Well. I got around to reading this over the weekend. I’m not going to weigh in on the controversies. (Though I do have to say that people who get all worked up over a work of fiction are a bit uptight. And, yes, I know I get lumped in that. I got all upset about Eclipse, after all.) I’m also not even going to try for a spoiler-free review. You’ve been warned.
Initially, I wasn’t excited about reading the book, but I actually became curious about it after Andi’s review . I kept reading reviews though, and I have to admit that I knew more than my fair share going in. So, I can’t say if my reading experience is entirely fair: I was bored. Honestly. For about 3/4 of the novel. I think part of is that Meyer needs a long break from writing. This horrid writing schedule Little, Brown — at least one book a year! — is keeping her on is showing. The stories are lame, the writing is bad, the editors are lazy. Either that, or intimidated. Because there was an awful lot of unnecessary passages in here. Did we really have to have all that leading up to the wedding? Did we really have to have all that with the pregnancy? Did we really really have to have all that waiting?? It seemed so pointless. Cut a good two to four hundred pages out and this might — MIGHT! — have been a decent novel.
I complained about this in the Host, and it fits here: Meyer has pacing problems. Just when the book starts to pick up, she grinds it to a halt with pages and pages of description (really? Khakis and a sweater pullover? How quaint!) that do nothing for the plot. It was frustrating.
Speaking of the plot, I didn’t think it was all that great, either. I kept rolling my eyes. It just felt so over the top. From the super vampire sperm (okay, I can accept that; Meyer is inventing her own vampire lore, after all) to the super half-vampire baby (and I agree: the name is horrible) , to Jacob imprinting on the baby (oh, puh-lease. What a consolation prize. Can’t have Bella? Here, have her baby instead. Ugh.), to Alice conveniently arranging the entire ending. Bah.
I liked it better than Eclipse, but that’s not saying much. I think Twilight’s the best, though, and I have to say that I’ll keep recommending that one. But with one caveat: don’t bother reading the rest. They’re not nearly as good.
The reviews that I read:
Heather’s review
Corinne’s review
Tricia’s review
Becky’s review
Leila’s review
Julie at Best Books’ review
The Book Nut 
In a way Breaking Dawn was just pathetic. It was amusing in a pitying pathetic kind of way. How bad can the writing get. (I loved Leila’s thoughts on this one). The confrontation (or climax) that wasn’t with the Volturi was just super super awful
LikeLike
I agree… I guess Meyer knew she can’t write action to save her life so she just figured she shouldn’t. I’m not knocking her writing, per se… I just think this one was too rushed. She should have waited a year or so, worked on it some more and tightened it up. A lot. It would have helped.
LikeLike
I couldn’t get through The Host. And I agree, Breaking Dawn needed its fair share (ok, more than its fair share) of editing. Alas, I’m a 12 year old inside and loved it, will re-read it even, if only for the mindless fun.
LikeLike
Interesting review. I did really enjoy it personally, although it did have it’s faults. I liked the way she tied everything together but yes it was a little on the long side.
LikeLike
Though I read the previous three books, not really enjoying the second and third, I think I may simply pass on <>Breaking Dawn<>. The more I hear about it the more I think my reading stack is tall enough!
LikeLike
I totally hear you about the pacing… I think that is totally killed me on the third one. I think Bella is EXTREMELY whiney (sp?) so when the excitement began to build up I got excited… but then it’d be pages of Bella complaining, drove me nuts!
LikeLike
I didn’t read all of your review because I am reading this book right now. All I know is that so far… this book isn’t really surprising me all that much. I can’t say it is going where I necessarily wanted it to go, but the direction it is taking is not really surprising me!
LikeLike
thanks for this review, maybe I’ll pick it up, maybe I won’t. at the very list I may skip through the boring parts….
LikeLike
i think breaking dawn was great its diferent but i like that she discribes everything and i dont think its a waste i think thats her way of writing and thats why a like it and i liked it being long i didnt want to finish it.
LikeLike
breaking dawn is TOO happy thats what i think! but iguess its good because of the targeted audience… but i have one question though about the part when edward gave bella the diamonds.. I dont understand what alice meant about having another diamond? What was the other diamond that she was talking about?
LikeLike
she failed horribly in this book. Its sad really. they needed to die and she couldn’t bring herself to do it. What’s best for the story right? It reminds me of the movie “Stranger than Fiction” Where Dustin Hoffman tells Emma Thompson that she needs to kill her main character otherwise the story is will not be good. Its the same. Just because you have the power to control your characters doesn’t mean you should. I admit all the books was a guilty pleasure but frustrating with the no sex before marriage, anti abortion messages. Not to mention the physical aggressiveness of Jacob in book 3 and Edwards DV “protective” nature to Bella. Horrible especially with the whole Rihanna thing our teens are living through.
LikeLike