Chapter-by-Chapter: Twilight, Chapter 4

As promised, here’s my review of the next chapter of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight. Earlier today we saw Tyler unsuccessfully kill Bella, but only because Edward appeared out of nowhere to save her life. This has just given her something else to moan about.

Chapter Four is called Invitations and we jump ahead in the aftermath of the truck crash.

What Happens?

We time skip ahead and Edward is back to hating on Bella again. Everyone, except Bella, is excited for a spring dance; she’s so clumsy that she won’t go, despite having three guys hoping for an invite. Instead, in a shock move, Edward starts talking to her again when he invites her to join him on a road trip.

Thoughts as I read:

We start off the chapter, one again, with Bella in bed. This time she’s sleeping and dreaming of Edward. Apparently Dream!Edward glows in the dark. He would, wouldn’t he?

We’re informed that this is a month on from the accident, but obviously this means we need to go back a little way to recap what’s happened in that time. Basically Bella’s been getting some attention because of it. We all know how much she enjoys that. Oh, and Tyler (the kid who nearly killed her) has joined Mike and Eric in following her around. This appears to be because he’s feeling bad for nearly killing her (perhaps he’s sorry he didn’t finish the job).

And no one saw Edward rescue Bella. It appears that no one knew where he was until he just happened to be there afterwards. It is kind of funny how Bella realises that no one watches the guy as obsessively as she does:

I wondered to myself why no one else had seen him standing so far away, before he was suddenly, impossibly saving my life. With chagrin, I realized the probable cause – no one else was as aware of Edward as I always was. No one else watched him the way I did. How pitiful.

Yes, Bella. Very pitiful. At least recognising that you have a problem is the first step in solving it.

The fact the Edward is back to hating on Bella again. He ignores her in Biology, which personally I think I would prefer. Edward is such a weird guy, I’d rather not having any attention from him. Especially as his eyes are getting darker again, that can’t be a good sign.

Despite this, Bella is still dreaming about him and hoping for attention from him. Sheesh, obsessed much?

And now we’ve got a bit of teenage drama. Jessica wants to go out with Mike, who is lusting after Bella, who couldn’t care less because the only guy she’s interested in hates her guts. Or something. I can’t feel too concerned about Jessica, Mike, Eric, Tyler and any of the others because I feel like they’re just names. They don’t have faces or personalities as far as I’m concerned.

The whole drama thing is a bit of a non-event, since Bella’s got no intention of going to the dance since she can’t dance. Jessica’s free to go where she likes with Mike. I bet Bella would change her tune if Edward was going! The only hitch is the fact that Mike wants to go with Bella, so Jessica’s been put on hold until he can find out where Bella stands in the whole triangle/quadrangle/whatever.

At least Bella feels much the same as I do about this conversation because she starts massaging her temples. Her reaction annoys Edward all the more. Or something. Whatever. He’s staring at her.

And then class finishes and he apologises to her for his weirdness. Or something. I have no love for this guy so it’s hard to summon up emotion during this chapter.

Whatever’s going on, it doesn’t last long, because within about twenty words Edward is mad at Bella again. Does no one else find it alarming how quickly he flies into rages? He should really see a professional about that.

I turned my head sharply away from him, clenching my jaw against all the wild accusations I wanted to hurl at him. I gathered my books together, then stood and walked to the door. I meant to sweep dramatically out of the room, but of course I caught the toe of my boot on the doorjamb and dropped my books.

Hehe, okay, that’s the sort of thing I would do. I am also pretty clumsy, but unlike Bella, it’s not my defining characteristic.

Bella heads off to Gym and I’m sad to see that we’re done with volleyball for the time being. It’s onto basketball and Bella doesn’t disappoint:

Gym was brutal. We’d moved on to basketball. My team never passed me the ball, so that was good, but I fell down a lot. Sometimes I took people with me.

I’m so glad that Gym is mandatory at Bella’s school. It’s one of the main things keeping me reading!

After school we learn that Mike’s not the only one angling after an invitation to a dance. Now Eric is after her. She really needs to make it clearer that she’s not interested in them. Perhaps she should try going a bit Edward on them. Actually, that’s not worked out so well for him considering how obsessed Bella’s become. Better not try that then.

Edward appears to be stalking Bella though; he’s right there at her car now. He’s still being a jerk though. I do not see the attraction here.

Once he buggers off it’s time for Tyler to come and try his luck with Bella. What do these guys see in her?! Actually, on second thoughts, Edward and Bella are made for each other; as everyone leaves the school car park, Edward is randomly laughing at Bella while she’s fantasising about bumping his car!

Back at home Bella’s cooking chicken enchiladas. Mmm… chicken enchiladas. That’s one of my favourites.

I’d rather read about the food than the fact that Bella’s mind has wandered back around to Edward Cullen again:

My stomach twisted as I realized what he must have meant. He must see how absorbed I was by him; he must not want to lead me on… so we couldn’t even be friends… because he wasn’t interested in me at all.

Ooh. I wonder if he’s going to show up at her door now. The title ‘Invitations’ could be a play on the fact that vampires aren’t allowed into a building unless they’re invited. That would be clever.

Charlie gets home and so Bella makes her excuses for not going to the dance; she needs to go to Seattle and buy clothes. Charlie seems to accept this excuse, despite not wanting her to go to the big city alone.

Back at school, Edward appears out of nowhere again. At some point I’m going to watch the films and I’m really hoping that these moments play out as hilariously on screen as it does in my head. I also love that he criticises her lack of observation skills.

I’m wondering if perhaps Edward’s eyes correspond to his blood lust or something? Will we get an explanation for the random colour changingness?

I have to admit that I don’t understand half of what Bella and Edward say to each other. Can they not just have a straight conversation? At least by this point even Bella is wondering if Edward has some sort of multiple personality disorder, hehe.

“I heard you say you were going to Seattle that day, and I was wondering if you wanted a ride.”

You bet she wants a ride!

Sorry… that was juvenile…

Who would want to go on a road trip with Mood Swing Boy? Bella apparently, seeing as she seems all set to go to Seattle with him. She’s such an idiot. What if he suddenly decides he hates her halfway there and ditches her at the roadside?

Edward, please decide you hate her again and ditch her at the roadside!

And so ends the chapter, leaving me feeling that Stephenie Meyer kind of missed an opportunity with a title like this. I would have enjoyed reading about the awkward weirdness of Edward showing up on Bella’s doorstep and not being able to come inside until she invites him in. That would be hilarious and might put him in his place.

Let’s see how the list of questions is looking now:

• Just why is she in Forks anyway?
• What’s Edward Cullen’s problem?
• Will Bella ever be able to get through a day without whinging about something?
• Why the hell did she have to get all of her teachers to sign a slip?
• What’s the deal with Edward’s eyes?
• Just where was Edward for all that time?
• Why is Bella so interested in someone who has such crazy mood swings?
• What’s the deal with Edward and how did he move so quickly?
• Who are Mr Varner and Coach Clapp? Why do they get named and not the six EMTs?
• Do X-rays show concussions?
• Do people actually find Mood Swing Boy attractive?
• Has Edward seen someone about his sudden rages?
• Do Edward’s colour change eyes relate to blood lust or some other vampirey instinct?
• Are Bella and Edward capable of having a straight conversation?
• Does Edward have a multiple personality disorder?
• Who would willingly get in a car with Mood Swing Boy?
• Will he switch to hating Bella halfway to Seattle and kick her out the car/leave her behind?
• Will Edward have to be invited into Bella’s house in order to enter it? What about her truck? What about shops?