Sigh. It's a work of fiction, not about reality or a examination of social issues. Fake characters in a supernatural setting dealing with mystical nonsense that matters in a IMAGINARY literary world. I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea, but to list it's flaws based off of how it matches up to what's newsworthy or worrisome in real life doesn't exactly make it stand in a class by itself. May as well never read fiction or watch movies again in that case.
Bella-
Yeah she's ordinary. I think that was part of the point, she wasn't supposed to stand out in an obvious sense. Someone like Edward would find her compelling because after 100 years of reading everyones mind all the sudden she's a blank. He's a vampire, she smells like food, he's hungry. No brainer there. Once he's over the initial shock his interest in her remains no more than curiosity for awhile. Pretty worth the effort to figure her out in his situation no matter how much anybody thinks she'd be the most boring Saturday night partner ever.
Edward-
Yes he's controlling. He's also slightly more knowledgable about the unique dangers and necessities of his life/prescence/whatever than Bella is. He doesn't want her bumbling into killing herself. He also doesn't want her thinking she can throw away her human years because hey whatever 'the Volturi sez I r Vampyr buy next Yeer gusy!' She was whining about college and stalling. Well he's been to college how many times? Lets not pretend he should have turned her into a vampire and let her final memories be high school; or that she would have gone to Stanford after he chose Dartmouth. So he left in New Moon. Big deal, the book before that made it clear that the decision to do that wasn't based on a whim, or easily.
Bella is clumsy and prone to getting herself hurt. Not an assumption, but fact the author stated too many times. One of my annoyances with the book was hearing that over and over. It stands to reason that Edward might be hyper-aware of her biological fragility since he's a immortal. Oh and hey he's watched her almost die in front of his face just a couple (sarcasm alert) times. If he's overbearing on safety, it didn't come from hypothetical situations. Homeboy has enough first hand experience to worry needfully in her case. Anybody who thinks in real life that they could watch someone they love almost die a few times and not worry more about them after is lying. Add to that that she almost dies because of her very association with Edward, and how can he not help but feel responsible and try to avoid it in the future?
Jacob-
Okay, just get to get this out, I'm team Jacob. I liked him WAY better than Edward. I don't mind Edward, he and Bella belong together blah blah blah, but Jacob is hilarious, and generally more likable. He and Rosalie are L-O-L!
Bella and Jacob. She was doing her manipulative 'hey jacob likes me *teehee* lets fix motorcycles and hold hands!' act when Edward left. As long as we're talking about despicable male behavior lets not overlook that female lameness on her part. Breaking Dawn clearly and many times states that there was an attraction between the two of them that was in part something they didn't understand. Renesmee's appearance gives them clarity that they BOTH acknowledge in the book.
Even without that, Jacob was grasping at straws, as terrible as they may seem, to keep her away from a fate he's spending his life fighting against. Desperate attempt to thwart fate. I think he'd rather kiss her and risk the slap than know that where her life is going will probably end up putting him against her. At that point in the book, there is no reason to think Jacob knew things would work out so he feels he needs to try anything and everything. As far as he knew she was going to end up a vampire and his mortal enemy. He wasn't some hormonal teenager angstily pawing at a random girl. He was her best friend and was trying to throw out anything that would make her second guess a unnatural existence. One that's not only his enemy, but not having had a choice himself maybe he wanted her to know and appreciate her own decision process. Not a random jerk to me, sorry.
Jacob was written very articulately and he's a pretty simple guy. VERY strong ties to family, tradition, and friendship. Not a idiot looking to freak out or piss off every girl he's around. When Bella was giggling away during the motorcycle days, he behaved himself perfectly well. All the sudden Edward comes back and the playing field is not level. Bella can't take away all that time and pretend nothing would have happened if Edward hadn't have come back, though it's clear she's trying like hell to prove that to everyone around her. Edward doesn't like Jacob AT ALL and even he appreciates that he wasn't there for what was between them at the time and doesn't kill him or react insanely.
In summation: I liked Harry Potter better. I like my Vampires more violent and action packed, not warm and fuzzy. I don't like (practically) every other line in a book about oogling a guy. LOVED Alice, Jacob and Emmett were funny, and though I couldn't stand Rosalie at first I came around once her history was explained. I do think the story was complicated and thought out enough to be interesting. Not Pulitzer material, but a great way to kill some time.
They should've taken out that stupid field trip scene and used that instead! -_-
