Breaking Dawn
Well, I finally finished it! All 700 plus pages in a week (which, with no time during the day to read with two little ones running around, is not half bad if I do say so myself).
I felt that Stephenie Meyer took the storyline of Bella, Edward and Jacob and totally flipped it topsy-turvy to create a book in which I was surprised, excited and had fun while reading. If there’s one thing you can say about Meyer, it’s that this woman has some imagination!
SPOILER ALERT! STOP READING NOW IF YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW!
I understand some of the criticism this book has received. It is by far the most darkest book in the series, with more than one comparison on the internet of the birth scene to Rosemary’s Baby, but I found that Meyer really stretched the storyline to accommodate all of the characters. I mean, how else would she ever give Jacob what he wants and also appease millions of “Team Jacob” people without him imprinting with Bella and Edward’s daughter? So OK, imprinting with a child is inherently kind of creepy to me, but I can understand how Meyer was trying to tie up the story lines. We know that Bella would always choose Edward over Jacob, why not make him part of the family too. I also enjoyed Bella’s transformation from human to vampire. The description of the first few days of being a newborn were well written and fun to read. I never really thought that in the end of the series she would become a vampire, so was surprised when not only she became one, but a pretty super one at that.
My only really disappointment with the book was the ending. It was just so anti-climatic! She set it up as if it was going to be the big, epic fight scene (think Harry Potter’s ending) and instead the Volturi just backed off. NO FUN! I suppose she had decided to finish the book off in this way, quite possibly leaving it open ended for a continuation of Jacob and Nessie’s story – hmmm, another book on the way?
In the end, I felt that Breaking Dawn was a nice wrap up to the series and look forward to what the author has up her sleeve in the future.
Stephanie's Written Word 
I really wanted a fight scene too! I couldn’t believe it when they just “talked” it out. Boo hoo! I still liked it though.
I really liked it, too! In a video interview on EW, Meyer said she saw it as more of a legal drama than a big battle scene, and I kind of get that, I guess. I was expecting a fight, though.
I can’t read the rest of your post because I want to know what happened in this book (I’m currently reading Bk 3), but I can tell you’ve enjoyed it. ;P
Stephenie, I very much agree with your analysis. I think it was a fitting end to the series, but kind of weird and anti-climactic.
I loved the book too – finished it half an hour ago and have put my review up.
I agree with your opinions – and have been amusing myself by reading all the ‘bad’ reviews on amazon 🙂
I, of course, loved it! I thought it was pretty tense with the Voluturi, but I guess I understand wanting a battle after some of the other books.
Like the review. I don’t love the Twilight series, but I really enjoyed Breaking Dawn. Vampire Bella was so much more likeable than human Bella. Having written somewhat snarky, not completely positive reviews of Twilight and New Moon, I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the nasty reviews on Goodreads!
Yayyy! I’m glad you liked it, and I’m of the same mind in regards to the ending. Bloodshed! I want bloodshed! 😉
I have mixed feelings about the book. I, too, was creeped out about the imprinting thing, but I got over it fairly quickly. However, I really wanted more action at the end of the book. It just felt flat to me. I was glad that all the characters were happy and accounted for, but it seems like there should have been more to it.
I read a lot about people complaining about everyone getting a happily ever after. Who doesn’t want their characters to be happy and at peace when everything is over? The imprinting wasn’t too horrid for me. SM had it set up earlier where another child was imprinted on and an explanation was given as to how it wasn’t as creepy as it sounded.
I loved this book too! Two of my daughters have read it as well. Have you read the host yet?
It took me a long time to finish reading this book. It just didn’t feel the same. I do hope that they make a movie out of it, but it’s just too different.
Do you tweet and have a twitter account so I can follow you?