The Twilight Series - Book Four Review: Breaking Dawn

Breaking Dawn (Book Four in the Twilight Series): Stephanie Meyer
Atom Books, UK 2006

The niggly bit …

Ok … there is something I have to address before we look at the final time we spend with Edward and Bella and their world in ‘Breaking Dawn’.

My copies (yes, all four) were riddled with grammatical errors; words were missing and sentences illogical due to poorly edited material. For an English teacher like me it was positively undoing and it drove me mad. One pays good money for professionally written material and I expect to be reading well constructed sentences or why have an editor?

Did this story lose its credibility when fantasy took over?

Without telling you too much, I was so disappointed in a particular aspect of this book. I felt as though she had ruined the entire love story by including it. Within this book we are shown a new side to the immortal kingdom and whilst I understand why this new character is a part of the story and I understand how the story evolves because of it, I just cannot reconcile it within myself.

It feels so wrong and introduces a larger element of inappropriate behaviour with children for me. This topic is broached in an earlier book with different characters and it was not good then, either. Even Bella has issues with what is going on (it is the one thing I really do agree with her on initially) and everyone should. In fantasy, anything can happen. I get that. For me, the introduction of a new breed of immortal in this particular manner crossed a boundary and whilst fantasy is the genre, it changes everything about the story because I do not agree with it.

The final book must be a surprise but please know that there is so much more to love about this final piece than to dislike.

Nothing is more beautiful than love.

Love, in all its forms, is so beautifully handled in this novel. I loved everything from the intoxicating lust scenes to the father-daughter bond and the way that love stands up for everything that is truthful and just and right. Edward and Bella are a remarkable pair of characters whose story touched my heart. I shared in their journey, delighted in their triumphs and even uncovered my own anger as Bella pushed my buttons along the way.

I believe in their love. It is mesmerizing and Stephanie Meyer has created it superbly.

Tidying up loose ends whilst affirming what is.

This intricate story finally sees many resolutions to events and characters that have been portrayed across one, some or all of the books. I was a real fan of the Cullen Family vampires – interesting characters with even more interesting histories and motivations. I found their bond and relationships to be easy to relate to, despite not being immortal myself and I adored that they were different than traditional vampires. The action within this novel, including their final meeting with the Italian vampires was a fitting ending and well explained the life of each character.

Romance is alive and well … as it should be.

More than anything, the Twilight series is captivating in its language (if you overlook the hugely inept editing). I was very fond of the descriptive language in scenes involving Edward (in particular) and the vampires’ worlds. It is extremely clever and appropriate. My favourite scenes have such romantic language within them that I was truly transported elsewhere … very, very moving.

It is a credit to any author who makes an audience feel and this series does this magnificently. I will always love Edward … more than Heathcliff, Mr. Darcy or even my beloved Romeo. He is truly a Prince Charming to treasure for eternity and an eternity with him is worth becoming immortal for I can assure you. This, Bella got very, very right!

Thank you Stephanie Meyer – stunning and brilliant!

Dian Brown
© 08/01/2009