Let me start off by saying this. I am a huge fan of Stephenie Meyer's books; Twilight been my favourite. I don't know whether it was because of the mysterious Cullen family (especially Edward), or the sense of mystry and creepiness in the book, or even the sometimes humourous personality of the narrator Isabella (Bella) Swan, but there was something about Twilight that kept me hooked and had me on the edge of my seat trying my hardest not to vulgar language is ugly through the last pages of the climatic last chapters. New Moon was same as well. The character Bella, the narrator of the story it seems has always been accused of been a weak pathetic heroine who always needs saving by the strong, powerful Edward. Some might see this as sexist. I want to say I completely understand why readers would say this- I after all am a seventeen year old girl. But I don't for one minute think that Stephenie Meyer is doing this. To be honest I never had a problem with the way Bella was in Twilight. Bella was a human girl who suddenly found herself in a world of ridiculously powerful vampires, and by the end of the book was in the clutches of a sadistic vampire. How would you act? I wouldn't be exactly calm headed. In New Moon Bella fell completely apart because of Edward and his families leaving. Over the top? Yes, but as Stephenie mentioned, what the two had was true love. The point I'm trying to make here is that in the first two books Bella may have been pathetic and weak, but she at least showed bravery and strength that some might not have been able to achieve. In Twilight this is the Bella who went willingly to James knowing that he would hurt her, just to save her mother. And this is the same Bella who in New Moon travelled all the way to the Volturi to save Edward, again knowing that she could be killed. In Eclipse there is hardly, if not none, of this. Eclipse seems to show so much of the bad of Bella that I wondered if Stephenie Meyer wanted her readers to start disliking Bella. One of this things I never liked about her, was her selfishness and obsession with Edward. Yes she's in love with him, yes he look's perfect, but she thinks about him all the time in Twilight and New Moon! And much to my annoyance in Eclipse, she's upped this and is now saying she'll "die" if Edward leaves her. He certainly had good enough reason after the book. And then there's her selfishness in not considering her family in wanting to become a family. Straight after her attack in Twilight she's bugging Edward to turn her, and is still doing this in New Moon. Thank God, Eclipse shows her considering her family, and the drawbacks of been a vampire. But in Eclipse Bella is whiny, even more selfish, more pathetic, and just dislikable. By the end of the book, because of her actions, I just wanted to shake her. She is now my least favourite character, I really don't like her anymore. One thing I can't understand about Eclipse is the love triangle with Edward, Jacob, and Bella. Was there ever going to be a chance with this? It seemed to me like an excuse just to have Belle say that she was in love with Jacob. I'm sorry but what?! Where did this come from? I got the impression from New Moon that they had more of a brotherly sisterly relationship. And now Bella's in love with him? And to add to this, Bella sees Jacob as her human `Soul mate', and her and Edwards relationship as a `drug'? For me it ruins everything that they had in the first two books, by implying that the two's relationship is dangerous, addictive and bad, and that Jacob is the good one. Another thing that left me was how Bella could even consider Jacob over Edward. I liked Jacob in New Moon, and felt sorry for him at the end, because of Bella using him. But in Eclipse he is immature and nasty and despicable. I've lost most of my liking for him, with maybe a little left to feel sorry for him. It was only after the book that I really saw how sad Jacob was, and I did lose some of my anger towards him. I try to remember how he was like in Twilight and New Moon, the happy, confident sweet guy who made everyone around him happy, and had an innocent crush/feelings fro Bella. Edward I'll admit has seemed controlling in the previous books. And I didn't like him all too much at the end of New Moon. But it's only in Eclipse do I see how wonderful the character is. His descision in New Moon, while saddening for the readers, was very selfless. Edward who declares that Bella is his everything, and wrote music for her Twilight. Edward who would live in misery in New Moon just to make sure that Bella is safe and had a life. And he who went to kill himself because he was so upset at Bella's supposed death. How could Bella even think of leaving him for Jacob? I agree that Edward was very passive in this book and didn't react much to how horrible Bella was, and her betrayal, but I can understand why. Edward loves Bella more than anything. And when you love someone deeply, you forgive them, because they are everything to you. Of course I am on the other hand a girl, and not in love with Bella, and wanted so much to enter the story and slap her across the face. There are some good points to Eclipse. Such as the back stories from Rosalie and Jasper and the humour in the book is as good as Twilight. Also the emotion the book makes you feel shows how good the story is, and how talented the author is. You really come to understand the characters and see them mature. Edward really has changed since the days in Twilight when he got jealous at the prom with Jacob Blacks thoughts, and now look- he's ok with them kissing. There were also some lovely moments between Edward and Bella. And I loved the Jasper and Alice moments, I think they're a great couple. While I love Edward (leave's out Bella), I liked Jasper and Alice's relationship more. They really do seem to love each other. Alice, as I read somewhere, is Jaspers world, and he'd do anything for her. I really do think that's romantic Very Happy Also I wish Emmett would get more time in the books because he's a great character Smile But I didn't like the love triangle which the books focuses on. Bella comes out of the book even more weak and annoying than the last books, and a manipulative, dislikable character. I wish she's show some backbone and not have to always be the one in danger or scared and upset. There is such thing as holding your head up high and been brave, and showing power even when your up against the odds. Yet she shows none of this. Thankfully there are better female characters in the books like Alice, Rosalie, Jane, and Angela. They are just as strong as the male characters in the book, if not better. Alice is very important to the Cullen family, probably the most because of her power to see into the future. Rosalie is the imbodemant of innter strength with her never having drunk human blood despite the thirst. Jane is one of the top guards for the Volturi, and it seems Aro's favourite. And Angela shows the good in humanity. Can't say the women aren't portrayed well know can we. Shame that the main character is worse and dislikable than some of the lesser characters. It should be the other way round. Eclipse all in all was an ok book for me, but a bit of a disappointment. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it. There were equal bits I liked, and disliked. The only thing I really didn't like was the love triangle; it just didn't seem real to me. I hope that Meyer redeems Bella and Jacob in some way, because to me, Jacob should find someone else, and Bella doesn't deserve Edward after this book. Frankly Bella can have Jacob, because I'm sure there are plenty of readers who would love Edward.