New Moon

Wow. I know the critics are ripping it to undead shreds, but it was AWESOME. By far better than the first and perhaps my favorite of all four in the long run--we'll see. This book translated much better into film.

Better than the book [can I say that as a respectable English Major and still walk among my own kind?] the love triangle is MUCH more convincing than the book ever could've been.

As I read the book, I was frustrated by even the possibility that Bella could ever replace or try to fake her love for Edward with any one else. He was too much the perfect hero and she was sulky and selfish and undesirable as a character and Jacob left much to be desired. How could a young, pubescent werewolf possibly offer anything that could compare to Edward's undying love? Oh yeah: a ridiculous warm blooded body transmitting sexual tension and radiating adoration and protection. That's how. It's so much more believable in the movie than in the book.

Because so much of the book is in the characters' heads, as the reader you're never given the chance to believe that it could work for Jacob and Bella, that he could offer her life where she doesn't have to damn her soul or change who she is. He offers her, perhaps, a better deal than Edward: don't change for me, let me protect you and keep you warm always, I'm your dad's favorite and I will never leave you. How she flip-flops so easily back into indifferent and impulsive Edward's cold arms is a mystery to me now.

He broke your heart. He left you in the middle of a big black hole of depression and desperation. You attempted to hurt yourself to be nearer to him. And he comes back and poof, this is the better more "healthy" relationship that you choose OVER Jacob's body? Really, Bella? I know. You and Edward have such a history and he's always saving you and all, but you and Jacob have developed a more grounded realistic existence together. He's saved your life multiple times, too, you know. And he's not asking anything of you. Being with him is not dangerous. Your physical body nor immortal soul is at stake. You choose Edward? It makes more since in the book, though I'm at a loss currently at remembering how or why. The movie makes Bella look stupid and impetuous, Edward look weak, and Jacob look like the hero next door and forever faithful love interest who would never hurt Bella the way Edward did.

I am, at this moment, rereading the book (which I never really liked before, skipping quickly to the end before even reading through the middle the first few times) to try to remember why I was so Team Edward up until the movie last night. For some reason all I can remember is Jacob's warm-blooded man body and Edward's laughable slow-mo clip. I'm hoping to take more away from the book on this read and be a little more balanced in my assessment of the whole Team Edward Team Jacob thing.

Right now I'm 100% Team Jacob. He stole the show. The entire movie was his. And he did not disappoint. Go Team!