New Moon Book Review

Author: Stephenie Meyer

Date of Publication: February 26, 2009 (Kindle)

Publisher: Atom

Pages: 563

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Paperback or Kindle: Both

Fiery Fantasy Thoughts

New Moon begins with the heartbreak Bella goes through when Edward decides to end their relationship. In turn, she goes into a deep depression, until she hears Edward’s voice when she is doing something dangerous. In order to continue to hear his voice, she decides to start walking on the wild side and begins to take dangerous risks, e.g. riding a motorcycle!

She gets into this hobby and enlists the help of Jacob Black to help her fix up an old motorbike, which he is only too happy to help with.

Where Twilight concentrates on Bella and Edward’s relationship, New Moon focuses on getting to know Jacob Black and learning how his relationship with Bella develops.

We also get to compare the two love interests as Edward is intense, ‘romantic’ and calm, whereas Jacob is the exact opposite, being bigger, more masculine and more upfront about his feelings for Bella.

I enjoyed this aspect to Bella as it showed the other side to her personality which is a little more fun, carefree and happy with Jacob and I think this is where her confusion with her feelings for both of them starts.

However, I was a little disappointed that the climax of the story was not a war for Bella’s heart between Jacob and Edward but Bella going to Italy to save Edward, leaving a tortured Jacob to look on in confusion.

Much like Twilight, I still feel that Meyer’s writing style still leaves much to be desired, but it did improve slightly in New Moon.

I personally felt that the characters, with the noted exception of Jacob, are still rather shallow (Bella only making the decision to live life on the edge to hear Edward’s voice). Jacob is warm, honest, unconventionally charismatic, intelligent, and quite real.

Another thing that I found hard to understand was Jacob’s ability just to accept that he was Bella’s second best? Bella was more than willing to use him and did not hide this face and he just accepts it. I think there could have been a little more resistance or more backbone from Jacob here to make it more realistic.

I feel that Jacob’s character contributed to the main positive aspect I read in New Moon which is it was a lot more fast paced and electrifying and I felt that his character added this spice.

All in all, this book was an enjoyable read and Meyer can still tell a decent story. Despite the flaws in her writing style and ill thought through emotions, it was easy to become lost in the fantasy, however just like Twilight, the paranormal romance story has been told many times before and better but New Moon outshines Twilight and I think Jacob’s character introduced this freshness.

I think it will be a 3.5 out of 5 as although I enjoyed it, I was still not in love with it.

3.5 wings means that although I wasn't lost in the story, I was bitten by a cute vampire and am now going through a slow change! lol


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Alana