Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Last book of supernatural soap saga is slightly more mature.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 14+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 75 parent reviews
Parents say the fourth book in the series elicits mixed feelings among readers, with some praising it as an engaging conclusion, while others criticize its graphic content and portrayals of relationships. The honeymoon passages and the birth scene are notably contentious, with many suggesting that while the book can be entertaining, it might be inappropriate for younger readers due to the themes of violence and sexuality.
- graphic content
- parental concern
- relationship dynamics
- age appropriateness
- mixed reviews
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
Based on 363 kid reviews
What's the Story?
Despite Bella's initial reluctance to be a teen bride, she and her beloved vampire Edward tie the knot at the beginning of BREAKING DAWN. Then comes the honeymoon ... which leaves Bella pregnant with a baby that saps her strength and health as quickly as it grows inside her. The baby's birth leads to massive changes in the lives of all of the series' main characters, particularly werewolf Jacob and Bella herself. It could also lead to more trouble from the meddling Italian Volturi -- which prompts the Cullens to recruit a virtual army ready to stand by their side at any cost.
Is It Any Good?
Fans finally get what they want at the beginning of this fourth book in the bestselling Twilight Saga: a fairytale wedding, a honeymoon, and s-e-x. Once that's out of the way, teens who are just in it for the romance shouldn't go any further. The small percentage of readers who are in it for the blood and supernatural creatures will find both, but one of the creatures turns out to be pretty bizarre and ridiculous, and there aren't enough compelling plot twists and suspenseful moments to carry the book through the full 755 pages. There's plenty of talking, though. And fear that something really sinister is coming for all of them. But when the force they all fear does finally come for them, all the build-up goes nowhere.
All the books in the series always ran too long, but they made up for the length with fun fantasy characters, plenty of romantic tension, and a good final battle at the end. This time the characters get everything they want at the beginning of the book and leave fans hanging at the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the popularity of the series. What draws so many super fans to the books? The romance? Melodrama? Supernatural elements? Very handsome characters?
This is the conclusion to a series that already included three verrrrrry long books Did it live up to your expectations, or did you think this book is too long? How would you have written it differently?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Fantasy
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown and Company
- Publication date : August 2, 2008
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 12 - 14
- Number of pages : 755
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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