sleepseeker
Written on Apr 25, 2011
From evil vampires to a mysterious pack of wolves, new threats of danger and vengeance test Bella and Edward's romance in the second book of the irresistible Twilight saga.
For Bella Swan, there is one thing more important than life itself: Edward Cullen. But being in love with a vampire is even more dangerous than Bella could ever have imagined. Edward has already rescued Bella from the clutches of one evil vampire, but now, as their daring relationship threatens all that is near and dear to them, they realize their troubles may be just beginning.
Bella and Edward face a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi.
Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.
It's here! #1 bestselling author Stephenie Meyer makes a triumphant return to the world of Twilight with the highly anticipated companion, Midnight Sun the iconic love story of Bella and Edward told from the vampire's point of view.
"People do not want to just read Meyer's books; they want to climb inside them and live there." -- Time
"A literary phenomenon." -- The New York Times
- ISBN10 0316160199
- ISBN13 9780316160193
- Publish Date 1 September 2006
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country US
- Publisher Little, Brown & Company
- Imprint Little, Brown and Company
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 608
- Language English
Reviews
angelarenea9
Written on Mar 15, 2011
kimbacaffeinate
Written on Mar 5, 2011
team Edward and team Jacob.
celinenyx
Written on Mar 7, 2010
Leah
Written on Feb 3, 2010
I've been debating how to write this review since I finished New Moon and I didn't know how much would be OK to give away in my synopsis without ruining the entire book. I think I've managed that but now I need to make sure I keep it that way! For those who know nothing of the Twilight Saga, New Moon is book two and follows Twilight. The basic premise of book one is girl moves to Forks, becomes intrigued with mysterious family - in particular it's youngest member - and ends up falling in love with him. Trouble is, the mystery of the family is the fact they're all vampires. Cue drama! The synopsis for the book may not sound all that much but believe me, it was a fantastic read.
New Moon begins a few months after the life threatening situation Bella found herself in in Twilight, on the day of her 18th birthday. She doesn't want any fuss but the Cullens, who don't celebrate birthdays, ignore her and throw her a birthday party instead. A tiny papercut cuts the party short and the ensuing drama forces the Cullens to come to the decision to leave Forks - for Bella's own safety. Bella doesn't see it that way and she tailspins into depression - months pass by without her even knowing what is going on and it's only the threat of being shipped off to Florida that finally rouses her into action. She rekindles her friendship with childhood friend Jacob Black and although he's no Edward, he helps to plug the gap Edward left.
Of course, my description of New Moon probably sounds relatively dull and even to my eyes having read the book it seems as though there's little action. However if I dare to mention any of the action that happens I fear it will give away some interesting secrets. Just trust me that there is a lot of action - most of it near to the end of the book. I knew the basic premise of New Moon before I read it and I did wonder how the book would fare minus Edward. I think that was my main reason for not wanting to read the book as soon as I received it - how could it compare to Twilight without Edward? Yet somehow it did compare and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Having Jacob Black as the prominent male character was fantastic and as I got to know him more I began to like him more. He was barely in Twilight so it was hard to really gauge what he was like so to have him hugely involved in New Moon meant we really got to know him. The friendship between himself and Bella was fantastic and I enjoyed their scenes together. Jacob does disappear for a while, though, as he has a secret of his own. I knew what it was and what had happened to him so it was a waiting game to see how long it took for Bella to figure it out. It was an interesting twist, evne though I knew it was coming.
Although Bella spends a lot of time wallowing in her misery, I found her as likeable as ever. Her depression and heartbreak is easily believeable even if it may seem a tad much at times. The pages where the months pass by without anything was a very clever addition and helped to show Bella's situation all the more. Edward leaving meant she lost some of her sparkle and wit from Twilight but I still found myself enjoying her narrative. Her despair may seem a tad overbearing at times as well as being slightly unbelieveable but, I don't know, all I could do was sympathise with her and hope something would pull her out of her stupor.
The ending, like Twilight, is packed full of action and it had me racing to the finish regardless of the fact I knew how it would all pan out eventually. The action probably wasn't as shocking as the first book but nevertheless the tension and suspense was still there. It shocks me that the majority of the book can be so lacking in action and yet still hold my full attention. I don't want to be disrespectful to Stephenie Meyer but her writing probably isn't up there with the greats and yet her books still utterly compel me. Her writing flows incredibly well and she's tapped into the mind of a lovestruck teenager fantastically. I hugely enjoyed New Moon and now I can't wait to get stuck into Eclipse and then Breaking Dawn.
Hixxup
Written on Apr 1, 2009
mbtc
Written on Nov 15, 2008
cherryblossommj
Written on Nov 11, 2008
After finishing reading "Twlight", I was very excited to jump into read "[b:New Moon|49041|New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)|Stephenie Meyer|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414jgcy2FAL._SL75_.jpg|3203964]." At the end of my book there was a preview of the first chapter and as the last sentences hit my eyes, I vocally screamed "No!" filled with the incomprehension that it could end that way and leave me hanging. I immediately ran upstairs and grabbed the second book to jump back in the journey. This continuation of the Saga is not quite as exhilerating as the first installment, but it is still a great read. The beginning is great, and then there is a big chunk of chapters that I just was not quite fond of. I believe it was the context and my mind unconsciously picking sides and not wavering even slightly in my opinions. But then, when I was about to give up hope, the plot took twists that I had not expected and the story that I felt had become predictable became heart-rending and complicated. It was truly an Ethel and the Pirate story. The story continues as at pace relevant to the first book and ends in a satisfactory manner that left me with a "thirst" for the next book. And now, I'm on my way upstairs to get it... BTW, I read this 563 page book in a manner of 4 or so hours. I would describe it (for the most part) and a deft page turner. *grin*
ladygrey
Written on Oct 20, 2008
I don't like the backs of books. Even when it's a very short paragraph like "I was with him again and the hole was gone" it says too much. They're something like stupid promos that give away the best part of a show. So I normally don't read them. But, obviously, this one I did.
I didn't really think about it much during Bella's birthday party and the amazing moment where he's reciting Romeo's line to her on the couch. But then he left. I liked how shocked and numb she was, how vacant her world was. The whole story seemed empty without him, so I understood how she felt. And then she started hearing his voice and I so wanted it to really be him. I wanted him to be just a few miles away because he couldn't really leave her and he certainly wouldn't be stupid enough to not hang around to protect her. So I kept waiting. When would she get herself in enough danger that he'd come out of hiding and save her? Because the back of the book told me he did. I couldn't read fast enough to bring him back. The race to save him, and the details about airports and plane rides and stealing cars and driving and running certainly didn't help. I had enough tension, thank you very much, I did not need for it to take 2 chapters to reach him.
But she did and everything was ok again. And I might have accidentally read everything from that point on two or three times. And gone back to read the exposition with Jacob and the evolution of their friendship again. And her birthday because this time I wasn't trying to watch my nephews while I read. And I skipped whole chapters in the middle about riding motorcycles and her missing Jacob because it went on forever and I knew what happened. Regardless, I admit to having read New Moon twice in two days. And I feel a little pathetic having said that, but there it is.
I know I'm only two books in, but I don't understand how there's any contest between Edward and Jacob. Stephanie Meyer writes the relationship with Edward as so intense it's almost palpable. While Jacob is rather lukewarm, despite the heat of his skin or the tremors from his rage. None of it is nearly as visceral as everything Edward is. Though, that final moment of Jacob in anguish is heartbreaking, but she doesn't let you look long enough for it to really hurt.
ETA: Now, having finished the series I can say she doesn't rest long enough in any of the good stuff. Stephanie Meyer has several flaws as an author.
- One being that none of her books really get started until a third or half way through.
- Two being that her characters are often universally stupid
- Three being that her narrative draws out the mundane (especially in the aforementioned first third-half of the book) but the good emotional character moments, the stuff you've been waiting for all along, she doesn't linger in at all.
ibeforem
Written on Sep 7, 2008