Breaking Dawn... definitely broken.

So, let’s talk about Breaking Dawn, the final book in the popular Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. There was quite a bit of hype about it among Twilight fans, and when I went to buy a copy the day after its release, Borders and Dymocks had both sold out of it. Thing is, Breaking Dawn definitely isn’t as popular as her other books, and there’s good reasons for that.

The Twilight series centres on the love between Edward, a vampire, and Bella, a normal if slightly clumsy human girl. Feel good sort of stuff.

I really loved Twilight. New Moon left me cold. Eclipse had me thinking that the series was looking up again. Breaking Dawn left me cringing.
The plot line was implausible, the characterisation was off and Meyer showed that she is not very good with names (Renesmee, anyone?). Overall, it reminded me of 800 pages worth of fanfiction.

I have to admit, on some level I enjoyed... mainly for the sheer trashiness of it. It is a book to be placed in that age-old classification “so bad that it’s good.” Not a very good thing, when Twilight was simply good.
Sure, all the way through the series there were hints that Meyer wasn’t a very good writer. Repetition, for instance. Her editor should have at least cut down on the use of “alluring”, or the endless descriptions of Edward’s eyes and his “cold, hard chest.”

But somehow, Twilight managed to shine despite this. With Breaking Dawn, however, I’ve spoken to die-hard fans who absolutely hated it. It's just not a book worth its price.

I have heard that Meyer’s other novel “The Host” is quite good though. Maybe this disaster isn’t the final nail in her coffin?

Audrey Hepburn is (one of) my idol(s)

I wish I were Audrey Hepburn. Or at least one the characters she played. I’m spending my spare time tackling tedious university assessment, but I’d much rather be taking cooking classes in Paris, or riding around Rome on a Vespa or eating a croissant whilst gazing in the windows at Tiffany’s.

But I’m far from Paris and Rome, I’ve never even seen a Vespa and you won’t find me outside Tiffany’s at sunrise in an evening gown.
I’m planning a trip to Europe at the end of the year, but my experiences will be have a lot less elegance and a lot more backpacker’s hostels.

I know that I could never be as sophisticated as a character in an Audrey movie, but I have to remind myself that maybe I wouldn’t want to be. For though I like to dress up and look elegant, love all things French and would love to have some diamonds to call my own, that’s only a small part of me.

I also love going to rodeos and B’n’S balls. I love going out in the city and then lying on the oval under the stars with friends afterwards. I love curling up in bed with trashy novels and watching movies that insult my intellect. I love going ice-skating and then laughing after I fall over in some bizarre manner. I love spinning around barefoot in the rain whilst my sister tells me that I look like an idiot.

Audrey's characters knew how to have fun. Well, so do I. Maybe I'll settle for that.