Breaking Dawn.

Breaking Dawn By Stephenie Meyer.

When you loved the one who was killing you, it left you no options. How could you run, how could you fight, when doing so would hurt that beloved one? If your life was all you had to give, how could you not give it? If it was someone you truly loved?

To be irrevocably in love with a vampire is both fantasy and nightmare woven into a dangerously heightened reality for Bella Swan. Pulled in one direction by her intense passion for Edward Cullen, and in another by her profound connection to werewolf Jack Black, she has endured a tumultuous year of temptation, loss and strife to reach the ultimate turning point. Her imminent choice to either join the dark but seductive world of immortals or pursue a fully human life has become the thread from which the fate of two tribes hang.

Now that Bella has made her decision, a startling chain of unprecedented events is about to unfold with potentially devastating and unfathomable consequences. Just when the frayed strands of Bella's life - first discovered in Twilight, then scattered and torn in New Moon and Eclipse - seem ready to heal and knit together, could they be destroyed ... forever?

.... from the inner front cover.

At one page short of 700, BREAKING DAWN (the 4th and final book in the much acclaimed Twilight saga) is a mammoth read made a little more digestible by the fact it is broken down into three 'books'.

'BOOK' 1

'Childhood is not from birth to a certain age and at a certain age the child is grown, and puts away childish things.
Childhood is the kingdom where nobody dies' - Edna St. Vincent Millay

.... from an inner page.

Told from Bella's point of view, this section of the book is both plodding and overlong, but with an ending that is both shocking and unexpected. With Edward true to form, it is Bella who is almost unbearable - scheming, sulky, contrary and manipulative.

'BOOK' 2

'Life sucks and then you die'

.... from an inner page.

Narrated by Jacob, this section of the book is quite gory and, at times, almost stomach churning but also very thought provoking - dealing, amongst other issues, with love and the rights of the individual, it had me thinking strongly on my own beliefs.

Funny in places as is usual when Jacob is involved (the vision of a vampire and a werewolf playing 'paper, scissors, stone' will stay with me for a long while), the story was never-the-less slightly unbelievable with some of the individuals involved, acting seemingly out of character.

'BOOK' 3

'Personal affection is a luxury you can have only after all your enemies are eliminated. Until then, everyone you love is hostage, sapping your courage and corrupting your judgement - Orson Scott Card, 'Empire'

....from an inner page.

An old enemy, using recent events to seek revenge, forces the vampires to unite with the werewolves in order to protect all that they hold dear in, this, the conclusion of the saga - leading to a story of power struggles, friendship and loyalty.

Told, once again, by Bella, this section is extremely exciting and tense - an altogether fitting finale. Saved from a rehash of of previous events, it takes a totally different turn which is truly awe inspiring. A wonderful ending to what has been, on the whole, an exciting journey. I am, however, glad the author chose to end here on a high note rather then carry on for any further length of time as I believe the saga had come to it's natural end.

I'm now eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Twilight DVD and any subsequent films, though I do not expect them to live up to books (film adaptations very rarely do so), I will be particularly interested to see what they do with this book in order to make it suitable for it's target audience of teenagers.