Follow-up: My Breaking Dawn Predictions

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Spoiler Alert:  DO not read this if you have not completed Breaking Dawn.  I will give away a few REALLY crucial plot points.

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OK.  As listed in this post, the following were my predictions.  Having finished the book just a few hours ago, I am going to briefly revisit them with some reactions.

1.  The title implies a new “dawn” in Bella’s life.  I do think she will end up a vampire.

Was I correct? Yes.

Did I like how this was done? Yes.  I was pleased that it didn’t end with that, that we actually spent a good portion of the book with her as a changed/developing “newborn” vampire.

2.  However… I don’t think anyone will have to make the choice to turn her.  I think she will prepare for it, but then somehow get attacked and be dying, and having to choose between no Bella and a vampire Bella, Edward (or Alice, or Carlisle) will turn her in order to save her.

Was I correct? Mostly yes.  In fact, I was say completely correct (although some might disagree with the use of the word “attacked”).

Did I like how this was done: Yes and No.  I have mixed feelings about what happened here.  I will explore my reactions to Bella’s pregnancy in a post tomorrow that will go into further detail with what I felt were pros and cons of the book.

3.  I do think Renee and Charlie will find out in this book.  (And perhaps will be greatful that they still have a daughter, even in vampire form).

Was I correct? Again, yes and no.  Half right – Charlie finds out something is weird/supernatural, but deals with it in an odd “don’t ask, don’t tell” kind of way.

Did I like how this was done? Yes and No.  I found it a bit unbelievable.  I do think Charlie’s character, when being told “you can’t ask”, might agree and settle for some relationship with Bella, with no questions asked… but I found the “need to know” think overly convenient and cheesy.  Especially for the father of a 19 year old girl who recently went through a major depression and several behavior problems and then a mysterious illness, who happens to also be a police officer.  I mean, he’s supposed to be a simple, small-town guy, but he’s not brain damaged.  Any reasonable parent would want or demand to know more.  This was not consistent with how we have seen him behave in the past.  It worked for the story, but only because there was no time for more development there.

4.  I think by saving her and not just biting her, the Cullens will have not broken the treaty with the werewolves, much to Jacob’s dismay.

Was I right about this? No.  This comes up in a different way that I anticipated. And Jacob grows into a more mature person with some perspective on the issue.

Did I like how this was done? Yes.  I think it was very consistent from what we’ve seen from the Werewolf Pack in the previous books and Jacob’s storyline, up until the annoying imprinting part, was one of my favorite parts of this book.  (And the imprinting itself didn’t bother me nearly as much as him growing as a person up until that point and then suddenly turning into an annoying macho, overprotective doofus again as soon he imprinted.)

5.  I think Seth Clearwater is going to die.   Which makes me sad, because Seth is the Neville of Twilight.  I love Seth.

What I right about this? Fortunately, No.

Did I like how this was done? Unfortunately, Seth appears near the beginning, has a role in the middle, but his character doesn’t really grow or go anywhere.  This was just a book with SO much going on, there wasn’t really time/room for more Seth and Leah (or other wolves) and I actually thought the way they kind of just dropped out of the action felt a bit random.  Not that they were major characters, but they were kind of shoved into the middle of the book as somewhat “major” players and then abandoned.

My Summarized Overall Reaction: I enjoyed reading this.  I think it was a satisfying enough ending to the series.*  However, this book felt EPIC in a forced way and this did not really work.  In my opinion, a lot of the really compelling characterization stuff was sacrificed for the plot to expand rapidly and keep up with itself.

I will post a more complete review (in list form of course) tomorrow.

*NOTE:  I edited this because I wrote my initial reaction, almost immediately upon finishing the book.  Since I have finished, I’ve been processing a lot of it.  And have come to the conclusion that while I enjoyed parts of it, and felt compelled to finish it, overall I do not think this was a good book.  Nor do I think it was a satisfying ending to the series and in that way, I actually feel let down.  I will write a more comprehensive review later on.

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Tags: Bella Swan, book reviews, books, Breaking Dawn, Breaking Dawn predictions, Commentary, Edward and Bella, Edward Cullen, Stephenie Meyer, Twlight