Volterra is in sight! (Actual Tuscan town if you were wondering, although probably not actually run by a secret society of vampires). Alice and Bella are racing, really slowly despite their sporty yellow ride, to stop Edward from committing Volturi assisted suicide. Since there is a festival going on in the town, the streets are packed making progression by car difficult, as Bella notes..."We slowed to a crawl behind a little tan Peugeot." Wait a second...Bella has difficultly identifying a BMW but Parisian cars she's cool with? Curious.
With only five minutes left until Edward's flaming noon day grand finale Alice and Bella are stopped at the gate to the city. Alice dazzles (and bribes) a guard into letting them pass and with only minutes to spare Bella hurry's on foot across the crowded square until she sees him.
As soon as Edward is in Bella's line of sight, her thoughts immediately jump from 'we're all going to die' to 'sexy hotness' , you know I'm beginning to think Bella might be a little shallow. And then to really burn the Jacob fans we get this...
"I'd never seen anything more beautiful—even as I ran, gasping and screaming, I could appreciate that. And the last seven months meant nothing. And his words in the forest meant nothing. And it did not matter if he did not want me. I would never want anything but him, no matter how long I lived."
...except for less than 24 hours ago when you also wanted Jacob.
Originally I considered myself strictly a fan of the Bella/Edward relationship. I was 100% Team Edward, a Bella/Edward shipper, whatever...but through the course of re-reading New Moon I've been forced to admit to myself that the degree of defensiveness that has been present throughout the New Moon posts on Jacob's behalf can't be meaningless. I thought my behavior was born out of hatred for Bella's character rather than affection for Jacob's, but even when Bella is doing no more than pointing out Edward's incredible perfection (which is not really her being harsh to Jacob, it's just fact) I feel a pang of hurt for forks fav resident wolf. Apparently I'm as fickle as she is. Damn all my self righteous ranting.
But let's get back to Edward, we've been Edwardless a long time and there's only two books left so lets not waste any more postage.
I've been waiting for Edward's return with baited breath since he left, but when Bella saw him across the square, I didn't get the sense of satisfaction I was expecting. Even when Bella finally got close enough to touch him, speak with him, I didn't feel that all was right with the world. We didn't get a 'remember when Rosalie said I was dead? Well, funny story...' moment from Bella, we didn't get relief that Bella was alive from Edward, or feigned anger that Bella tracked him down or elation at seeing her again, we didn't even get an impassioned embrace, the whole thing was kind of lame. The reunion was wasted on Bella trying to convince Edward he wasn't dead and in some sort of purgatory/heaven combo. I wanted rising music, I wanted fireworks, I wanted a kiss that induces faintness, suddenly appearing birds, chorus of angels something more than what was, and from the person who gave us 'you are my life now' and 'so the lion fell in love with the lamb' I don't think that a little more amped up emotion is an unreasonable request.
I've been waiting for Edward's return with baited breath since he left, but when Bella saw him across the square, I didn't get the sense of satisfaction I was expecting. Even when Bella finally got close enough to touch him, speak with him, I didn't feel that all was right with the world. We didn't get a 'remember when Rosalie said I was dead? Well, funny story...' moment from Bella, we didn't get relief that Bella was alive from Edward, or feigned anger that Bella tracked him down or elation at seeing her again, we didn't even get an impassioned embrace, the whole thing was kind of lame. The reunion was wasted on Bella trying to convince Edward he wasn't dead and in some sort of purgatory/heaven combo. I wanted rising music, I wanted fireworks, I wanted a kiss that induces faintness, suddenly appearing birds, chorus of angels something more than what was, and from the person who gave us 'you are my life now' and 'so the lion fell in love with the lamb' I don't think that a little more amped up emotion is an unreasonable request.
S.M. may have forgotten how maudlin her Edward/Bella moments usually are, but she jumped right in where she left off in terms of praise for his physical perfection. In case you didn't get the not so subtle references, Edward's beauty is so incredible it's almost incapacitating S.M. has Bella totally forget that her Edward hallucinations were auditory as soon as Edward is in her line of sight.
So all this reunion stuff is well and good but I suppose I should mention that this chapter also offers our first up close and personal introduction to the Volturi...we meet the show of muscle Demetri and Felix and the real muscle, little Jane.
I enjoyed, the casual conversation between Edward and Alice about the 'Bella's dead' misunderstanding' as the Volturi led them presumably to their death.
So all this reunion stuff is well and good but I suppose I should mention that this chapter also offers our first up close and personal introduction to the Volturi...we meet the show of muscle Demetri and Felix and the real muscle, little Jane.
I enjoyed, the casual conversation between Edward and Alice about the 'Bella's dead' misunderstanding' as the Volturi led them presumably to their death.
Favorite Quotes and Conversation:
"Edward!" I screamed, knowing it was useless. The crowd was too loud, and my voice
was breathless with exertion. But I couldn't stop screaming.
I knew I was too late. I wasn't halfway across. I wasn't going to make it. I was stupid and slow and human, and we were all going to die because of it.
"Edward!" I screamed, knowing it was useless. The crowd was too loud, and my voice
was breathless with exertion. But I couldn't stop screaming.
I knew I was too late. I wasn't halfway across. I wasn't going to make it. I was stupid and slow and human, and we were all going to die because of it.
It was very strange, for I knew we were both in mortal danger. Still, in that instant, I felt
well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast
through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin.
It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfect—not healed, but as if
there had been no wound in the first place.
"In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days." - Alice
Chapter 20 sum up in 10 points or less:
well. Whole. I could feel my heart racing in my chest, the blood pulsing hot and fast
through my veins again. My lungs filled deep with the sweet scent that came off his skin.
It was like there had never been any hole in my chest. I was perfect—not healed, but as if
there had been no wound in the first place.
"In summary, she did jump off a cliff, but she wasn't trying to kill herself. Bella's all about the extreme sports these days." - Alice
Chapter 20 sum up in 10 points or less:
- Times running out and Edward is about to off himself
- The Porsche rescue is slowing them down so Bella runs after Edward on foot
- Bella sees Edward across the square and yep, he's still pretty
- Bella reaches Edward and has to convince him he's not already dead, silly fool
- Bella, Alice and Edward all have a pleasant chat with Volturi henchmen in capes
- The Volturi lead our heros on a free sewer tour and then to their doom! *dum dum dah*
