Révélation

The last of the Twilight series--in many ways, it's a relief to be done. The ingenue annoys me--the same, on average, in this book, as in the ones before (because for half the book she is way more annoying, and for half the book she is way less)--and I've never liked the guy who serves as the other third of the love triangle; I guess I like high-temperance characters. Admittedly, he redeems himself, a bit, in this one.

On the other hand, yes, I do really enjoy reading about these vampires, who suffer nearly no down side for their immortality, and I think the inter-coven dynamic, particularly between the Cullens and the Volturi, is pretty interesting (though now and then there's still a shocking amount of naivete for people who have lived so long).

But I didn't read it the way some op-ed writers think all women must, wanting to be Bella, with Edward in love with me. I really just wanted to be Edward, himself, or--even better--Alice (give or take fashion sense). The love story was, for me, just a nice sideline to the story of the awesome vampires and how they deal with the problems of inter-species and inter-coven dynamics. Toward the end, I think I was consciously rejecting the story--and, therefore, the moral--Meyer wanted to convey and focusing on the story I wanted to read. (I'd detail that in private messages, but I make it a point of honor to write my reviews without spoilers.)

If more books came out, perhaps telling the stories of the rest of the Cullen family, or detailing further issues with other covens, I would read them (except for Rosalie's story--she never redeemed herself in my eyes, and I hold a grudge). But Meyer promised she'd stop at four, and I think that was the right choice.