Much like the first and second book, I trudged through this third story of Bella Swan. I will say it was better than [b:New Moon|49041|New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2)|Stephenie Meyer|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/414jgcy2FAL._SL75_.jpg|3203964], as there wasn't 500 pages of absolutely mindless and boring moments inside Bella's head. It's not better than the first, because at least in the first story, you're weighing what you think about vampires versus what Meyers is imagining.

In Eclipse, everything continues status quo: Bella is still Edward's pet, who continues to envelope herself in him, though she also has feelings for Jacob. She struggles with her feelings to love them both - at one point wishing she could tear herself in half, and that it would HURT (she has really high self-esteem), and that she could give each half to the respective boy in her life. "Jacob's Bella" and "Edward's Bella" - I quote. When is this girl going to stop defining herself in terms of these guys?? Literally, in the book, she would DIE to save either of them. She's self-sacrificial to these two animals as they pull her each way and barter and manipulate as they go along.

Meyers, by this book I would think, has grasped that she is creating some sort of abstinence-until-marriage allegory, and it becomes VERY literal here ---

SPOILER!

I actually perked up during one point in which Edward and Bella are alone together and she wants to have sex. Now, in this entire scenario, Meyers never says the word sex or intercourse or another straightforward word; she uses things like, "He knew what I meant..." That's pretty laughable, but I was still intrigued by the fact that they were FINALLY going to get down and dirty and passionate! Then he stops her and says that she must marry him first before they do that, as he has been coaxing her to consider marriage since the second book, though she's been refusing to do so at "such an early age." She tries to fight him on it, but eventually gives in and he gets down on one knee as she agrees to marry him as he slips on a diamond ring.

@(*#&$()*DJSF*)

Meyers obviously inserts some thoughts from Bella about things being the way they should be, even though it's hard and whatnot. Fine - your books can be used as a moral example, but this seemed far too literal and preachy, and certainly took me out of the scene for all that it was screaming.

I will give Meyers the benefit of writing her action scenes better than in the previous novels, but Bella's character and her decisions are mind-boggling. I was actually confused at one point when Jacob overhears something and Bella goes into a frenzy and I reread it about five times wondering "What did I miss? Why is Jacob freaking out causing Bella to freak out?" - but I hadn't misread or skipped anything. The overreactions are totally stupid. I wouldn't want to know any of these characters, and I certainly didn't root for them. Why should I care about these people?!

I happily finish this book, and yes, I'm continuing onto the fourth book and finishing it there. There will be no more Stephenie Meyers in my future after [b:Breaking Dawn|1162543|Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4)|Stephenie Meyer|http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/416pfGGLM0L._SL75_.jpg|2960529], because I had to see the hype - my curiosity bested me, and I firmly believe that I can't "knock it til I try it." In all honesty, sometimes it's fun to read such garbage - I routinely laughed aloud.