Twilight Book Club

Bella doesn’t think she’s good enough for Edward, Edward sees himself as a soulless monster destroying Bella’s life and endangering her afterlife. The incident with Jasper acts as a catalyst, forcing him to act. He is determined to save Bella. He thinks the best way to do this is to take the vampires out of her life.

If she died at eighteen and went to heaven, wouldn’t that be better than an immortal but soulless and damned existence? Edward thinks so. However, he knows he’d never be able to watch her die. Consequently, he’d better get away from her before something happens that makes biting her a necessity…

What if your true love left you – your soul mate…your Edward Cullen? How would you react?

The book is named New Moon to represent the darkest kind of night, a night with no moon. This is the darkest time of Bella’s life.  Was Bella’s reaction to Edward leaving her justified or is she just a drama queen?

As you read this book, were you content with the development of Jacob Black’s changing role in Bella’s life, or were you suffering from anxiety searching for Edward? How did this affect the way you read this book?

Do you think that Edward, the vampire who has a hundred years of life experience, is capable of experiencing a more profound love than the eighteen year old human Bella? Explain your response.

Discuss the connection between Bella and Edward after he left her.  Are they connected beyond physical presence or was she just hallucinating? Give specific examples from the story.

Alice comes to get Bella to go after Edward. Discuss whether Bella was right in leaving Jacob to go and help Edward after he abandoned her. Give specific reasons for your response.

The Volturi cannot read Bella’s mind either.  Discuss why you think Bella, a human, has such power.

Do you think this story is misogynistic — does it show a dislike for women? Is Bella, Renee -her mother, Alice, Esme, Rosalie, Jane or any other female character revealed as weak, unlikeable, repulsive, evil, distasteful, unintelligent, powerless? Or are they powerful, intelligent, clever, kind, nurturing…? Explain your response and give specific details from the story

Stephanie Meyer has noted that each of the novels in her Twilight Saga pays homage to other literary classics.  For new moon she references Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet. 

You may want to read Romeo and Juliet.  If you do, describe the similarities and differences between the relationships of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen and Romeo and Juliet.