Twilight Fizzles Out--But I Enjoyed the Build-Up.

I finally finished Breaking Dawn a few weeks after my son's birth. Isaiah was born on August 9, and my pre-ordered copy (I don't deny it) of Breaking Dawn had arrived six days before he did. To tell you the truth, I never would have guessed that I would still be reading it so long after it came out. I couldn't read the first three Twilight novels fast enough. I like to say that they temporarily ruined my life; during the two or three days I spent devouring them, I barely got anything else done.

For that, Ms. Meyer, I thank you. My great love for YA lit. comes partially from memories of my cramped little fingers gripping books from which even repeated calls for dinner or the telephone could not pry them. (That experience seems harder to come by with adult books. Why is that?) At the same time, with great respect and the reluctant disappointment of a true admirer, I must admit: Bella with super powers and immortality isn't Bella. And Renesmee? Come on. First of all, I laughed when I read that name. I thought Bella had to be kidding and would quickly unveil her real choice for a girl's name, but alas, that down-to-earth, unassuming-wallflower quality I had always loved about her seemed to have donned a hot pink feather boa and affected a phony French accent. Second of all, I never for one minute cared about that baby as a character. I'm not sure why, but I didn't. And so much of the novel depends on the desperate importance of protecting Renesmee that not caring what happens to her drains every ounce of suspense from the story. I finished the book because, heck, I had come this far, right?

That said, my experience with the first three-fourths of this series was a fabulous adventure, and I will probably revisit those three-fourths someday with delight. And I suppose Breaking Dawn unfolded as it needed to if things weren't going to turn tragic. In fairness to the novel, I must also admit that I was quite impressed with one plot twist. (I said, "Whoa!" out loud, prompting my husband to ask me what had happened. He probably thought Isaiah had suddenly sat up and engaged me in conversation.) Jacob's imprinting? Nicely done, Ms. Meyer. Nicely done.

Breaking Dawn and the Twilight series are published by Little, Brown and Company.  Copyright Stephenie Meyer.