Bella Swan is a complex character. On the one hand she emphasizes the need to be independent, on the other she depends on guys to make her life meaningful. The emphasis on Edward and Jacob being handsome are probably the only reason she wants either of them. Her personality never grows over the course of the books and thus her interesting-ness is never explored. In contrast; she does take responsibility for her actions. Edward being an abusive, manipulative and obsessive boyfriend has been discussed and beaten to death a million times. But these qualities come across as endearing to Bella.

Twilight:
Awkward and pretty. That is tough. A new school and town would obviously be a nervous experience especially for a teenager. Her understanding of her beauty (such that all guys vy for her) puts her in a position to choose her man. Unfortunately, she does not. Bella loves Edward
a) without knowing anything about him [a two week meeting without so much as a paragraph being exchanged]
b) because he is handsome [her constant drone about his beauty]
Her vanity is seen through her remarks about her friends. Her beauty in fact makes her ugly.

New Moon:
Moping around for someone you love is a valid expression of grief but it becomes void when that person is not worth it. Her love for Edward is put to test and she proves that he means a lot to her. She expresses her pain through her suicidal tendencies. The arrival of the new shirtless boy-toy makes her forget about her separated love for a while. Jacob was a friend who cared about her. He brought back meaning to her life that seemed useless when Edward leaves. She disregards his feelings for her and abandons all that he had done for her while Edward was busy sulking.

Eclipse:
Edward is the answer to Bella's Dorian Gray Syndrome. Her need to look young and beautiful and her need to never die is evident in her desperation to be with Edward even though she realises she loves Jacob as well (so much for true love). Sacrifice is not an option for Bella. She wants and she gets seems to be the rule. Despite not wanting, she agrees to marry Edward because he wants her to.

Breaking Dawn:
This is where everything goes haywire. Her marriage. honeymoon and pregnancy within a short span of time does not give her the chance to explore life with the vampires. Her motherly instinct refuses to part with her baby even though it could kill her. After her transformation she becomes more beautiful, has new powers and a new identity. Despite all this she remains the one-dimensional damsel-in-distress. Her decisions are no more than agreements to Edward's plans.

Bella never suffers in any of these books. She gets what she wants. Her pain is merely a conflict of choosing the right boyfriend. Her fears are of ageing and dying. There is never any decision that is made for anybody's good but hers even if it means causing pain to all who care about her. Her intellect is always described but never shown. Her bravery is a thin veil that stands behind Edward and Jacob.

The character of Bella Swan may be relatable in terms of heartbreak, family separation and awkwardness but it doesn't explain her dependency on Edward and Jacob. It is not her choice that makes her weak but the lack of it that brings negativity to her character. Choice is subjective. It means different to different people. But under the circumstances she has been through it comes across wrong. It leads to her giving up her life, future and family for a bunch of pretty sparkles.