Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Children's Books: What's Hot Now: Breaking Dawn

Children's Books: What's Hot Now
These articles that had the largest increase in popularity over the last week // via fulltextrssfeed.com
Breaking Dawn
Nov 22nd 2011, 10:07

Breaking Dawn,Dawn by Stephenie Meyer is the fourth book in the Twilight series that continues the love story of the 17 year-old human girl Bella Swan and her vampire boyfriend, Edward Cullen. In Breaking Dawn, Bella and Edward marry and move closer to transforming Bella from human to vampire, but when Bella suddenly becomes pregnant their plans change. The unusual and unexpected pregnancy nearly destroys Bella and leads to a misunderstanding that could spark a major war among vampire clans. To learn more about Stephenie Meyer and the Twilight series read my The Twilight Saga.

Breaking Dawn: The Wedding

Breaking Dawn is divided into three separate parts: The Wedding, The Transformation, and The War.

The Wedding is told from Bella Swan‘s point of view and is the most anticipated part of the book. Within the first five chapters Bella and Edward are married and off on their honeymoon without any conflict, but the honeymoon is short lived as Bella suddenly discovers she is pregnant. This is a most unusual pregnancy as the baby is growing at an accelerated rate that is physically harming Bella.  The couple rushes back to Forks, Washington to consult Carlise, who is a doctor and head of the Cullen clan. The physical toll the baby is taking on Bella is killing her, and both Edward and other members of the Cullen family try to convince Bella to abort the baby. Because she feels an intense connection with her child, Bella refuses an abortion.

Breaking Dawn: The Transformation and The War

In the second part of Breaking Dawn, Jacob Black takes over the narration and is present during the final stages of Bella’s pregnancy. He is also present during her delivery. During her delivery Bella dies and it is at this point that Edward injects his venom into her heart to begin the transformation from human to vampire.  Bella’s baby turns out to be a healthy half vampire, half human child who grows quickly and demonstrates a special ability to convey her feelings through touching others. Upon seeing the baby Jacob Black feels an immediate connection to her and discovers she is to be his soul mate.

In the third section of this story, The War, Bella takes over the narration and begins to explore her new found abilities as a vampire. Meanwhile, she learns that neighboring vampire clans have heard about the new baby and have mistakenly assumed the child is immortal.  According to the laws and code of vampires, changing a child into a vampire is a violation that must result in the destruction of the vampire child and the vampires who made it.  Under the direction of the Volturi, Bella and her family must be destroyed and preparations for a battle begin.

Meanwhile, the Cullens unite with the werewolves and with the support from other vampire clans prepare for war. However, before the war begins the Volturi learn that Edward and Bella’s child is half mortal and half human by birth and the war is avoided.  The vampires and the werewolves are no longer enemies, the peace treaty is back in place, and Bella and Edward can begin their new life with their daughter.

Breaking Dawn Warning: Mature Content

Breaking Dawn, more than any of the other Twilight series books, deals with issues that will make many parents uncomfortable. In an interview preceding the book Breaking Dawn, author Stephenie Meyer gave her own warning to readers. To read  what she says read my author profile on Stephenie Meyer. You can also find more information on the Mature Content in the Twilight series by reading my reviews of Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse.

Warning: The American Library Association has listed the Twilight series as one of the most commonly challenged book series for the following reasons: promotes extreme religious viewpoint, sexually explicit, and not suitable for age group.

According to my reading, Breaking Dawn does not promote an extreme religious viewpoint.  The themes of marriage, sex, pregnancy, and abortion do not represent any religion, but are merely elements that provide conflict to the story. More worrisome to parents is the heightened sexual tones of the story. Within the first five chapters of the book Edward and Bella marry and leave on their honeymoon.  Although not graphic in nature, the innuendos and discussion of sex between the characters is more suitable to an older and more mature teen audience. 

Perhaps more alarming to parents is the issue of a teen girl becoming pregnant. In Breaking Dawn, Bella becomes pregnant with a rapidly growing and violent baby. Edward wants Bella to abort the baby, but she refuses. The actual birthing scene is also graphic and Bella dies during the delivery making it possible for Edward to transform her into a vampire.

Breaking Dawn: My Recommendation

Breaking Dawn is a must read for anyone who’s followed the story of Edward and Bella. Faithful readers await the moment when Edward and Bell can finally be together and are completely satisfied by chapter four when they finally marry. However, it's the story after the wedding that makes this book a much more difficult book to recommend.

Although this is a fantasy, supernatural story, I found some of the story lines to be difficult to believe and definitely too mature for a younger teen audience. Bella's sudden pregnancy is disturbing and raises questions on the possibility of a vampire fathering a child with a human. Another issue that I found difficult to grasp was Jacob Black's immediate connection to the baby.  In addition, a great deal of preparation and anticipation goes into supposedly climactic battle scene, but the situation is quickly and neatly tied up resulting in a let down for many readers. Meyer is looking for a way to satisfy all her readers and provide happily ever afters for each character at the expense of story lines that seem far-fetched and unbelievable.

After reading the entire 754 pages of Breaking Dawn I felt disappointed in the story, but satisfied that Bella and Edward were finally together.

Fans wanting a more detailed history of the Twilight world and it characters can read Stephenie Meyer’s latest book The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide. (Little, Brown & Co, 2009. ISBN: 9780316044615)

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