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All books
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- Amusing Ourselves to Death (59)
- Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business
- By Andrew Postman, Neil Postman
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Reading since Jan 29, 2008
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- Plague Year (6)
- By Jeff Carlson
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Finished on Jan 29, 2008
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- Enchantment (42)
- By Orson Scott Card
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Finished on Jan 18, 2008
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- Homebody (4)
- By Orson Scott Card
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Finished on Jan 15, 2008
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- The Amber Spyglass (628)
- (His Dark Materials) (His Dark Materials)
- By Philip Pullman
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Finished on Dec 26, 2007
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- The Subtle Knife (674)
- (His Dark Materials) (His Dark Materials)
- By Philip Pullman
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Finished on Dec 24, 2007
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- The Golden Compass (878)
- His Dark Materials - Book 1
- By Philip Pullman
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Finished on Dec 23, 2007
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- I Am Legend (426)
- By Richard Matheson
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Finished on Dec 14, 2007
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- Breaking Dawn (7803)
- By Stephenie Meyer
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Finished
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- Eclipse (5507)
- By Stephenie Meyer
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Finished
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- New Moon (6199)
- By Stephenie Meyer
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Finished
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- Witch Child (56)
- By Celia Rees
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Finished
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- The Teahouse Fire (17)
- By Ellis Avery
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Finished
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- Seventh Son (50)
- (Tales of Alvin Maker, Book 1)
- By Orson Scott Card
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Finished
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Breaking Dawn
I whipped through this book, as I had with the other three, for some inexplicable reason that in no way reflects the quality of either the story or the writing. Meyer's style of writing is reminiscent of high school, at best, and sickeningly patriarchal, at worst; it is self-indulgent to the core, a ... (continue)
I whipped through this book, as I had with the other three, for some inexplicable reason that in no way reflects the quality of either the story or the writing. Meyer's style of writing is reminiscent of high school, at best, and sickeningly patriarchal, at worst; it is self-indulgent to the core, and an excellent opportunity to turn one's brain off for several hours. However, if you are, in any way, concerned about your daughter's self-image, do not let her read these books.
Bella continues to be a hapless, clumsy, wayward individual, relying on Edward for near constant affection and attention, while never becoming an independent woman. Meyer sends the clear message that girls will find happiness with controlling, overbearing and downright abusive men, as long as the men profess true and undying love. While she encourages this type of relational abuse, she also furthers a notion that all sense of both propriety and reality should be ignored in favor of the elusive "everlasting love".
Meyer's novel(s) would be sweet and endearing, were they not sending the clear message that Edward was the type of boyfriend (or husband) a girl should be looking for or that Bella was the type of woman (term used loosely) girls should aspire to be. Meyer had an excellent chance to captivate the attentions of an enormously impressionable crowd, but, rather than encouraging self-reliance and forward thinking, she touted the lines of pre-feministic culture.
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