Meyer Continues Twilight Series with Eclipse

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8 Feb 2008 ... MANAGING EDITOR. Eclipse is the third installment of Ste- phenie Meyer's Twilight series. The first two books, Twilight and New Moon, were.
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FEATURE

Meyer Continues Twilight Series with Eclipse

Two Afghan Women Form Friendship Through Troubles

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a shoe merchant from Kabul. For a while happiness seems possible, but as Mariam miscarries one child after In A Thousand Splendid Suns, Khaled another, Mariam finds herself being seHosseini tells a carefully observed story verely physically abused by her husband about his country through the eyes of two who expects a son. Hosseini then women, Mariam introduces us to and Laila. The Laila, a woman story chronicles born in the era of their lives from the communists. 1974 to the presLaila enjoys the ent. benefits of the The women schooling and are married off to freedoms that the same man and were once posare scarred by the sible for Afghan horrific abuse at women. the hands of their As with husband and the Mariam, however, ongoing war. history intervenes. Through Laila’s parents are Mariam and killed and prostiLaila, Hosseini tution or marriage has created two becomes her only deeply intriguing option. characters, who She also ends were born into up betrothed to very different Rasheed, who has circumstances. become more anMariam, gry, violent, and the illegitimate hardened by the daughter of a war. wealthy busi- A SPLENDID READ: Khaled Hosseini’s second Hosseini, nessman, grows novel, A Thousand Splendid Suns, spans three though not a lyriup captivated by decades in a compelling account of friendship. cal writer, gives the idea of her father, whom she knows only superficially. the reader rich and powerful details. The She wants to better herself by going to reader can almost feel the characters’ trouschool and learning, a desire her father bles although the problems these women encourages, but her bitter mother tries to face are foreign to most Americans. The framework and texture of the sabotage. “What’s the sense schooling a girl like women’s journey will be familiar to those you? It’s like shining a spittoon,” said her who read international news. However, as a piece of fiction, it devastates in a new mother. The author soon reveals how casually way. It forces readers to imagine what Mariam’s destiny is taken from her hands. After her mother kills herself, Mariam’s fa- would happen if they had been born to ther marries the 14-year-old off to Rasheed, such a grim fate. BRITTANY WEBER FEATURE EDITOR

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pires make a book unappealing, but I really enjoyed this book,” said Rachel Li ‘08. Eclipse centers on Swan’s relationship Eclipse is the third installment of Ste- with Cullen and her best friend, a werephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. The first wolf named Jacob Black. She is forced to two books, Twilight and New Moon, were choose between them when she realizes New York Times Bestsellers and garnered that they both love her, and she returns numerous awards; New Moon even reached their feelings. Swan must deal with this predicathe number one position and stayed on the ment while trying to get into college and list for 28 weeks. The series revolves around high avoiding the main antagonist, a murderschool senior Bella Swan and her vampire ous vampire named Victoria, determined boyfriend, Edward Cullen. As Meyer puts to exact revenge on Swan. At the end of it “Twilight is about finding true love, New the novel, Swan makes the pivotal decision Moon is about losing true love, and Eclipse between Cullen and Black. Eclipse includes Swan’s final choice, is about choosing true love.” “I like Eclipse because I find the plot resulting in an impending marriage, her unique and quite intriguing. Usually vam- acceptance to Dartmouth College, Victoria’s defeat, and the decision to change Swan into a vampire. While Twilight was a funny, impossible-to-stop-reading book, New Moon and Eclipse lost most of the humor and novelty. While still absorbing books, they failed to meet high expectations. “All three books were great, but I must say Twilight is the best because when you read the sequel and continue, you get frustrated because there is always another issue in the way of Bella and Edward’s life together,” said Li. “I enjoyed Eclipse because the author added a further level of complexity to the characters. Despite its flaws, it was still very entertaining to read,” said Erin Langlois ‘08. A movie will be released next year, starring Kristen Stewart as Swan and Robert Pattinson—best known for playing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire—as Cullen. In addition, the fourth book in the series, Breaking DREAMWEAVER: Stephenie Meyer’s next book, enDawn, will be published this fall. titled Breaking Dawn, will resume Bella Swan’s story. VICKY LOU MANAGING EDITOR

February 8, 2008 • THE ARROW