Crabby Abi's Blabbing

Archive for August 15th, 2008

I’ve been procrastinating this on purpose. Partly because I didn’t want to spoil it for EmaLee and Elizabeth and partly because I didn’t have words for how I felt about the way this story “ended.”

The short version of the way I feel about the ending is: I LOVED IT.

The longer version goes something like this…

First off, I agree that it could have been done in two books. It felt rushed and like there was so much that needed to be crammed into one “short” book. However, having read or heard her say somewhere that it was a fight with the publisher to be able to get a 4th book in the series, I can understand and tolerate the need to get all that was in there, in there.

Second, I wasn’t surprised by the pregnancy. I predicted that some time ago and new that the Volturi would come for the child. (Tangent: Volturi, Voldemort… close.) I didn’t fully understand why they would come for it but I new that they would.

Third, and I feel totally stupid for even saying this, but when Jacob imprinted on Nessie I was so shocked I had to stop reading to process. I should have seen that coming. It was so obvious and so in my face.

Shape shifters? Now’s a fine time…

I can’t say that I’m surprised by the amount of self control that Bella had once she was changed. That’s really been the only thing that she’s ever really had going for her. She new how to control her emotions, her appetites, her desires – all of it. I think that’s why nobody could get in. She had control over it all. It was said that becoming a vampire doesn’t change those things, it only makes them stronger. Plus the shield thing wasn’t too big a surprise because she was also always protective of those that she loved. She protected her mother all those years and took care of her. Then she moved in with Charlie and did the same for him. She cooked and cared for her dad to protect him from himself. Again, the vampire thing only made what she already had stronger. No surprise there.

I was surprised by the ending but not disappointed. I was surprised that there was no show down that ripped my heart out in the process. I’m proud of Ms. Meyer for having the courage to point out that violence isn’t always needed. To show that a battle against truth is a losing one. To prove that what is right cannot be disputed, argued, or changed. She showed that if people will only stop to listen, they will learn all they need to know before jumping to conclusions and prejudging someone based on possible false information.

I think that too often in this world people do just that – they jump to their own conclusions without getting the full story and have no idea what they’re talking about but are too stuck on the attention being given to them to shut their mouths before they’ve said or done too much. Sometimes it takes an army to stop them because by the time they’ve said all they’ve had to say, lots of people are involved and emotionally trapped in the moment. All that happens so fast. Just ask Irina.

I applaud the courage that it took to end the book with the way things should be.