'Twilight' Narrator Showdown: We Compare Bella To 'Short Second Life' Voice, Bree

[shadybrightside]

With "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner," we've reached new ground in "The Twilight Saga." Unlike the as yet unfinished "Midnight Sun," this is our first published look into exploring Stephenie Meyer's world of vampires, werewolves and romance beyond Bella's perspective, and also a good sign that there will be more spin-offs to come

Comments

[tigerlilyaj]

Sure, both girls read, but I doubt Bree was dipping into the classics. I envisioned her over at the YA section picking up trashy series or other easy, light reads. She has a far less SAT-worthy vocabulary than Bella and has other signs of someone who didn't go in much for book learning. (Perhaps too busy keeping her father from beating her.) I thought the books were a sign of her being thoughtful (in the thinker sense, rather than the considerate sense) and that she needed to divert herself in the house, but knew better than to try for things like the video games that people fought and lost limbs over.
I thought of her as the newborn army's version of "Lost" Rousseau. You survive by not getting involved.

[subtlynice]

I agree with all of this. I saw Bree buying the books because she didn't have much else to keep her entertained, not because Stephenie wanted to draw another parrallel between Bree and Bella. And she doesn't actually read a single book in the story - jsut turns the pages, bored and anxiously.

[tigerlilyaj]

The vocab idea was actually tripped off on another board where people wondered why she called Edward "redhead" when we're so used to "bronze." A reply suggested that Bree speaks pretty plainly and fancier descriptions did not seem to come naturally to her.

LONE RANGERS?

[fiercebomb]

[ebalways]

From what I've heard of Bree, I'm surprised at how ~dark of a character she is.

[tigerlilyaj]

She's got a sad, miserable backstory with violence in it, leading her to the streets, where she follows Riley because he offers her a cheeseburger. She thinks he'll want sex in return, and is so hungry that she doesn't care.
I think some people (like the reviewer at The Guardian) don't understand the difference between amoral and immoral. Bree is amoral. Everything she does is because it's what she needs/wants. Right and wrong are never part of the equation. She's not unthinking; her survival is uppermost in her mind while maing decisions. Once she figures out she won't survive, she settles for making sure she rats out her exectutioners.
What she isn't is immoral, gleefully hunting down helpless prey, laughing at their misfortune, "playing with her food." In other words, she's not Spike or Damon or others' favored versions of vampires.

There are some bends in what I've written with her feelings for Diego, but it's still about keeping her life as pleasant/safe as possible.

Riley vs. Jasper

[tigerlilyaj]

What I think is more interesting than comparing narrators is comparing army leaders. I see Riley as a direct foil to Jasper. Both created as champions/generals by female vamps to lead troops serving the ends of their queen. One only gets hardened by the experience, making more ruthless decisions, the other looks for a better way.

[aviolentmonster]

Im getting the Second Short Life of Bree Taner today, and I can't wait to read it!