Archives for 2006

Chapter fourteen has been added to the chapter discussion.  Hop over to the message boards to discuss the chapter that contains my personal favorite line in the book.  "I may not be human, but I am a man."  SWOON!

Alphie

The long awaited chapter 13 summary is now posted. Drop by our messageboards and join in the group discussion.

Chapter Number:  Fifteen

Chapter Name:  The Cullens

Page Numbers:  312-333 (Hardcover)

Date of Chapter:  March 13, 2005

Summary: Edward and Bella decide to spend the day at Edward’s house so the Cullen family can formally meet Bella.  The Cullen house, entirely shaded by cedar trees, is a large white mansion on the outskirts of town off a hidden roadway. The house is three stories tall with a wrap-around-porch and a rear wall made of glass. The Sol Duc River runs past the rear of the house.
 
When they arrive at the Cullen house, Bella is warmly greeted by Carlisle and Esme.  Alice bounds down the stairs, and much to everyone’s surprise and shock, gives Bella a kiss on the cheek. Jasper is friendly, but keeps his distance. Emmett and Rosalie are nowhere to be seen immediately.  Carlisle and Edward have a moment of wordless communication that we later learn is about potential visitors. We discover that Alice had a premonition that non-vegetarian vampires would be in the area soon.

Bella notices that there is a grand piano that turns out to be Edward’s. After some encouragement from Esme, Edward plays for her. She sits on the bench next to him and he tells her what the family thinks of her so far. He also explains that Rosalie is jealous of Bella, because Bella is still human. Emmett thinks Edward is crazy, but he is trying to get Rosalie to come around. 

Bella and Edward go on a tour of the house. There are a lot of natural, wood surfaces. The color white is present on the carpets and walls.  A large cross hangs in the hallway. It used to be in Carlisle’s father’s church in the 1600’s.

Edward tells Bella Carlisle’s story. He was the son of a zealous, Episcopalian Minister at the time of Cromwell.  His father actively persecuted Roman Catholic and hunted for witches and vampires. He was responsible for burning many innocent people at the stake. Carlisle was thrust into the position of following in his father’s footsteps, which he didn’t like. One day, much to his surprise, he actually unearthed a coven of vampires. In the melee that ensued, Carlisle was bitten.  He crawled away from the scene and hid in a barn under a pile of apples. After he was completely transformed, he left home because he knew he’d never be accepted.

Characters Involved:  Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, Carlisle Cullen, Esme Cullen, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale

Characters Mentioned:  Charlie Swan, Rosalie Hale, Emmett Cullen, Carlisle’s father, visiting vampires

Places Visited:  The Swan Home, The Cullen Home

Memorable Quotes:
"You are my life now.”
~ Edward’s response when Bella tells him that she loves him.

“Are you going to tell Charlie that I’m your boyfriend or not? It’s a loose interpretation of the word ‘boy’, I’ll admit.”
~ Edward asking Bella if she is going to explain their new relationship to Charlie.

“I doubted there were any etiquette books detailing how to dress when your vampire sweetheart takes you home to meet his vampire family.”
~ Bella thinking about what to wear to Edward’s house.

“Yesterday I kiss you, and you attack me! Today I kiss you, and you pass out on me! So much for being good at everything.”
~ Edward describing the unexpected problems with kissing Bella.

“You’re not worried because you’re headed to meet a house of vampires, but because you think the vampires won’t approve of you, correct?”
~ Edward assessing why Bella is nervous.

“You can laugh. It is sort of ironic.”
~ Edward referring to the large cross on the wall.

Important Information Learned:
Bella feels here relationship with Edward is deeper than that of boyfriend and girlfriend.

Charlie is more aware of Bella than she realizes. Overnight, he disconnected her battery cables because he thought something was up.

Edward is an accomplished pianist and composer.

Carlisle and Edward seem to communicate without words being spoken.

Rosalie struggles the most with the fact that she is now a vampire, and she is jealous of Bella.

Carlisle is over three-hundred-years-old.

Carlisle used to be an Episcopalian minister’s son.

Chapter 12 has been added to the chapter section of the Lexicon.  You can hop in on the discussion over in our forums.

Alphie

I got an e-mail from Stephenie today about some major changes that have been made surrounding the Forks signing.   It seems that they heard how big the Seattle signing was and totally under estimated Stephenie’s fan base by not planning on a large crowd.  So some location shuffling has been going on. 

The Edward Lovers will now meet at 5:00 p.m. at the Tillicum Park.  There isn’t a specific address given, but they say it’s it’s supposed to be hard to miss in the middle of town and easy walking distance from the library.  It’s on Highway 101 (which is also Forks Ave.) in "downtown" Forks.  The Q&A and reading portion of the Edward party will be done there, and then everyone will walk back to the library for the signing and refreshments at 6:00 p.m.  Stephenie’s website will be updated with this information, but she asked me to post it here as well to better ensure that the word gets spread around.  Tell everyone you know who is planning on attending that the big festivities will be taking place in a new location and at an earlier time.  

Alphie

Stephenie has posted a variety of new signing dates and sites on her website .

Chapter Number: Epilogue

Chapter Name: An Occasion

Page Numbers: 481 – 498 (Hardcover)

Date of Chapter:  May 2005

Summary: In the car on the way to some unknown location, Bella complains to Edward about the fact that she has been used as Alice’s guinea pig for most of the day, playing dress up and getting her make-up and hair done.  She also says that she is uncertain of just where they are going and why it required them to be all dressed up, especially considering that Edward was in a tuxedo. 

The phone rings and it is Charlie calling to tell Edward that Tyler has arrived at Bella’s house ready to pick her up and take her to the prom.  Edward explains the situation to Tyler saying that Bella will be unavailable tonight and every night.  Bella gets very upset about being dragged to the prom, but agrees to it to “humor” Edward. 

They arrive to find the other Cullens there looking magnificent, easily standing out from the crowd of high school students.  Bella continues explaining her worry and fear of dancing right up until Edward starts twirling her around on the floor effortlessly. 

Jacob Black arrives and politely cuts in on the dance telling Bella how pretty she looks.  Then he explains that his father sent him to ask Bella “please” in exchange for parts for his car.  She explains that the accident down in Phoenix wasn’t Edward’s fault; that he in fact saved her life.  Jacob feels very awkward about telling her the rest of it and reluctantly quotes his father by saying, “We’ll be watching.”  Bella laughs at him and tells him to tell Billy thanks, but she will be fine. 

Once Edward and Bella are alone again, he admits to not liking Jacob or his warning and calls him out for saying Bella was only “pretty” rather than “much more than beautiful.”  They twirl some more and eventually head out side into the moon light.  Edward explains that he brought Bella to the prom because he doesn’t want her to miss out on anything life has to offer – that he wants her to be human.  She admits, after Edward pries it out of her, that she thought Edward had decided to change her and that they were making an occasion out of it.  They discuss it for a moment with Edward saying he’s not worth it and Bella saying that she doesn’t see it as an end, but rather a beginning.

Edward leans in and blows cool air on her neck.  He asks if she is ready and she gulps a tentative “yes.”  Edward chuckles and pulls away from her saying that he wouldn’t do it that easily.  He promises to stay with her and she repeats that she loves him.  The book ends with Edward pressing his cold lips once more to her throat.

Characters Involved: Edward Cullen, Bella Swan, Jacob, Black, Charlie Swan, Tyler Crowley

Character Mentioned:  Billy Black, Alice Cullen, Emmett Cullen, Rosalie Hale, Jasper Hale,  Jessica Stanley, Mike Newton, Angela Webber, Ben Cheney, Lee Stephens, Lauren Mallory, Conner, Samantha

Places Visited: The Forks High School Gymnasium

Memorable Quotes:
“Oh, I’m with the vampires, of course.”
~ Bella to Edward upon seeing the people dancing.

“We’ll be watching.” 
~ Jacob delivering a message from his father to Bella.

“Do you remember when you told me that I didn’t see myself very clearly?  You obviously have the same blindness.” 
~ Bella to Edward when he says he isn’t worth dying for.

“Enough for forever.”
~ Edward’s final line of the book.

Important Information learned:
Edward is a brilliant dancer.

Jacob has a real crush on Bella.

Billy and the rest of the Quileutes will be watching the Cullens in relation to Bella.

Edward wants to keep Bella human and promises to stay with her.

Bella is ready to be changed.

For a more complete version of the Epilogue, visit the Twilight outtakes section of Stephenie Meyers’ web site.

Chapter Number: Twenty-Four

Chapter Name: An Impasse

Page Numbers:  458 – 480 (Hardcover)

Date of Chapter: March 18th, 2005

Summary: Bella regains consciousness in hospital surrounded by wires and machinery. Adverse as always to anything that might draw undue attention to herself, Bella’s first move is to rip out the offending wires from her hands. Edward is quickly there to prevent her.

Immediately thinking of the pain she has caused Edward through her actions, and the danger she put him and his family in, Bella promptly apologises for the trouble she has caused.

Bella finds herself unable to remember exactly what happens and asks Edward to explain, although the memory of the event causes him pain as he recollects, almost remorsefully, how he was almost too late to save Bella. In her turn, Bella continues to apologise for having lead him into danger, as she had not realised that James was tricking her.

As they talk, Edward tells Bella that her mother is at the hospital. This sends Bella into a fresh panic as she worries about what her mother has been told about the accident. Edward reassures her that as far as Renee is concerned, Bella fell down two flights of stairs and through a window. He goes on to tell Bella that she has a broken leg, four broken ribs, a fractured skull, lots of bruises and has also lost a lot of blood. This final point has caused Edward some personal anguish as Bella had to be given a blood transfusion that made her smell all wrong to him for a while. Although Bella jokes that this must have made a nice change, Edward confesses that he likes the way she smells reminding Bella of how he saved her life.

In response to Bella’s questions, Edward explains that draining the poison from her blood was almost impossible for him and that he hadn’t wanted to stop, yet somehow he had managed to – proving, unequivocally, the depth of his love for Bella. Edward also admits that Bella’s blood tasted even better than he had imagined – making Bella apologise again for tempting him so badly.

Edward tells Bella that the only thing she should apologize for is nearly taking herself away from him. Although he says he understand why she did it, he still wishes she had waited for him and told him what was happening. However, as Bella points out, he would not have let her go to meet James.

Having been reminded of James, Bella asks what happened to him. Edward explains, almost too simplistically, that Emmett and Jasper ‘took care of him’.

As the conversation moves on to where other members of Edward’s family were when Bella was discovered, Edward acknowledges that Alice has seen the video James made, describing the other human who got away from him, (Alice).

The memory of the video obviously angers Edward but his mood lightens on observing Bella’s reaction to the needles in her arm. In keeping with her dislike for blood, Bella hates needles – a fact that amuses Edward as it contrasts sharply with her apparent nonchalance when dealing with Vampires; a distinctly more dangerous situation for her to be in.

Further elaborating on the story Bella’s mother has been told of Bella’s accident, Edward describes how, as far as Renee’s concerned, Edward, (with Carlisle and Alice), had gone to Phoenix to persuade Bella to come back to Forks. Bella was going to meet them in their hotel room when she tripped and fell. As Edward points out, Bella does not need to remember the finer details as she received a nasty bump to the head!

Revealing the vampires’ resourcefulness when concealing themselves from public knowledge, Edward describes how Alice had fun creating an accident scene so convincing, Bella could probably sue the hotel.

Being wired up to numerous monitors causes a rather amusing problem; as Bella and Edward are aware, when he kisses her, Bella’s heart is wont to skip a number of beats. Now, when Edward moves to kiss Bella, the beeping of a monitor also reflects this rather loudly.

When Renee returns to the room, Edward pretends to sleep in a chair while she talks to her daughter. Bella is surprised to hear that it is now Friday, which means that she has been unconscious since Wednesday, although her mind is such a blur that she cannot remember exactly when James attacked her. Renee also tells Bella that Phil has got signed which will mean that Bella can return to live with them in Jacksonville, Florida. Thinking of Edward, Bella tells her mum that she cannot live in Florida as Forks is now her home. She tries to explain her new found fondness for Forks by saying that she has made a number of girlfriends and that her father needs looking after. In a rare moment of motherly behaviour, Renee tries to talk seriously to Bella about Edward. Renee realises that he is a large part of why Bella wants to stay in Forks and she also believes that Edward is in love with her daughter. Renee is concerned that Bella is too young to be getting involved in a serious relationship and is reassured when Bella tells her he is just a crush.

After Renee has gone, Edward expresses his surprise at Bella’s refusal to move to Florida. Bella explains that it is because he would not be able to go outside during the day, having to behave like a true vampire. Edward sadly points out that he would not move with Bella, he would stay in Forks or a similar place far away from her so that he would not be able to hurt her again.

As the understanding of what he has said sinks in, Bella’s heart rate soars, making the nurse believe that she is in pain again. Left alone again with Edward, Bella begs him not to leave, panic rising with each breath. Seeing, and hearing, her obvious distress, Edward promises to stay with her. Although his breath calms Bella and his expression is serious, Edward mutters something about an overreaction, obviously not expecting his words to produce such a reaction.

Angered at his words, Bella asks Edward if he is tired of always having to save her. His response is to explain that he feels she would be safer without him around, that he is too much of a threat. Despite Bella reminding him of the times he has saved her in the past, Edward still maintains that he is her greatest threat and that he was convinced that he was going to kill her himself when he had to suck James’ venom from her blood.

Still afraid that Edward is talking himself into leaving her, Bella tries to get him to promise that he will never leave her. While he does not actually say the words, Edward confesses that he does not seem to be strong enough to stay away from Bella so she will probably get her way.

Forgetting, that Edward does not know what Alice told her about becoming a vampire, Bella asks him why he did not just leave James’ venom to spread. Edward is obviously furious that Bella has been told about how to become a vampire, but he still maintains that he will not change her, explaining that even after having ninety years to think about it he will not take the life of someone who still has so much to live for. He was coming to the end of his life he explains so does not regret Carlisle having changed him, but he will not change Bella just to make them the equals she wants them to be.

Despite his arguments, and the momentary stab of pain as Bella considers her parents, she still maintains it is what she wants, as every day she is with Edward she is going to get older and will eventually die.

Eventually, in some desperation, Bella points out that Edward is not the only vampire she knows. This bring a dramatic and frightening transformation over Edward, revealing to Bella the explanation of a number of Edward’s comments in the past. Alice has seen Bella as a vampire. She knows Bella will be changed someday. Edward counters this angrily by pointing out that Alice also saw Bella dead but that did not come true.

Sensing her continued physical pain, Edward calls for the nurse to administer more painkillers, despite Bella’s protests; as Edward informs her, she needs to relax if she is to heal properly, and panicking about any number of things is not going to do her any good.

After being administered the painkillers, Bella is instantly drowsy, but she finds time before finally succumbing to sleep to tell Edward that she is definitely betting on Alice and her vision.

Characters involved: Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, Renee Dwyer.

Characters Mentioned: Charlie Swan, Alice Cullen, Phil Dwyer, Emmett Cullen, Jasper Hale, Carlisle Cullen, James.

Places visited: Phoenix hospital

Memorable quotes:
“No, I like how you smell.”
~ Edward commenting on the blood transfusion Bella had.

“I don’t seem strong enough to stay away from you, so I suppose that you’ll get your way…whether it kills you or not.”
~ Edward explaining how he doesn’t think he could ever leave Bella.

“You have saved me.”
~ Edward to Bella about their relationship.

“I refuse to damn you to an eternity of night and that’s the end of it.”
~ Edward stating how he refuses to change Bella.

“I’m betting on Alice.”
~ Bella on how she believes that Alice’s vision of her being a vampire will someday come true.

Important Information Learned:
Edward did not know that Alice had revealed to Bella how to become a vampire.

Edward is trying to convince himself to leave Bella in order to give her the life she should have.

Emmett and Jasper kill James.

Alice has had a vision that shows Bella as a vampire, she has also had one that showed Bella lying dead.

Edward refuses to change Bella, despite what Alice has seen.

Bella wants to be a vampire.

Chapter Number: Twenty-Three

Chapter Name: The Angel

Pages Numbers: 452-457 (Hardcover)

Date of Chapter:  March 16, 2005

Summary: Bella is in a semi-conscious state from James’ attack. Suddenly, she is aware of a voice of an “angel” calling her. The “angel” is Edward. Soon she realizes, although she is barely conscious, that Edward, Alice, and Carlisle are all in the room.

Carlisle begins treating her numerous wounds when suddenly they realize that James bit her. Unless they suck out the venom Bella will be turned into a vmpire. Carlisle can’t suck out the venom and treat Bella’s wounds at the same time so it falls to Edward to do it. At first he is afraid he’ll be unable to control himself, but with a final resolve he is successfully able to do it.

Before Bella finally passes out, she tells Alice about the video where James tells of his history with Alice. Bella finally loses consciousness in Edward’s arms as he carries her outside.

Characters involved: Bella Swan, Alice Cullen,  Carlisle Cullen, Edward Cullen, James

Characters Mentioned: Renee Dwyer
 
Places visited: The ballet studio near Bella’s house in Phoenix.

Memorable Quotes:
"He bit her."
~ Carlisle announcing that James bit Bella.

"Edward, you have to do it."
~ Alice suggesting that Edward turn Bella into a vampire.

"Is the fire gone?"
~ Edward to Bella after he has sucked the venom from her body.

Important Information Learned:
Edward was able to suck the venom out of Bella and not drink her blood uncontrollably.

Bella’s injuries include a broken leg, broken ribs, concussion, cuts to her head, and a bite wound to her hand from James.

If vampires hold their breath around blood it helps them to fight the urge to drink.

Chapter Number: Twenty-Two

Chapter Name: Hide-and-seek

Page Number: 433 – 451 (Hardcover)

Date of Chapter: March 16, 2005

Summary: When Bella returns to Alice after writing the letter to Edward, she finds that Jasper is still not back.

Looking at her friend, Bella realises that Alice seems to be in a kind of trance and, thinking her mother is in danger, rushes over to the vampire. Jasper arrives at this point and coaxes some form of explanation from Alice.

All Alice says in response to Jasper’s question is ‘Bella,’ making Bella think that she’s seen the future change in reaction to Bella’s desperate plans. In answer to Bella’s further probing, Alice explains that she didn’t really see anything different, just the same room as before.

On the way to the airport, Bella asks Alice more about her gift. Alice explains that, while it is easy to see the future of the weather, people are less easy follow, she can only see the course they have chosen while they’re on it; if a person changes their mind about an action, the whole future can change.

As Alice explains, Bella realises why Alice hadn’t been able to see James in Phoenix until he’d decide to go there; equally, she realises, Alice wouldn’t have seen Bella in the room with James until she’d decided to there too. At this thought, Bella tries to turn her thoughts away from what else Alice might have seen regarding Bella and James.

Sitting in the airport, waiting for Edward’s flight, Bella is impatient to put her plan into action and gets more nervous by the minute. The longer she sits, the more excuses she starts to create for why she should stay and see Edward again before going to meet James.

Eventually, Bella knows she cannot delay any longer and goes to get breakfast. She asks Jasper rather than Alice to come with her, suggesting to the Vampires that she needs calming down; in reality, Bella plans to make her escape by using an excuse to use the restroom, so she needs to be on her own in there for her plan to succeed.

Escaping from the airport, Bella frantically searches for a cab to take her to her mother’s house, but there isn’t one. In the end, she is forced to take the shuttle going to Hyatt. When a cab stops in front of the shuttle, Bella jumps in and pays the cabbie well to take her to her destination.

Arriving at her mother’s house, Bella finds the number James gave her written on the whiteboard by the phone. Dialling the number James answers and reassures Bella that her mother is ok and will continue to be ok so long as Bella’s on her own.

In response to James’ instructions, Bella goes to meet him at the ballet studio and discovers the full extent of his plans to get her there. It transpires that her mother is not in the hands of James at all. He has, in fact, taken a video from her house and has been using it to trick Bella into believing that he had her mother.

This knowledge makes Bella calmer than before. She knows now that her parents are safe and becomes almost giddy with the release of tension. Equally, Bella is aware that she is dangerously close to snapping from the stress of the situation.

James confesses to Bella that he is disappointed at how easy it was to trap her. He hopes Edward will ignore Bella’s request and come looking for him.

Before attacking Bella, James reveals his arrogance and visions of superiority as he gloats to her about how he managed to track her to Phoenix.

He then indicates a video camera set to record his own message for Edward – hoping to incite his anger enough to come after James following Bella’s death. Bella realises that the camera has recorded all James has said about hunting her, and she knows that he will be recording her final moments for Edward to see.

James reveals a final, shocking, piece of information. He knows how Alice became a vampire. She was in an asylum in the 1920s when James found her and became attracted to her blood. Unfortunately for James, another Vampire, who worked at the asylum, had also taken an interest in Alice and, to save her from James, he turned her into a vampire. Angry at the escape of his prey, James killed the older vampire – which is why Alice awoke alone.

As James approaches Bella for the kill, she is frozen to the spot, shaking and afraid of collapsing. Just as he drops into a crouch, Bella regains the movement of her legs and tries to run away, but he is too fast. The next thing Bella knows, she has been thrown backwards, crashing violently into the mirrors of the dance studio.

On seeing the affect of the smashed mirrors surrounding Bella, James explains that he hadn’t just chosen the studio as a place familiar to Bella, but that he had chosen it with the understand that he could create stunning visual effect as he killed her.

After this last pause, James moves in for the finale. Stamping on Bella’s leg, he breaks it. To silence her pleas to Edward not to go after James, James smashes a mirror shard across her face causing blood to pour down her face. Despite the agony of her broken leg, Bella still feels nauseas in response to the smell of the blood.

Seeing the bloodlust has completely taken over James now, Bella hopes the end will come quickly and that he is so consumed by the need for blood that he will stop playing with her.

Hearing his final animalistic growl through her waning consciousness, Bella puts up her hand in a futile attempt to protect her face. As she does so, she finally passes out.

Characters involved: Bella Swan, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale, James, Cab driver

Characters Mentioned: Edward Cullen, Renee Dwyer

Places visited: a hotel near the airport in Phoenix, Phoenix airport, the ballet studio on Fifty-eighth street and Cactus in Phoenix.

Memorable quotes:
“Yes, things change…” she murmured – hopefully I thought.
~Alice to Bella when she asks about her visions

“Isn’t it better that your mother didn’t’ really have to be involved in all this?”
~James to Bella after she figures out that he doesn’t have her mother

“To be quite honest, I’m disappointed. I expected a much greater challenge.”
~James to Bella

“You’re simply a human, who unfortunately was in the wrong place, at the wrong time, and indisputably running with the wrong crowd I might add.”
~James to Bella

“I never will understand the obsession some vampires seem to form with you humans.”
~James to Bella

The smell of it [blood] twisted my stomach.
~Bella about the smell of her own blood

Important Information Learned:
Alice’s visions of people are influenced by their decisions.

Bella continues to be more concerned for those she loves rather than herself.

Alice had once been James’ prey, but escaped when she was turned into a vampire.

James killed Alice’s protector.