'New Moon' by Stephenie Meyer - Book Review

New Moon is the second of the popular, dark romance Twilight series. The book as a whole has a brooding and melancholy feel to it, capturing well the angst of its teenage characters. It's a little slower than Twilight, and there are changes brewing in small-town Forks that might be as unsettling to readers as they are to Bella. Despite this, there's enough action, romance, and intrigue to keep your eyes glued to the pages, ignoring your other responsibilities for the few days it takes to read.

New Moon is the continuing story of Bella Swan's unusual life in Forks, Washington. When her vampire boyfriend, Edward, suddenly leaves, Bella is heartbroken in a way only a teenager can be, leaving time on her hands to develop a friendship with Jacob Black, another boy with a strange family background.

Meyer does a good job portraying the melodrama of teenage life and love in New Moon –- it often made me roll my eyes in recognition of my own thoughts as a teenager. She has keen insight into the mind of teenage girls and conveys well the tension between friendship and romance Bella and Jacob struggle with. It makes for a story most readers will relate to, but is more entertaining and intriguing than real life, given the presence of mythical creatures.

Although the middle section is a little slow, the book still manages to hook its readers and rewards them when the adventure begins to pick up halfway through. Some of the plots points are predictable, however, and certain things that are mysterious to the characters, particularly Bella, were obvious to me.

New Moon is nevertheless a fitting continuation of the Twilight saga, endearing its readers to its characters even more, and leaving plenty of unanswered questions for the following novels.