“Breaking Dawn”: Teens respond and is the saga really over?
St. Louis teens who stayed up for “Dawn” (if not until dawn) seemed delighted Monday with the final book in the Stephenie Meyer paranormal romance series.
Rosie Ruzicka, who bought her copy of “Breaking Dawn” at a Borders at South County mall, hadn’t finished the book but said she is happy with the final book.
“It’s amazing. I didn’t think someone could stretch a vampire love story out four books but she could. It’s suspense all the way through.”
Rosie is going to be a sophomore at Kirkwood High School this fall. She said there were at least 200 people waiting to buy “Breaking Dawn” Friday night and some were dressed as characters.
“It was pretty fun . . . strangers were hugging other strangers. People were grabbing empty boxes that “Breaking Dawn” was in. They were taking the box home with them. “I was happy enough with my book.”
Another sophomore, Sierra Horton, “made a rose out of black duct tape” at a smaller party at the Kirkwood Public Library Friday night. Sierra finished reading the book Saturday afternoon and now her mom is reading it.
“I’m a quick reader.”
The story features Bella a human teen and her two love interests, Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. “Dawn” is basically PG-13, says Sierra. (But we’re not giving away any more of the ending on this blog).
Sierra says her boyfriend, an 18-year-old at Fort Leonard Wood, has started the four-book series and says fellow Army recruits are asking to borrow “Twilight.” He wants her to ship him the rest of the series.
Across the country, the final book in the “Twilight” saga - which has been the hottest book series since the end of “Harry Potter,” sold about 1.3 million on Aug. 2.
Publishers Weekly reports that is a record first-day sales performance for a Hachette publishing group book and that Little, Brown Books for Young Readers went back to press for a second printing of 500,000 copies just before publication of the title, bringing the total number in print to 3.7 million.
Publishers Weekly also reported Monday that among the major bookselling outlets, only Borders reported first-day sales figures for “Breaking Dawn,” announcing that it sold about 250,000 copies of the book. The first three titles in the “Twilight” saga have sold 8.5 million copies in the U.S. (Borders is reluctant to give info on specific stores, but observers in the St. Louis area have so far reported 200-500 or so attendees at parties.) These aren’t the numbers of “Harry Potter,” but still, nothing to sniff at.
The book series has not had the publicity support of movies, but that will change in December when “Twilight” comes to the screen. For Sierra, who “loved the ending” of “Breaking Dawn,” the movies don’t improve a good book series:
“The Harry Potter movies ruined the books for me.” She knows she might be in the minority of fans, but she says: “I’m not going to see the ‘Twilight.’
Meanwhile, the saga may not be totally over: Meyer says she is working on “Midnight Sun,” which tells the story of “Twilight” from Edward the vampire’s point of view. And Little, Brown says it will publish “The Twilight Saga: The Official Guide” on Dec. 30. The hardcover will include new material, character profiles and genealogical charts to provide Meyer’s fans with more insight into the series, according to PW magazine.
Edward certainly seems to be St. Louis teen readers’ favorite between the guys vying for Bella. Without giving away the ending, please, what do you think of the new book and which supernatural lover would you end it with: Edward or Jacob?
ABOVE PHOTO: From left, Bailey Richardson, 18, of St. Charles, Tori Hamric, 19, of St. Charles, Kacey Shoemake, 17, of St. Peters, Colleen Holden, 18, of St. Charles, and Taylor Trice, 15, of St. Charles, play with bubbles while waiting for the start of the Stephenie Meyer “Breaking Dawn” book release party Aug. 1 at Border’s in St. Peters. Photo by Sarah Conard
I am not a fan of Twilight, but I bought the first book and I will give it a try. Can y’all tell me if Breaking Dawn was a good ending to the series? I heard MANY bad reviews of it.