NOTES/THOUGHTS/REACTIONS:
You know, the Volturi was one of the few things I was looking forward too in this book. Given the obvious foreshadow, I was pretty sure they were going to show up (and I've watched the movie so I was spoiled) and now we see them and just like all of Meyer's other supposed bad guys: they're lame. With maybe Jane having some sort of potential.
Seriously, I was all geared up at first for a great debate and while there was some it mostly just turned out to be: Bella is super awesome! We're not sure why, she just is! Great. Because we haven't gotten enough of that in Twilight. Maybe Meyer felt the need to do this because she realized that at this point Bella has become quite pathetic and therefore wants to remind her readers that this pathetic girl is special, we just have to wait and see why. Of course from what I understand, we never actually find out why so really it's just saying: Bella is awesome. Sigh.
We open where we left off last: Edward, Alice, and a clingy Bella being led by Jane and other unimportant vamps through the tunnels. The first pages of this are all description. Description of the halls, description of the vampire's boring clothing, blah, blah, blah. I guess Meyer is making up for lack of vivid description and saw an opurtunity to use new words. Yay.
After about the two and half pages of description we finally get to the Voluturi and they are also vividly described. All of them are beautiful of course but for some reason are wearing boring clothing. Not sure why this is, Meyer never explains. It's apparently something these vamps just do. Here, we finally meet Aro and Aro...is kind of a twat. Actually, I think the best description for him is a Merlin type character who is overdramatic and possibly high. Here's a tidbit to give you an idea of his wierdness:
He glided to Jane, took her face in his papery hands, kissed her lightly on her full lips, and then floated back a step.
From New Moon, Chapter 21
Yeah...please keep in mind that Jane is like Bella's age. Think on that what you will. Even worse is that Aro is a HUGE monologuer. You thought James and Laurant were bad? They've got nothing on this guy. Plus, this guy uses Meyer-type words as well. I've never been irritated by a villian before, but Aro (if one can actually call him a villian...) REALLY irritates me. It doesn't help that instead of being subtle, Meyer basically has Aro tell the readers what he's thinking and it doesn't leave much room for surprises.
Well, anyway, Aro goes around reading peoples thoughts and I have to say, I find his power ridiculous: he not only reads thoughts, he reads every thought you've ever had. Yeah. How is that possible? Also how does that tie into that crap rule that Meyer said about a vampire's ability tying into a strong trait they had in real life? Was Aro exceedingly nosy about people when he was alive or something? Really, it makes no sense. If you're going to make up rules for your books, Meyer: FOLLOW THEM. Otherwise, just say you thought it would be a cool power and stop trying to act like you're actually using logic and science. Because I'm sorry, it's quite clear that you're not.
Well, Aro monologues some more about how happy he is about how everything turned out, and how surprised he is that he's happy about how everything turned out. He muses about Carlisle, he muses about how amazing Edward and Alice are and how fun it would be to have them in the Volturi...he just pretty much muses out loud about everything that comes up. FINALLY, he decides to try and read Bella's mind and because she's a super special Mary Sue, he can't read it. This surprises him, it doesn't surprise me.
Then he asks Jane to test her power on Bella and this pisses Edward off and he attacks and then Jane uses her power...which I'm not entire sure what it is...she causes immense pain? Like some warped version of the Cruciatus Curse (sorry, Harry Potter reference, couldn't stop it)? Well, all I know is that Edward starts writhing in agony and if finally clicks for Bella that "oh, everyone is wary of this girl because she's dangerous." Ugh.
But of course, Jane's power doesn't work on Super Mary Sue Bella. Because for some reason none of thier powers work on her. Again, NO REASON IS GIVEN FOR WHY THIS IS. We're just meant to buy that Bella is special. Some vampires see her as a threat and I'm sorry but HOW? She's a human right? These are super special vamps with abilities. It's not like she can actually hurt them. All that's special about her is that their powers don't work on her. Whoopee. She's also obviously kept the Cullens a secret for all this time so why would they think she wouldn't keep the Volturri a secret? I'm just saying, this Bella is dangerous thing is really thin. Big scary vampires being afraid of a teenage girl who can't actually hurt them? It just doesn't compute Meyer, sorry.
Naturally, because this is an wish-fullfillment series for Bella/Mary-Sue/Reader, Aro suggests that they turn Bella instead because instead of Super Human Mary Sue she would be Super Vampire Mary Sue and that would benifit them. So Bella gets what she wants: she will be turned into a vampire in the future. What has she done to earn this reward? Oh yeah, NOTHING. This is one of the major problems I have with this series: Bella always gets what she wants in the end, BUT SHE DOES NOTHING TO DESERVE IT. Good books have the characters working hard and going through obstacles to get their goals (see Harry Potter) and sometimes they don't even succeed (see book version of the Little Mermaid). One of the many reasons Twilight fails so hard for me is that Bella really does nothing to deserve all these rewards she gets. She doesn't have to work hard to win Edward or Jacob's heart. Both guys fall instantly for her. She doesn't have to work hard in school, she always gets good grades. Doesn't have to work hard to get respect in the werewolf or vampire clan: they instantly respect her (with one or two minor exceptions who are just labled jealous harpies). She doesn't even have to work hard to make FRIENDS. It's ridiculous. Yet, she gets everything she wants in the end. Don't get me started on the message this probably sends the tweens/teens that are reading this.
Well, after Bella gets what she wants (but acts like it's a big punishment or something) they head out the door and Bella sees a group of humans being led through by a vampire and realizes they're food. She, Alice, and Edward don't do anything to stop it, they just get out of there quickly as Edward comforts poor distraught Bella. Who has cried for like the eighty millionth time in this book. Thier time might have been better served...I don't know STOPPING IT? Thus, the Bella is awesome chapter finally ends.
WORD LIST: antechamber, cavernous, papery, baleful, beatific (Meyer is clearly making up for lost time)
POSSIBLE EDITS: Cut the damn descriptions!
GENERAL ANNOYANCES: Aro's papery hands-what the hell are papery hands? Anyone?
The flowers' smell reminded "papery" handsme of a funeral home.-Um...exactly how many funeral homes have you been too, Bella?
The only furniture in the room were spaced unevenly, flush with the curving stone walls.-Flush with the curving stone walls? What? What does that even MEAN?
To answer your last question, i think that it means that the furniture is curved?
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