For all books in the Twilight Series, go here.
Stars: 3 / 5
Recommendation: I have mixed feelings with this book. Though I liked the way the story moves along and leads to the tragic end of the protagonist, which we already know would happen, I was put off by the droning of her inner thoughts. Added to that I was confused as to why Meyer picked Bree for her central character for the novella. So I would say read at your own discretion.
The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner is a novella in the Twilight Saga, specially focused on the third book in the series – Eclipse. Written by Stephenie Meyer, it was originally published on June 1, 2009.
The Twilight Saga is a set of four novels with additional one more novel and two novellas added to it. The series focuses on the teen years of Bella Swan who moves to Forks, Washington, from Phoenix, Arizona and falls in love with a 104-year-old vampire named Edward Cullen. It is told from Bella’s point of view for most part, and second part of Breaking Dawn, the fourth book is told from Jacob Black’s, a werewolf, point of view. These four novels have been made into five movies between 2008 and 2012.
However, this particular book is an off-shoot from the third book Eclipse, where Stephenie Meyer chose to pick one small character, Bree Tanner, who had a mere five minutes of her life in the book. In here Meyer focuses on how a newborn vampire deal with being a vampire and their constant thirst for blood. Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, another newborn, and while they traverse through their new life, and dealing with the rules, they also have to chose sides and decide whom to trust.
The tale is told in first-person narration. And there are no chapters, it is one continuous novella of 178 pages. The scene in Eclipse where Bella and Bree come face-to-face is the focal point of the novella where the author shows how Bree arrived at that particular moment.
We get glimpses of the Cullen Family and Bella, but not all of them are addressed by name. Of course the Volturi are ever present, even if they conspire with Victoria to bring the Cullen Family down is apparent.
Bree Tanner really did not have a choice, or did she? If she had followed her gut and went with Fred, her story might have been different. But again leaving Diego behind was not in her nature. So really she didn’t have any choice but to follow the wrong-side of the vampire world and have a tragic end despite the efforts from Cullen Family to save her.
We met Riley Biers in the novel Eclipse, but he had a brief appearance when he and Victoria try to kill Edward. And he is mean and cunning, although he doesn’t show that side of him to anyone. We see more of him here and understand how he comes to be under the spell of Victoria.
Knowing the tragic end that Bree would face, I felt really sad to read her story. I wondered several times during my read as to why Meyer selected Bree has her central character for this novella. It is indeed thought provoking and tragic tale, yet at some places it bordered on boredom because of the droning of Bree’s inner thoughts.
I have mixed feelings with this book. Though I liked the way the story moves along and leads to the tragic end of the protagonist, which we already know would happen, I was put off by the droning of her inner thoughts. Added to that I was confused as to why Meyer picked Bree for her central character for the novella. So I would say read at your own discretion.
Spoiler Alerts:
- Plot Reveals:
- We don’t get to see what happens to Diego, but it is only assumed and presumed by Bree that Victoria killed him. A sad end for a beautiful character.
- Freaky Fred doesn’t follow the newborn vampires for a showdown with the Cullens. Instead he slips and goes to Vancouver, Canada to begin with.
- She sends her thoughts to one of the Cullen to be kind to Freaky Fred if they ever crossed paths with him.
- Sub Plots:
- Newborn Vampires: Riley Biers, their unofficial leader; Kevin; Freaky Fred; Raoul; Kristie; Jen; Heather; Jim; Logan; Warren; Sara; Dean; Casey aka Spider-Man;
Galavant Reflections 