I’ve been rereading some chapters in Eclipse and New Moon. Yes, I’m still hung up on my initially-favorite pairing, Edward/Bella and how Bella ruined it for me.

Despite the fact that OTL’s (a.k.a. One-True-Love’s) is, to a degree, idealistic, it is real, it can happen. Bella and Edward’s relationship was as pure as that in my eyes when the series started in Twilight. Even loving each other to the point of unhealthy need doesn’t scare me off (I sort-of like reading about those kinds of relationships, actually. Because it is something that I cannot really relate to by experience, it becomes interesting. Almost beautiful).

When Jacob entered into a major character’s role, I didn’t really mind it so much, since Bella was actually using him in New Moon so I couldn’t really hate the guy. I just didn’t like the fact that he stole the spotlight from Edward, but that’s a purely biased opinion. And I understood his lack of maturity (he was still, after all, two years younger than Bella and more than a hundred years younger than Edward) that I mainly ignored him in Eclipse - especially with Edward back into the picture. So, no, even though Jacob was a jerk, he didn’t ruin the story for me.

My biggest, biggest peeve is Bella. Selfish, selfish, Bella. I hate the way she has changed from the first book. Some change is good, but hers is one of the worst. x__x; And saying she also “fell in love” with Jacob just ruined Eclipse for me. It just wiped out all the EdwardxBella moments that I enjoyed before her “confession”. Bella, Bella, Bella, you’ve been acting like a bish that I’m disappointed that Edward fell in love with a girl like you. T__T I feel Edward had been terribly betrayed by her indecisiveness and fickle feelings. Being human is not an excuse, at least she knows that. I still hate, hate the words, “I love you more,” that she said to Edward after acknowledging she was “in love” with Jacob, too. I can’t, can’t accept the fact that she’s in love with two men. For me, there should only be one - love in that way.

I wish I could delude myself that the Twilight series stopped at the first book.

His gains in heaven are what they are.
Yet some say Love by being thrall
And simply staying possesses all
In several beauty that Thought fares far
To find fused in another star.

- Robert Frost, “Bond and Free”

FINALLY! After months of waiting! Supposedly, I should feel happy while Eclipse tops the bestseller list but as its popularity grows, I can’t really say. Fortunately, I got hooked on the series even before almost everybody started talking about it.

Anyway, as for my thoughts about the book - it was definitely better than New Moon. I suppose it’s because Edward’s back under the spotlight, though now he has Jacob Black to share it with. I have mixed emotions with regards to Jacob. I can’t say he’s one of my favorite characters, but I don’t hate him either. I guess it’s just…weird for me since he was a very minor character in the first book and then he’s grown to have such a significant part in the series. And as for the third novel, he’s the third in a love triangle.

This brings us to Bella. I used to really love Bella - in the first book at least. Then I was annoyed at her angst in the second book. Now what irks me is her claims to love two men - though there’s a degree of difference, she did say “in love”. And I’m not entirely comfortable of this part of her. I don’t like the fact that she could say she loves two of them at the same time. Though I understand, rationally, that there’s a good basis for this - a valid cause for such confusion - I can’t hide the fact that I don’t really like it. In fact, I hate it. Edward had a point that he had broken her heart and it was Jacob who somehow managed to stitch it and the stitches would leave their mark there, but seeing Bella falter like this just makes me feel she doesn’t really deserve Edward. A pity Edward needs her so much (and she probably likewise, in a sense that both of them wouldn’t function normally without the other). Eclipse managed to illustrate how Edward cares for Bella excellently. He puts up with her friendship with Jacob even though he’s downright jealous about it. He exerts so much self-control just to make Bella happy, so much sacrifice, that the things Bella does to make up for all her mistakes pales in comparison.

At least she’s aware she’d done both Jacob and Edward wrong. It’s just that the book ended with Bella admitting she’s in love with Jacob as well, and telling Edward “I love you more” just doesn’t make it right for me. I guess it also has something to do with the difference in our cultures - Filipino vs. American - or like how I feel more traditional about things. I understand how Edward wants things to go or happen, though I also understand why Bella’s quite averse towards marriage despite the shallow reasoning. If I were her, I’d marry him without second thought, dammit!

(more…)

My friend and I were talking over the phone yesterday about New Moon. I’ve read the Eclipse chapter 1 excerpt and I can’t help but agree with my friend when we couldn’t understand why Bella was even hesitating to marry Edward. She said she didn’t fear commitment - and marriage is already the perpetual kind of love she claims she’d like to have with Edward. And to think she shuddered at the word “fiancé”. (T__T) If she really loved Edward, why shrink away from it? I pity him now, after Bella treated his proposal as a joke. It’s very clear that Bella’s love for him does not even come close to Edward’s love for her. Wasn’t it the kind of love and commitment she was looking for? Refusing to marry him would now be a contradiction to her claims of love she felt for him.

I can’t help but feel Stephenie Meyer is starting to make me dislike Bella’s character. She was fine the way she was in Twilight, but the major angst she experienced in New Moon destroyed what I had admired about her, and now, from the Eclipse excerpt I read, it doesn’t seem that Stephenie Meyer will be redeeming Bella’s character anytime soon.

My friend also expressed the same fears about the series’ growing popularity. D= I still hope it doesn’t escalate into a world-wide trend.

Started Reading: March 21, 2007
Finished Reading: March 21, 2007

I can’t wait to read Eclipse - and there’s even a fourth book coming in 2008.

LOL.

Anyway, nothing still beats Twilight, but the second book wasn’t so bad. Not as bad as the reviews were, at least. I’m glad I didn’t dislike it so much. I really didn’t mind having Jacob and the werewolves in the picture - although it does complicate things. And although I was never for vendettas, I could understand it a little. But I wish it wasn’t one of those it’s-in-the-blood kind of hatred. A nexus of abhorrence is very tiring. I could imagine. But then again, it’s one of the plots, isn’t it?

I don’t like Bella in her teenage-angst mood. Edward’s lovable as ever - gorgeous as ever - and Jacob sometimes makes me think of a cute over-sized boy, heh.

I’m just hoping for more action in the next book in August. At least that’s something to look forward to when I’m already in college. Hehe.