ECLIPSE (Special Edition) - Stephenie Meyer

Review

Eclipse, the third book in the Twilight series, had a redeeming quality to it that was necessary after having read New Moon, the second book. While I love both stories, the second book hurt and I needed reassurance that the characters were still the same ones I had fallen in love with in Twilight. Fortunately, I received that reassurance, and it has solidified my love for this series.

One of the best things about this series, for me, is that the characters are always the primary story. This is true in Eclipse as much as the other two novels. There is an interesting plot to the third book, which ties in nicely with the second, but the focus is always on Bella and Edward and their relationship. The events that are going on always link back to how this will change things between Bella and Edward (if at all). Jacob Black still plays a prominent role in this one, though not as much as he had in the second, but with a completely different attitude. The triangle--Edward, Bella, and Jacob--is the central issue throughout the book. It can be frustrating at times.

This book in particular also has quite a bit of back-story. You learn about Rosalie's and Jasper's pasts, as well as more stories of the tribe in La Push (I can't remember how to spell it). As a result Jasper has become one of my favorite characters, and now, having gone back and started to re-read the series in preparation for the release of the final book, I feel like I better understand the characters and their actions.

Overall this is just a fantastically entertaining series. People should be wary of the "vampire" label that it has been given, because this is such a secondary aspect of the books. They are so much more than the traditional "vampire" novels. Meyer is a fairly religious person and brings some aspects of this to her books (most noticeably Edward's preoccupation with a soul) creating a depth to certain characters that otherwise may have been lacking. The books definitely suck you in to their world, in a way that many have compared to Harry Potter. In fact, most people consider this series to be the "life after Harry Potter" series, and it has exponentially risen in popularity since the release of Eclipse and the news of a movie in December.

(Nichole, amazon.com)