Stephanie Meyer wrote in this book’s prologue that “no two writers go about things in exactly the same way. We all are inspired and motivated in different ways; we have our own reasons why some characters stay with us while others disappear into a backlog of neglected files.” Now, if you have read Eclipse, 3rd book in her bestselling Twilight Saga, you would wonder why did she even bother to write about Bree as we all know her fate in the books. But as Meyer says, some characters just take on a life of its own; and vie for attention. I guess this is what happened to Bree.
One would have to have read and be familiar with the saga in order to appreciate the novella. Lucky for me, National Glorietta had a major sale and I saw this novella on hardbound and scooped it up.
Basically this is a short retelling of Bree Tanner and how as part of the newly born vampires who fought the Cullens in Eclipse, she had to learn the hard way about truth, vampire politics and burgeoning attraction, if not love, by way of Diego.
Both Bree and Diego were part of a coven that Riley, another Vampire made by Cullen nemesis, Victoria, was breeding and training to be part of the group that is to attack Edward and his family. Victoria has an axe to grind with Edward as he killed her Vampire Boyfriend James in Twilight.
Now, creating and deceiving Riley at the same time to breed an army for her to distract & dispose of the Cullens while focusing all her efforts on Edward and Bella was her plan all along. So, no need to tell Riley the truth and no need for Riley to give details about their “mission” for “her” to these newly born/made vampires and let them wait at her beckon call. Lucky for Diego and Bree, they found each other in all this, but sadly for these two, circumstances kept them apart and they found out about the lies a little too late.
Oh and which lies were these?
That Vampires like them will burn in direct exposure to sunlight. Wrong. They won’t for they will only be sparkling like, “disco balls”. That their Coven in Seattle is being threatened by the arrival of the Cullens who were originally from Seattle and they have come back to lay claim and ownership of their turf. Wrong. The Cullens are living a peaceful existence in Forks and have no knowledge of these newborns and have firsthand historical experience how unpredictable and untamed newborns are. That Victoria, who is unnamed to these newborns and only referred to as “her” or “Maker”, is devoted to the newborns welfare. Wrong, of course. She only wants revenge on Edward and on Bella. A eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. In this case, a mate for a mate; Bella for James.
I’m giving this a meager 3 stars. I liked it but felt Meyer could have done more with it. But perhaps, knowing how Bree’s life fared in the books, why give it your all? Why even bother to tell her tale when according to her it would be just in one of those hidden folders in her hard drive. Had she created another Vampire that lived to tell the tale with the Cullen skirmish and currently is going through their own Vampiric life, then perhaps that would have prompted her to dig a little deeper and paint a more fully envisioned tale; if not spun another one with a darker edge. But since she is writing for the young adult market, I suppose Meyer felt she should adhere to the parameters of that readership as well.
So, it’s a good thing I am an Anne Rice loyalist and that I am typing this review from my flat in Rue Royale close to Louis and Lestat’s while hearing Violetta’s waltz from La Traviata blaring from Julien Mayfair’s Victrolla as it is turned and wound up by Mona and Lasher up until the wee hours of the morning. Viva Lestat!
