Midnight Sun (Twilight Saga, #5)

by Stephenie Meyer

[Berls]

Worth the wait! I know people have varied feelings about the Twilight series - from loving it to mocking it - and while I recognize that there are some serious problems, I fall in the love it camp.

I read the leaked chapters years ago and was sad that Stephenie Meyer wasn't planning on releasing the rest of the book. I gave up on it and was pleasantly surprised when she announced that she would at last be releasing Midnight Sun.

So I think she definitely changed some things -- or more accurately, added to -- in the leaked portion. I kept thinking I had passed into new material and then something would happen that I was pretty sure I remembered. So even if you read the leaked parts, it's really new.

Getting everything from Edward's perspective added so much depth to the story and the experiences. I kind of wish I was reading Midnight Sun side-by-side with Twilight, especially at some of my favorite moments (like the whole Port Angeles section or the meadow). And it was so cool to see character's with Edward's unique ability to read minds. You get to know them in an entirely different way.

And then the whole last bit - when Bella and Edward are separated and you don't have Bella's perspective to fall back on - that was so exciting to read. Bella's experience of the last quarter of the book and Edward's are so incredibly different.

I'm kind of gushing but when a series that you've enjoyed reading over and over again gives you a fresh perspective to some of your favorite moments, well, you gush. I look forwarding to doing a reread sometime and maybe doing it side-by-side with Twilight. Maybe someone will publish a guide of chapter reading orders or something...