New Moon

1.
Meyer, Stephenie. (2006). New Moon. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 562 pp.

Teen Fiction, Teen Drama
New York Times Best Sellers List

2.)
New Moon is the continuation of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Shortly after the second novel begins, Edward leaves Bella. Then, Bella makes terrible attempts to recover from her loss. She begins to pursue a new interest in motorcycles and a new friendship with a character that played a minor role in the first novel, Jacob. Jacob helps to rebuild the junk motorcycles Bella recovered and expresses romantic interest in Bella after a trip to the movies with the ever-annoying Mike. Shortly after Bella explains why she believes the two can never be more than friends, everything changes very quickly (but not in Jacob’s favor). Bella nearly kills herself with a cliff diving adventure, Jacob becomes a werewolf, Alice Cullen returns and then the fantasy adventure gets really crazy.

3.)
This book was entertaining in a suspenseful, young person appropriate trashy romance novel sort of way. Other than that, I would not say this is a piece of literature everyone should read. Many parts of the plat of this book were dictated by what appeared to be unimportant details in the first book. So, for a reader whit a good attention to detail, this book would be more about watching things unfold and looking for details that will be important in the third book. The relationship between Edward and Bella has developed into one of the unhealthiest relationships in the history of literature (that may be a bit harsh). I understand that high school relationships are usually overly dramatic but add the vampire werewolf element and they become more emotional. This book also brings up the idea of “suicide in the name of love.” I do not think that the issue is condemned enough in the book because no one dies they just all think up crazy ways of attempting to kill themselves.

4.)
After reading further into the series, I would only recommend this book for individual choice. If a group of students selected it for a literature circle, I would not protest.

5.) I would up the age on this book a bit from my last suggestion. Issues like suicide and murder of innocent people lift the tone up a bit more, thus restricting the age. Maybe---14 or 15 and up

6.)
I enjoyed this book for the same reason my grandma reads large print editions of Danielle Steel- I don’t have to think much when I read it and I am entertained. However, I have come to the conclusion that entertained readers make life long readers- and that is the goal after all, right? I must add that this book is a feminist nightmare. The way Bella acts when she is around Edward drives me insane. **Spoiler** Even when she stands up to him near the end of the book and asks his family to vote if they want her to become a vampire or not, I thought the entire scene was ridiculous. Edward runs out to the next room and breaks something. Yeah, that makes him a keeper.