tales and fits a lot of action and significant detail in without overwhelming you with a density of vision.
If you’re concerned about the content, as in “Is this appropriate to give my neice/cousin’s kid etc” you can be assured that the romantic tension captured here is through restraint rather than exploration. Not too surprizingly this is highly seductive. Several reviews seem disappointed by the character’s actions and have given fewer stars. But, I’d like to say that this book is clearly part of a larger work and we’re seeing Bella at a certain point in her personal growth. It is not a conclusion novel so it doesn’t feel like one. She acts like, well, a confused person in like. I reckon the depiction is honest and it is a excellent thing when a character can annoy or drive you crazy: it means you’re engaged and the author has done their job well.
I’ll be honest- I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in, now I’m a bit annoyed I have to wait until next fall.
New Moon is the sequel to Twilight, so I’m covering both in my review. I reckon it could stand alone but I’d stronly recommend reading Twilight first as it really gives the foundations and ‘rules’ of Bella’s world.
New Moon picks up a few months after Twlight left off, with Edward and Bella just as in like as ever and life proceeding as normally as it can when your boyfriend is a vampire. Bella’s huge problem is that with her birthday, she technically becomes older than Edward, and is still insistent on becoming a vampire so that she can be with him forever. Edward doesn’t see things her way, and disaster strikes when an accidental paper cut at her birthday party causes the Cullens to have to fight to resist the sight of her blood. With this danger on his mind, Edward convinces Bella he no longer needs her and he and his family leave Forks.
This book is huge on emotion; Meyer does an incredible job of forcing us to feel Bella’s pain at losing Edward and her moments of joy when she realizes that doing perilous stunts bring on the “sound” of his voice. We’re led to know the growing friendship between Bella and Jake, and Meyer pulls us in with the reveal of Jake’s own problems. The relief Bella feels upon seeing Alice and then the terror of Edward’s dilemma are all events that caused my heart to jump. Rarely do I get so caught up in the lives of characters, but Meyer makes it impossible not to. The fact that she moves her tales along less on action (though there is plenty of that at times) than on emotion is the driving success of both Twlight and New Moon, and the imprint all of the characters leave on you as you close the last page makes you want to simply turn the book over and start again.
Highly, highly recommended for all who like well-drawn characters and inventive tale-telling. Just be prepared to be disappointed as you are forced to wait for the next installment!
This sequel to Twilight, though not exactly what most readers expected, exceeded those expectations with an amazingly unpredictable tale line- complete with the familiar characters we like so much!
It starts out just a few months from where Twilight left off- Bella Swan is in right like with Edward Cullen, and his family of fellow friendly vampires. But then… a papercut at her birthday party leads the vampires to have a sudden urge to feed- only on her! In the days following the accident, none of her night dwelling friends are the same- not even Edward- phased and embaressed by their actions. But Bella doesn’t expect Edward to break up with her and the Cullens to leave!
Bella is left in a numb, zombie-like state for months, until she starts to wake from her dream state in January. She discovers that if she takes a few risks, takes just a small step out of line, she is able to hear the warning voice of Edward in her mind! Thrilled at the chance to hear his voice- even if she might be going crazy-, Bella starts to pursue the reckless behavior he made her promise to keep away from.
Let’s just say that Bella soon has her hands full. She renews her ancient friendships- including that with Jacob Black. Rumors of werewolves and vengeful vampiresses are circulating full throttle- and to top it off, she has the challenge of her own mind; forgetting and saving the Cullens at the same time.
I refuse to delve an inch further into the plot- to spoil its wonderful tactics would be a sin!
This book is just as incredible as its predecessor- if not more of a thrill ride. At first I thought its lack of romantic outlook between Edward and Bella would be a complete downcast- but I found myself, as I’m sure all readers will, being so drawn into Bella’s emotions and struggles that it made not a difference to the book’s loveability.
The only thing I have to note to the negativity of the book is that the next installment could not possibly come out quickly enough to do justice to this tale’s complex ending! Just as everything ties together, it also leaves the reader hanging for the the future! I also wish that we could have been further introduced as to the ways and habits of new characters we are shown- to further know their motives to come. Well, at least it goes without saying that there will be enough future plot to fuel the oncoming tales quite generously!
Stephanie Meyer’s words draw you so into the tale; you feel as though it is your heart being completely broken and later completely refilled, just as it is Bella’s! Her descriptions and portrayals of human emotion through Bella and the other characters can at times be ardent enough to bring tears to the reader’s eyes! Literally!
You want to continue reading so quick, that rarely would you feel any pacing problems a bit! Though quite a large book in length, it fills up the time passing throughout the tale impeccably well! I cannot sing enough praise for New Moon!
For all of those that have read Twilight, and have not yet picked up New Moon for dread of ‘sequel disappointment’, have no worries! Even those who are not particularly fond of vampire tales, as myself, will delight in New Moon and its prequel of Twilight to no end! What else to say other than that the tale of Bella and the Cullens is pure brilliance?
There is enough on the plot of the book here, that I’ll just skip to my opinion.
Many “Twighlight” fans I know will be dissapointed with the small we see of Edward in here. I mean, we all fell in like with Edward in “Twighlight,” so why take him away? But, this book is not about Edwards tale, it is about Jacobs tale.
Stephenie Meyer stuck right to how she thought Edward would react to such a situation (just in case you don’t know, he leaves after a disaster at Bella’s birthday party) and his diparture gives Jacob a chance to grow as a character. In “New Moon,” the reader learns of Jacob’s immeasurable sweetness and compassion, and also of his pain of a fait he cannot escape. Jacob is an incredible friend, and Stephenie wants her audience to feel for him.
Also, another complaint about “New Moon” is Bella’s reaction to Edward’s departure. I felt that her was right to her character. If the reader’s were dissapointed at Edward’s departure, how should Bella act? Edward was Bella’s like, her soulmate, and when he left he took a piece of her with him. Bella didn’t sulk after Edward left, at least not for so long. She went about her life hallow, and without emotion, and only for Charlie’s sake.
I stand by “New Moon” as a justified sequal to “Twilight.” Honestly, Bella is in like with a vampire! Did you expect her to live happily ever after? “New Moon” was exciting, sad, and gave the reader a chance to realy now the shy Jacob of “Twilight.”
Life is far from normal for Bella Swan during her senior year of high school. Right, her life is full of drama and boy troubles, but for Bella who sees herself as a danger magnet life holds much much more. Edward Cullen, her ever-handsome boyfriend who just happens to be a vampire, breaks her heart when he leaves after Bella receives a near-fatal paper cut at her eighteenth birthday party. Realizing that his family no matter how determined to avoid human blood, can within seconds be overwhelmed with tempation and violence leads him to place Bella’s safety ahead of his own desires. To say that Bella is devastated is an understatment, she becomes zombie-like in her loss, a fact which is finally realized when Bella and one of her friends are watching a Zombie movie. “It wasn’t until nearly the very end, as I watched a haggard zombie shambling after the last shrieking survivor, that I realized what the problem was. The scene kept cutting between the horrified face of the heroine, and the dead emotionless face of her pursuer, back and forth as it closed the distance. And I realized which one resembled me the most. . . But it was ironic, all things considered, that, in the end, I would wind up a zombie. I hadn’t seen that one coming. Not that I hadn’t dreamed of becoming a mythical monster once–just never a grotesque, animated corpse. . . It was depressing to realize that I wasn’t the heroine anymore, that my tale was over.” (106) But Bella’s tale is far from over. Reintroduce into the picture, Jacob Black, the young man who first shared with Bella the fact that she was falling in like with a vampire, this new friendship reenergizes Bella’s existence and gives her a reason to continue on. But is her friendship with Jacob any safer for her than her relationship with Edward was? Or is Jacob hiding a perilous secret of his own? Is Edward out of the picture for excellent, or will he make a comeback to try to reclaim her heart?
Stephenie Meyer’s novel NEW MOON, sequel to TWILIGHT, is an exciting read, and one that I highly recommend.
New Moon starts out wonderfully – Edward’s family throws Bella a birthday party, but when she has an accident and starts bleeding, the whole vampire household flips out. Consequently, Edward is filled with guilt and decides that she needs to lead a normal life without being endangered by their presence every day, and so they all pack up and leave. I nearly choked when I saw that time passes without him.
But, try as she might, Bella is empty without him. She realizes that when she is in danger, she can hear his voice in her head (usually yelling), and so she starts to pursue perilous leisure activities just to hear his voice again. One of these leisure activities brings her into close friendship with Jacob Black, the Quileute Indian boy who tipped her off to Edward’s identity in the first book, and he seems to temporarily appease her pain at Edward’s absence. But Jacob has his own secrets, and Bella is again endangered when a vampire returns to Forks for revenge.
I must admit, most of the reason this book kept me up late reading was in hopes of word from Edward. Jacob and his friends were fun, and it *was* exciting to see another facet of the books’ mythology, but nearly the whole time Bella was with Jake, I was adamantly pining for Edward. When he does return, I was not disappointed, and Jake’s involvement also sets up the potential for a powerful like triangle.
It wasn’t quite as solid as the first book, but I sense that New Moon is an vital transition. Many questions were brought up, like whether vampires have souls, and just how far must Bella and Edward go to stay together? She wants to become one of them, and Edward insists that she remain human. Now that we’ve caught wind of it, what exactly is agreed in the treaty the vampires have with the Quileutes? And what will Bella do now that her boyfriend and her best friend are mortal enemies? All of this feels like necessary groundwork in order to address these issues in the next book. I loved New Moon immensely, despite Edward’s absence for most of it, and I’m keen for the next installment; I can’t wait to see how Meyer resolves some of these issues, and what ride we will experience in the next book.
I just received my book in the mail two days ago and I have been devouring it ever since.
The book starts with seeing Bella become very comfortable with Edward and his family. I was delighted to see Alice’s character take on more depth as we started to see more of her personality, but this may quickly turn into disappointment for some, when she is whisked away all too soon. Bella is given a birthday party and accidentally gets a paper cut. This leads to a tense moment when one of the family members cannot contain themselves and makes a leap for Bella. Edward is forced to protect her, but this makes it all to clear that keeping Bella close to the family puts her at risk. Edward starts to withdraw himself emotionally in order to (we readers know what is going to happen, but Bella seems to be in denial)leave her.
Naturally, Bella’s grief is heartwrenching to read. Any girl who has felt the pain of lost or unrequited like will shed a few tears during this chapter. It is hard to get over being furious at Edward’s behavior at the begining of the book, but this simply shows you how simple it is to get pulled into nearly believing these characters are real.
Bella becomes seriously withdrawn from the world after his departure and considering their weird and magical relationship, this is to be expected. I do miss Edward’s presence-he was such a strong character in Twilight- but I did something I never do, I flipped to the back of the book to assure myself of his return. Ms. Meyer realizes how addicted her audience is to Edward, so he does make token appearances in a roundabout way. Bella starts to hear Edward’s voice warning her when she puts herself in harm’s way and in this way Bella starts to court danger.
Jacob, the young native American from Twilight, makes a reappearance in New Moon. He becomes a very close friend of Bella’s and helps her through her depression. His character takes the place of Edward and he becomes a major player in this tale. He is also the complete opposite of Edward’s sophisticated, wordly one. Jacob is lovable, akward, attractive (in a regular way) and warm-blooded. His tale is one of interest and I don’t believe any reader who has already read Twilight, will be surprised at the turn of events in which Jacob is involved.
The book is certainly brilliant, as Ms. Meyer is a fabulous writer, but I do find myself impatiently turning the pages and skimming ahead to see when one of the Cullens’ family members will appear. Even with those minor faults, I still find myself staying up way too late to end another chapter. I have read half the book in the past two days instead of working on lesson plans for my class, during the first week of school, no less. This is a real indicator of just how wonderful New Moon is.
My ultimate disappointment will be when I am finished and must wait another year for the next book to come out. I don’t believe Stephenie Meyer can whip these out quick enough to appease her growing leagues of fans. This is a very desirable position to be in for a writer and this should guarantee many Bella and Edward tales in the future.
*Update
The ending was very excellent and the reader finds out some fascinating information concerning Bella and how special she really is. The twist adds a new dimension to the novel it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. There is no complete closure for a few vital issues and obviously this leaves it wide open for the third novel in the series.
Rating
Having read Twilight, I couldn’t wait to read its sequel, New Moon. The wonderful like tale between century-ancient teen vampire Edward Cullen and our heroine Bella Swan left me wanting more, and New Moon doesn’t disappoint me as a follow-up. On the contrary, it is more riveting than the first. It is her eighteenth birthday and Bella has one worry on her mind: she will age and eventually die while Edward will be a gorgeous seventeen-year-ancient forever. Which begs the question: how could their relationship possibly last under such circumstances? She wants to become a vampire and be part of the Cullen family, but Edward wants her to live a normal, pleased life as a mortal. So what if she ages and dies? He likes her so much that he wouldn’t want to continue to live once she’s gone anyway. An unpleasant incident during her birthday party at the Cullens’ place forces Edward to make a harsh choice, one that breaks Bella’s heart. Without Edward, she feels hollow inside, and lives life in autopilot to keep her father from worrying. But her friendship with sixteen-year-ancient Jacob helps her a fantastic deal, and he soon becomes something of a life buoy to her. But, when Jacob abruptly withdraws and becomes temperamental, not to mention large and older-looking than his sixteen years, Bella becomes worried. What is happening to Jacob? Has he gotten involved in some sort of gang or cult, one place together by the same people he had once detested? On top of everything, Bella feels the need to place herself in constant danger in a desperate attempt to hear Edward’s voice in her head. As if she needed more danger! After all, a vampire is on the loose, waiting for the opportunity to kill Bella. People have reported sightings of “bears” and “large dogs” in the area. But nothing matters to Bella, not without her Romeo: Edward Cullen.
There is one thing I like about Meyer’s style in these novels: she takes her time to develop the relationships between the protagonist and the two main guys in her life. Bella’s relationship with Edward is perfectly developed. Their intense like for each other is really believable and I felt the depths of her pain as she mourned over the breakup. The parallels between their romance and that of Romeo and Juliet is a fantastic touch. Edward and the Cullens take a backseat in this novel in favor of Jacob. I loved reading how their friendship develops and the feelings they have for each other (Jacob is in like with her, whereas Bella sees him as a brother) are also believable. This is the typical vampire vs. werewolf thing found in many paranormal novels. The one huge difference is that both characters are sympathetic and likable and you don’t know which one to choose. I am more inclined toward Edward, but Jacob is also a fantastic character, if a small immature and impulsive. Then again, most sixteen-year-ancient boys are. They are both gorgeous though. Man, if only there had been boys like that in my high school! But the class of ’95 was sadly devoid of ultra-sexy vampires and werewolves. Lol. There is huge friction between the vampires and the werewolves, which makes their conflict really believable. You don’t know the direction the series will take in the next installment, and that makes it completely riveting. Bella is a bit annoying in this installment. She strikes me as self-centered, and she uses poor Jacob throughout the novel. Of course, this is all brought up and she is aware of her behavior, which makes her somewhat sympathetic because of it. Her “normal friends” are extremely annoying, especially Mike, which is why I’m glad they don’t appear much during the second half of the novel. The whole thing with the Italian vampires — the Volturis — is fascinating. They show the right dark side of the vampire world. But that doesn’t keep our heroine from trying to become one herself. Anyway, I absolutely LOVED New Moon and can’t wait to get home so that I could crack open Eclipse. I don’t want to rush though. I want to digest the first two books before I read the third (and last?) installment. In the meantime, I recommend this one. These Twilight books are somewhat addictive and I hope this is not just a trilogy. I want more!
Rating
I got ‘NEW MOON’ as a mother’s day present because, after a few inquaries from my husband, all I could reckon of that I really wanted after reading ‘TWILIGHT’ was to get my hands on the rest of the books in this series! So my husband although a bit confused dutifully went to the teen section of the local bookstore and bought my copy of ‘NEW MOON’ and from the time he brought it in the house until I finished it I was barely able to place it down.
Although it is hard to say I reckon that I may have liked ‘NEW MOON’ even better than ‘TWILIGHT’. One reason for this is that the action started much earlier in the book. From Bella’s discoveries about the LaPush Gang, to the return of her nemesis, all the way to the mysterious and ancient vampire sect, the action in ‘NEW MOON’ rarely slows.
The second reason I liked ‘NEW MOON’ so much is Jacob Black. It was a joy getting to know his character and to see Bella blossom when interacting with someone outside of the Cullen Family. Don’t get me incorrect I like Edward and the entire gang but in my opinion, Jacob Black brought out all of the best qualities in Bella whereas Edward seems to reduce her to a like sick, disagreeable…well…brat. Not to mention Jake is just an all around sweetie!! For these reasons, I am reluctant to say that no matter how much I like Edward (and I do) I am officially on Team Jacob!
On one last note, I cannot recommend this series enough. If you have not read it rush and get on this ban wagon now! It doesn’t seem to matter how ancient you are or what sex you are for that matter, I have not met one person who has read this series that has not become completely addicted to it (What DO you place in these books Stephenie Meyer??). Do believe the hype it seems to just get better with time.
Rating
Although I too was enthralled by Twilight[ that explored the like between a vampire, Edward Cullen, and a mortal, Bella Swan]this sequel in my opinion is far better. Yes, like other readers, I too was disappointed that the vampires were not a dominant feature in this novel, yet the way the author wrote, you could sense their presence throughout the novel, so it didn’t really seem like I missed them. This second novel explores the emotions of Bella as she learns to live on knowing she might never see Edward again. The main theme here is the friendship between Bella and Jacob and how that friendship is challenged not only by Jacob [who wishes more] but the knowledge that Jacob is a natural enemy of the vampires by virtue of his birthright [shall not give away too much]…suffice to say, the vampires do make a reappearance, and the second half of the novel does proceed at a quick pace with lots of thrills thrown in for excellent measure. I loved the way the author draws Bella’s character, lovelorn yet strong-willed, courageous yet weak, Bella is a study in contradictions, yet we can’t help but like her for she is someone all who have been in like can relate to. Her like for Edward is all-encompassing, and utterly believable even with the vampire/werewolf angle! I can’t wait for the third novel, and it would be fantastic to see Bella’s wish to join the vampire clan fulfilled, and how she deals with the challenges…would it change the like between Edward & Bella…gosh, I’m getting ahead of myself, this is purely wishful thinking on my part. I highly recommend this author!
Rating
So many of the reviews are more about the character’s actions- I’d prefer to really discuss the book. My sister just started high school, she’s 15 and she lent New Moon and the first book, Twilight to me. Despite our age gap (I’m sixteen years older) I found them a very engaging and entertaining read. I’m glad to share these with her and I’d suggest them to anyone who is staring at a younger, somewhat mysterious female relative wondering what to buy them for Christmas.
The pacing is excellent. The book is a quick, satisfying read. My feeling is that the author works through scenes rather than writing in a linear fashion- and the scenes are honestly cinematic in their structure which I personally like. She gets to the point in her tales and fits a lot of action and significant detail in without overwhelming you with a density of vision.
If you’re concerned about the content, as in “Is this appropriate to give my neice/cousin’s kid etc” you can be assured that the romantic tension captured here is through restraint rather than exploration. Not too surprizingly this is highly seductive. Several reviews seem disappointed by the character’s actions and have given fewer stars. But, I’d like to say that this book is clearly part of a larger work and we’re seeing Bella at a certain point in her personal growth. It is not a conclusion novel so it doesn’t feel like one. She acts like, well, a confused person in like. I reckon the depiction is honest and it is a excellent thing when a character can annoy or drive you crazy: it means you’re engaged and the author has done their job well.
I’ll be honest- I wasn’t expecting to be drawn in, now I’m a bit annoyed I have to wait until next fall.
New Moon is the sequel to Twilight, so I’m covering both in my review. I reckon it could stand alone but I’d stronly recommend reading Twilight first as it really gives the foundations and ‘rules’ of Bella’s world.
Rating
New Moon picks up a few months after Twlight left off, with Edward and Bella just as in like as ever and life proceeding as normally as it can when your boyfriend is a vampire. Bella’s huge problem is that with her birthday, she technically becomes older than Edward, and is still insistent on becoming a vampire so that she can be with him forever. Edward doesn’t see things her way, and disaster strikes when an accidental paper cut at her birthday party causes the Cullens to have to fight to resist the sight of her blood. With this danger on his mind, Edward convinces Bella he no longer needs her and he and his family leave Forks.
This book is huge on emotion; Meyer does an incredible job of forcing us to feel Bella’s pain at losing Edward and her moments of joy when she realizes that doing perilous stunts bring on the “sound” of his voice. We’re led to know the growing friendship between Bella and Jake, and Meyer pulls us in with the reveal of Jake’s own problems. The relief Bella feels upon seeing Alice and then the terror of Edward’s dilemma are all events that caused my heart to jump. Rarely do I get so caught up in the lives of characters, but Meyer makes it impossible not to. The fact that she moves her tales along less on action (though there is plenty of that at times) than on emotion is the driving success of both Twlight and New Moon, and the imprint all of the characters leave on you as you close the last page makes you want to simply turn the book over and start again.
Highly, highly recommended for all who like well-drawn characters and inventive tale-telling. Just be prepared to be disappointed as you are forced to wait for the next installment!
Rating
This sequel to Twilight, though not exactly what most readers expected, exceeded those expectations with an amazingly unpredictable tale line- complete with the familiar characters we like so much!
It starts out just a few months from where Twilight left off- Bella Swan is in right like with Edward Cullen, and his family of fellow friendly vampires. But then… a papercut at her birthday party leads the vampires to have a sudden urge to feed- only on her! In the days following the accident, none of her night dwelling friends are the same- not even Edward- phased and embaressed by their actions. But Bella doesn’t expect Edward to break up with her and the Cullens to leave!
Bella is left in a numb, zombie-like state for months, until she starts to wake from her dream state in January. She discovers that if she takes a few risks, takes just a small step out of line, she is able to hear the warning voice of Edward in her mind! Thrilled at the chance to hear his voice- even if she might be going crazy-, Bella starts to pursue the reckless behavior he made her promise to keep away from.
Let’s just say that Bella soon has her hands full. She renews her ancient friendships- including that with Jacob Black. Rumors of werewolves and vengeful vampiresses are circulating full throttle- and to top it off, she has the challenge of her own mind; forgetting and saving the Cullens at the same time.
I refuse to delve an inch further into the plot- to spoil its wonderful tactics would be a sin!
This book is just as incredible as its predecessor- if not more of a thrill ride. At first I thought its lack of romantic outlook between Edward and Bella would be a complete downcast- but I found myself, as I’m sure all readers will, being so drawn into Bella’s emotions and struggles that it made not a difference to the book’s loveability.
The only thing I have to note to the negativity of the book is that the next installment could not possibly come out quickly enough to do justice to this tale’s complex ending! Just as everything ties together, it also leaves the reader hanging for the the future! I also wish that we could have been further introduced as to the ways and habits of new characters we are shown- to further know their motives to come. Well, at least it goes without saying that there will be enough future plot to fuel the oncoming tales quite generously!
Stephanie Meyer’s words draw you so into the tale; you feel as though it is your heart being completely broken and later completely refilled, just as it is Bella’s! Her descriptions and portrayals of human emotion through Bella and the other characters can at times be ardent enough to bring tears to the reader’s eyes! Literally!
You want to continue reading so quick, that rarely would you feel any pacing problems a bit! Though quite a large book in length, it fills up the time passing throughout the tale impeccably well! I cannot sing enough praise for New Moon!
For all of those that have read Twilight, and have not yet picked up New Moon for dread of ‘sequel disappointment’, have no worries! Even those who are not particularly fond of vampire tales, as myself, will delight in New Moon and its prequel of Twilight to no end! What else to say other than that the tale of Bella and the Cullens is pure brilliance?
Rating
There is enough on the plot of the book here, that I’ll just skip to my opinion.
Many “Twighlight” fans I know will be dissapointed with the small we see of Edward in here. I mean, we all fell in like with Edward in “Twighlight,” so why take him away? But, this book is not about Edwards tale, it is about Jacobs tale.
Stephenie Meyer stuck right to how she thought Edward would react to such a situation (just in case you don’t know, he leaves after a disaster at Bella’s birthday party) and his diparture gives Jacob a chance to grow as a character. In “New Moon,” the reader learns of Jacob’s immeasurable sweetness and compassion, and also of his pain of a fait he cannot escape. Jacob is an incredible friend, and Stephenie wants her audience to feel for him.
Also, another complaint about “New Moon” is Bella’s reaction to Edward’s departure. I felt that her was right to her character. If the reader’s were dissapointed at Edward’s departure, how should Bella act? Edward was Bella’s like, her soulmate, and when he left he took a piece of her with him. Bella didn’t sulk after Edward left, at least not for so long. She went about her life hallow, and without emotion, and only for Charlie’s sake.
I stand by “New Moon” as a justified sequal to “Twilight.” Honestly, Bella is in like with a vampire! Did you expect her to live happily ever after? “New Moon” was exciting, sad, and gave the reader a chance to realy now the shy Jacob of “Twilight.”
I can’t wait for Eclispe!
Rating
Life is far from normal for Bella Swan during her senior year of high school. Right, her life is full of drama and boy troubles, but for Bella who sees herself as a danger magnet life holds much much more. Edward Cullen, her ever-handsome boyfriend who just happens to be a vampire, breaks her heart when he leaves after Bella receives a near-fatal paper cut at her eighteenth birthday party. Realizing that his family no matter how determined to avoid human blood, can within seconds be overwhelmed with tempation and violence leads him to place Bella’s safety ahead of his own desires. To say that Bella is devastated is an understatment, she becomes zombie-like in her loss, a fact which is finally realized when Bella and one of her friends are watching a Zombie movie. “It wasn’t until nearly the very end, as I watched a haggard zombie shambling after the last shrieking survivor, that I realized what the problem was. The scene kept cutting between the horrified face of the heroine, and the dead emotionless face of her pursuer, back and forth as it closed the distance. And I realized which one resembled me the most. . . But it was ironic, all things considered, that, in the end, I would wind up a zombie. I hadn’t seen that one coming. Not that I hadn’t dreamed of becoming a mythical monster once–just never a grotesque, animated corpse. . . It was depressing to realize that I wasn’t the heroine anymore, that my tale was over.” (106) But Bella’s tale is far from over. Reintroduce into the picture, Jacob Black, the young man who first shared with Bella the fact that she was falling in like with a vampire, this new friendship reenergizes Bella’s existence and gives her a reason to continue on. But is her friendship with Jacob any safer for her than her relationship with Edward was? Or is Jacob hiding a perilous secret of his own? Is Edward out of the picture for excellent, or will he make a comeback to try to reclaim her heart?
Stephenie Meyer’s novel NEW MOON, sequel to TWILIGHT, is an exciting read, and one that I highly recommend.
Rating
New Moon starts out wonderfully – Edward’s family throws Bella a birthday party, but when she has an accident and starts bleeding, the whole vampire household flips out. Consequently, Edward is filled with guilt and decides that she needs to lead a normal life without being endangered by their presence every day, and so they all pack up and leave. I nearly choked when I saw that time passes without him.
But, try as she might, Bella is empty without him. She realizes that when she is in danger, she can hear his voice in her head (usually yelling), and so she starts to pursue perilous leisure activities just to hear his voice again. One of these leisure activities brings her into close friendship with Jacob Black, the Quileute Indian boy who tipped her off to Edward’s identity in the first book, and he seems to temporarily appease her pain at Edward’s absence. But Jacob has his own secrets, and Bella is again endangered when a vampire returns to Forks for revenge.
I must admit, most of the reason this book kept me up late reading was in hopes of word from Edward. Jacob and his friends were fun, and it *was* exciting to see another facet of the books’ mythology, but nearly the whole time Bella was with Jake, I was adamantly pining for Edward. When he does return, I was not disappointed, and Jake’s involvement also sets up the potential for a powerful like triangle.
It wasn’t quite as solid as the first book, but I sense that New Moon is an vital transition. Many questions were brought up, like whether vampires have souls, and just how far must Bella and Edward go to stay together? She wants to become one of them, and Edward insists that she remain human. Now that we’ve caught wind of it, what exactly is agreed in the treaty the vampires have with the Quileutes? And what will Bella do now that her boyfriend and her best friend are mortal enemies? All of this feels like necessary groundwork in order to address these issues in the next book. I loved New Moon immensely, despite Edward’s absence for most of it, and I’m keen for the next installment; I can’t wait to see how Meyer resolves some of these issues, and what ride we will experience in the next book.
Rating
I just received my book in the mail two days ago and I have been devouring it ever since.
The book starts with seeing Bella become very comfortable with Edward and his family. I was delighted to see Alice’s character take on more depth as we started to see more of her personality, but this may quickly turn into disappointment for some, when she is whisked away all too soon. Bella is given a birthday party and accidentally gets a paper cut. This leads to a tense moment when one of the family members cannot contain themselves and makes a leap for Bella. Edward is forced to protect her, but this makes it all to clear that keeping Bella close to the family puts her at risk. Edward starts to withdraw himself emotionally in order to (we readers know what is going to happen, but Bella seems to be in denial)leave her.
Naturally, Bella’s grief is heartwrenching to read. Any girl who has felt the pain of lost or unrequited like will shed a few tears during this chapter. It is hard to get over being furious at Edward’s behavior at the begining of the book, but this simply shows you how simple it is to get pulled into nearly believing these characters are real.
Bella becomes seriously withdrawn from the world after his departure and considering their weird and magical relationship, this is to be expected. I do miss Edward’s presence-he was such a strong character in Twilight- but I did something I never do, I flipped to the back of the book to assure myself of his return. Ms. Meyer realizes how addicted her audience is to Edward, so he does make token appearances in a roundabout way. Bella starts to hear Edward’s voice warning her when she puts herself in harm’s way and in this way Bella starts to court danger.
Jacob, the young native American from Twilight, makes a reappearance in New Moon. He becomes a very close friend of Bella’s and helps her through her depression. His character takes the place of Edward and he becomes a major player in this tale. He is also the complete opposite of Edward’s sophisticated, wordly one. Jacob is lovable, akward, attractive (in a regular way) and warm-blooded. His tale is one of interest and I don’t believe any reader who has already read Twilight, will be surprised at the turn of events in which Jacob is involved.
The book is certainly brilliant, as Ms. Meyer is a fabulous writer, but I do find myself impatiently turning the pages and skimming ahead to see when one of the Cullens’ family members will appear. Even with those minor faults, I still find myself staying up way too late to end another chapter. I have read half the book in the past two days instead of working on lesson plans for my class, during the first week of school, no less. This is a real indicator of just how wonderful New Moon is.
My ultimate disappointment will be when I am finished and must wait another year for the next book to come out. I don’t believe Stephenie Meyer can whip these out quick enough to appease her growing leagues of fans. This is a very desirable position to be in for a writer and this should guarantee many Bella and Edward tales in the future.
*Update
The ending was very excellent and the reader finds out some fascinating information concerning Bella and how special she really is. The twist adds a new dimension to the novel it ends with a bit of a cliffhanger. There is no complete closure for a few vital issues and obviously this leaves it wide open for the third novel in the series.