The Twilight Series - Book Two Review: New Moon

New Moon (Book Two in the Twilight Series): Stephanie Meyer

In ‘New Moon’, the lives of Bella and Edward are paralleled with Romeo and Juliet’s. Meyer begins the novel with a passage taken from Shakespeare’s play and then, very skillfully, the tragic fate and tale of Romeo and Juliet is weaved into facets of Edward and Bella’s lives; even including an Italian connection with a particular family of vampires.

One without the other is unthinkable but what of suicide?

This novel, like its Elizabethan counterpart, raises an extremely serious issue … suicide. The whole notion of I shall not continue living if it means being without you is openly discussed and then played out within this novel. However, Meyer does not highlight, glorify or deal with it a morbid manner either.

Instead, Meyer has weaved this idea with the same romanticism as the first novel and hence, it becomes almost blindly acceptable that two teenagers could understand and hold the depth of such a love where one would not live without the other.

One aspect that really stood out for me on this and other issues was an insight and an understanding into the lives of the vampires themselves. Their perspective on being immortal is vital as a balance between the two worlds the reader is privy to.

Losing love, being alone and someone taking advantage of that.

I found the Edward leaving Bella episode unbearable; to not only read through but imagine. It was devastatingly wrong and, with every page turned that Edward was not on (which was a LOT), I became angry with the author; showing how ‘hooked’ we can become with characters and just how good a job authors can do of creating our need to witness them in stories.

Although Meyer’s story needs Bella to deepen a relationship with a different, yet equally surreal character (creating a deeper story-line especially for the books that follow), it feels so wrong and establishes such a dislike for the other character. Edward and Bella’s love is seen as so perfect within the story that anyone else (like Jacob) becomes villainous and manipulative in our eyes. We all know ‘two’s company, three’s a crowd’ and this book is proof of that for me.

Would we risk everything to be together with someone?

Understanding the world of her vampire characters was fantastic in this novel. In order to maintain some balance, Stephanie does highlight the traditional view of vampires whilst keeping us sympathetic towards Edward and his family; preferring to see them as victims and heroes rather than blood-sucking, darkness lurking, murderous beings.
Not only was I relieved to have Edward back in this story (it took an agonizingly long time) but I was willing Bella (read screaming at her here) to risk everything for them to be together again. It is the innocent and romantic love (at this point) between Bella and her Edward that we hold within us as being the truth in this novel.
Somehow, we need action to follow thought, if you really love someone and they really mean as much to your life as you say they do, then you ought to be prepared to do all it takes to make this love a reality. It is the same with our own lives … action must follow thought and truth must always win.

It was love I wanted to see triumphant because, like their teenage friends Romeo and Juliet, the odds have always been against them, especially throughout this book.

Does love conquer all?

This is a great book and, whilst we expect the second and subsequent books to never be as good as the first, ‘New Moon’ deepens our understanding of characters, events and of what is to come. One can never be disappointed when the truth in one’s heart is revealed and love truly does conquer all. When love is tested, shaken and doubted and yet remains within, then hope overrides all else … even fear, for nothing is greater than love.

What this author does best is tell you a story about the lives and loves of others. Her exclusive interview at the end of this novel is a delightful feature unto itself also.

Dian Brown