One of the things I like about this book is that I felt like I got to meet Carlisle and see him in an even better light. I have said it before but damn I love that man, vampire or no. I love where his is discussing things with Bella while sewing up her arm and he tells the story of how he ‘found" and changed Edward. It is sweet to consider that he did it for Edward’s mother. Sort of a dying wish. It made him seem like less of a monster. He was saving Edward and not damning his soul right??? Do you think that Carlisle took Edward simply because of his mother’s wish or would he have done it anyway?
One of the quotes that endears me to Carlisle is:
“What I enjoy the very most is when my … enhanced abilities let me save someone who would otherwise have been lost. It’s pleasant knowing that, thanks to what I can do some people’s lives are better because I exist.”
He is letting us in on his reasons for being a doctor. He shows us why he spends his life in a constant temptation. He does it for the same human reasons we do what we love…because we feel like we are changing people’s lives and making a difference. This was one of the few places where I could see Carlisle’s humanity. Did your view of Carlisle change because of this book.
I found out after reading this book that New Moon was re-written from a different sequel because Meyer found out she was getting Twilight published. She needed a book that could lead to other books and that other people besides herself would want to read. Knowing that changes the way I see the book. When I first finished it I felt cheated. I felt like I was reading something written by a different author. The same emotions weren’t there. Then I read that Meyer had great difficulty with New Moon because she was no longer writing just for herself. Did you see the difference in the first two books? What were you immediate thoughts when reading it?
Meyer wrote on her website that she asks readers to read New Moon twice. The reason being that she feels like people spend the whole time skipping information and pages trying to get to the part where Edward comes back. She thinks people miss a lot of the good parts because of this anticipation. Do you agree? Do you think a second reading would change my perspective on the quality of this book? I have to say I am already 3/4 of the way through Eclipse and I still feel like New Moon was sub-par compared to Twilight and Eclipse.
Does Edward being gone make the storyline boring? Can Bella be as exciting with Jacob and she can with Edward? Who is better for Bella, Edward or Jacob? Who can protect her better? Could Bella be happy with Jacob? Do you think Bella’s ability to love both Edward and Jacob so thoroughly is a metaphor for the two sides of Bella, good and evil?
Does Bella have secret wish to die? I mean not die and be a vampire but to die, die. She so easily accepts a relationship with the one ‘person’ in the world who is most likely to kill her by drinking her essence. She spends her time away from him trying to find ways to risk her life and feel the adrenaline. Is this all about her need to be with Edward being stronger than her desire to live or does she somehow feel like she isn’t worthy to live the life she has been given? Just a thought that crossed my mind. Why is she so accepting of death and yet refuses to REALLY live?
That is all I can think of now but I will be jotting down more questions over the next week and posting more questions and answers. Let me know if you have a section you want to discuss. I don’t want to miss anything important and now books through 3 are starting to blend in to one big book. Thanks for participating!
4 responses so far ↓
1 Hedy // Sep 29, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I think there is something death-wanting in Bella-there are a couple of parts in New Moon when I felt like Edward was just her death of choice.
2 Tricia // Sep 30, 2008 at 11:03 am
I definitely did not feel as compelled by New Moon as I did by Twilight. Whereas I could not even put Twilight down to eat, it took me about three times as long to get through New Moon.
I did start feeling VERY conflicted in New Moon because Twilight left me wanting Edward and Bella to be together forever. But then in New Moon, Bella seemed to belong with Jacob. I was almost agonizing over it myself. LOL! Bella seemed more like a “normal” teenager when she was with Jacob.
I did get confused about whether Edward was really watching over Bella or whether she was inventing his voice in her head. After reading through to the end, I am assuming that she was inventing it herself?
3 cathy // Oct 11, 2008 at 11:42 pm
sorry I haven’t been around. Family emergency.
This was my least fave book. I agree Bella seemed more normal with Jacob. I also thought she was really obsessed with death (or at least dying) It didn’t seem natural. I will get back in to things with book 3.
4 Tommigirl // Oct 29, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Do you think that Carlisle took Edward simply because of his mother’s wish or would he have done it anyway?
No, I don’t believe Carlisle would have turned Edward without his mothers wish. We already can see that Carlisle is a very moral person. It is just not in his nature (despite being a vampire) to turn someone without very good reason. Edward, himself, is much like Carlisle in this sense, what with his reluctance to turn Bella.
Did you see the difference in the first two books? What were you immediate thoughts when reading it?
I found New Moon a lot darker. It was a very difficult book for me to read, as Stephenie Meyer has a way of making you feel connected to Bella, you can literally feel her pain when Edward leaves her. I found it very heavy emotionally and wonder if this is a bit too much for such a young audience? I couldn’t put this book down because I just wanted Bella to be happy and reunited with Edward again so I just read and read until he came back to her. This had an extremely huge effect on me and the next day I felt physically and emotionally drained.
Do you think a second reading would change my perspective on the quality of this book?
Although tempted, I didn’t skim read New Moon trying to get to the part Edward would be back. I tried very hard to follow the full story (and believe me that was hard because I just kept thinking ‘where are you Edward?’!). But I found the quality high after just the first reading. I haven’t read it twice because I still haven’t got over the first time. My heart still feels sore!
Does Edward being gone make the storyline boring?
No, if anything it made the story more exciting. Just wanting Edward to come back had me eagerly turning the pages.
Can Bella be as exciting with Jacob and she can with Edward?
The problem is, I CRAVE the romance when I read this saga. I hate having just a page without Edward on there! I sometimes feel like Bella and just cannot be parted from Edward.
Who is better for Bella, Edward or Jacob?
Edward because that is her true love!
Who can protect her better?
They are both as dangerous as each other – poor Bella doesn’t half pick them!
Could Bella be happy with Jacob?
No, because her heart will always lie with Edward.
Do you think Bella’s ability to love both Edward and Jacob so thoroughly is a metaphor for the two sides of Bella, good and evil?
No, she has explained that she loves the two men in very different ways. Jacob is more like family to her – love like a brother and sister. Whereas Edward is the love of her life.
Does Bella have secret wish to die? I mean not die and be a vampire but to die, die. She so easily accepts a relationship with the one ‘person’ in the world who is most likely to kill her by drinking her essence. She spends her time away from him trying to find ways to risk her life and feel the adrenaline. Is this all about her need to be with Edward being stronger than her desire to live or does she somehow feel like she isn’t worthy to live the life she has been given? Just a thought that crossed my mind. Why is she so accepting of death and yet refuses to REALLY live?
I don’t think she has any secret wish to die. I just believe that she has met her true love (who happens to be a blood-sucking vampire!) and will do anything to be with him. Its just a case of ‘I would die without you’. But this would only be if she didn’t have Edward in her life. Her first wish is to be with him. Alive.
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