Aug 5 2008
Stephenie Meyer’s fourth installation in the Edward/Bella series, Breaking Dawn, has sold a purported 1.3 million copies in the first twenty four hours of its sale. Last I checked it had over 1000 reviews on Amazon with the majority of the reviews three stars or less. I’ve even heard of a campaign for the books to be returned. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.
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Aug 05, 2008 @ 08:52:22
Not surprised, and the seeming controversy (teens are split on whether this is another Meyer “masterpiece” or the biggest dissapointment in history) is bound to make it sell even more. The comments I’ve seen go from it was a great ending to complete and utter dissapointment because the ending was “too happy”. Many did not seem to understand that they were reading romance. Additionally, Meyer broke her own rules which also has made a lot of the fans angry. Not giving more details, so no worries about spoilers. I read the book because I was curious. I didn’t like book 1 enough to want to bother with books 2 and 3, and jumped directly to the conclusion of the series just to see how she was going to wrap the whole thing up. Did I like it? Well, I didn’t think it was horrible, but it left me unmoved as to my original overall opinion.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 09:17:25
I’ve read all four. No spoilers – but 4 did seem very different from the first three – much more fantasy than romance imo (though my romance to fantasy ratio may be as high as a 1000 to 1, so I’m not the saaviest fantasy reader). Once I accepted that the book was different and wasn’t going in ways I had anticipated, I enjoyed reading it. It did provide an end to the series – and offered at least one opening for it to continue.
I did not make it to a Breaking Dawn party. I was curious to compare it to the Harry Potter one for book 7. I heard there were a couple 100 at the bookstore where I bought both – and there was well over 1000 for HP.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 09:55:54
I read it this weekend, and my 19 yo daughter is reading it now.
My personal opinion is that overall, I enjoyed it. To get through reading BD in one weekend, I interrupted reading a new adult paranormal romance by a very big selling author (also a last book in a series) to read this book. And…the adult paranormal REALLY is a lot less well written when compared to Breaking Dawn. Just IMO.
I was primarily disappointed in two things regarding Breaking Dawn – a new character’s name and nickname, and an overly sappy happy ending (can’t get into more details, but I’ll just say that I expected more conflict and sacrifice in the final chapters).
I don’t think Stephanie Meyer BROKE her rules, I think she bent them. She may have even misled us readers deliberately earlier in the series.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 10:25:12
i think this book was terrible . stephenie lost over half her fan book because she published this horrid book.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 10:26:21
WOW! And I am beyond pissed at Amazon! I pre-ordered BD 3 weeks ago and still do not have my copy!!
I knew I should have just went to the Borders down the street at midnight on Friday. *pout*
Jane, I also read the reviews and I feel like smacking my head for reading them. I wonder if the hype was too much just like the lsat Harry Potter book.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 10:29:14
I read some of the reviews and hesitated in buying it. I think I will read it and see for myself. Because almost all of her fans loved New Moon, loved Eclipse but hate Breaking Dawn. Some reviews are quite comical, too.
Edited to add: I thought the title said “13 million copies” and was like wow.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 10:34:40
There’s a self-titled defense of the book on AAR. I haven’t read the series, but the ATBF column makes BD sound quite interesting, actually.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:07:00
I have mixed feelings about it. I loved it and gave it 5 stars, but I have to admit that it didn’t feel like the first three books. Everything that happened was completely unpredictable–which really is an excellent thing when it comes to books!–but it was unpredictable in a way that had me scratching my head in places. Still, I did love it. It has its flaws, but nothing that made me put a hole in the drywall ;)
On another note, I was reading some of the forums in Amazon and was completely stunned that somebody mentioned going to the concert tonight just to boo Stephenie (and it sounded like this poster had gotten the idea elsewhere, so it didn’t seem isolated to me). I am hoping beyond hope that doesn’t happen, nobody deserves that.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:09:59
I am just not understanding the constant comparison between the Twilight Series and Harry Potter. While Ms. Meyer deserves to be recognized for her very good work, it is time for everyone (particularly publishers and bookstores looking to make a few bucks) to stop comparing her and her series to the amazing J.K. Rowling. Overall Twilight was a good series. The last book was a bit fluffier than the earlier books, but in all of them the plot twists could be seen a mile away. That being said, they were still fun to read.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:15:28
katiebabs wrote: I wonder if the hype was too much just like the lsat Harry Potter book.
Did you not like HP7? I really did – though I might have tweaked a few things in the epilogue. I did read HP 7 in a flurry – less than 24 hours. I do intend to reread it again at some point – actually the whole series at a more leasurely pace. But, I thought that HP7 was a satisfying conclusion to the series.
I also hope that S.M. is not booed anywhere. Oh horrible. Nobody deserves that.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:22:48
I read Twilight, then returned it to Borders. It was like really boring fan fiction.
That said, I’m wincing at all the scathing comments about BD on Amazon. Must hurt to crash and burn like that.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:23:13
Michelle: Should I be embarrassed to admit that I haven’t read the HP series? LOL.
I adore Meyer and can’t wait to get BD in my little hands. Why would they boo her? Just because they didn’t like how the ending turned out? How pathetic for them.
Regardless if I don’t like BD, I still bow down to Meyer for writing such a wonderful series.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:31:25
I thought the book was almost unreadable. Certainly the first section was written in a strange stream of consciousness that I had difficulty following. There is almost no plot and no character growth. while the imprinting didn’t bother me, it was all very Care Bear quality to it.
I has so bored during the story that when there came a point of conflict with Bella’s life, I kind of hoped that she would die because at least SOMETHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED OF IMPORT.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:34:02
katiebabs, I haven’t read HP either! But I am planning to when my kids are old enough to enjoy reading it themselves.
I’m still looking for the link to the thread on Amazon where the booing was mentioned (there are about a million of them now, imagine that!). Still stunned at the rampant hate, and can’t believe how completely rude the haters are. They are actually posting comments in the 4 & 5 star reviews telling them how stupid they are for liking it, as well as the threads that are there for positive discussions. So uncalled for! I would suggest that if you want to have a serious discussion about BD, go to http://twilightmoms.com and go to the forum. I belong to it, and it’s a great, mature group of women who can discuss both sides of the issue without being heinous.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:38:17
Libby: I wonder if the majority of reviewers are teens? I am so angry at myself for going on Amazon on Saturday morning at 7am and the very first review is where some jackass gives away the whole story! Hello, a review is not a whole play by play of the book.
Jane: One thing I am worried about is being bored while reading. I hope BD is not a DNF for me since this has been my most anticipated Fall read. Care Bear stare! :P
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:38:57
No need to be embarrassed, katiebabs, but the HP series really is very, very good. You may want to try it sometime – and don’t give up after book 1. It really is aimed at younger children. The whole series is pure story.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:52:48
katiebabs: I absolutely think the majority of them are teens (and there is no offense intended to any teens out there, because I’m not making any sweeping generalizations!). Let’s just say I don’t see any self-respecting adult I know telling a woman who wrote a positive thread in the discussion forums to “get off the computer and do some laundry” (paraphrased), or telling people they’re stupid or that they’re Stephenie Meyer filling the ballot box with 5 star reviews and kind words. Writing is so subjective, and just because one person didn’t like it, it doesn’t mean the rest of us who did are rabid fangrrlz. Please. And I finished it in less than 24 hours; it was a page turner for me, but it may not be for everyone.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 11:58:10
Libby: I have the feeling I am going to love Breaking Dawn. I heard Meyer’s writing is still amazing, just that some didn’t like the turn of events. And I don’t think Meyer needs anyone to fill the ballot box at Amazon. LOL.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 12:03:52
I has so bored during the story that when there came a point of conflict with Bella's life, I kind of hoped that she would die because at least SOMETHING WOULD HAVE HAPPENED OF IMPORT///
Oh, I must read it. Just got it. We’ll have this discussion later. And here I thought you weren’t going to read it. I should know better, LOL.
Priceless.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 13:11:29
Jane read it because I don’t think I could have managed to write a review without lapsing into hysterical laughter. I think the book is a mess. As previously mentioned, I thought the previous books in the series had a “fanfiction quality” to them but BD takes the cake. That’s all I’m going to say.
I have read the Harry Potter and I enjoyed it a great deal. The final book’s epilogue was saccharine and I think it was obvious thar J.K. Rowling had written it around the time she wrote the first book, but I also think it was to be expected given that HP is a children’s series, after all.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 13:21:06
Jia, what does “fanfiction” quality mean? I’ve never read any fanfiction.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 14:07:00
They definitely should have held up release of this book until after the movie was out. People are so disgusted with the end of this series that I’m wondering if anyone will want to see the movie now.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 14:12:28
I agree, Emmy. They should have at least given Meyer a little more time to write it. “The Host” came out in May, for crying out loud!
Aug 05, 2008 @ 16:23:25
Michelle: I use it in the sense that the books are very wish fulfillment. The main character gets everything and has to sacrifice nothing in return.
Aug 05, 2008 @ 23:06:43
I wonder what Acheron’s drop date figures are like.
I succumbed and not only got the HB (which I never buy), and I glommed on it on release day and as of 11.50 Tuesday have finished all 720odd pages.
Holy freaking… I need a stiff drink and another box of tissues.
Aug 09, 2008 @ 00:04:12
So I am a pretty big fan of Stephanie Meyer and the Twilight series. I admit the writing isn’t always that great and at times the sheer amount of sappiness can be hard to endure. But I still love the books for some reason. So I promptly picked up BD as soon as it was released and stayed up to read it straight through. After finishing the book I was stunned. How could Stephanie Meyer have written this abomination? Right now I am trying to forget what Meyer wrote and just pretend something else happened. I still love the series, but not as much as I did before Breaking Dawn.
Aug 25, 2008 @ 18:58:05
I read Harry Potter (entire series) and Twilight (entire series) at around the same time. Harry Potter shined in ways Twilight did not. The final Twilight Book was a huge disappointment. I am sad it let me down after I waited so eagerly and told all my friends about it. Everything about it was weak and completely different. The characters all seemed weaker to me, with less depth. It was all too freak show. The earlier ones were a little more relatable, except for the fact that Bella was an average chick who moved to a new town and became soooo sought after.