Sabrina Horande: New Moon begins with a bang
After a bloody incident at Bella’s 18th birthday party, her vampire boyfriend Edward Cullen decides he and his family must leave Forks in order to protect her from all the dangers of the vampire world.
Bella is left to drown in her sorrow, finding solace only when she is around her friend, Jacob.
After discovering some of Jacob’s secrets, Bella fits in with his crowd. She still seeks Edward and provokes a dangerous misunderstanding that finally returns her to her love.
Twilight is a tale of star-crossed lovers and vampires who are fighting their nature, but New Moon starts unraveling a world and enriching its mythology. Readers learn about shape shifters, the elusive vampire Victoria and the vampire council of the Volturi. A love triangle keeps the story heated up.’
Even though author Stephenie Meyer may not be the best of writers, she certainly knows how to attract her audience. The story and the world she creates is appealing and addicting to young readers. Whereas Twilight was a fast-paced book, New Moon is slowed down by an unfortunate plot hole.
Readers will find that New Moon introduces readers to Jacob, Edward’s rival for Bella’s love. The supernatural story gets a whole new meaning and the plot becomes more interesting with the addition of shape shifters that are essentially modern werewolves.
The events that take place in New Moon leave readers breathless, wanting more and expecting the action. Readers will be desperate for the action-packed sequel.
‘
Sarah Krusleski: New Moon fails to satisfy
The second book in the Twilight series should be regarded as nothing more than delicious junk food; its two-dimensional characters just won’t hit the right chord for some readers.
Readers and commentators must realize that this story is a fantasy novel in every sense of the word. In addition to the vampires and shape shifters running through the woods, every character in the series is a hollow shell of what could have unique and engaging personalities.
Take the perpetually constipated heroine Bella Swann. She is the caricature of every girl that has ever felt misunderstood, and it’s great that some readers are able to enjoy that. However, some will be turned off by her inability to do anything but whine.
Bella complains about her celibate vampire boyfriend and cries when he eventually dumps her, but she could easily rebound with any of the countless human boys chasing her at school.
In fact, New Moon focuses on Bella’s growing bond with shape shifter Jacob, a young man who is close to her age, affectionate and able to provide the relationship that Edward can’t.
Any character that wasn’t unrealistically obsessed with an abusive vampire would have moved on to greener pastures.
Furthermore, veterans of the in-depth societies created in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series and Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy will be disappointed by Meyer’s world simply because none of these leaders seem to make decisions or plans with any long-term benefits.
This is the core of the Twilight series’ problem – readers must suspend all disbelief or tons of plot holes emerge.
While some readers will push on with hope that everything will work out in the end, this reviewer just could not enjoy a tale about an unhealthy high school relationship between a spoiled girl and her disturbed boyfriend.
