New Moon — a synopsis

New Moon is the second book in the Twilight series by author Stephenie Meyer.  Meyer says that the book is about losing true love. The book was originally released in hardcover in 2006, following the successful publishing of Meyer's debut novel Twilight. The movie version was released on November 20, 2009.


The novel's title refers to the moon's first phase, a metaphor for the darkest time of  Bella's life. 

Edward Cullen is a vampire and Bella is in love with him.  He throws a party for her on her 18th birthday.  When she unwraps her gifts, she gets a paper cut.  The resulting blood triggers a reaction in Jasper, Edward's adopted brother, and he tries to kill Bella. To protect her, Edward decides to end their relationship, and the Cullens move away from Forks. This leaves Bella heart-broken and depressed.

 

In her search to heal her pain, Bella learns that thrill-seeking activities, such as motorcycle riding, cause her to "hear" Edward's voice in her head. Jacob Black also helps her to recover with his good nature and easy manner.  Bella later discovers that Jacob and other tribe members are shape-shifters who assume gigantic wolf forms. Jacob and his pack protect Bella from the vampire Laurent and also Victoria.  Victoria still seeks revenge for her dead mate, James, whom the Cullens killed in Twilight.

During this time Edward comes to believe that Bella has killed herself. He is so torn up over the thought of her death that he goes to Italy to fight the Volturi.  They are vampire royalty who are capable of killing him, so one might say he has a suicide wish.  Alice and Bella rush to Italy to save Edward, arriving just in time to stop him. The Volturi tell Edward that Bella, must either be killed or transformed into a vampire because she is a human who knows that vampires exist, . When they return to Forks, Edward tells Bella that he has always loved her and only left Forks to protect her. She forgives him, and the Cullens vote in favor of Bella being transformed into a vampire.  Edward thinks it's a horrible idea, but he gives Bella a choice: either she lets Carlisle change her or she marries him and he will change her himself.