Stephanie Meyer,
Eclipse.
• Reading level: Young Adult
• Hardcover: 640 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers; 1 edition (August 7, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316160202
• ISBN-13: 978-0316160209

In spite of all the dangers posed to a girl who dates a vampire on a frequent basis, Isabella “Bella” Swan will meet her greatest challenge yet in this the third book of the Twilight series. That challenge won’t be facing blood-maddened vampires, territorial werewolves, or even facing off against the all-powerful Volturi clan, most ancient and ruthless creatures known as the “Cold Ones.” No, her challenge will not be facing physical danger. The challenge Bella faces will not only be accepting her vampiric boyfriend wholly and completely, but reconciling her feelings with Jacob Black, her best friend and a werewolf to boot.

Accepting Edward as a vampire was easy; accepting that she wanted to be with him always was easy; it was the taste of compromise that filled her with dread, having to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacon. When Edward promised to turn her into a vampire, Bella was thrilled. What she hadn’t counted on, however, was Edward’s rather traditional views on marriage and the “proper” attitude on courting women.

However, all this is put on hold when signs are seen of Victoria, partner to James. Unlike ordinary alliances of this kind, the vampiress shows surprising loyalty to her old partner even after his death, and seeks terrible retribution against Bella in the worst possible way. And in the meantime, the vampire killings Seattle have only gotten worse, prompting Edward and Jacob to alter the treaty between vampires and werewolves to their advantage.

The writing level of the third book has matured greatly, Meyer is able to handle deep themes with skill and grace. Immortality (or rather, eternal life) is generally something members of the Latter day Saints strive for; but it is treated as a dangerous bestowal that serves more often a curse than a blessing. The themes of choosing between ice and fire, love and passion, are also prevalent in the book, which can be interpreted in many ways.
Meyer’s mythology on vampires and werewolves is new and refreshing, and a lot of the ordinary comparisons and themes used in most books have been switched. And yet these switches are oddly comforting, and more than a few of these changes require readers to think on their experiences, their feelings, and their religious loyalties. For example, the themes on fire and ice: the desired passion is for the icy chill of the vampire, while the burning heat of the werewolf is something Bella avoided at all costs, a different take on the ordinary “steamy” romances. As stated before, the thoughts of gaining immortality is something ordinarily to be desired, but unlike most novels, Edward would have preferred Bella live out her life naturally and die of old age, a true contrast to the speedy “Happily Ever After Forever” of other vampire romances. Adding to the dilemma, the bloodlust exhibited by the newly created vampires is something Bella is unsure she could deal with, even with her new “family members” to help her through it.

Eclipse is a decent expansion to the Twilight Series, going well beyond the “high school drama” of the first book. I wasn’t convinced of the love between Jacob and Bella; I thought their friendship was just fine. But then, maybe Bella wasn’t convinced of her love for him, either. Although, considering the investigative themes that abound in the series, it wouldn’t be unheard of to explore the different types of “loves” between two people.
And the possible love between a werewolf and a human will certainly be different than other kind of love out there. Considering the skill in which Meyer crochets the books, I would not be surprised to see that possibility.
I’ll be waiting for Breaking Dawn.