Eclipse (Twilight Saga #3)
Stephenie Meyer
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
640 pages, hardback
Target Reader: 14+
Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
978-0316160209
Release Date:
From the publisher:
"BELLA?"
Edward's soft voice came from behind me. I turned to see him spring lightly up the porch steps, his hair windblown from running. He pulled me into his arms at once, just like he had in the parking lot, and kissed me again.
This kiss frightened me. There was too much tension, too strong an edge to the way his lips crushed mine—like he was afraid we had only so much time left to us.* * *
As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob—knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?
Download Chapter 1.
Series books: Twilight (book 1), New Moon (book 2)
Overall, I've liked this whole series. As a writer, Stephenie Meyer is not the best, but she's getting better with each book—and she's a great storyteller. I still think Bella is an idiot. Inthis book, I lost a little of my enthusiasm for Jacob, but I still prefer him over Edward.
My 17 year old daughter and I have a mantra, "Bella is an idiot." We don't understand her motivation sometimes. And I really don't get this relationship. Why does Bella love Edward? Because he's beautiful. Why does Edward love Bella? Because she smells so good he wants to eat her. Now that's what deep and lasting relationships are made of!
(That was sarcasm, just in case you didn't catch it.)
Also, again, I have an issue with stories where the girl changes to please/get the guy. I'd really like to see Edward changing more for her. Although, I suppose NOT eating her is a big compromise on his part.
I don't like the fact that Edward comes in her room and watches her sleep every night. Nor do I like that Bella practically begs Edward to have sex with her in this book. However, I will say that I do like that they resist that temptation, as great as it is.
I have no problem with adults reading this series. They should be mature enough to separate fantasy from reality. And if parents will read the book with their teenage girls and DISCUSS it, then I'm okay with that, too. It does bother me a little when I see 10 and 11 year olds reading it.
So, even with all this negative commentary from me, I have to say that I do still like the series.
Plot: 
Characters:
Ending: 
Cover:
Content Ratings
Language: 
Mild swearing.
Violence: 
The violence seems to get stronger with each book. People are killed; vampires ripped apart. Kind of icky in places.
Drugs/Alcohol: 
Immorality: While there is no overt sex, there are some pretty steamy kissing scenes.
Values/Themes: As mentioned above, I have issues with some of the implied messages. However, I do like the positive message that Edward sends—no premarital hanky-panky.
Age Appropriate: I've seen 8-year-olds reading this book. That is way too young. Personally, I'd say 16+.
Writing Mechanics: There are some inconsistencies in the writing style. The characters are sometimes annoying (especially Bella). While Meyer is not the best writer, she is a good story teller.
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