The song for this chapter is Lonely People by America
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/lonelypeople.mp3]
Due to some research by Maureen Johnson, I realized that my busyness is quite common this time of year: nearly every writer I know is undergoing revisions, and is getting behind on everything else in the process. But, I managed to sneak away and tackle the dreaded Chapter 3 in New Moon…
I have never had a chapter that carried so much warning. In fact, my last chapter post had more comments on THIS chapter than on Chapter 2. You people have left me filled with dread of what I’m going to find in here.
First off, Bella’s caught the I’m-better-than-you-because-I’m-a-vampire disease:
It seemed strangely childish. Maybe I just wasn’t in the mood for normal human behavior today. Those pitiful, weakling creatures, sniveling like worms…
But then, things immediately get serious. I notice that Edward is different in this chapter, so much that I’m beginning to feel early on what could be coming. He seems indifferent and unaffected, as if he’s walking in a daze and really isn’t feeling anything. There is a numbness in his voice that seems to tell me that something is bothering him very deeply. I feel that it is the growing pressure on him that every moment he is near Bella, he is putting her in more danger. Seeing what happened in the chapter before, with Jasper, only seemed to strengthen this in Edward’s mind: not only him, but his entire family, is different, and dangerous to Bella.
Edward is in turmoil. Part of him wants so deeply to stay with Bella, because he loves her. The other part feels that if he really does love her, then he would leave, and let her have a normal life.
This chapter is so sad. It is different. I remember a Bella and Edward in Twilight who loved each other, and who were talking all the time: it just never seemed to end, their dialogue through the whole book. You can tell a lot about two people from the way they talk to each other. It seemed endless, the sweet words they exchanged for no reason, the jokes between them about vampires and humans. Their conversations were really what made them who they were.
But suddenly, Edward seems to have become a brick wall. He is no longer the same person, but brooding and depressed, even around Bella. I feel as if all the love is gone.
And then, it all comes down to Edward’s three words:
“Bella, we’re leaving.”
Through all the time of reading Twilight, I did not realize how attached I had become to the idea of Bella and Edward being together. This book, as you’ve read in my bio, is my first vampire romance novel. So I am not one to become attached to two characters being together.
But for some reason, there is a deep and vast connection between Bella and Edward that left me very down as I sped through the rest of the pages in this chapter. It was like a deep gloom had settled over my room.
I realized that I did not pick up the second book in this series to read about Bella, the main character. I didn’t pick it up to read about Edward either. I picked it up to read about Bella and Edward. To me, they were so close, they were nearly one. I wouldn’t have read this book if there was only one of them, going off on adventures as a vampire or a human. And now that one of them is gone, it is like half of the main character has been split away as well.
I hope you’ll forgive me for not posting anything funny this time. It’s really hard to find something funny in a chapter that leaves me so sullen. I will be honest and say that by the ending of it, I was beginning to feel very down; and also uneasy, as I realized I had become attached to these characters when I had tried so hard to keep a sane mind about me.
Somehow, right after Edward left, I really did start to care even deeper about what happened to Bella, and had a deep urge to want to comfort her; while the rational side of me roared in my ear: It’s only a blasted book! Sometimes, we do not listen to our rational sides; or more commonly, do not want to listen to our rational sides.
I don’t think I have ever read a chapter as long as Chapter 3. After thirty-one pages, it would be very easy to rationalize stopping. However, when I got to the last page of the chapter, and instinctively began turning the pages again, I realized that I was literally paging through the months, skipping ahead in time after Edward disappeared from Bella’s life.
Because I’m rambling already, and I’m still in the middle of Chapter 4, I will be posting about it very very early tomorrow (think 5 minutes past midnight again). And to all the commenters: you were right. I really couldn’t stop at the end of Chapter 3 this time.
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400 Responses
PS. Do you realize how devoted we are? you’ve gotten 50 comments in what, two hours? And a lot of us stayed up late- it’s 2:12 AM here- just to… comment, I guess? Anyway…
Even reading this several times later and as a quote in your blog, it stills take the breath out of me and makes me want to beg Edward to stay. And don’t worry about not having any jokes. It would feel sort of wrong for you to do so in such a tragic chapter.
And I cry every time i read it…Now, when I read New Moon, I cry many pages before because I know what’s coming.
Wow it was so emoitional for me I cried and cried and cried. I never threw my book at the wall, I just kept reading and crying and reading and crying. And I never skiped to the end of the book to see if edward came back I just felt bellas pain throughout the story.:( just keep on reading
I really hate this chapter when I read it the first time because… because… Arhg! When I read this chapter I really hate Edward and… I can’t hate Edward either because I know why he did that and that was so frustrating!
Anyways, I’m a girl and I don’t cry (well my friends says to me that I’m not a normal girl because I don’t cry when Bambi’s mother die or Simbas’s father die either XD), I really want to, but the rage was higher.
New Moon is not my favorite book, I love the beggining and God know how much I love the end, but I don’t know… the middle part is not my favorite and I think that’s because something you say: I really see Edward & Bella as a one, not only Bella or only Edward, maybe that’s the reason that was so hard to me read this book.
Great blog!
my godness, i’ve been waiting/dreading for you to get this chapter. Dreading because i figured you’d be, as you said, “sullen” and i feel a bit bad for that. I remember as i first read it, a sinlge tear rolled down my cheek and i was shocked because i hardly ever cry. I thought “It’s only a book!” But then as you also said : “Sometimes, we do not listen to our rational sides; or more commonly, do not want to listen to our rational sides.” Anyway, i hope your “down” mood lifts as you read on
Honestly, We Cried, HARD After This Was Said
Edward: “I don’t want you to come with me”
Bella:”you dont want me?”
Edward:”no”
One word put us in TEARS!
It was horrible, we were sitting in the middle of math class:(
I love you, and I LOVE that you freaking GET IT!! *sigh* You read past the facade and saw Edward for Edward, and saw his behavior for what it really is. It’s about his love for her, which is the kind of love in which the other person is truly all that matters to you. I think, since you seem to get the whole point, unlike some people, who just skimmed the top layer of this book, you’ll like NM. I reread the beginning and end all the time.
NM made me love Edward and Bella even more than Twilight did.
Thank you for existing. Muah!
Yes we are devoted, I have stayed up to read this since 11:30. We have all been waiting so anxiously for it. I’m so glad that you finally read this chapter, and the way you regard Bella and Edward as one makes so much sense to us all. It is as if we all have felt this way but we need you to spell it out for us, so we can feel it all over again. I must admit I got teary eyed as I read your post and some of the comments made as well. I too felt gloom for days after reading this chapter, but fear not my friend this had to happen so we can meet other characters that are substantial to the story.
I know how you feel. When I read Chapter 3 and Edward left i was so mad that i threw the book and my sister yelled at me for doing so lol. But hey it gets better.. towards the end 😉
I was at school when I read this chapter. I threw my book at the board at the front of the class. then I started to cry. Hard. I made my mom come pick me up. the entire time that bella was depressed so was I. the empty pages that were months went through me like a knife. i was crying do hard. everyone was asking “who died?” i just ended up crying even more…..
I will be perfectly honest in saying that I absolutely bawled when Edward left. B-A-W-L-E-D. I’m not the type who ever ever cries during any sad scene in any book or movie, no matter how sad it makes me feel, and how much I sympathized with the characters. I’m generally not a very outwardly emotional person like that. But New Moon really did me in. It wasn’t until the third time I read New Moon that I didn’t cry. Now, though, I just cheerfully skip past that part.
It took a lot to just read New Moon, and I skipped ahead, to keep myself reading.
ANYWAY. I would say, that upon your first reading of New Moon, you will most likely not appreciate it -if you’re like me. Maybe because of the stand point that you’re reading this in, you’ll have a more reasonable perception of it.
The fourth chapter is also pretty discouraging by way of Bella’s emotional status and all things happy in the Twilight world.
Just wait and see. It should start looking up. Marginally, at least 😀
OMGosh! I think i just fell in love with you. You are like the coolest guy ever! I felt the same way as did every other girl about chapter three, i love that your a guy and can admit it affected you. Most act all macho and scoff at our twilight ramblings!
Reading this chapter, even just thinking about it now, causes an emptiness to open inside of me. It’s so painful, that I can’t even feel the pain, instead I am consumed by an ache and a hollowness. So amazing the power of words on a page.
I’ve been looking forward to reading your reaction all day!
I read New Moon for the first time this past May and I was utterly anxious all through then end of chapter 2 and when chapter 3 continued to show a distant Edward I had a dreadful feeling for what was about to happen.
When Edward left Bella I fell into the depths of despair for rest of the afternoon. I tend to get too involved with the characters of the books I read. This scene in particular forced me to relieve a painful break up I went through in high school. I could feel Bella’s pain and flipping through the months brought back a flood of memories from that void of a summer where it was a struggle to get out of bed and function.
I have to agree with what you said about when Edward leaves we loose 1/2 of the main character. It’s true – they are a package deal.
While New Moon is third in line I do have a serious appreciation for the book, which grew stronger during the second read. Of course, I still have trouble reading chapter 3 –it remains painful.
Kaleb,
Just reading your post made me cry again. I’ve read Twilight and Eclipse countless times but, whenever I try to read New Moon I get stuck here. In fact, I’ve been stuck at chapter 3 for a couple of weeks now, knowing I’ll be a basket case for days because it rips me apart every time. For me it has meaning that goes well beyond Bella and Edward. This is only about the fourth time I’ve tried to get all the way through it.
You describe the sadness and the reasons for it eloquently and I’m glad you didn’t try to make something funny out of it. I think this chapter is one of the reasons we become so attached to the whole story. The raw emotion touches the hidden places of our soul and reminds us of our own losses or fears, either way the pain and sadness are real.
I think this is also where Stephenie shows her true genius. Having been a voracious reader all my life, I’ve been touched by other writers but never as deeply as I have by Stephenie’s writing.
Hopefully, some of that made sense… I need sleep, now…
Keep up the good work, Kaleb!
And yet people say that this book is unoriginal and a piece of crap… how many books have you ever heard of that have made young men attached and upset about a couple breaking up in a sappy vampire teen romance novel!???? I’ve heard of none…the only thing that has gotten my boyfriend upset in regards to a book is that he has to read it.
Well done! As many others have I cried like a little OINK! when I read this WHOLE book :[
I became so distraught over every little thing after Edward told her he was leaving and that he doesn’t love her anymore.
Also, I think it is incredibly hard to understand where Bella is coming from if you have never been in love with someone as truly as she is in love with Edward. I can honestly say that I have found that love in my life and to put myself in her shoes was excruciating. Thanks for the brilliant reviews, and no biggie about the lack of hilarity. It would have only stood out awkwardly because there really isn’t anything funny about this chapter at all unless you are a heartless twilight-hating sad sack of a person. :]
everytime i read this book i get an odd feeling in the very pit of my stomach. I just can’t explain it, it’s the weirdest thing. Even just reading your review on it brings the feeling on. its almost like im going to be sick kinda thing but not to those extremes. I tear up when i read this book so many times, and my mom keeps telling me its just a book and i know that but i just don’t know what it is. its like when edward leaves there’s really no more point to the story anymore. its about a girl falling in love with a vampire. take out the vamp and all you have is a very depressed girl and that kind of depresses you knowing that someone is hurting (even though they don’t exist) i still have the need/want to go over and give her a hug and tell her it will all work out somehow! it’s totally irrational and probably very unhealthy to be so attatched to a couple of fictional characters, but it’s kind of late for that now. These books should come with a warning lable or something hahaha. anyway i guess thats all i have to go re-read the end of new moon to make this feeling go away hahaha. XD
Also, the empty pages with the titles of the empty months literally made me jump. My hands shook and I loved your description…I have goosebumps right now just thinking of it…
it’s just incredibly brilliant and heartbreaking to go through…sorry to be such a sap, but darn!
Normally I tell my friends the absolute worst parts of the book, just because it’s kind of funny. I promise I won’t do that to you, buddy. Have faith, and good luck.
I didn’t cry. I was in shock I didn’t really react much; numb, I guess. I couldn’t quite believe it. Then I saw the months passing by and it all went downhill. Oh, the pains. (Now I do end up crying, though.)
I, for some reason, really want to know what your take on Jake will be… Will you be Team Edward, Team Jacob, or Team Switzerland? Hmm….
And at some point in my Twilight-Obsessed life I have read that New Moon is best read twice. This is because the first time, you read anxiously; you’re constantly wanting to get to the page where Edward miraculosly returns. You manage to bypass some things blindly… The second time you know that everything will be okay in the end.
Aren’t words amazing? How they
can invoke such strong emotions?
Just think, some paper and ink made you feel this way.
It was the same for me, after having read this chapter I pretty much went into a temporary depression. It felt like it was ME who was Bella, and that the love of my life was leaving ME.
The moment i said it by imogen heap is a really good song for this chapter. download and listen!
wow kaleb.
your post seriously made me cry.
everytime i read new moon i lose it multiple times. i dread getting to that chapter and then i force myself to go on.
i can’t even read it at school cause i cry and cry and cry and ive read it 20+ times.
you truly know the connection of the characters and the way you wrote this post was beautiful.
and i promise it gets better 🙂
can’t wait to see what you say next.
your amazing.
By the way, if you think THIS is sad. Wait til you read The Host (the end part)
You said everything perfect, especially the part about how Edward and Bella are so close that they are basically one person, and then that you felt like half of the main character was missing. This chapter was SO depressing!!! I love how you already in chapter four…YEAH…and then how you said you couldn’t think of anything funny to say about this chapter=[
This was quite heartwrenching. 🙁
And now I can’t wait for you to turn the page and meet new characters!!!
when i was reading the beginning of chapter 3, i skimmed ahead to see how long the chapter was. i saw the pages that read, “october”, “november”, “december”, and “january” and i turned to look at my younger sister (who had read the series months before i had) and she told me, “so… edward left already, huh?”. all i could think of was, “wow. that was the worst spoiler in the history of the world.” lol. anyways… i’m glad to see that you’re really getting attatched to these great characters whom we all have secretly obsessed over. hehe =D
okay so first off i just want to say. WOW i can’t believe that just reading your post made me like start crying again. Y_Y
But yes this was a very sad chapter and all i can say is KEEP READING. And most importantly pay attention!!! Because i know (from personal experience) you really miss a lot of the actually story trying to get back to Edward. Ugh!! It’s so sad, i hate to think about it. T_T
man kaleb, when you write a post that like that, i just wanna like scream and yell ans shake you really hard and FORCE you to just read the whole frigging book and then write your posts…honestly my irrational side is telling me to tell you wat happens…but its taking all my willpower not to!!! i cant wait till tommorow!!
I don’t like thinking about this chapter because you’re right. We read these books to read about Edward and Bella. I know I do. So when I read this chapter for the first time, I just kept repeating the words “he’s gone” in my head for a couple of minutes, until it finally sunk in. I didn’t throw the book because it was my friend’s (and I don’t want to eternally scar it) and I didn’t cry, but I know some of my friends did.
The only thing that kept me from stopping reading was the fact that I thought that Edward really didn’t mean what he said and would come back. Because I certainly knew that Stephenie Meyer would be smart enough to know that if Eclipse did not have any sign of Edward in it, then people would probably not read it at all. Because everyone really does read these books to hear the story of Edward AND Bella. Which is why everyone is anticipating Breaking Dawn to hear the end of Edward and Bella’s story.
It’s good you didn’t stop at the end of this chapter. I think you lose the effect if you read the end of 3 and the beginning of 4 separately. Actually, that’s the most powerful part of any of the twilight saga.
All through Twilight and even the beginning of New Moon you’re with Bella nearly every minute of every day. Then all of the sudden you have something like 5 months of nothing. And the first page of chapter four — the one paragraph — is maybe the most heart-shatteringly honest thing I’ve read in a long time. I don’t think I was really a twilight fan until this part.
oh man, some of your reviewers are totally dropping spoilers! Don’t read them! It’s like chemistry — you won’t get the right effect if certain things come in in the wrong order.
This was the hardest chapter for me. Seriously, I was bawling. I’m very enlightened by your take on it.
Wow, Kaleb.
I think this one and only post where you are actually serious about these characters and even to empathise with them. I bet this chapter has made you opened up your mind of why we loved the book so much.
Anyway, just keep on reading and they stay too sullen, there’s will be someone to comfort you/Bella. You’ll just have to read and see…
geez.. i was going to cry just reading your blog entry! shows that i’m such a baby.. haha
sadly, after reading that, i’m waiting for chapter 4 🙁
This chapter made me cry..
it was so weird..
like i was literally HEARTBROKEN!
and seeing those months afterwards made me feel so much worse!
lol
i cant believe a fictional character broke my heart!
hahaha
i felt like such an idiot.
xx
“Somehow, right after Edward left, I really did start to care even deeper about what happened to Bella, and had a deep urge to want to comfort her; while the rational side of me roared in my ear: It’s only a blasted book!”
– This is a testament to Stephenie Meyer’s talent in suspending reality by telling her stories. That’s why her characters are so well-loved. While a lot of people may argue that Bella is so melodramatic, only a few can say that she isn’t real.
The first thing that comes in mind about this post was, that I was deeply impressed and surprised a bit. But then again, I saw it coming.
This chapter completley caught me off guard, and had me rereading the words to make sure I read them right.
I was sad. I was mad. I was worried.
And when the months came, I had my mouth hanging open at only the first month, but then the OTHER months came in, I couldn’t breathe.
I totally didn’t stop their. And I could totally see why you didn’t too [:
That’s exactly how I felt!! I didn’t throw my book (well, technically my borrowed book at the time) at a wall or cry, but I did speed-read through an entire day of classes just to see what happens. I really did see Edward and Bella as a single entity, and it just seemed wrong to have one without the other.
It’s frustrates me how I’ve grown so attached to fictional characters. Even Harry Potter didn’t do this to me. Well, I guess it just goes to show you that there are some really great writers out there. . .
Okay, enough with my rambling. . .
Wow. That is all I can say. You just explained why I was so depressed reading New Moon. Face it, Bella and Edward are one whole character. You take one away, you’re missing half a person! I usually never read this chapter (or the whole book anymore) Because, honestly, it’s heart wrenching. I’m glad you understand Edward. It makes it easier to see him with his actions. I am always defending him from my friends (Jacob lovers) who don’t see how much he hurt. Just like Bella. I can’t wait until you get further into the book because honestly (after you have read the gut wrencher chapter) I am extremely curious on what team you’ll be on. Because you get Edward so well! Hmm maybe you can help me understand Jacob! (Not my favorite)
Wow. That was really long. *sigh* Writers curse I guess
So, I unlike every girl that posted a comment, Didn’t cry at that chapter. I was shocked that edward would be for some crazy reason gone for who knows how long!?!?! But then the rest of the book was like a race to get back to something with edward in it. I ended up rereading New Moon because I never really got into the middle part of the book. After re-reading I discovered this is my favorite book from the saga. I love ALL the characters in this book. Anyone who has read New Moon already knows who I’m talking about. Anyways I just thought I’d post my thoughts. I really do love the way stephenie Meyer really makes you feel what Bella is feeling. She’s a magical writer in that her words really come to life in our minds.
Kaleb- I am crying as I enter this post. I am on my 13th re-vamp of the saga and an half way through NM, you’d think by now I would be over it. NOT, my hands were shaking and sobs took over my breathing before I opened the cover.
This story is so real, as you now are beginning to understand, that EDWRAD and BELLA are like family or even sometimes like ourselves. They become part of us. Either we re-live the pain due to our own past experiences or we feel a new pain, something unfamiliar that we don’t know how to deal with.
So now maybe you see why the TWILIGHT fandom is as intense as they are. STEPH- has a way with her characters, they are real. In each of our minds, hearts and souls, they are REAL.
I remember after finishing this chapter, I was heartbroken. Kind of silly to be over two fictional characters, but I couldn’t help it-it was so sad and tormenting! and since I didn’t have anything to do the day I finished that chapter, I just moped around the house all day and crawled into bed at night and curled up into a ball. I had to remind myself that this wasn’t my breakup.. it’s Bella and Edward’s. It’s so realistic, it’s a little frightening.
I really appreciate the somber tone of this entry. I also appreciate you admitting that these characters have connected with you emotionally – even though you tried hard to resist! That is absolutely how I felt.
And do not despair! I don’t normally condone the people who comment talking about parts of the book you haven’t read yet, but it was a comfort to ME to receive this knowledge when I was where you are: It will get better. You just have to keep reading – but I didn’t have to tell you that!
You made me cry again.
i have never cried so hard for a book chapter or until twilight. plus i was playing clair de lune when i was reading that chapter. So i cried harder. it was so beautifully written and it was so heart-breaking. the words will forever affect me
“it’s as if i never existed”
just the idea of edward not existing would cause billions of heart shattering sounds across the globe.
i cried for a good 2 hours for this chapter. And I cried yet again when i re-read it. I almost threw the book in anger. I felt so gloomy. I was even tempted to skip the book :))
I really love the “Months” passing by effect. Instead of saying “now it’s january” you can see them pass by whit a movie effect.
Lovely.
I almost cried when Edward said
“I don’t want you”
I read “Eclipse” before “New moon”,(Stupid library didn’t have new moon) so I knew he left, but not how he left.
Hey Kaleb I think this is your best post so far. I won’t add anything, ’cause everything has been said.
Looking foward to your next post…
The saddest part is having to flip through the months it takes her to even slightly come back to life. After crying through most of the chapter each month was like another knife in my heart.
And thus you have come to the point where I believe every Twilighter out there is suddenly hooked. Stephenie Meyer writes this chapter so well. When I read it, I felt lie i was torn apart and broken. I cant describe it, but you certainly did. You hit the nail on the head, as us Aussies would say. Its ridiculous to get so attached to 2 characters in a book, but thats the thing about this story, you do. And you dont even realise it happening. I cant wait to read your next post.