Eclipse is the third novel in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight -saga of altogether four books. First novel was filmed in 2008, the second novel New Moon will be released as a movie version in November 2009, and based on the popularity of the series, I would be very surprised if the whole saga was not made into film. Wait for Eclipse in cinemas in 2010?It is very difficult to review this book without spoiling the story. That's why I won't tell much about it. Eclipse continues directly from New Moon, and focuses more and more on the complicated relationships in the series. It introduces new creatures and monsters, it deepens the original story and the characters familiar to us from the first two books and that way it gives the characters history.
After getting Edward back in New Moon, Bella faces a new problem: her relationship with Jacob has formed into such a deep friendship it is difficult to balance. Especially when some new magic steps in. Bella is also (again) in mortal danger - Victoria is still hunting. And this forces people to form unexpected alliances with each other.
In a way Eclipse is better than the previous novel - the deepening of the character's motives and backgrounds gives things perspective and interesting history to the whole story universe. Also there is more action, cool fights that would be interesting to see on screen.
The weakest point of the saga is in my opinion the central character Bella. Even though the author has mentioned in some review that everything is done the way Bella wants, and that way the story is a feminist story, I just don't see this. I see Bella as a self centered, whining and even stupid girl, who does everything according to other people's will. She seems to be almost totally lacking the ability to logical reasoning and she is being irrational in so many ways. Other characters - especially Jacob in this book - are so much more complicated and interesting. They have souls that are able to think outside the box.
Meyer's way of writing is still holding the reader. Despite the annoyance one may feel towards some events, characters or motives, the events and actions are still described in such a detail that it is easy to picture the steaming hotness of certain things in one's mind. However, she does not give the reader much surprises. All events are hinted so clearly along the way, that once the characters themselves finally figure out the case, the reader has known that already 100 pages before. But somehow it is not what happens, but how it is described to the reader that counts in these books - very often the "how" overrides the "what".
I felt incredibly bad for one of the main characters in the end of the book. And even though I have already spoiled myself with the final novel, I'm still looking forward on reading the story wrap up.
Written by Stephenie Meyer
Year 2007
Pages 640
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