'Twilight': A snap judgment on 'Breaking Dawn'

(This is spoiler-heavy. Consider yourself warned.)

It’s virtually impossible not to draw parallels between "Breaking Dawn," the concluding installment in the “Twilight” series, and the final “Harry Potter” book. Both involve revolve around mythic worlds and young, ill-prepared protagonists headed toward a supernatural showdown between good and evil. 

The problem is Stephenie Meyer is no J.K. Rowling. We who’ve enjoyed the work of both authors have known this since we picked up “Twilight.” (I like Edward too, but there’s only so many times I can read how “beautiful,” “perfect” and “dazzling” he is.) But with these final chapters, in which both authors really swung for the epic, Meyer’s bunted.

Things looked promising at first. The pace is swift and the curve balls surprising and frequent: Bella and Edward finally get busy, we get inside Jacob’s head, Bella joins the Cullens in immortality, Jacob finds his mate.

But all the while, a larger story arc is missing. The love triangle is, sadly, summarily dealt with, and once the romance is over we’re left only with Edward and Bella’s child Renesmee -- even the name, well, it’s no Hermione is it -- and all the conflicts she so quickly and disappointingly resolves. Edward versus Jacob? Over and done with. Vampires versus werewolves? One big happy family. Bella being a ravenous newborn? She’s not going to eat her kid!

So what to when you’ve written yourself into a corner? Meyer is forced to more or less start over and she spends the second half of “Breaking Dawn” going for outright thriller. The second half of the book singularly involves the mystery of Renesmee and shielding her from the threat of the Volturi, an enemy initially so full of literary potential. Bella, Jacob, Edward and the rest of the “Twilight” characters become little more than Renesmee’s anxious protectors. 

Bogged down in the new, too convenient mythology -- Bella’s new power is the only one that will matter -- the book winds up faltering under its own weighty aspirations. Bella’s covert operation, the additions to the Cullen camp, the unique powers of the new vampires are explained so thoroughly yet serve so little dramatic effect that “Breaking Dawn” could easily have trimmed off 200 pages and reached the same anticlimactic ending. What’s worse, the new guys are there merely to populate the side of good for a battle that -- the big spoiler -- never happens. That's right. No blood shed. No deaths of loved ones to kill readers in the gripping way Rowling did in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."

At least when you get to page 735 -- where you’ll find the resolution neatly tied up -- it’s more a confirmation of what you saw coming rather than simply a letdown. And as for the final scene, Meyer writes this one like she's already imagined it on the big screen, with the swelling of sappy love song and a fade to black.

We would have much preferred the whole thing to end in book three, "Eclipse," with yes, some happiness for Bella, but also some angst, some heartbreak, and a dark, ominous future looming.

-- Denise Martin

Related:

'Twilight' video: Jacob and Edward fans sound off

'Twilight': Scenes from the 'Breaking Dawn' release party

Comments

[Shade]

I just need to say, to anyone whose perception was ruined by the reviews and comments on this page, that harry potter and twilight have absolutely nothing in friggen common that i can possibly imagine,
or even pull out of my ass randomly, i mean seriously...there are countless book series' written for the same audience, and the only thing these two have in common is that they're written for the
young adult audience but work on all levels. in fact, i was totally uninterested in twilight until my 40-year-old stepmother forced the series into my hands, and my 60-year-old mother still reads Harry
Potter...but other than that, you're off your rocker if you think there's anything remotely similar between the two. dont let other peoples broad sweeping conclusions ruin either one of these series for ya.

[Shem]

Summation of Breaking Dawn: Vampire Brady Bunch meets X-MEN. Throroughly disappointing after the first 3 in the saga.

[simone]

I did not like it. It was good in the beginning where they got married but then she got knocked up. Okay why couldn't the baby be evil? It was a really draining book to read, and at times I could not stand Bella. It seems so unfair in a way that she deserve everything she got, and still had the nerve to complain. I stopped reading it after bella found out Jacob imprinted on her oh so precious daughter. The whole thing is so twisted in a nasty way. I don't know if I will finish reading it, it seems pointless now. This book took too much of a dramatic and unneccessary turn, the characters grew up too fast.

[Amber]

warning: spoilers

I personaly love the twilight series but like lots of people i found breaking dawn, especially the ending a bit of a let down. I can't be the only one out there really wanting a jacob V edward fight or at the very least werewolfs V vampires but all problems between the two sides where settled and i thought that kind of took the danger out of knowing that jacob or edward could snap at any time.
Also with all the details and building up the cullens side ready to fight the Voltrie. I got really excited when i realised they would have a good chance at winning the fight only to be disapointed when not only was there no need for the passports bella had had made secretly but the Voltrie just walked away no fight at all.
I loved eclipse because of the love triangle and the newborns but in breaking dawn everything just got better so there could be a happy ending and though i like to know that everyone is safe i would have prefered more action and drama
Also could everyone stop comparing Twilight to Harry Potter they are so different

[Courtney]

iIm sorry to say... The Harry Potter books are soooo boring that i stopped after the second and can everyone get their facts straight?! Edward's body cant change but bella's can. Edward can make her have a baby but if it was the other way around, bella being a vampire and Edward as a human... No that couldn't happen. I thought it was a great book, i want more to it though. here is what i think should happen, if she were to have a fifth book (not counting Midnight sun) is that she should tell what's going to happens to Jake and Nessie, And all those dreams with Edward and Alice in flowing black robes... should be explained and have them almost join... but decide not to. What about Charlie and Renee. And wasnt Edward supposed o remind her about something in a hundred years? Also there was kllings, with James, Victoria, And Laurent. I also want to know more of Alice's past. AND STEPHENIE MEYER DID A GREAT JOB.

[Erin]

One . . why are people picking on the child name! For goodness sake it was taken after the parents names . . get over it . . people name there kids all sorts of stupid crap now days ( apple, free, poppy, Rebel, Moon and much much more )! Its just a name and I don't get why people get so worked up about it!

I thought the book was great, there are always things that each reader would change but as a reader I would not have wanted to see everyone in the Cullen Family die! I would not have been happy if only Edward and Bella survived because I liked the entire family just as much!

I would have liked to see a fight as well but would they have survived!?!? I think that that entire situation in the book was great and I enjoyed reading about all the different covens that came to help out and be witnesses!! Maybe and maybe when they make the movie, they will change the ending! Wouldn't that be crazy!

I agree with some people that there should be more books but thats just cause I am super addicted and want to know more about there life because I feel like they are my life now! I would love to know more!

I also love Midnight sun and can't wait for that to come out and would LOVE if she would write each book in his eyes! That would be amazing!!

[Elizabeth]

Definately no J.K. Rowling - but let us not compare. What we initially had here was a splendid myth, an original idea, something dreamy...the original and evergoing battle between good and evil, and how strangely they sometimes mingle. What happens when even evil at its clearest form is amended by its own freedom of choice and so forth. This, had all the prospect to be a masterpiece.

Yet, what do we have? We have a What You Should Never Raise Your Daughter To Be Like character. An impossible ninny in "Bella", a person who is literally as well as metaphorically "carried around" like a handbag. She has her significant other plan her every step, her education, her life. Actually, were I a mother, my strongest objection would be what Bella is - more than the childbirth creepy descriptions!

It really reminded me of the "romantic"paperpbacks of the early seventies where "Edwards" and "Antonellas" lived happily ever after - afternoon passtimes for neglected housewives, where the man is oh so superior to "the girl".

Concluding, I should so much like to welcome us al to the 21st century, and express my sincere hope that "teen crap" will not be so warmly welcomed in the future!

[Bee]

I am a huge fan of the saga but being honest Breaking Dawn left me feeling kind of empty. The first two 'books' in it where ok, but the romance fizzled out!! The whole point to the series in the first place. It's all about Resseme, who has not been present in the first three books, yet was given the primary character role. Attention was taken from Edward which was never going to be a good thing, and this huge battle rose up and nothing came of it!! I was so eager to read this book but halfway through i found myself having to push to carry on.
The kid ruined it, and how could Edward have one anyway?? He's "dead", dead people don't produce sperm!
Big let down! :(

[Lela]

I enjoyed reading Breaking Dawn as much as the other three books. I became hooked as soon as I starting reading Twilight. I like the way that the story played out. There were all the elements that were needed to keep me wanting more. In Breaking Dawn, Bella and Edward FINALLY make love. All of the passion, frustration and emotion that had been building up between the two is finally released! Where else can you go from there? Up until this point we all understand the undying love of both of the characters. We know that there love for each other is undying. Bella becoming pregnant was a shock and surprise that I did not see coming. I also like how we got to see things from Jake's perspective and I thought that the imprinting on Nessie was a good surprise as well. Everyone lives happily ever after. What did people want? For Bella and Edward to die?? For the baby to die??? I think that was it was ended was perfect. The greatest love lives on forever as one big happy family. :)

[Bella]

Stephonie Meyer's work could have been better than what Breaking Dawn was but it did show passion and love .That is basically what the Twilight series is,right?But she makes the series the mircles that they are,she has opend my imagination and I understand,now the stories.There is nothing better than TWILIGHT,NEW MOON,ECLIPSE,and BREAKING DAWN.the story takes you to the end of the journey of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen.The books also show some realistic events that could happen in real life and are very detailed.I heard alot about Breaking Dawn like how it had alot of very.....graphic event such bella giveing berth and concieveing the baby.Theese events I would gladly skip over.But altoghther this was an outstanding series and an amazeing book.Stephonie Meyer set out to make a great book and she defontally suceded.

[Isabella Naude]

(Spoiler)

I hate it when people say Meyer is ripping off Rowling. They are both great. Anyway, I liked breaking dawn, though I fight scene may have been a bonus. There was a death in the story. The extended family of the Cullens (Denali) had someone killed. It kept it from being, perfect, skipping into the sunlight, type of ending so I thought that was good. The name is unique and it was better than if the baby was a boy and Bella called it "Edward-Jacob" That pissed me off quite a lot. I mean, Bella chose Edward, but she names her baby after him and Edward, but doesn't tell Edward. He'd find out sooner or later. I liked how Jacob got his happy ending, but with a new born baby? Kinda creepy but whatever. I would have liked it better if he fell in love with Leah, because at the end of the book, I'm like "Wait! Is that it? What about Leah? Are you going to make her love Jacob (love, not imprint) and then make her broken heart shatter again?" but overall, loved the entire sag

[Stephanie]

I loved breaking dawn it was my favorite out of the series and I think Stephanie Myer did a great job writing it! I don’t get why people keep bringing up this stupid love triangle crap there was never any question of who she would choose! I mean come on how is “the romance” gone the story is about Bella and Edward NOT Bella and Jacob so just get over it already! And yeah the name Renesmee is different but its perfect for her because she’s different!

[dar]

I LOve Breaking Dawn and think Its excatly the way I like it even if I was writing the book!!! If you don't agree, then BIG DEAL!! get over it! Let it be great for those of us that love it!!

[mom]

ekkostar response - Harry Potter didn't pave the way for anything. It is one of a kind. And Twilight should not be compared to Harry Potter. That's really just stupid. Harry was fantasy/supernatural/horror YA genre. Twilight is a LOVE STORY!!!!!! it just so happens to involve vampires and the supernatural. But its still a love story. A better comparison would be Danielle Steel for YA. And the book ended just fine; all girls love a happy ending. So guys don't like the ending. Of course not, how many guys do u know that actually like love movies (aka chick flicks). Twilight wasn't written for guys (straight ones anyway). Why do people always gotta bring others down? Stop the bashing and hating already.

[AitchCS]

This is the best and most accurate critique I have ever read about the weaknesses of Stephanie Meyers writing and plotting and failing to have the pay-off when it comes to Ed and Bella. It is too bad they can't change that for the movie--because she invented a few compelling characters-and had some snappy writing.

[Bliss]

I also think that people should not only STOP comparing Harry Potter and Twilight series - but their authors as well.
In all honesty, Meyer isn't nearly as good or talented writter as Rowling. I think that Meyer has good imagination and is capable of coming up with even interesting characters (as seen with the bunch of the new ones in Breaking Dawn) but I have a feeling that she doesn't know what to do with them, so they end up being background scenery while she focuses on Bella and Edward who are fairly bland and one-dimensional (let's not even get into the whole thing how Bella is basically Meyer's self-insert).
Also, she contantly fails to deliver previously hyped things (especially the fights, like the whole thing with James and then later Volturi).
Let it also be mentioned how the series is full of (un)intentional (broken) aesops.
Also, her writting style isn't really all that good and the whole series - especially the last book - feels like I'm reading fanfiction written by emotionally immature person.

In all those parts where Meyer fails, Rowling does not - which is exactly why she is a good writter and that is the main reason why it irks me when people compare them.
As for the books - it's also very stupid to compare them since they do not even deal with the same themes, nor is their premise similar.