Pros: Intriguing enough to propel you from chapter to chapter.
Cons: Bella's angst and reckless behavior.
The Bottom Line:
It's a toss up if you'll enjoy New Moon ~ the pacing, plot and premise are very different from Twilight. However, you might enjoy the different direction New Moon takes.
jenniferkateab's Full Review: Stephenie Meyer - New Moon
I recently entered the Twilight zone after my son received the four-book series for a holiday gift. I was curious as to how appropriate the content was for a middle school audience (specifically my 6th grade son), which led to my reading and assessment of Twilight, followed by the sequel, New Moon by Stephenie Meyer. After finishing New Moon, I am struck by the contrasts between the two books. Both novels feature a first- hand account by Bella Swan, now a Senior in High School in dreary Forks, Washington. Whereas Twilight focused on Bella's obsession and romantic entanglement with Edward Cullens, a bloodthirsty but "good" vampire who refrains from hunting Humans; New Moon recounts Bella's fall from Edward's grace (he leaves her in the beginning after her spilled blood causes trouble) and her subsequent shift into a semi-catatonic state.
Brief Synopsis ~After Edward abruptly leaves, declaring he no longer loves Bella, the first half of the book chronicles Bella's morose entry into, ironically, her own self-induced living death. No, she hasn't been bitten by a vampire, but she pines away for Edward and longs to hear his voice or conjure his mental image. Bella, whose lack of common sense was revealed in Twilight, seeks out his ghostly presence through reckless behavior. When she's out of control physically (say, for example, by riding motorcycles or cliff diving) she channels his presence. Sounds emotionally stable, Right? Actually, Bella's behavior is often quite disturbing, and she's officially off her rocker during most of the plot's unfolding. Unlike in Twilight, there is little interaction with Bella and her peers at school. Bella goes through the motions with work, homework and tests, but she's mentally and physically out to lunch -- and she knows it. She occasionally has contact with Mike, a long-time admirer from school, but decides to focus any energy she can muster on a budding relationship with Jacob, who lives in the nearby town of La Push.
Jacob (Jake)~ now here's an interesting character in New Moon. Jacob is a member of the Quileute Indian tribe, and certainly is charmed by Bella's attention. When Bella comes a-calling, Jake indulges her illicit whim to fix up a pair of motorcycles, so Jake and Bella can ride together. As a side note which becomes increasingly vexing, visitors to the local hiking trails are being mysteriously assaulted by an unidentified creature, as large as a bear, but with the footprints of a canine creature. What's up with that... and should Bella ignore the warnings and roam around the forest anyway, seeking her special "Edward" meadow?
Best Friends... but maybe not forever? Jake is mostly unaware that Bella's passion is to ride recklessly in order to channel her precious Edward's presence. Jake's main concern, besides Bella's attention, is the gang of burly teens on the reservation that seem to have changed overnight into a cult of ne'er-do-wells. He mentions to Bella that he's worried he might be influenced by the cult, and indeed, a major transformation occurs that sends Bella off the deep end... again!
My Thoughts about New Moon: (*some spoilers*)
First of all, my primary goal in reading New Moon was to determine if it's appropriate reading for my 6th grader. I read New Moon with an eye for the forbidden, violent or sexual innuendo ~ and other than Bella's fanatical and imprudent behavior, there's not too much I consider outside the bounds of reason for a preteen to read. That's not to say that New Moon is great literature ~ for it's definitely not what I consider to be a nutritious literary undertaking. Bella, who narrates the story, is definitely a horrible role model. Her faults run deep ~ she's self pitying, obsessive, mentally unstable, deceitful and reckless ~ just to name a few. Her major positive traits include her mothering presence and care of Charlie, her Dad. Oh, and she's proficient in Calculus, although not terribly interested in applying for college. Bella almost falls in love with Jacob, despite his singular nature (which you must read New Moon to find out, but trust me, it's not an endearing quality). Her interactions with Jacob are frustrating for him, to say the least, for she insists they are merely "best friends" despite his obvious attraction to her as a hopeful girlfriend. Approximately halfway through the book, the vampire element returns to New Moon, and Bella's penchant for endangering her life and others kicks in again. Actually, this is when I began to enjoy the book more, and as the thriller action unfolds (with urgency that demands Bella make more rash and deceitful choices), the author ties together many of the loose ends and threads that were left hanging from Twilight. For example:
Will Bella ever become a vampire and kick the aging habit? How will the cult of the Quileute bloodline live in peace with the Cullens and other vampires? Will Edward ever return to his star-crossed Bella? Does Alice really love Bella like a sister? If so, what will her next birthday present be? Will Bella ever regain her mind? Is a Vampire or a Werewolf a more stable romantic partner? And where exactly do werewolves hunt for shoe bargains, anyway? (sorry, this one still remains a mystery)
Romeo and Juliet Theme ~
In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer draws obvious parallels between Bella and Edward to Romeo and Juliet. Bella's obsession with Edward, while believing his love is unrequited, causes her mental stability and nearly drives her to suicide. Whereas she doesn't purposefully commit suicide, her reckless actions may unwittingly bring her death ~ and at one point she even wonders if one of her thoughtless stunts indeed had killed her. Meanwhile, a tragic misunderstanding (a' la Shakespeare) nearly drives Edward to the brink of suicide, if you can call it that for a Vampire. From my parental perspective, the themes of recklessness, mental instability and suicide are not high on my list of appropriate reading for preteens, but I plan to use the book as an opportunity to discuss Bella's behavior with my kids should they decide to read New Moon.
(*end spoilers*)
Final Recommendation:
I felt like howling at New Moon mainly because the book spends an inordinate amount of time recounting Bella's obsessive-compulsive thoughts and actions, to the point where I thought she needed to get a life (literally). Bella is by no means a positive role model in the story ~ I wonder if the author could have woven in the many unbelievable story elements (werewolves, vampires, etc) if Bella had been more of a discerning individual. On a positive howl, I applaud Stephenie Meyer's creativity in New Moon. She managed to surprise me on several occasions, and shows some restraint with the conclusion ~ while not terribly suspenseful, there's a strong setup for the next book which I find at least somewhat compelling. In conclusion, I realize I'm not the target audience for New Moon or the Twilight series. Most teenage readers aren't going to dissect the story for its literary significance ~ they will merely ride along the waves that occasionally crest and temporarily suspend what we know as reality. I just wish Meyer had made Bella a little more sensible and strong ~ she's not a character I have grown to admire or even root for. In fact, I find myself indentifying more with Edward, the Vampire... now what does that say about me, exactly?
PS I'd love to hear your reactions to New Moon ~ even if you disagree with mine! Thanks for Reading ~Jennifer
Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistibl...More at HotBookSale
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