Eclipse

by Stephenie Meyer

Paperback, 2008

Status

Available

Call number

813.6

Library's review

Indeholder "Preface", "Chapter 1. Ultimatum", "Chapter 2. Evasion", "Chapter 3. Motives", "Chapter 4. Nature", "Chapter 5. Imprint", "Chapter 6. Switzerland", "Chapter 7. Repetition", "Chapter 8. Temper", "Chapter 9. Target", "Chapter 10. Scent", "Chapter 11. Legends", "Chapter 12. Time", "Chapter
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13. Newborn", "Chapter 14. Declaration", "Chapter 15. Wager", "Chapter 16. Epoch", "Chapter 17. Alliance", "Chapter 18. Instruction", "Chapter 19. Selfish", "Chapter 20. Compromise", "Chapter 21. Trails", "Chapter 22. Fire and Ice", "Chapter 23. Monster", "Chapter 24. Snap Decision", "Chapter 25. Mirror", "Chapter 26. Ethics", "Chapter 27. Needs", "Epilogue - Choice", "Acknowledgments".

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Publication

London : Atom, 2008.

Description

Bella must choose between her friendship with Jacob, a werewolf, and her relationship with Edward, a vampire, but when Seattle is ravaged by a mysterious string of killings, the three of them need to decide whether their personal lives are more important than the well-being of an entire city.

Media reviews

Ask any high school girl: boys can be a pain. Fall for one who seems appealing, and he turns out to be a monster. One moment he acts like you don’t exist, the next, he drives you crazy by playing it cool — while his brothers circle you with hungry eyes. If you take a break to cut the tension,
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and hang out “just friends”-style with a younger guy who’s puppy-dogging you, what happens? Wouldn’t you know, he turns out to be a nightmare too.
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User reviews

LibraryThing member woodshopcowboy
I promised a student I'd read it - she lent me the book, I suffered through five hundred pages of a teenage girl playing "He loves me, he loves me not" with a daisy. About one hundred pages of that book could be described as the word "love" - one sixth of the book, simply one word.

But hey! She gets
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kidnapped by the boyfriend and sexually assaulted by the bestfriend/love-triangle dude and she's a romantic example to thousands and millions of females.

In two words? Epic fail.
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LibraryThing member atimco
Just when you think there are no more sick and twisted situations left for Stephenie Meyer to explore in her books, she pulls another one right out of the air and plops it down in the middle of what could otherwise be a decent story. Eclipse had the potential to be one of the better installments in
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the series until it became engorged with too much meandering, too little plot, and some authorial fantasies that I would much rather not have known.

In this story Bella is finally graduating high school and playing a neutral Switzerland to her two crazed lovers, Edward and Jacob. There are reports of strange killings taking place in nearby Seattle, murders with no attempt to hide the remains. All the signs point to an army of newborn vampires... created by an older vampire with a very definite purpose in mind. Bella, of course. Could you have any doubts? I couldn't, though it took the characters about 400 pages to realize what was going on. *sigh*

Again, there are little problematic things in the relationships — with some rather huge issues alongside. Edward is smug about forging Bella's name on her college applications; he even says he can write her name better than she can herself. There is the disrespect to Charlie... the way that Bella continues to use and abuse Jacob... the way that the Cullens hold Bella against her will, for her "protection"... the exploding physical passion that Bella describes in excruciating detail every time Edward kisses her. Ugh.

In the first two books all the smaller problems are accompanied by an issue that is not small in the least. Eclipse is no different. This one occurs when Edward and Jacob have smuggled Bella away from the coming attack and they are all in a tent during the cold night. Bella is so cold — of course — that Jacob is forced to curl up next to her inside the sleeping bag to keep her warm. Edward, being a vampire, cannot warm Bella as his skin is always cold to the touch. What follows is a disgusting revelation, an almost embarrassing exposure of Meyer's deepest fantasies. She places Bella in close physical proximity with a young man who loves her ardently, with another lover glowering nearby, forced to watch. And the two boys have a conversation, while Bella drifts on the edge of sleep. Oh, to have two such handsome, perfect boys in love with one! To be forced to do such a thing. I was a little sick after reading this chapter. The whole Jacob-as-a-space-heater scene confirmed it beyond a doubt: there is something seriously warped about Meyer and her view of relationships. This scene exposes something very personal about her, and it isn't a pretty sight. Did Meyer not realize how much she was exposing?

I did enjoy some parts of this book. Rosalie's back story was pretty interesting and it was nice to have her persona explained. It was also fascinating to learn more about Jasper. Really, the best things about this series are the other characters and the mythology. I also enjoyed the introduction of Seth Clearwater, a minor character who nevertheless manages to be far more interesting and vital than the main players.

Bella is, of course, still determined to sacrifice herself and become a vampire so she can stay with Edward forever. It was less annoying in this book though, probably because it's become more of an accepted fact by now and Meyer isn't reminding us in every other sentence of Edward's gorgeousness and Bella's utter absorption in him. It's sick and wrong... okay, let's move on, what's happening in the rest of the story? I can understand how a lot of readers can't get past Bella and Edward, though.

Again Meyer makes her characters do uncharacteristic things to make the story work. I love how Edward just suddenly tells Bella, a few chapters before it's important, that he no longer wants her blood. Apparently it was so awful when he thought she was dead that he would never desire anything that could bring that about. Convenient, isn't it?

Really, this book is just more of the same. New Moon and Eclipse are both pretty weak in the plot department. Some things do get resolved and explained, but there is so much padding it's hard to remember the essential things. One thing does stand out, though: the disturbing, even sickening relationship dynamics that are apparently a very personal part of Meyer. Blech.
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LibraryThing member exlibrisbitsy
I have sat and stared at this book for days now, have turned its pages and just could not find words to express how much it disturbs me. I can’t begin to describe my fears about the deeply held beliefs in this world that allow such a book to be so incredibly popular. I don’t even know where to
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begin to list all of its problems. I could understand the happy escapism of Twilight I could even begin to appreciate the attractiveness of the attention seeking self harm in New Moon, but there is nothing I enjoyed about Eclipse. It made me feel physically ill in my stomach to read it as all sorts of warning bells went off even more desperately than in Twilight, and without the hope of salvation that was in New Moon. So I will proceed with only a portion of my displeasure at this book, because its better than nothing.

The abusive boyfriend signs were even stronger here than in past novels in this series. Bella has choices taken from her, is actually kidnapped at one point, has her car engine disabled at another and in every way is treated like a child by Edward. He keeps information from her that might harm her, he restricts her movements within her social circles, sometimes physically and once even in her own home. He makes decisions throughout that should not be his to make, but it is written off again and again as okay because he loves her.

Jacob's character has taken a turn for the worst as well. His character turns abrasive and violent and he even forces himself on Bella at one point and when she attempts to defend herself and hurts herself in the process he laughs at his victim and blames her for broken hand that results. Her father joins Jacob in the laughing and in the blame further validating the misogyny behind the act.

Other plot points develop including more back story on several of the characters and the world of vampires as a whole. Several of these reveal underlying racial prejudice, anti-catholic beliefs and yet more misogyny. The vampires in Central America are violent and volatile and need to be tamed by the Italian based Volturi, meanwhile the North American vampires sit and wring their hands over it all but ultimately do nothing, need I say more?

The werewolves also are expanded on. Their history is explored and their characters developed. More disturbing themes come to light. Leah, the first female werewolf is hated because her fiance married her cousin when he imprinted on her and so the entire pack has to deal with her thoughts as she deals with her ex every day. The leniency given Bella when she mourned the loss of Edward is not extended to Leah. She is treated like, and so rightly becomes... well, a female dog.

I have yet to speak on the imprinting. The concept of the male werewolf attaching himself to a mate and becoming fixated on them for the rest of his life robs him of the choice certainly, but the female is also assumed to not have a choice as well. The reason being, why would you choose differently? That non-decision apparently extends even to the youngest members of the tribe when a werewolf imprints on a two-year-old child. We are told this is okay because he will be the best friend a two-year-old could ever have and as she grows he will be the best big brother, the best father figure, the best everything until they turn eighteen.

The age discrepancy is also waved away in much the same way Edward and Bella's is waved away. Edward looks seventeen, so he is essentially treated like he is seventeen. The werewolves also similarly do not age while they actively transform so when the child turns eighteen and the werewolf looks to be still eighteen that makes everything right and tight. The concept of pedophilia, of the very close similarities between what these werewolves that bond with toddlers and grooming seem to be lost entirely.

I won't even really touch on the de-evolution of Bella's character. Her self-centeredness, her insistence on throwing gifts and parties and other things people do for her back in their face, her eerie pro-bigamy arguments and despair, her lack of self respect and the way she allows herself to be treated "for love" are all absolutely horrific to read about. This on top of everything else earns this book one of my rare one star ratings.
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LibraryThing member SamuelW
It is by now a well-known and widely accepted fact that Stephenie Meyer's Twilight series is complete trash. With over 42 million Twilight books sold worldwide and counting, it seems that any further popularity will only strengthen this evaluation, since trashy books are, by definition, exceedingly
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popular. 'Trashy', it seems, is a term used to describe fiction which, despite being of low literary quality, is particularly readable or addictive. Amusingly enough, it is a term used mostly as a disclaimer: "Yes, I'm reading that Eclipse book – but don't think any less of me; I know it's just trash!" A word to critics: tell yourself it's trash if it makes you feel better about yourself. That won't stop you from devouring Eclipse uncontrollably in long, greedy sittings. Like it's predecessors, this book is ridiculously readable. Its 600-page bulk will melt away in your hands and leave you ready for more, and, if you pride yourself on your good taste in fiction, quietly aghast at yourself for it.

If there were a prize for stretching the least amount of plot into the longest possible novel, then Eclipse would be a shoe-in. Between pages and pages of unhurried dialogue, readers are treated to back-stories for Rosalie, Jasper and the Quileute werewolves. (Back-stories, I might add, in which Meyer demonstrates her decidedly irksome habit of using direct speech within direct speech!) Eclipse's languid style is often reminiscent of a soap opera. Through regular scenes of conversation, we are constantly made aware of how each character feels about the transpiring events – which is, of course, entirely appropriate. It may have scenes of action, but this book is a romance novel at heart. Feelings are what really count.

Indeed, it is perhaps Meyer's feelings about her writing that make the Twilight saga what it is. Hundreds of authors worldwide set out to write 'trashy' novels with the same compulsive readability, and yet none of them wind up with the legions of hysterical fans that Meyer now commands. The difference? Stephenie Meyer believes wholeheartedly that she is writing an epic tale of singular passion and significance. Perhaps it is this depth of feeling that brings Meyer's world so absorbingly to life, thus saving it from the fate of so many Mills and Boon romance novels. One thing is certain: as far as 'trash' goes, it doesn't get much better than this.
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LibraryThing member VaBookworm87
Why is everyone so obsessed with the Twilight series??? I just don't get it! As I'm sitting reading Eclipse, I can't help but think everyone is mental! This whole series SCREAMS abusive relationship!!! Edward treats Bella like garbage, decides he kind of likes her and sucks her in. Then, on his own
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terms, Edward ditches Bella in the woods and leaves her depressed for practically a year. As soon as he comes back, regardless of how horribly he treated her, Bella goes right back to him. Then, Edward cuts her off from all of her friends, going so far as to take her engine apart and having her abducted to keep her from going to see one of them! And how does Bella respond? With a disgusting level of adoration! Even Jacob commented at one point that they exhibited all the signs of an abusive teen relationship! Why do people love this story?!

It's an intriguing storyline if you're interested in seeing the inner workings of someone who is completely delusional and brainwashed. Bella has been dating Edward for what? A year? She's convinced he's her soul mate and that she will absolutely never love another the way she does Edward. IT'S HER FIRST BOYFRIEND! Bella disproved part of her theory (she'll never love another) by the end of this book. So frankly, if she could clear her mind of her delusions for five seconds, she could probably recognize how over-emotional she's being and possibly be rational for one paragraph in the series.

I think what saddens me the most is how much potential a storyline such as this has. Unfortunately, it's so poorly written that it has ended up being a total disappointment. I'm sorry, but I can only take so much, "I love you!" "I love you more!" "No, I love you more!" before I want to put the book down and go vomit. Bella is the most overemotional and selfish character I've ever had to read about. Between her ridiculous stress levels, raging hormones, and melodramatic tantrums, there's very little room to actually like her character.

It's been said that since I don't like the books by now, the series won't redeem itself. Originally I had been told that book four would recover the series from how bad the other books have been. Of course, my brother makes a valid point in saying, "Who wants to suffer through three books to find a good one?" I'm about 90% certain of how this series is going to end up. It's become painfully predictable at this point in the series. I challenge New Moon to prove me wrong and surprise me. I can only hope.
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LibraryThing member jacketscoversread
Ah, triangles. Gotta love them, especially when they’re poorly executed. I’m not quite sure what the whole point of the Edward-Bella-Jacob triangle was. We all know who she’s going to end up with, even if you’ve never read the series, and I had to wonder why Jacob even thought he had a
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chance. Aren’t werewolves supposed to “imprint” on their true love? And I thought Bella couldn’t live without Edward, as evidenced in New Moon?

Moving on…

Eclipse left me with a bad taste in my mouth in regards to all the characters. Jacob was too pushy, not at all like the Jacob I liked in New Moon. No mean no, Jacob. Bella still whined, and her inability to grasp just what she was giving up in order to be with Edward until close to the end of Eclipse annoyed me.

“Think about it, Bella. According to you, you’ve kissed just one person - who isn’t even really a person - in your whole life, and you’re calling it quits? How do you know that’s what you want? Shouldn’t’ you play the field a little?” {pg. 477}

And what’s up with her obsession with the age difference? Even Edward pointed out the Esme is older than Carlisle, a fact that doesn’t bother them. I get that Edward is sickeningly attractive with his cool kisses and chiseled chest, but can we please get some character development? Edward’s either hot or cold, meaning his domineering or distant.

And Eclipse is way too long at 629 pages. Graduation, which one would presume is the book’s peak by the jacket summary, happens in the middle of the book, not the end. And it’s blatantly obvious that Victoria is behind the Seattle killings, and, yet, the confrontation doesn’t occur until the last quarter of the book. The rest is triangles, triangles, and Bella stringing Jacob along, a fact that almost had me feeling sorry for him until the other half of the book. And what I would given to actually see {read} the fight between the newborns and the Cullens/werewolves.

The constant references to Wuthering Heights were irritating. I get that it’s Bella’s favorite book, but you don’t see me bringing up Pride and Prejudice in everyday conversation.

Still, the best part about the triangles was when Bella had to share a sleeping bag with Jacob. That, and the parts were Bella’s practically begging Edward to have sex with her, had me laughing out loud. And I did enjoy Bella’s little self-realization about how selfish she is:

“I wondered if I was a monster. Not the kind that he thought he was, but the read kind. The kind that hurt people. The kind that had no limits when it came to what they wanted.” {pg. 421}

Will I read Breaking Dawn? Probably. But now I understand why Helen, who let me borrow Eclipse, wants to split the costs of Breaking Dawn between us, and why she didn’t immediately purchase it in the first place.
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LibraryThing member devilish2
Okay, so I've read the first two. But now I'm just seriously annoyed at this little girl who can't get her motives straight, vacillating all over the place. I don't know if I can cope with another 500-odd pages of this drivel! The action was great. I liked the werewolves. I just needed far less of
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what was going through her mind. There were times when I found Edward just straight out manipulative. And, seriously, what is a bloke who's been around for, what, 90-odd years, doing with a bimbo like this? Maybe I shouldn't have read all three books in a few weeks! Maybe it just highlighted all the flaws in the character development...
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LibraryThing member susanbevans
I've just finished Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer - hereafter to be known as "My Favorite Book in the Twilight Saga Thus Far"...

As you know from my previous reviews of the first 2 books in the series, I enjoyed Twilight but did not care as much for New Moon. In fact, you wouldn't be wrong in thinking
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that New Moon was incredibly painful for me to read. But Eclipse is far and away better than it's predecessors.

Here's my synopsis: Bella Swan is in mortal danger... again! If you've read the books, you'll know that the girl practically eats, sleeps and breathes danger - it would be strange if she wasn't in trouble. Of course she has her two handsome suitors to protect her. Jacob Black is a werewolf in the local Quileute pack. He loves Bella despite the fact that she has chosen Edward Cullen, the gorgeous vampire. In this book Edward and Jacob form a somewhat angry alliance in order to protect Bella from the peril du jour.

Ok, so what made this my favorite of the series so far? Well, like the other books, Eclipse is well-written, and full of adventure and romance. I love reading about all the drama in Bella's life, and although I know in my heart that Edward and Bella are meant for each other, I still enjoy reading about Jacob, and trying to understand what motivates him when it's so obvious that she will not pick him.

I think I most enjoyed the alliance between the Cullens and the wolves of La Push. By joining forces to fight a common deadly enemy, they won me over completely. I finally saw reason reign on both sides, instead of just passion.

After all the pain in New Moon, Eclipse was refreshing. I was captivated - willing the story to turn out the way I knew it should. I know a lot of people did not enjoy the "love triangle" stuff, but I thought Edward could "take" the competition. I knew the key would be to stop trying to force Bella into choosing between the two of them - I'm just glad the boys finally got the message.

I wish I could be more critical of these books for you, the discerning reader, but I just can't bring myself to be snarky. As I'm sure you've realized by now, I simply love a goopy, happily ever after, alls well that ends well story - especially if it's completely improbable. And I don't suppose I'll ever grow out of it.

I've already begin the last book of the series, Breaking Dawn, but I'm in no hurry to finish it. I'm not ready to let Bella and Edward go; I know I'll be sad when I have to put them down.
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LibraryThing member paintedbird
To preface this, I'll say up front that I loathe love triangles. They're trite plot devices that are very rarely executed well, and that's just one of the huge problems with Eclipse. It's a love triangle that, according to the author, was designed for Bella to make a choice. Really? Was there any
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shred of doubt over what option she was going to go with?

Unfortunately for Eclipse, about three quarters of the book involved pitting Edward and Jacob against each other in a quarrel over who Bella loves more (and again, really?). Sure, it's great to be loved, but in this instance it just makes everyone look bad. Jacob comes off as too sexually forceful, Edward looks like a lump on a log reciting the same "if it's good for Bella, it's good for me" line, and Bella looks more selfish and whiny than usual. Sure, Bella was whiny and annoying way before Eclipse, but she puts on a grand display here and it makes one long for a point of view change. Anyone. Jessica's point of view would probably be preferable.

The rest of the book is about some killings in Seattle that, of course, mean Bella is in danger, which, naturally, means Edward has to act like a psycho boyfriend intent on saving her from herself. Early on he attempts to keep her house bound by ripping the spark plug out of her car, and while I thought that was a little melodramatic and creepy he one ups himself constantly after that. No wonder Bella kept grumbling and sighing whenever he kept swooping in to tell her where not to go and why. Then there's the marriage issue -- he wants to, she doesn't (it's embarrassing, you see...far more than having to tell one's family you intend to become a vampire in the near future because marriage is so much more shocking) -- but it's not like Bella has a say in the day that's supposed to be hers. She literally doesn't. It reminded me a little of an arrangement than a celebration with the amount of groaning and wincing Bella does concerning the upcoming nuptials.

What disturbed me more, besides the rickety plot, the endless comparisons to Wuthering Heights (the author studied literature in college, I get it. most of us college educated people did and I still don't see the need for comparisons to Heathcliff and Cathy), and the annoying love triangle, was how self-deprecating Bella was. How she constantly went through the book saying how unworthy she was of everyone, how at fault she was of everything, how clumsy, stupid, selfish (that one I actually don't argue with), immoral, weak, helpless, pathetic, and frighteningly normal she is. Sure, it's hard to have immortal, strong, mostly male friends, but as a woman I'd like to see Bella shed that "oh well, I'm just a little weak girl, woe is me, I'll just sit in the corner and die now" attitude without having to become a vampire. At every turn in Eclipse Bella depicts herself harshly, and the story does nothing to turn that around. She's the one that wants to have sex outside of marriage (which is too immoral for virtuous Edward), she's the one that's too weak to do anything other than be babysat, and for the most part the story agrees with her. The men (with the exception of possibly Alice) are the selfless heroes by the end, and the women are selfish (Bella), shallow (Rosalie), and bitter (Leah). Where have the strong female role models gone?
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LibraryThing member kimbee
I can't believe I finished this book. If it wasn't my friend's copy I woulda thrown it in the garbage. For one, it coulda been a lot shorter than it was. I hate how Jacob's an ass and Bella let's him be one while Edward stands around watching. I want to read the next one just to see what happens
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but this was painful to read. I knew what was gonna happen, and I don't even remember how it ended because I just didn't care. A very frustrating read when every character does stupid things.
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LibraryThing member Crayne
And so we come to book 3: Eclipse. Yet again a small but noticeable improvement in the quality of the writing, though this time the editor seems to have been stabbed in the back with a talon and left to die. "As least as much"? Oh dear.

Anyway, this is a book about clashes. Of loyalty, of love, of
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sparkling vampires and big ass werewolves. And throughout this book we are building up towards the climactic final battle. An army of newborn vampires is marching on poor Bella (because obviously a neurotic and deluded teenage girl is destined to become a pawn in the Masquerade - did I really use that word? Oh yes, I did) and soon she'll have to face them. Or rather, she'll have to have her two suitors face them and fear for their lives. Bella herself is a bit like a fragile little moth caught in an interspecies war between bats and wolves: useless as fuck.

Actually, the love triangle between the three main characters isn't as annoyingly written as it was in previous books and since it takes up the majority of the book, it warrants an extra star over its predecessors. However, once more we are disappointed. Where nothing happened in book 1 until page 328, we're now rewarded at the end of book 3 by missing the entire last climactic battle against Victoria's minions. Instead we get a view of Edward and Seth summarily finishing off Victoria and her sidekick. It's kind of like being promised a kick ass tank battle in a World War II movie and then to only hear tanks firing in the background while Major John McCool shoots a single German general and his aide with the help of his trusty sidekick Rover. Disappointing to say the least.
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LibraryThing member Lman
The title Eclipse intrigued me. I wondered what Stephenie Meyer was suggesting with the word: which celestial body will obscure the other? One thing is for sure, in this book Isabella Swan is still a ‘monster-magnet’, attracting extreme emotions from all those who cross her path – her life,
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either the taking or saving of it, the object.

Following on from New Moon, in Eclipse Bella is now approaching graduation, and facing decisions that, once taken, will irrevocably change her life. Mysterious killings in Seattle begin to impact on Forks and once again Bella becomes the target of great danger; to herself and to all the worlds she inhabits. Amongst all this is the intertwining angst between Edward and Jacob – the innate hatred between werewolf and vampire vying with their emotional attachment to Bella, forcing a conflict onto her which must be resolved.

I am in conflict myself in regards to my thoughts about this book. The first two books of this series I ‘inhaled’ – couldn’t put them down. This one I found more difficult to read and yet I preferred the premise it afforded – the doubts finally insinuating into Bella’s psyche from the decisions she had made previously; consideration now given to the consequences of her actions. And I liked the idea that there were other options on offer despite the inevitability of her choice. This is a classic romance with an exotic twist; I think it appeals to the girl in us who would like to take the dangerous, but more exciting, path. At last the rose-tinted glasses were removed and the truth about losing her humanity was exposed, essentially asking if love would be enough to overcome all obstacles. I’m cynical enough to question and I am old enough to doubt - and I disliked the way Bella was manipulated by Edward, Jacob and their 'families' in this book, along with the sudden bouts of weakness and self loathing which overcame her character. This series, to my mind, is about a strong, stubborn human girl who can mix it with the best in that dark 'underworld', if not physically, at least mentally.

So, back to my original question: which body should overshadow the other? Despite Bella’s seemingly unreserved choice I am curious as to what the next book will bring – and regardless of my discord about parts of this book I am still eager to read more.
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LibraryThing member meg9058
This past summer I had the pleasure of reading the third book in the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer, Eclipse. I actually read the second book to the Twilight series last summer, and this summer I finally got around to reading the third one. I started reading this book at the end of LAST summer,
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and then as school started up, homework began to dominate my life, and therefore I was unable to get past page 60. I started up this book again in the beginning of this summer, and finished it up in a mere few days. It’s crazy that it’s taken me so long to finish this book because in all honesty, this is one of the best books I have ever read. Stephenie Meyer has a way with words that makes me feel immersed in the book. The descriptions she uses about her characters are vivid and grabbing. Stephenie Meyer is able to narrarate the story as Bella so clearly that I can even feel the emotions that she describes. I am actually glad the movie has not yet come out for Eclipse, because while reading this book, I was able to use my imagination to create the scenes in my head.

The second book was not one of my favorites of the three I’ve read, and this is due partly because Edward Cullen, one of my favorite characters, was absent for most of the book. For those that haven’t ever read a twilight book in their lives, the gist is that Edward Cullen is a vampire that is in love with Bella, a regular human. Bella recently discovered that one of her best guy friends, Jacob, is a werewolf, and is also madly in love with her. In Eclipse, I noticed a lot more competition between Jacob and Edward over Bella. This made the book actually very enjoyable to read because there was a constant battle over who Bella loved more. Bella has devoted almost all of her life to loving Edward, so I never actually thought there was a chance that she would love Jacob too. In the end, however, Bella’s heart begins to change, which added a new twist in the plot.

In the first two Twilight books, Edward had been my favorite character by far. To me, Jacob seemed like he was trying too hard for Bella. In this book however, Jacob was actually my favorite character. I realized in this book that I liked Jacob’s persistence, and the fact that he would never give up on loving Bella. Edward of course is still a great character to have in the book, because he is the “perfect boyfriend” and still maintained a level of mysteriousness. I did begin to sense that Edward was a little bit TOO protective of Bella in this book. Bella seems to get herself in lots of trouble somehow, and Edward is always there to save her. I felt like in Eclipse that Edward hardly lets Bella do anything on her own now, and she always has to be watched over.

The theme in this book, like Stephenie Meyer’s other Twilight books, is love. Throughout the book, love is portrayed between different types of characters. The love between Edward and Bella is eternal, and protective. Their love is also reserved because Edward can’t get too close to Bella because the smell of her blood is so sweet. There were also many references to Wuthering Heights in this book, which was interesting to me because I read this book last year and was able to understand the references. Bella and Edward compared their love to Heathcliff and Catherine because they too shared eternal love. Jacob’s love for Bella gives a slight example of “unrequited love”, because he knows that he can never be loved by Bella as much as Edward is.

Eclipse was a great read this summer, and I would recommend this book to a girl or woman of any age really. I suppose a guy could read this book as well, however, it is a little bit “girly” the way that Bella describes Edward sometimes. I would definitely recommend reading the first two books of the series before diving into this book because it would probably be very confusing to those unaware of the plot.
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LibraryThing member hafowler
Loved it. Very exciting. Again, though, I felt more for Jacob than Edward.I have some concern about how positive a role model Bella is for the millions of young women who are reading this series. I mean, the idea that she will sacrifice her mortality -- the entirety of her human life -- for the man
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she loves at 18 years old is just mind-boggling. What a terrible idea! Not to mention the fact that I think Jacob is a much better match for her overall.If this series was any less of a fantasy, I would say the way it should end is with Bella realizing that there was too much in her future to give up for love of a man. But this is a fantasy, and I suspect I'll be sighing sadly at the end over the waste.Now, as a book for adults like myself -- great fantasy. Very engaging. Characters that make you care. Highly recommended.
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LibraryThing member SandSing7
In the same vein as New Moon, the first half of the book was incredibly tedious. Meyer has obvious difficulty presenting backstories that work, and the plot dragged because of it.
Bella's teenage malingering and the constant dwelling on her internal conflicts didn't help either. The worst part was
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that I no longer believed in Edward as the suitable choice for Bella - and after reading Twilight, I really wanted to believe! His overprotective, distant, father-like vibe was cold and stoic in comparison with Jacob's declarations. Sure, Jacob has flaws, but at least he's doesn't kidnap his girlfriend and stow her at his house. By the way, would a strong female character be too much to ask in a series that's being read by hordes of teenage girls?
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LibraryThing member HenryG
Oh my God. Hundreds of pages of dreary teen angst human-werewolf-vampire love triangle, all leading up to a big showdown between Victoria's band of renegade vampires and the combined forces of the Cullens and Jacob's pack of werewolves, and when it finally gets there, it lasts like three or four
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pages! Biggest anti-climax ever. Again, the only interesting thing here is the VERY brief appearance by Volturi Jane.
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LibraryThing member queencersei
The Twilight saga continues along with this third installment to the series. The crux of this book revolves around the love triangle between the human Bella, vampire Edward and werewolf Jacob. However, given Bella’s obsessive devotion to Edward, there isn’t much of a triangle to be had in this
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story. The outcome is never in doubt as to who will win Bella’s enduring love. Though it remains a mystery as to why two such powerful creatures as Jacob and Edward would struggle over the affections of such a co-dependent, vapid, ordinary teenager as Bella Swan.

A side plot revolves around yet another attempt on the life of Bella. The vampiress Victoria makes another appearance, once again trying to avenge her lover James, who was killed in the first book. The Cullen clan and the werewolves unite in an effort to stop the undead army of newborn vampires created by Victoria as they wreak havoc on Seattle and descend on Forks.

Diehard fans of the Twilight saga will probably be pleased with this latest installment. But the overall writing is not much improved from the first two books and Bella remains one of the most uninspiring heroines in popular literature. She remains a damsel in constant distress, slavishly devoted to her vampire love.
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LibraryThing member melydia
Edward wants to get married, but Bella, who is perfectly willing to spend eternity as a vampire with him, is balking at the idea. To complicate things, Jacob's stepped up to the plate, offering himself as a saner alternative to the living dead. (Which says something, considering he's a werewolf.)
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Not that either choice is all that appealing for most of the book: both men act like pretentious assholes and treat Bella like a child incapable of making her own decisions. And for two people who are supposed to be perfect for each other, Edward and Bella sure do spend a lot of time arguing. Yet, they can't handle spending even a few hours apart. I don't find obsessive co-dependence to be all that romantic, but then I'm an old married lady - what do I know about love? ;)"'Yes,' I agreed." "'Sorry,' he apologized." The writing has marginally improved in this volume but is still distractingly amateurish. The literary allusions were less heavy-handed and repetitive (New Moon's constant Romeo and Juliet references grew quite tiresome), and I'm now actually somewhat curious to read Wuthering Heights and see what all the fuss is about. Like the previous two books in the series, the action doesn't really get going until about the last quarter of the book. It felt scatterbrained, tossing around Victoria and the Volturi almost at random to add some actual drama to the romantic shenanigans. That said, I did get a kick out of quite a bit of the craziness. Jacob's brash arrogance was more funny than annoying, and horny Bella amused the heck out of me. I'm looking forward to seeing how the story wraps up in the next book: if Bella finally takes the plunge into vampiredom, if her father has a coronary when Edward asks for his daughter's hand, if Jacob imprints on somebody, etc. I've read that all the loose ends are tied up far too conveniently, but I've come to expect that from this series. In short: better than Twilight, not quite as strong as New Moon, but a decent enough continuation of the story to keep me looking forward to the next book.
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LibraryThing member elbakerone
Stephanie Meyer returns to her addictive page-turning style with Eclipse, the third book in her Twilight series (Twilight, New Moon). Vampire Edward Cullen and werewolf Jacob Black are both vying for the affections of teenager Bella Swan while their families remain mortal enemies. However, a new
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threat comes to the small town of Forks, Washington and the rivals must put aside their distaste for each other in order to protect the girl they both love.

Eclipse is an exciting mix of mystery and romance entwined in a fast paced urban fantasy thriller. Meyer is a master of characters as well as story. Fans of her books will enjoy the tension created with the Edward-Bella-Jacob love triangle, as well as the back stories provided in the novel for two of Edward's more elusive siblings, Jasper and Rosalie. Overall, the book was a pleasant addition to an increasingly more enchanting series.
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LibraryThing member klarusu
"True love, my arse!" That's what springs to mind on finishing the third instalment of the 'Twilight' saga. No longer do I think that Edward and Bella are star-crossed lovers separated by circumstance. I've come to the conclusion that Edward has really done a number on Bella. This is the first of
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the books that I had a serious problem with. For the first half, Edward is a really good approximation of a classic abusive, controlling partner. He breaks down Bella's self-esteem and manipulates, isolates and controls her. It culminates in a downright disturbing chapter when Bella is held hostage by his family and her low opinion of herself means she takes it. It takes a lot for me to react like this to a book - I'm not a militant feminist and I often think that people make a lot of fuss about nothing with these kind of complaints. What's more disturbing is the self-perpetuating nature of the abuse. Bella is not much better on the emotional damage side in her selfish treatment of Jacob.

I was close to abandoning this book on principle in the first section - it was Jacob and the La Push werewolves that redeemed it for me. He's a loveable character (up until he seems to lack the understanding of 'No means no'). Bella and Edward probably deserve each other and quite frankly the sooner he bites her and they disappear, the better! Jacob though, he's great and I found I was rooting for him to wake up and smell the coffee and find himself someone better than Bella (although preferably not a 2 year old like one of the other adult werewolves ... but let's not go there or I'll never shut up...). The vamps aren't all bad, I like Alice despite her complicity in Edward's plans - actually, there are moments when it seems that Edward dominates her in a similar way to Bella. I don't understand how any self-respecting author, let alone a female author, could laud female subservience and male dominance to such a degree. Not one female character has any strength. Even Emily suffers her scars because Sam didn't mean it and wasn't responsible for his actions. It's like an abused girlfriends' handbook.

I also hated the author's convenient use of an ultimatum to preserve the lovers' religious morality. Of course it's OK that Edward killed people because they were bad people but heaven forbid that they should risk their fragile souls by having pre-marital sex! I wonder here how much the author's religious background shows through?

Will I read 'Breaking Dawn'? Certainly! Like I said, hooked. Would I like my daughter to read this and love Bella and Edward and accept this portrayal of social dynamics? Not so much. Bring back Buffy! I want a vampire loving high school girl that kicks butt not a willingly complicit doormat.
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LibraryThing member Katie_H
Oh, the angst! Why, oh why, do I keep torturing myself with this garbage? Admittedly, I did rather enjoy "Twilight," but these have gone steadily downhill, and this, the third in the series, is the worst yet. Not only is the book a hefty 640 pages, the writing is awful. In this installment, the
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whiney Bella struggles with her desire to become a vampire in order to "live forever" with Edward. The situation is complicated by Jacob declaring his undying love for her, as well as a pack of newborn vampires who are seeking to destroy her. This is in the young adult category, so avoiding adult sexuality is understandable, but the extent to which Meyer keeps everything above the waist, while still maintaining passionate sexual tension, makes me giggle... it's so laughably saccharine. I haven't quite figured out what it is about Edward that drives all the tweens batty... is it his pasty skin color, or his frigid body, or the fact that he *sparkles*? I dunno, but I guess you can put me in the "Team Jacob" camp. There are many other vampire novels that are far superior to these - Dracula and Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles are a couple off the top my head.
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LibraryThing member WomblingStar
The third book in the Twilight series. I think this is quite a good series. It is not the most amazing literature but the stories are good enough to keep you hooked and up late reading. The third book sees Bella trying to manage her feelings for both Edward and Jacob and stay alive/become a vampire
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at the same time. It moves quickly and I think I preferred it to the second book New Moon.
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LibraryThing member bookgal123
Meyer's new book is as melodramatic and overwrought as her first two books. Of course, it's just as compelling, too. Something about the tragical love story of Bella and Edward is so damn readable, that even as I'm rolling my eyes I can't stop flipping the pages to find out what happens next. If
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you like supernatural stories, then check these out. You won't be sorry.
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LibraryThing member roseysweetpea
This book redeemed itself from the second. I understand why the second was necessary to get us to the third and am now glad. This book went back to the intrigue and mayhem of the first and was absolutely wonderful. Can't wait to see where the fourth one takes us.
LibraryThing member gjaillier
I am reading this series because my 12-year-old read the series and loved it, and I make an effort to better acquaint myself with what she enjoys.

I know this series has the younger reader in mind, but I had heard many adults say they read the series and just loved it. While I am not surprised that
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a 12-year-old would feel this way, I am somewhat shocked and disappointed that an adult would be so enamored with the series. Eclipse, which is the third book of the four-book series, has been the most disappointing book so far. It is absolute drivel.

I take issue with some of the bizarre romantic notions in the story. Each kiss or moment of physical contact between Bella and Edward is described ad nauseam. And the protective, sometimes controlling actions of Bella's suitors would send up red flags to any rational person, not that the primary target audience for this book is expected to be particularly rational. What the author tries to pass for the perfect romance seems to me an unhealthy obsession. Since when is it healthy to think one simply cannot exist without the love of one particular other? And the hyped-up fantasy and obsession is described, conservatively estimated, on 600 of the 628 pages.

The plot is so tedious. This should have been, at most, a 250-page book. Even then I think I would have been bored.

The language is very repetitious. I have no desire to see in print the utterances "ugh" or "er' anytime soon.

To top it all off, Bella is simply whiny and annoying. Throughout the book, the reader is forced to experience her self-loathing and guilt for one reason or another. Well, there is one point on which Bella and I can agree, because I don't like her either.

All in all, this book is simply romantic-fantasy overkill. It's like putting 8 ounces of cocoa in an 8-ounce cup of warm milk -- simply too sickeningly sweet to enjoy.

I feel it is my duty to read book four, but not just at the moment.
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Awards

Buckeye Children's & Teen Book Award (Nominee — Teen — 2008)
Indies Choice Book Award (Honor Book — Children's Literature — 2008)
Colorado Blue Spruce Award (Winner — 2009)
Whitney Award (Finalist — Romance — 2007)
NCSLMA YA Book Award (Winner — High School — 2009)

Language

Original language

English

Original publication date

2007-08-02

Physical description

628, 32 p.; 19.7 cm

ISBN

9781904233916

Local notes

Omslag: Ikke angivet
Omslaget viser et rødt silkebånd, der er trukket over på et stykke
Indskannet omslag - N650U - 150 dpi

Similar in this library

Pages

628; 32

Library's rating

Rating

½ (12050 ratings; 3.8)

DDC/MDS

813.6
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