Chapter Four: The wasting of my patience is everyone's business.

Now this is more like what I expected to find in Twilight! Bella broods. Bella is sad. Bella sucks at life, and yet all the boys love her. And why would the perfectly amazing and out-of-her-league Edward have any interest in her? Boy, her life is SO HARD.

For someone who seems to be so book smart (or at least sees herself as being much too smart and aloof for the residents of Forks), Bella can sure be stupid sometimes. Where she got the idea that Edward regretted saving her life, I have no idea. There are plenty of reasons why Edward might feel uncomfortable after such an incident, but why would your mind jump to "HE WISHES I DIED?"

So, Bella cooked dinner. Bella was clumsy. Bella rejected some boys. Bella planned a trip to Seattle. Edward, even given what we're going to know about him later, had an absolutely bizarre conversation with Bella where he changed his position several times without Bella saying a thing. In other words, nothing of any importance happened -- I know, hard to believe, but it's true!

Banality Index: 19 (+6)
This chapter was pretty boring. I get it: Bella is soooo amazing that she has to reject every boy in school, while at the same time being unable to walk without falling and not nearly good enough for Perfect Edward. Oh, and she can cook. And she drives to and from school, and goes to class. Yay.

Writing Quality: 37 (-5)
Meyer loses several points for the first line of dialogue that made me sigh. The thing is, I'm sure she had the idea to setup the line in her head, and was sure it was going to be amazing, but she just couldn't quite make it work. Bella's truck has bad gas mileage, you see. Everyone who could possibly work this into conversation has done this already -- herself, her dad, and now Edward. So when Edward offers her a ride to Seattle, and Bella questions why he cares so much, he says something that sounds so incredibly unnatural, I'm not sure I could write it with a straight face: "The wasting of finite resources is everyone's business."

It's a novel, Stephenie, not an after-school special. Please make your characters say things they might actually say.

Will To Continue: 97 (-2)
That chapter hurt, but it was over quickly, like ripping off a band-aid. I think the previous chapter, having some action, was the band-aid in this analogy, covering the wound left by the first two chapters. Did the cut heal, or will it just get worse as I continue reading? I have a feeling the Twilight series will eventually go for the jugular (no vampire pun intended).