NOTES/THOUGHTS/REACTIONS:
We open with Bella waking up again in the hospital. This may be a stupid thing I've just noticed, but why is the first line of all these chapters in capitals and bolded? It makes it look like Bella's screaming the first line. I don't know why I haven't noticed this until now and now it's kind of bugging me...probably some stupid stylistic thing Meyer came up with to make her book even more "unique and special".
So anyway, apparently last chapter wasn't enough for us to establish that Bella didn't die, she tells us again, that she is not dead. Then the stupid girl goes to rip something she was hooked to off. For the love of god, if any of you woke up in a hospital, would you be tearing off the IV drips or any of the instruments designed by professional doctors TO KEEP YOU ALIVE? No? Me neither. But apparently Bella is so super special smart, she knows these things are pointless, and are just going to embarress her because looking like you're sick is dorky. I'm sure, that once again, Meyer put these traits in Bella to make her look "independent" but once again, it just ends up making her look either stupid, or a brat (with a hint of ungratefulness). In this case, it's kind of a bit of both.
Anyway, she wakes up and Edward is there! Wee! Cue cheesy dialogue where Edward assures her that it wasn't just her that was stupid, it was all of them. As if that makes it okay. She is horrified to learn that her MOM is there. Yes, heaven forbid the parental units actually show concern for their children. This is, by the way, another instance of Bella's "independance" actually being her acting like a brat. Apparently, the story is that Bella fell down two flights of stairs and through a window. Edward jokes that it actually could happen with her. Ouch. Nice boyfriend Bella. Instead of smacking him like I would have done, Bella just sighs though and is embarressed that she's all bleeding and stuff. She apparently had blood transfusions and Edward didn't like it because she smelled different. Because you know, that's so much more important then her being healthy.
Then she mentions his biting thing and we get this:
"It was impossible...to stop," he whispered. "Impossible. But I did."
From Twilight, page 460
So it was impossible...but it wasn't? That makes sense. Especially considering from what was written, you had no problem controlling yourself. Therefore, I'm going to say, the one making the problem out of this is YOU. Which seems to be a big thing in this book. All these so called "problems" these characters have, are pretty much ones they invent themselves. Bella's father had no problem with Edward. She made that up on her own. Ditto, Edward drinking her blood, ditto Forks being a horrible no good place to live. When they don't invent the problems themselves, it's ones that they've created by being generaly stupid. Those boys chasing Bella? Wouldn't chase her if she told them straight out that she didn't appreciate it. The James thing could have been taken care of in the meadow or in Forks. It could have been avoided in the first place if Edward have taken her out of there before they came! Yeesh.
But anyway, all is well, Bella and Edward chat...about themselves. Incidently, Bella is afraid of needles. Why didn't this come up in her last hospital visit? Besides, I've had an IV in my hand, it's uncomfortable, yeah. But you can't really think about the fact that it's a needle because you can't see the needle.
So yeah, they talk and oh look, Bella's mother finally shows up. We get a CORNY scene before she shows up where I want to smack Bella again and tell her to get a grip (yes, she almost cries AGAIN at the mere thought of Edward leaving, UGH). So Edward goes to the chair and pretends to sleep while her Mom comes in. So Renee comes in and I was kind of excited because we know pretty much nothing about this character and I'm curious about this woman who is supposedly Bella's "best friend" and probably has had a big hand in shaping her character.
What I got could best be described as fake. I did not for one minute get the sense that these two were "best friends". They were regular mom and daughter, but with the daughter pretty much patranizing the mother like she does with everyone else. I mean, half the time, she worries, which is what regular moms do. Then the other half is about her and Phil who apparently suddenly got signed. So now they can all live in Florida together! But Bella wants to stay in Forks, three guesses why.
Her Mom of course is suspicious of this and apparently thinks it's horrible that her daughter has a boy who has fallen in love with her. Um...I don't know what kind of "friends" Meyer has, but most friends would be happy for the other in this case. Most MOMS would be happy for their daughter in this case. Unless they have a bad feeling about the guy (which in Edward's case, they totally should, but that's obviously not the reason her Mom is upset about this) then okay. But that's not what's going on here and I have to once again call crap on Meyer's "We're really best friends" theory about Renee and Bella.
So anyway, her mother leaves, Edward gloats about stealing a car (yeah, real catch there, Bella), and then Bella is all affronted that Edward didn't make her a vampire. Because you see, apparently in order to be his "equal" she has to be a vampire.
Wow. Really great opinion of your own race you have there, Bella. Thanks. Here is another major thing that severely irks me about this series. It makes out vampires to be a superior race and that humans, werewolves, etc. are lower beings who cannot hope to compare. Never mind the fact, that vampires are evil beings. Or they are supposed to be. That's not even going into how apparently, Meyer thinks human beings are weaklings, petty, etc. Now, I will not deny that we humans can be stupid and downright cruel (see Holocaust, Crusades, slavery, etc.) but our race can also be pretty damn awesome (we are incidently, the only creatures on Earth who conciously create music, art, and so on. Meyer would not have been able to think up Twilight if she weren't human, you'd think she'd be more grateful). I do not like how Meyer has made this all about superiority in the first place. Why is it the vampires are the perfect race and the werewolves and humans made out to be lower class? I don't like it and it frankly has overtones of bigotry on Meyers part but I'm sure she hasn't thought about that, like she hasn't thought about pretty much everything in this book. That's why I don't really use this argument that much, because I mostly just think this was a result of Meyer's ignorance. She didn't realize that this was coming through in her work. Unfortunately, it does. A competant writer would have realized it, and done something to correct themselves.
But yeah, anyway, Bella is all upset about this in a complete character what-the-hell moment too, I might add. Because really, I'm wondering why she is suddenly so worried about them being EQUAL? She has never put an ounce of thought of this in the past, so why now, all of a sudden? Especially considering that a page ago she was doing this:
"Shhh, Bella, calm down."
"Don't leave me," I begged in a broken voice.
"I won't," he promised. "Now relax before I call the nurse back to sedate
you."
From Twilight, page 471
I'm sorry, does this sound like someone who is super worried that she and her honey aren't equals? Never mind that she has done this twice this chapter and at least two/three times within the book when she is horrified by something. Usually at the thought of not being near Edward. While I do agree wholeheartedly that lovers need to be equals, this is crap because Bella has never cared about this in the first place, and she certainly doesn't care about it later on. This was just Meyer going "oh...women will try and call this sexist, even though it is, maybe I should camaflauge it here so I have something to point too when they do that". Or again, that whole not thinking thing that she does.
Then there's crap about Edward wanting her to stay human (which I could agree with and kind of makes me like him more) but her not wanting to stay human. He points out she has parents and she goes "oh, that's not an issue." God, what selfish bitch. Even if her parents can take care of themselves, they would worry about her and miss her BECAUSE THEY'RE HER DAMN PARENTS. Does Meyer not realize that about parenthood? I thought she was a mother for christ sakes! I'm not a mother and I know this!
But anyway, long and dumb conversation short: Edward refuses to turn Bella in order to let her experience being human, Bella is slightly miffed by this and insists she's going to be a vamp someday, more corny dialogue and Bella falls asleep. I wish this was the end, I really really do, but there's an epilogue. Sigh.
BOOK THAT IS BETTER: The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
WHY IT IS BETTER: Well for starters, actual drama, not overly done melodrama like this crap. There is a great setting, memorable characters, and actual character growth. Mary grows from a spoiled selfish brat (much like Bella) into a thoughtful and caring heroine (unlike Bella) and by the end, you love her and root for her. Also, unlike Bella, there is actual reason for why Mary was the way she was. It had to do with her parents and how she was raised. Or not raised in Mary's case. Bella? No excuse for her behavior. Or at least none that Meyer gives that makes sense. The Secret Garden is a classic, and for a good reason.
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