September's Book: Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

The cover

How does the cover art (the red pawn and white queen) relate to the plot?

I know this one. I think it is really cool. It has been my favorite cover of the four. But... I want to see if anyone can guess this as I know it because I saw it on her website.
-Annegirl

I am not sure entirely what the significance of the white and red chess pieces is but my guess is that the white one represents Bella and her family and friends and the red one represents the Volturi. In the prelude to the possible battle Bella has strengths that out-weigh all the strengths of the Volturi and that her shield protects her people and keeps the Volturi from attempting to start the battle before negotiations and evidence can be presented.
-Bookworm

That's a good one. It looks as if there may be no other comments so I'll just tell you. It represents how Bella goes from being the weakest (the pawn) to the strongest.
-Annegirl

Thanks so much for the info! I guess I was sorta right in the comment of how strong she got (her strengths) to protect others. But now I know "the rest of the story"!!
-Bookworm

Bella

Bella describes herself as ordinary-looking and clumsy but the name Bella (which means beautiful) and Swan (recalling the story of the ugly duckling) suggest that she will transform. Do you think her metamorphosis takes place entirely in Breaking Dawn or does she begin to transform earlier in the series? What changes do you see in Bella over the course of the series? How does Bella Cullen compare to the Bella Swan we meet in Twilight?

Bella. I'm not sure she really changed before this book. She does become braver I think. Bella Cullen of course changes so much when a vampire. I liked how she was so different on the outside and with her agility but was still the same Bella in her head.
-Annegirl

The big transformation comes when she becomes married to Edward. Because of compromises she makes with Edward she starts to change to a person who sees beyond just what she wants. She has a whole new world open up to her. She marries him and finds out what a joy it is. Then she becomes pregnant, another thing she abhorred, and then her baby becomes more important to her than her life. Then she becomes a vampire and goes through the horrible pain and fear of that and finds that she is stronger than she thought and her family and friends become the dearest thing to her...including Charlie, whom she now adores as a father figure and grandfather. She finds her strengths and finds that she has great restraint and self-control. I think she finds the Bella that had been hidden inside her and becomes strong in all ways instead of being a whiner all the time.
-Bookworm

I like your insight.
-Annegirl

Further books

Does Breaking Dawn create any opportunities for a new series featuring some of the Twilight characters? Which ones would you like to see have a continuing story?

Alice and Jasper. There is so much mystery behind Alice, where she came from etc. I think it would be a great adventure for Alice and Jasper to go on a genealogy research trip to find out where she comes from.
-Wendy

I think there are many possibilities.. I think Leah since her story didn't seem to really wrap up. There is the mystery about Embry's dad. I would like to know more about a lot of the other vampires that were brought into the story. I liked the guy Garrett "I'll follow you anywhere woman!" so I'd think that would be fun to continue the story of him and the Denali's. Renesmee and Jacob. I would also love more about Alice and Jasper. I also heard that she would like to delve more into Emmett because he is one of her favorite characters but you don't see that as much in these books. We don't know much about his life before vamplife. There are so many possibilities. She really created a vast and interesting world with these books. Now it will just be a matter of whether she wants to return to it after the backlash from Breaking Dawn haters. That had to have been disheartening.
-Annegirl

What was the issue from the Breaking Dawn haters? I hadn't heard about that. I have heard about the recent issue with the unauthorized release of Twilight from Edwards point of view and that at this point she said that she would not finish it because she is so upset about it.
-Deenie Bug

There were a few things. For one most people had in their mind what they thought would and would not happen in the book and were mad that it didn't end just the way they wanted, there are those who were just disappointed with the lack of a real battle at the end, people not liking the name of the child in it, etc. I have also heard people mad that they thought it was too "adult" after the other books and then I've heard others mad that it didn't have enough smut in it for a wedding and honeymoon. So, basically there have been a lot of people disappointed with the book and with how passionate some of the fans are it made them freak out. Some people returned the books. A lot of people that formerly worshipped Stephenie were talking about how horrible she is. It's just sad. You don't have to love or even like the book but I for one think that it is not really ethical to return a book after reading it because you didn't like it. And I don't like when people are really mean about people like they have been to her. She's had a rough past few weeks I think.
-Annegirl

I would like to see her write more books with these characters...to find out more about them and to have a continuing story. I wasn't sure how I would like these books because I am not in to vampires but I am glad I read them and really liked the last book. It's like "Gone With the Wind"...I wanted the original authoress to live and write the continuing story of her book and what happened to Rhett and Scarlett...not another person's adaptation! Anyway...I would like to read more of Meyer's book about what happened in the past to those we don't know much about and to read more about what happens in the lives of all the cast...and there is the possibility of an eventual battle against the Volturi.
-Bookworm

Questions

Do you have any unanswered questions about the book/series?

Kind of. The only question I had was why go through the whole charade of getting the documents for Jacob and Nessie when they didn't end up needing them... but I guess that was so you didn't know until the last minute whether they did or not.
-Annegirl

Yeah, I think it was to make you question whether Bella and Edward would make it out alive, and if not, if Jacob and Nessie had a chance. By the way, Renesme is the dumbest name I've ever heard!
-Sanya the Duck

Yeah it is a dumb name. It's funny though that Stephenie said that she has known of the name for so long that she forgot it was weird and wasn't expecting all the hate the name got. I'm that way too. When I read the book I was surprised at the dumb name and now I'm so used to it from reading the whole book and thinking about it since then that it doesn't sound as weird to me anymore.
I still don't like it - but in all honest it is better than some real names I've heard... it seems sometimes like parents nowadays are really dedicated to naming their kids something really unique and if its not unique then it has to be spelled that way. Some are great, some are not
-Annegirl

I thought Renessme was a stupid name, too. I wondered why she would want to name her daughter after such a mother!! Esme I was okay with. But it did grow on me, too. During the last chapter I had the same question Annegirl had...why the documents?? But then it hit me that they didn't know how things were going to turn out and she wanted to make sure her little girl would get away safe if the worst happened.
-Bookworm

Favorite character

Which character is your favorite? Did this person significantly change or surprise you in Breaking Dawn?

I think everyone already knows that Jacob has always been a favorite of mine. There are so many Jacob haters or dislikers out there and I find it hard to explain why I like him so much but I just do. I loved him in Breaking Dawn. I loved that part of the book was from his POV. I loved the exchanges back and forth between him and Rosalie.
Overall in the series my favorite characters are Jacob, Carlisle, Alice, Seth, Garrett, and Renesmee. Yes, Nessie. I know there have been a lot of people that don't like her either but while I was freaked out by the idea and fact of her at the beginning I could really see this adorable little curly haired girl while reading and I knew that if she were real I would have loved her too. The first moment for me with her was when while still in the womb and Edward could read her mind he said that she loved Bella. That actually made me a little teary.
One of my favorite character moments in this book was when Bella and Edward told Charlie about their engagement and instead of blowing up he laughed because he was going to make her tell her mom. Of course, that didn't really turn out badly but I just thought his reaction was really funny.
-Annegirl

I have not liked Edward from the beginning. I don't like the idea of your true love being cold. I want my true love to be warm. And he is. (Didn't like Jacob, much, either) So I was really surprised that I ended up liking Edward the best. He doesn't want to hurt Bella. On their wedding night you could see that. He becomes a good father, too. He wants to protect his family.
-Stampin_Maniac

I liked Jacob, Carlisle, Esme, Alice, Garrett, Charlie...Bella kind of bugged me and Edward , I thought, was selfish for a long time. But my feelings changed for the latter two in this book. I could see that they really loved each other and were willing to do anything for each other. Then I grew to love the little "monster"! Once I found that she was not a threat (like in Bella's dream) and so adorable I just couldn't help but love her, too!
-Bookworm

Bella's choice

Bella is unique in that she has the choice of remaining human or becoming something other. How does Bella's freedom of choice affect the kind of vampire she becomes? Do you support the other decisions Bella makes in the series?

Well, she did have the choice and made it to become a vampire but in the end she didn't have a choice anymore. I hated that. That was the only thing I didn't really like at all- the violence of Nessie's birth.
I do think though that Bella's mind has always been strong- protecting her even as a human. Obviously we learn more about that with her power in BD but I think it also is what helped her to not be like other newborns. I think her choice at the beginning made her able to be more level headed about it once changed.
I did support a lot of her decisions. Not all the lying.
-Annegirl

She definitely chose to become a vampire and sealed the deal when she married Edward. I think when she chose to keep her baby at all costs, she knew it may come to her d e a t h , but she knew that Edward could save her. I still h a t e d Rosalie in this book. What a selfish g i r l! I h a t e d how she and Bella conspired throughout the pregnancy to keep everyone away. But I was happy with the way it ended up - Bella and Edward got their daughter, Rosalie got a chance to help raise a baby, Jacob got his soul mate (and out of Edward's way!), and Charlie got a darling little grandbaby. All's well that ends well I guess!
-Sanya the Duck

I, too, really disliked Rosalie because I felt like she wanted that baby to raise no matter what the cost to Bella. Bella would have died if Edward hadn't saved her but he wasn't even sure he would be able to do that because she was so torn up. The fact that her life was saved by becoming a vampire was a better scenario for me then if she had just become a vampire. She was given an example by the Cullens of a different kind of Vampire life-style and was able to adapt to that way of thinking before she was changed. So she knew what she wanted to be and had made that decision before. I think that gave her focus and an ability the Cullens didn't have when they first became vampires. They had to evolve. They were also there to protect her and keep her from doing wrong things just in case.
-Bookworm

Imprint

Meyer suggests that Jacob imprinted on Nessie even before she was born (possibly before she was even conceived), which might explain the bond between Jacob and Bella has always been so strong. What did you think of it?

I'm not sure how he would have imprinted before she was conceived but maybe. I think it explains why Bella was so happy to see him and wanted him around during the pregnancy.
I did wonder why he seemed evasive about his imprinting earlier and loved her so much but maybe he did feel something toward Bella because of what would happen.
I knew he was going to imprint. I thought it was going to be that girl he met at the park and then when it wasn't I was confused. Then he saw Nessie and right then I knew. Then it described it.
Sure it was a little creepy but I was a little creeped out by Quil (was it Quil or Embry- I can't remember) and Claire the 2 year old and so after that was explained a little I was more used to the idea. I'm sure that is why that happened before this book. Also, it's not any creepier than Edward and Bella really because Edward is a 17 yr old in appearance but really a man over 100 yrs old in love with a teenager. So, Jacob won't age as long as he keeps phasing and Nessie will age faster and then stop as well. I think they will pretty much be like Edward and Bella once she gets old enough.
I was glad that Jacob had someone and that it didn't matter about Bella anymore. I think it would be interesting to find out how their relationship evolves as she gets older.
-Annegirl

I don't think Meyer was saying that he imprinted with her before conception. I think she was just saying while she was pregnant and he came to see her, that's why she was always so frustratingly happy to see him. That made sense. I thought it was interesting that he was about to kill her and then he saw her, and there went that plan. It was a great way to keep Jacob in Bella's life in a non-threatening way to her relationship with Edward. It was nice that they could all stay friends. Speaking of friends, Bella's friends (Angela, Ben, etc.) kinda had to drop off the face of the planet in this book, huh? I guess it had to be that way with her altered appearance. I was surprised that Renee wasn't in the book at all after the wedding. Good riddance, though. ;)
-Sanya the Duck

Jacob was afraid of the thing growing inside Bella because it was killing her. But he knew it wasn't right for the Pack under Sam to attack and kill Bella and the thing. So he stood his ground against the pack and ended up honoring his birthright and protecting the Cullens. I don't think he had imprinted with Nessie yet because he didn't know what she was but once he saw her then the imprint was established. He was in love with Bella and wanted to protect her and honor her wishes to save the baby. That love protected and gave him his true love in the end.
-Bookworm

Showdown

What do you like/dislike about the final showdown between the united vampire clans and the Volturi? Were the Volturi defeated or did they just make a tactical retreat, which means they might still be a threat?

I liked Bella's power. I thought that was really cool.
I wanted there to be a fight. I wanted them to destroy the Volturi. The fight scenes in the other books have been great and so the anticipation for this one built it up to be amazing.
I thought Jacob was going to take off to Isle Esme and that Alice and Jasper would be there to explain why they went away and then at the end Edward and Bella and the other Cullens would come in and be reunited... I don't know why I kept imagining it ending that way during the build up.
So, when nothing came of it I was disappointed. But I do understand it. Stephenie says that the books that were her inspiration for this one were A Midsummer Nights Dream and Merchant of Venice. In the latter I guess something happens at the end like this where they are able to solve their problem peacefully. I haven't read it. She says that if they had fought that there would have been so many casualties and that it would have been more like Hamlet with everyone dead. She wanted it to end nicely.
I guess you can say she loved her character so much that she didn't want to kill them off. I can understand that.
That said, I was disappointed that there was no fight and the Volture weren't taken down but I can understand why she didn't have it end that way. It was kind of anti-climatic though. I think the Volturi only left to save face. I wouldn't rule them out as trying to come back if she does any other books. They would have to have a real reason I guess but I think it's been made plain that they don't like having another coven that rivals theirs in power and size... so...
-Annegirl

Bella's power was really great - I loved the part where she made a face and taunted Jane. But I was surprised that there wasn't more of a fight, especially when the Volturi were grasping at straws just trying to find an excuse to destroy them. But Bella's power made that impossible. It was refreshing that she wasn't a liability for a change! I was sad that the informer was killed, but I guess if she wouldn't have killed anyone, it would've been very anti-climatic (even more).
-Sanya the Duck

I thought for sure there was going to be a big battle...I just hoped that the Cullens and witnesses would be able to defeat the Volturi. But I thought that even if they did they would still lose good people...like Esme and Carlisle and maybe even Edward. In fact, I was worried that the Volturi would be defeated but that Bella and Edward would both die. But Bella's power protected all the Cullen side until negotiations were completed and Nahuel was presented. If it had been up to Caius there would have been a battle no matter what. Aro was playing mind games, too. But in the end I think Aro was convinced that what they were doing or going to do was wrong...and I believe that he was also finding out that the powers combined against them were stronger and he was afraid.
-Bookworm

Overall

Overall did you find Breaking Dawn a satisfying conclusion to the Twilight series? Why or why not?

I did. It took a while honestly. While reading I had to keep walking away from the book. This was something I never had to do with the others. The pregnancy/birth was really hard for me to read. I didn't like the drinking blood stuff and I was so worried about the baby being a horrible baby like the one in the dream at the beginning.
I don't think this one should be considered Young Adult at all. Though this is not Stephenie's fault because she was never writing these books for young adults anyway. She was writing them for her thirty something self and the publishers are the ones that decided what genre to place them in.
I liked the happy ending. I can watch movies that don't always have a happy ending (though I do usually prefer one) but in a book I WANT a happy ending.
I had a few reasons that I did not want Bella to become a vampire before I read this last book. They were 1) I loved Jacob 2) As a mother I wanted her to be able to have kids. Not that it was important to her as much but I wanted her to be able to have that 'normal' life I guess 3) I wanted Charlie to be in her life. I felt so bad for him that he would be all alone again. SO for these reasons alone it ended well for me. Jacob found someone and got over Bella, she had a kid, and Charlie was able to be in her life (thanks Jacob!) so I was glad. I have heard a lot of people say that it has too happy of an ending and I can understand why they think that but I have no problem with that.
It's not supposed to be realistic as I have heard people argue that it is not. I mean, it's about vampires and werewolves.... realistic?
Overall, I liked it. It is not my favorite. That would be Eclipse. But I did like it. I had to take some time to let it settle, think it over but the more I have the more I liked it.
-Annegirl

I ended up really liking it! At first I wasn't sure...just like Annegirl's comments...about the pregnancy thing and drinking blood, etc. But Bella transformed into a disciplined and good vampire and the baby is adorable and Jacob gets his "girl" and Edward and Bella are so in love. Life doesn't always have happy endings and trials are part of every one's life...but to have the ultimate goal in the end of loving and loyal family and friends and a loving marriage and a father and grandfather who adores his little granddaughter, no questions asked, and being able to overcome adversity when there is threat of possible annihilation and to be able to stand strong with those who believe in right and justice...what more could one ask. I am glad that the book ended with those wonderful things in place. They knew there might be further confrontations with the Volturi but love and strength and right and friendship had overcome evil.
-Bookworm

Jacob's POV

Did you like the switch to Jacob's point of view in Breaking Dawn? What is Jake able to tell us that Bella (or Edward) couldn't? Did hearing his side of the story change your view of him?

I loved it. I thought the titles were really funny. Also, we were then able to keep up on what was going on with both the wolves and the vampires. I think the pregnancy and birth would have been really horrific through Bella's point of view.
Obviously it didn't change my viewpoint of him except to make me like him more.
-Annegirl

I loved the way the pregnancy and birth through Jacobs eyes was really well done. It let us know what was going on with Bella and the others around her and from his stand point of being one who loved Bella. It also showed his allegiance to her and willingness to protect all the Cullens from Sam and the wolves when they didn't understand what the possible threat from the unknown was.
-Bookworm

The others

Now that I have read the book the title takes on significance but before I wondered if it might mean changes in Edward or Bella being with Jacob if Bella decided that she just couldn't risk being a vampire.

Hmmm. Not really. The only people I disliked before were Rosalie and some of the human friends. Actually, maybe Leah. I didn't really like her and I felt bad for her in this book. I want her to be happy too.
I did like that Rosalie was so protective of Bella but I wasn't sure if it was for good reasons or not.
-Annegirl

Bella used to bother me with her attitudes and Rosalie I just wasn't sure about. But I didn't dislike them...I was just bothered at times.
-Bookworm

The title

Did the title give you any clues as to what was going to happen in the fourth book?

Yes. It did. It's like the Breaking Dawn of her life as a vampire. Her new life starts.
-Annegirl

Now that I have read the book the title takes on significance but before I wondered if it might mean changes in Edward or Bella being with Jacob if Bella decided that she just couldn't risk being a vampire.
-Bookworm

Predictions

What predictions had you made for this book? Which ones turned out to be accurate?

I predicted that the Denali clan would play a part in it... I just didn't know what. I assumed that Jacob would imprint on someone but never imagined it would be who it was. I was hoping Edward would become human... nope. I thought Bella wouldn't drink blood even when/if she became a vampire... wrong.
-Annegirl

I had hoped that Bella would not become a vampire...and that somehow Edward would become mortal through some event. I never expected things to happen as they did...with Renessme and Jacob. I was worried that Bella would become a horrible newborn when Edward was changing her but I was pleasantly surprised. I don't like the drinking blood stuff but I ended up liking Bella more as she became a mother and a vampire.
-Bookworm