Finally Finished!

I finally finished Breaking Dawn, the last book in the Twilight series.  It has been the sole reason that I haven't been blogging as often, that I'm doing horrible at all of my New Year's resolutions, as well as neglected every other extra-curricular activity that has gone by the wayside.  I am so relieved I can return to my normal life.  The all consuming world of Bella and Edward  can stop calling my name.

This last book took the longest of all of them to finish.  It wasn't just that it was the longest, in pages, but it was also the easiest of them all to put down.  Don't hear me saying it was my least favorite of the four, not at all.  I couldn't possibly separate one above the others as they weave so closely together in my mind.  But this book was more extreme science fiction than the others.  As if a love affair between vampires, humans, and werewolves were not science fiction enough, this story had a few twists that let the story be just that, a story.  Enjoyable to read.  But all the ways I related to the themes in the other books that tied me emotionally to the story were just not there in this last book.  The absence of the strong pull the others had on my emotions was really a welcomed change.  This book was as great as the previous three, a perfect conclusion.

I'm sure this last opinion will seem radical to many of you.  But since it's my blog, I'm going to say it anyway!  I don't think this a great book for teenagers.  I know.  I know.  It is written for teenagers- you find this book in the children's section of the book store under Young Adult Fiction.  I know.  But this is just my two cents.  It is hard enough in our world to not romanticize finding the love of your life without this book.  Teens see false ideas of what love, marriage, and sex look like in the context of real life.  Even if one might say they know it's not like that in real life, they still have these little ideas stored away for what it will be like when they find Mr. Right.  I know because I did it.  We all did it to some point.  This book just takes it to a whole new level.  It is such a beautiful love story filled with unconditional, sacrificial love.  It is of course, too perfect, for any love we are capable of.  That's why its fiction.  I'm just saying, even to the most level headed teen, it may set them up for disappointment when they discover that real love is hard.  Marriage is hard.  You have to work at it.  I had a totally romanticized first love when I was a teenager and it took many years to be satisfied with anything but the crazy-in-love feelings that are portrayed so wonderfully in this book.  If I were to let Amelia read these books ten years from now, I would at the very least have this discussion with her.  I'm just saying.