DND-SM-Change of Narrators: What did you think?

[Seraphyn]

We all have heard for a while now that Breaking Dawn will make use of two narrators and the end of Eclipse is the beginning of this cycle.

What did you think about seeing things from Jacob's point of view? Did it help you understand him better? Do you think that this will be a positive or a negative aspect of Breaking Dawn? Is there anything you would like to see in Breaking Dawn from Jacob's point of view?

PLEASE NOTE that this is NOT a discussion about whether or not you like JACOB. That is not relevant. Did the narration help give you insight into the character and do you think that the technique will work in Breaking Dawn?

Give reasons and examples why or why not.

[Tally_Snoyl]

I nearly had a heart attack: the moment I got the book, I read the last page or two (guilty pleasure...) and the "I now had four legs instead of two" line caught my eye. I thought Bella had somehow changed into a werewolf or something I and just wanted to scream. But, thankfully, it was just Jacob talking.

So, all in all, the change in narrators confused me for a moment, but after I read the rest of the book and understood what was going on, it was a refreshing change. I liked being able to think like Jacob instead of Bella for once.

[ouisa]

It confused me at first too. By the time I reached the epilogue it was close to four in the morning and I had totally been through an emotional roller coaster with the book. It wasn't until Leah mentions seeing them kissing I really figured out what was going on and I had to restart the section.

For me, having Jake's perspective was just more pain. I was already hurting for him and Bella both and this was just TWIST THE KNIFE IN HARDER. But it was necessary to the story. Made his leaving make sense and really hit home. Made the whole Leah/Sam/Emily and Jake/Bella/Edward parallels really stick.

Do we know for sure the Breaking Dawn narrators are for sure Jake and Bella? I hadn't heard it was them specifically. It makes sense and I am all for it. If anything Eclipse has taught me that I trust Stephenie. She knows what she is doing and it is so far just exactly right.

[HopelessxHeart]

Oh, it made me undestand better Jacob's point of view. I'm not a Jake's lover at all (I broke in tears when Bella and he kissed) but seeing him like that was really heartbreaking. And the last line was just SO painful.

I'm not sure if Jake is the one who will be the second narrator in Breaking Dawn, but whoever it is, I think it'll work out pretty well.
I really like how it worked in Eclipse, so I'm all for it.

[Visitor]

I always had a feeling that Jacob would narrate at some point. Now whether the trend continues in Book four. . . I don't know. But I wouldn't mind if it were him, or another werewolf. Like Leah for instance. I'm REALLY curious about her now. She's so angry... yet caught up in such interesting circumstances. When they were around the fire and that tear came down her face...I really wanted to know what she was thinking then.

[ouisa]

I always had a feeling that Jacob would narrate at some point. Now whether the trend continues in Book four. . . I don't know. But I wouldn't mind if it were him, or another werewolf. Like Leah for instance. I'm REALLY curious about her now. She's so angry... yet caught up in such interesting circumstances. When they were around the fire and that tear came down her face...I really wanted to know what she was thinking then.

Oh! Leah would be an interesting counterpoint to Bella! Since in many ways she is caught in the same sort of triangle as Bella is. But since her part is the same as Jacob's (soul mates screwed by greater forces) perhaps it is less poignant than hearing it from Jake's perspective?

[aspenleaf]

I really liked the letter Edward enclosed for Jacob. He thanks Jacob for Bella knowing it could of gone the other way. Jacob realizes how much Edward loves Bella, and decides he needs to get away for a while. That was painfully but it was nice to see what Jacob was thinking.

[Erynne]

I was able to grasp the narrator change fairly quickly, due to the fact Stephenie so nicely put "Epilogue: Jacob Black" at the top.

I liked the change. I've loved Jake since <I>NM</i>, and getting to see things from his perspective was absolutely wonderful.

I feel so badly for him. He's just a kid, with all the emotional maturity of a kid. It's incredibly hard to love someone that hard and have them be completely unaccessible. I think Stephenie caught that beautifully.

I would love Jake as a second narrator, IF it is done right. Double narration is incredibly hard to pull off.

- E

[Eleniel]

I believe whatever Mrs. Meyer writes will be excellent no matter whose point of view it is, but I wish her to stick to Bella's point of view. It's much more interesting when you don't know what others are thinking. Jacob's epilogue could be posted on her homepage.

Speaking of Leah, it would be interesting if she's the one who delievers Jake's story..

[dirty_wings]

I wasn't confused when I started into the Epilogue. As Erynne pointed out, it said right there that it was Jake, lol.
I think Stephenie's choice of having Jake as a second narrator is gutsy, and I love the idea. I really like that she picked Jake because I would love to get in his head.. the poor boy's in so much pain. And the fact that he's the 'odd man out' of sorts in the books. Everyone wants to understand the underdog a little better.
It will be a difficult thing to pull off, and if it doesn't go well it would be awful. But, this is our beloved Stephenie Meyer, if anyone can pull of something difficult, in a literary sense, she can, for sure.
I think knowing that I'll get to be in Jacob's head makes it EVEN harder to wait for Breaking Dawn, if that's possible.
I can't wait.