Vampires, yet again. And Werewolves, too.

If you have read my blog at all in the past six months or so, you already know that I have been sucked into the "ancient grudge" romance between Edward Cullen, one of Forks, Washington's resident vampires and Bella Swan, average teenage girl. In the second book we met Jacob Black, who became Bella's best friend...and also a werewolf. Yes. Needless to say, there was plenty of drama and plenty of action in the third book of this series of four. Will Bella become a vampire herself? What are her feelings toward Jacob? Who will be fighting for their lives? This series is a definite page turner.

And though I loved this book and couldn't put it down, I found that I had some reservations: it was impossible to not read this book through a feminist lens. On one hand, I love the relationship between Edward and Bella. Edward is protective and chivalrous, which I admit I enjoy. He loves Bella for who she is, which is an average looking, average achieving teenager. Points for Edward and author Stephenie Meyer because the current generation of teenagers is under the impression that you have to look like Blake Lively or Mischa Barton to get the guy. But at the same time, Bella doesn't really do much beside go to school and be with Edward...and when she's not with Edward, she's thinking about him. I found that I was really bothered by the fact that she's not involved in anything else.

The other thing that bothers me is that everytime Edward does something that makes Bella angry, Bella forgives him the minute she sees him. Believe me, I'm all about forgiveness, but I'm also about conversation and real relationships where each person can honestly share about how he or she is feeling. It just seemed so horrid when Bella thinks along the lines of : oh, he is beautiful, oh he loves me, I'll just let my issues melt away without sharing them. Yuck. I just wonder what that is teaching the adolescent readers who are obsessed with this series, and of course with Edward (just google his name).

Of course, both Edward and Jacob's love and protection of Bella is admirable and noble, I just with she had a bit more of a life and a voice.