Eclipse (Meyer novel)
| Company type | Novel |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded | August 7, 2007 |
| Founder | Stephenie Meyer |
| Products | Fantasy novel |
Eclipse (presented in lowercase letters) represents the third installment in the Twilight Saga authored by Stephenie Meyer. This novel continues to follow the narrative of Bella Swan and her romance with the vampire Edward Cullen. The plot centers on Bella’s emotional turmoil as she navigates her affection for Edward alongside her friendship with the shape-shifting Jacob Black, all set against a backdrop of enigmatic vampire attacks occurring in Seattle.
Published on August 7, 2007, with an initial print volume of one million copies, Eclipse achieved sales exceeding 150,000 copies within its first 24 hours. It secured the position of the fourth highest-selling book in 2008, trailing only Twilight, New Moon, and Breaking Dawn. The story was later adapted into a film that debuted on June 30, 2010.
Critical responses to Eclipse generally acknowledged its exploration of more sophisticated themes compared to earlier entries, emphasizing its love triangle and narrative progression.
Plot summary
The narrative opens amidst a series of unresolved killings in Seattle, which Edward Cullen suspects are perpetrated by a recently transformed vampire with an insatiable craving for human blood. As both Edward and Bella prepare their college applications, Bella visits her friend Jacob Black, a Quileute Native American endowed with the ability to transform into a wolf. Despite Edward’s apprehensions about Bella’s safety, she places her trust in Jacob and his wolf pack. During one encounter, Jacob reveals his romantic feelings for Bella and urges her to choose him over Edward; however, Bella maintains that their relationship remains purely platonic.
Concurrently, Alice Cullen foresees the return of the vampire Victoria to Forks, intent on avenging her mate James’s death by targeting Bella. Alice invites Bella for a sleepover at the Cullen residence, where Bella learns about Rosalie’s history and her appreciation for human life. Initially inclined to become a vampire herself, Bella ultimately reconsiders this decision. Edward proposes marriage to Bella, who agrees on the condition that they engage in sexual relations while she remains human.
The Cullens uncover that the murders in Seattle are committed by an "army" of newborn vampires under Victoria’s control. After the Denali Coven refuses assistance, they form an alliance with the wolf pack to face this menace. During the ensuing conflict, Edward, Bella, and Jacob take refuge in the mountains, later joined by young wolf Seth Clearwater.
Jacob overhears Edward and Bella discussing their engagement and threatens to recklessly join the battle; Bella halts him with a kiss and recognizes her own feelings for him. In the confrontation, Victoria locates Edward near Bella’s hiding spot but is ultimately slain by him. The Cullens and their allies succeed in defeating Victoria’s vampire army. Following these events, Bella confesses her love for Jacob but affirms that her love for Edward is greater. The novel concludes with Bella informing Charlie of her plans to wed Edward.
In the epilogue, a heartbroken Jacob flees in his wolf form. Leah, empathizing due to her own heartbreak involving Sam, voices her contempt and animosity toward Bella.
Development, inspirations and influences
Stephenie Meyer completed an initial draft of Eclipse prior to the release of Twilight in 2005; the final version underwent minimal alterations from this early manuscript. Originally intended as the concluding volume under a three-book contract with Little, Brown and Company, Eclipse originally featured a different ending. Meyer explains that the novel revolves around Bella’s decision to become a vampire and fully grasping the implications of this transformation—a theme only subtly introduced in previous books. She notes that every element—character backgrounds, relationships, and action sequences—centers around this pivotal choice.
Meyer acknowledges Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë as an influence despite personally disliking its somber tone—a sentiment echoed by Edward within Eclipse. She draws parallels between Edward and Jacob with Heathcliff and Edgar Linton from Wuthering Heights, appreciating the complexity arising from ambiguous character alignments that mirror real-life intricacies. In August 2009, The Telegraph reported that HarperCollins’ gothic-themed edition of Wuthering Heights, inspired by Meyer’s references, outsold conventional editions and topped charts for classic literature.
Cover
The book’s cover depicts a torn red ribbon. Although initially scheduled for unveiling at the May 2007 Eclipse Prom event, both Barnes & Noble and Meyer’s official website released the cover image earlier in March 2007 alongside a preview of the plot. The fragmented ribbon symbolizes Bella's dilemma between vampire Edward Cullen and werewolf Jacob Black, as well as her struggle to fully detach from her human existence. Movie tie-in editions featuring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner were made available in May 2010.
Marketing campaigns
Several months before Eclipse’s official launch, Meyer organized an "Eclipse Prom" at Arizona State University, supported by a local bookstore and ASU's English department. Tickets sold out swiftly, prompting a second event later that day which also sold out promptly. At this gathering, Meyer read aloud the opening chapter of Eclipse, coinciding with its inclusion in a special edition of New Moon. Subsequently, she embarked on a promotional tour across 15 cities. Additionally, Meyer published the first chapter on her website and shared daily excerpts from the novel during the 37 days leading up to its release.
Meyer also appeared on Good Morning America prior to publication to enhance public awareness.
Early release
On July 25, Barnes & Noble mistakenly shipped advance copies of Eclipse to certain customers who had pre-ordered it—a scenario reminiscent of an early release incident involving J.K. Rowling's seventh Harry Potter installment. To avoid spoilers spreading online, numerous fan forums devoted to Twilight temporarily closed discussions, while Stephenie Meyer disabled comments on her MySpace page. Meyer appealed directly to early readers to keep plot details confidential until the official launch date.
Sales
With an initial print run reaching one million copies, Eclipse sold approximately 150,000 copies on its debut day alone. It surpassed J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows atop bestseller charts globally, including ranking first on The New York Times. The novel held the #1 spot on USA Todays top 150 best sellers list for over 100 weeks and was ranked #45 among bestsellers over the previous fifteen years as of October 2008. It stood as the fourth bestselling title in 2008 behind other books from the Twilight series and ranked second in 2009 following New Moon. Moreover, it topped Publishers Weeklys list for bestselling hardcover backlist children's books in 2008 with sales exceeding 4.5 million copies.
Critical reception
Overall critical response to Eclipse was favorable. Anne Rouyer from School Library Journal commended Meyer for delivering excitement, romance, and intensified emotional depth fueled by first love and heightened sensuality while noting some pacing issues due to backstory exposition. Katie Trattner at Blogcritics emphasized strong character growth and emotional resonance as notable strengths. Selby Gibson-Boyce of Tulsa World described the book as engaging and compelling. While acknowledging limited crossover appeal beyond established fans, Publishers Weekly predicted strong interest within its core audience. Kirkus Reviews pointed out certain problematic character portrayals but recognized themes addressing overcoming differences and praised its open-ended conclusion setting up future narratives.
Laura Buhl from About.com provided a mixed critique citing slow plot progression and overt conflicts but praised Meyer’s understanding of adolescent psychology alongside an exciting climax battle sequence. Elizabeth Hand writing for The Washington Post criticized the novel for lacking dramatic tension and found its protagonist unengaging.
The New York Times selected Eclipse as an Editor's Choice.
Film adaptation
The movie version of Eclipse premiered on June 30, 2010, serving as the third film in the Twilight franchise following the 2008 release of Twilight and 2009's New Moon. Summit Entertainment approved the production in February 2009. With Chris Weitz occupied by post-production work on New Moon, directing responsibilities were assigned to David Slade, while Melissa Rosenberg reprised her role as screenwriter. Principal photography took place between August 17 and October 29, 2009, at Vancouver Film Studios. Importantly, Eclipse was the sole entry in the Twilight series to be presented in IMAX format.