From Young Adult Books Central:
In the first act of "New Moon", Bella celebrates her 18th birthday, an ominous sign that the good old days of "Twilight" can't last. Exit Edward, curtain up on Act Two, which has none of the sparkle of the preceding chapters--in the text as in Bella's life, the magic is gone with the Cullens--but which has a feeling of homeyness created by Jacob Black and the La Push gang, who become Bella's new family, a family where she is an equal, not a child to be patronized and protected. The third act sees Bella reunited with the Cullens and leaving Forks for some entertaining, fast-paced action that sets up the next instalment in the series, no doubt already eagerly awaited by fans.
"New Moon"'s writing is enjoyable, though not as neat as "Twilight"'s--as is evidenced, for example, by the ubiquitous mentions of eyes and the use on nearly every page of the adjectives "cold" and "hard". The pace is also more erratic and readers may find the story drags until the return of Alice Cullen--though again, this parallels Bella's life. While many will mourn the long absence of Bella's magical prince Edward, they will love her new best friend, Jacob Black, a very human boy who comes to need Bella in a way the superhuman Edward never did. Though the Cullens constantly struggle with their nature, neither Bella nor the reader is ever fully involved in the conflict--nor can we see the psychological changes caused by the physical ones. Through Jacob Black, the fear, regret and gradual acceptance of the change from human to something else hit home, and the psychological effects of the transformation are so well demonstrated that readers will feel deeply for him.
"New Moon" succeeds in opening up a story that seemed to end with "Twilight". Now much more than just a tale of star-cross'd lovers or even the struggle of a few vampires to go against their nature and live without killing, it's come down to a war between vampire clans, with a pack of werewolves and some in-the-know and interested humans thrown into the mix. What's more, Bella now has a mission: the link between the Cullens and the La Push gang, she must convince the enemies to join together against an even greater threat. In many ways a transition piece from the idyllic "Twilight" to the certainly high-action "Eclipse" (scheduled for Fall 2007), "New Moon" nevertheless does stand on its own as a fun page-turner destined to be a number one bestseller. -- Marla Arbach
From bookshelves of doom:
First off, this is the sequel to "Twilight". While Stephenie Meyer has technically made it possible to read and understand "New Moon" on its own, I wouldn't recommend it. You won't be as into the Bella/Edward romance, and that's a key component of the enjoyment factor.
Ya got me? Read "Twilight" first. On to "New Moon"...
Due to a bloody accident at Bella's eighteenth birthday party, Edward breaks things off with her, tells her that he doesn't love her and the Cullen family leaves town forever. To say that Bella is shattered is an understatement.
Eventually, she finds comfort in reckless behavior -- which seems to always result in auditory hallucinations of Edward -- and her friendship with Jacob Black.
But Edward Cullen wasn't the only dangerous thing in Forks, and his leaving may have put Bella in even more danger than before.
I had the same reaction to "New Moon" as I did to "Twilight": I had some issues, but they didn't stop me from reading the entire book -- 563 pages -- in one sitting.
My main issues (There are some minor spoilers here.):
- The writing still isn't so hot. It's a bit bodice-ripper-y. But after thirty pages to get back into the groove, I was so engrossed in the story that I stopped noticing or caring.
- Bella takes way too long to figure things out. COME ON. Jacob TOLD you the wolf-man legend in the first book. You're a smart girl. You could have figured it out a little sooner.
That's it, though. It may bother some readers that Bella spends a good part of the book channeling Season Six Buffy (read: v. reckless and v. depressed), but it made sense, character-wise, so it didn't bother me.
It's a solid sequel, and I'm already waiting for the next book.
-- Leila Roy
From Amazon.com
"Which is tempting you more, my blood or my body?" Things are heating up between Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen, in this sequel to the immensely popular "Twilight" (2005). Then Bella is injured at her birthday party, and the Cullens' reaction to her blood sends Edward's family packing. Bella is inconsolable until she discovers that reckless behavior allows her to hear Edward's warning voice in her head. To keep him close, she decides to live as dangerously as possible, acquiring two motorcycles and developing a close friendship with Jacob, who helps her rebuild them. Romantics will miss Edward's presence, but the suspense created by a pack of werewolves bent on protecting Bella from a vindictive vampire will keep them occupied until the lovers can be reunited. The writing is a bit melodramatic, but readers won't care. Bella's dismay at being ordinary (after all, she's only human) will strike a chord even among girls who have no desire to be immortal, and like the vampires who watch Bella bleed with "fevered eyes," teens will relish this new adventure and hunger for more. -- Cindy Dobrez
take it back?
