The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner Review

Alright, I lied in the previous review when I said I was done with the series. There’s one more piece of the larger Twilight universe. A non essential piece technically as it has no bearing on Bella’s story in the big picture but provides an interesting glimpse into the life of newborns.

The novella follows Bree Tanner who is memorablly killed in Eclipse as the sole newborn to surrender, having potential to join the Cullens, almost human. . . But that life is cut short.

Bree was an interesting protagonist to follow as she’s street smart, aware that she can’t trust anyone in this new world. She doesn’t remember much of her human life but it seems to have bred a strong sense of self preservation in her. Meyer takes a more classic vampire route as the newborns have only the information Riley deigns to give them. To stay in the dark, hunt at night, or else the sun will burn them to ashes.

But Bree and her new friend, Diego soon come to realize there’s more that Riley isn’t saying and they may be pawns in their creator’s big game. Meyer kept things engaging because even though readers understood the larger world, it was interesting to see the two try to piece things together and realize what is true and what is false for themselves.

The book is also exciting as the newborns have no sense of restraint or humanity thanks to the pain blinding them from their old selves. They have condescending superiority towards humans that are nothing more than food to them. They have no bonds between them which means violence can break out any time, adding to Bree’s constant alertness. They’re more like vampires as we know them so I was eager to see what would happen next. It also forshadowed the futility of the fight that Riley is hyping them up for, knowing that they’re untested numbers will be no match for the Cullen family or the yellow-eyes as they call them.

There is a romance in this and unfortunately it is not too believable as Bree and Diego’s bond can certainly be seen as a good potential friendship but romance that Bree decides life isn’t worth living now that Diego is dead? She only talked to him for two days!?! That self preservation I admired in her, gone completely gone. I suppose it’s to add to the tragic nature of Bree’s life that even as a vampire nothing goes right for her, but I found it too silly to be tragic. Especially as she had a better option in the wings-Freaky Fred.

No, I don’t ship them but they would have made a good coven and Meyer provides enough subtle characterization through actions and mysterious past to make him interesting that I wished he popped up somehow again. But then again, he’s probably safer never encountering the Cullens and their messy clashes with the Voluturi.

A not necessary book to the franchise but an interesting one if you want a break from the angsty love triangle for more traditional vampire action.

3 stars.