I wanted to like this book, I really did. I enjoy vampire tales. I’m a fan of young adult fiction. Given all the rave reviews this book and its sequels have received, I thought I’d give it a go.
Twilight is a love story, make no mistake about it. It’s less vampire story than it is romantic morality tale. Our heroine, Bella, takes us along on her whirlwind romance with the beautiful, perfect vampire Edward, who apparently has teeth that make Donny Osmond look like Mr. Tooth Decay.
Bella is all of 17, a big city transplant stuck in a backwoods town in Washington after moving in with her father. We learn right away that Bella’s main trait is clumsiness, which is used more as a plot device rather than a personality quirk. We also learn that Bella is quite mature for her age; her disdain for all the trivialities of high school, such as hanging out with friends or going to school dances, is evident enough that she comes off as kind of smug. Bella is also shown to be independent; she cooks and shops for her and her father, she is capable of doing all kinds of things by herself. Until she meets Edward.
A couple of chapters into Twilight, I was seriously flabbergasted. How in the world did this book even get past an editor? Meyer’s writing style reminds me of what would happen if a Harlequin Romance was mashed with the Flowers in the Attic series. The flowery prose, the countless, breathless descriptions of Edward’s teeth, the way Meyer pours out adjectives like a bartender who forgot to put the regulator on the vodka bottle – it all makes for a cringe inducing writing style that makes me wonder if Meyer sold her soul to get this published.
I know, it’s a best seller. It received all kinds of accolades, has been on countless “best of” lists. But popular does not necessarily translate to quality. Just look at Nickelback for evidence of that. So why? Why have otherwise intelligent adults touted the Twilight series as something spectacular that young adults should be reading?
A little bit of Googling tells me that Twilight has been hailed as a tale of abstinence. Meyer’s Mormon upbringing certainly comes through in the book, as Bella and Edward’s wild, passionate romance entails all but a few brief lip brushes, kisses that make Bella either faint or lose control of her senses. As Lev Grossman notes:
What makes Meyer’s books so distinctive is that they’re about the erotics of abstinence. Their tension comes from prolonged, superhuman acts of self-restraint. There’s a scene midway through Twilight in which, for the first time, Edward leans in close and sniffs the aroma of Bella’s exposed neck. “Just because I’m resisting the wine doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the bouquet,” he says. “You have a very floral smell, like lavender … or freesia.” He barely touches her, but there’s more sex in that one paragraph than in all the snogging in Harry Potter.
That’s all well and good (and honestly, if some guy ever tried that line on me, I’d probably laugh in his face. Who speaks like that?), but the thunderous applause for Bella and Edward’s abstinence drowns out the danger signs in Bella’s attitude towards Edward and their romance.
Bella, presented as a strong willed, independent girl, throws herself into a situation that she knows could endanger her life. Her absolute dependence on Edward to even breathe – she can barely exist when she’s out of his sight line – is both worrisome and disturbing. Her every thought is about him. Her every movement is dictated by her obsession with him. She throws herself at him to the extent that she is willing to be turned into a vampire just to spend eternity with him. Edward plays on all Bella’s emotions like a man who gets off on adoration. He follows her, he appears in her room at night, he listens in, telepathically, on her friends’ conversations. He is there in every dangerous situation brought on by Bella’s clumsiness to rescue her and make her feel like she just could not make it another day alive without his knighthood. I don’t know about you, but over here we call that stalking. Yet Bella seems unperturbed by Edward’s hovering and unflinchingly goes headlong into a dangerous, life threatening, almost one sided romance with him.
While Edward does slowly fall in love with Bella, it seems as though his love is born of a mixture of curiosity and amusement. Bella sees Edward as a typical teenage girl sees a rock star or movie star; she swoons, she idolizes, she fantasizes. Edward knows this and nearly teases her with it. Yet Bella never sees this. Rather, Meyer never gives Bella the awareness needed to see the relationship for what it is. It’s a huge character flaw that I point out only because of all the parents and educators flying the abstinence flag over Twilight and clamoring for kids to read the series. Unable to see the forest for the trees, they are shoving the morality of a sexless, teenage romance down the throats of young adult readers, not caring that there are also mixed messages in the book. Sure, it’s great to be able to withstand the lure of sex with someone you love at that age, but do you really want your daughters to model themselves on Bella, a passive aggressive girl who becomes so dependent on the Adonis she idolizes that she can’t exist without him? Never mind that the guy is, you know, a VAMPIRE. Sure, he only eats animals – a plot line that is mostly a convenience to the author’s portrayal of Edward as moral – but he’s the proverbial guy from the wrong side of the tracks. It doesn’t set off warning bells to anyone flaunting the morality of this book that Bella is running into the arms of a guy who has the potential to kill her?
In addition to the alarming passion of Bella, there are a million other reasons I will not pass this book on to my daughter. The writing is pedantic and strained. The reliance on over description (see here for an amusing count of adjectives, including how many times Bella refers to Edward’s teeth) is a pretty good indication that there’s nothing else of substance in the story. The characters other than Bella and Edward are mostly superfluous; even though they are necessary to move the story along, Bella’s parents, Edward’s family, the kids at the high school, are all flat and uninteresting; they never develop beyond a few overblown descriptions and clichéd conversations.
When you get past the overwrought prose, Edward is nothing more than a moody teenage boy with a chip on his shoulder and a good set of fangs, and Bella is nothing more than an angsty girl with a soul searing crush on a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Twilight is, when you break it down, an overwrought emo song told in prose. Can’t you hear it? “The Tale of Bella and Edward,” an acoustic number sung by a guy in thick glasses and an ironic tshirt. Like Twilight, it would make the charts, but would remain devoid of substance and heart.
Thanks for the review. I saw a copy in the local used bookstore yesterday and thought about getting it but skipped it. Guess I made the right decision
Thank you for this article. It really made my day. I’m a teenager myself (17) and the popularity of Twilight really has me bewildered. Doesn’t anyone have taste anymore? Can’t anyone see how bad this book is? Even adult book reviewers, who should know better, praised it!
So thank you, again, for showing some sanity. It was badly needed.
Sounds to me like someone is VERY afraid of a little morality!
i never relised this stuff before but you are totally right. You opened my eyes.
Thanks
I think the complete opposite, twilight was great and far from emo, and the rest of the saga is just as good. I am 25 and have read pleanty of great books and twilight has been one of the best.
This is ridiculous! You don’t even know what you’re talking about! Twilight is NOT emo, it happens to be one of the best books i have ever read!
I know girls as young as 8 reading this book, and of course, the teenage girls are devouring it. Although I have no interest in reading it myself, I find it very curious that the book appeals to such a wide age range, and I really don’t understand it.
I’m just glad that I’m not the only one that has read this book and thought “what is going on here?” I picked it up just like many people thinking that just because it and all of the other books in the series have been best sellers it had to be great, right? Wrong! I think that there is obviously a target audience here and Meyer seems to have figured out the formula to market to that audience, so my hat is off to that, but if she wanted to be taken seriously as a writer this is not the way to do it. Teen girls will love this book, if I were a teen girl I would have loved it too, but I’m not. For the rest of us if you want to read a good vampire novel go grab a classic like Dracula, or a newer sort of spin off The Historian, great idea, research and writing. If that isn’t what you are looking for then check out any of Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicle books, I suggest starting with Interview with a Vampire ofcourse. I mean at least with Harry Potter I was entertained and wanted to read more, with this thing it took me over a month to get through it because my brain could only take so much at any given time with out going numb. I agree with the comments above that say this book isn’t emo, it’s the opposite of emo because it really is a love story. Though if you said this is one of the best books that you have ever read, I suggest reading more books.
Nice piece Michele but your way off-kilter, you unfortunately didn’t even scratch the surface. The book is darker than a moonless night at midnight. I suggest you read it again with a new hat that’s sports a “Hemingway double stitch”. When you open your eyes your toes will curl up in an aching cramp. Yeah I kid you not - a smooth whipped cream sundae with a neutron bomb inside.
The book is pure brilliance - not written by Meyer I hasten to add, it reeks of Ender’s Game, still topping the charts… Contrived, but not written by Scott-Card.
After that, read Breaking Dawn if you dare!
Breaking Dawn Revelation
My 18 and 14 year old daughters insisted I read this book and I reluctantly agreed only to get them off my back. I devoured the first one in three days, announced to the girls that “I love Edward Cullen” and proceeded to top it off by reading the remaining three sequels!
I’m 49 years old and not ashamed to say I absolutely loved every one of these books. I’m not a prude, but we’re so over inundated with sex every where we turn, rather than romance. Twilight was one of the most erotic books I’ve read in a long time. And seriously, who couldn’t use a little romance.
I’ve recommended Twilight to several of my “over-40 friends” who have all become fans.
I’m a freelance writer and this may not fall into the category of the high end literature the the reviewer compare this story to, but it’s a great vampire love story. Not every book needs to be a “classic.” However, the popularity of Twilight shows that in many peoples minds, it is classic.
I just read book 1 and it was addicting. I started reading it because I need to evaluate whether to allow my 12 year old daugher to read it. My verdict is NO. The book content is too mature for her age and even high school kids. Harry Potter is way superb!
Thanks for the review. I’d like to recommend a much better book -The Bible! This book is not fiction. It is a love letter from God. It is a practical manual on life. It is not a waste of time. It shows us how to live forever. It shows us how to live a life of supernatural quality.
I wish I could get professing Christians this excited about reading the Bible.
Shame on professing Christians who swoon over Harry Potter and this Twilight series. I wonder what they will feel like when they look into the eyes of Jesus and try to explain why they read His Word occasionally and acted bored, but read books of fiction and became walking billboards.
The Bible is still my favorite book. I truly love the author. He is my best friend!
I wonder what they will feel like when they look into the eyes of Jesus and try to explain why they read His Word occasionally and acted bored
They are bored because its boring. A shepard should know how to lead its sheep. That the flock strays is not the responsibility of the sheep, but of the shepard. Sheep are sheep.
How do you presume to know what the eyes of Jesus will say? Moral judgments are for him and not for you. You are not wrong to introduce people to the word, but you are wrong to make people feel shameful for your misconception of the truth. It is possible to like more than one thing at a time.
Thank you! Oh my God. I’m sorry, rabid Twilight fans, but it sucked. Correction: suck.
Calling Twilight a classic would lead to the suicide of all the great writers who have ever existed. And then the world of literature would be left in the hands of mediocre writers like Meyers. And then I would cry. A LOT.
[...] books or movies, leaves me colder than vampire flesh. A few excruciating excerpts and this review on Heretical Ideas from friend Michele Catalano were enough to warn me that I wanted nothing to do with these moody, [...]
I’m 15, and I actually read all of the books and i loved it at first, but then I realised that it really wasn’t that great at all. It was the same for my friends as well, at first we ate it up like crazy but then once the spell wore off we were like, “Wait, no, this is not the best book I have ever read.” What we all ended up deciding was that, it was a nice idea, but the book was not well written. Not only that but Bella’s ependency on Edward is comparable to that of a female sparrow. It’s to a degree where it’s actually a little demeaning and frightening.
I think the lady who wrote this is and IDIOT STUPID and dose not know what she is talking about . She probly did not read the rest of the books are this one or she probly did not even see the movie just heard it and since she is stupid she took their word and ran with it like and IDIOT like she is.
There you have it Michele. You are an IDIOT STUPID. Don’t come crying to us when mobs of pre-teens pelt you into a coma with copies of Meyers’ books.
That’s if the radical Christians don’t get you first.
The only cool vampire fiction lately has been I Am Legend. Other than that vampires have gotten lame and shitty.
I agree, in general, that Twilight was a mediocre book. I recently finished a few other supernatural books, aimed at teens, including The Last Apprentice, by Tom Delaney (I think?). Though not in the same genre, I felt the prose was slightly better, and more of a challenge to young readers than Meyers’ work. I have read all of the Hogwarts tales with my kids, and I feel they also had considerably higher-quality writing. They were also far more imaginitive. To me, it seemed that Meyers preferred to focus on the budding, and unrealistic romance element of her character relationships than on the details of the vampire mythology she was reshaping with her tale. Except for a few pointless, spider-man-esque feats of strength and a somewhat ridiculous baseball-game (without even a ‘bat’ pun. What?), these were some of the least interestingmonsters I have ever read about. I can only speak for me, but when I read a teenage “vampire drama,” I prefer the emphasis on the former word than the latter. When I read that final page at the prom, Edward’s teeth nearing Bella’s neck…I thought: “cool cliffhanger, but where’s the REAL threat coming from?”
The movie remembered to include a parting shot of James’ vengeful girlgriend lurking nearby. A nice choice, much more compelling. For me, the couple’s angst over whether or not to commit Bella to a life as a vampire (regardless of the brutally obvious parallels to teenage sexuality) was far less intriguing than the too-brief and under-described battle with James the tracker and his predatory mob of idealogically distinct blood-suckers. The Twilight filmmakers did a good job because they recognized this unnecessary lack of true conflict and decided to more boldly develop it. It wasn’t hopeless, though. Some passages were quite funny, and the Quilute tribe of wolf-people is intriguing. There is potential. I will likely read the next books, in hopes that Meyers may still be growing as an author. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Right?
ummm ya this book was amazing, whoever wrote this article has no idea what they’re talking about. So what if its about a teens facination with a boy….whocares? sometimes you just need to let your imagination run… and just because a book is sitting there dosnt mean that you have to read it…so dont complain about it, it was your choice in the first place
i personally loved the book, and i believe everyone is entitled to their own opinion. so heres mine. i think people are going way to far in depth into this. its a cute romantic love story, its suppose to be crazy and unrealistic, thats what makes it fiction, it was never ment to be based on something that could actually happen, and for those who keep saying myers is mediocre, news flash, if you did a little research, you’d find that this book was her first finished project, she was never a writter before this, and she didn’t write it with the intentions of having it published, until family and friends encouraged it. so yes its new, and for literature crazed people probably horribly written, but i think the inperfections is what makes this book so loveable. so take a chill pill, and just enjoy it for what it is, if you like it, then you like it, if you don’t then you don’t. end of story.
Thanks so much for this review. I’m 16, and after reading book reviews from the New York Times and other sources, I was amazed to find that people praise her writing style. The main plot of the story is good, but the way she writes is very mediocre. I also couldn’t believe her editor had the book published in the state it was in.
Twilight was poorly written in my opinion. It was entertaining if you see it as just that : a way to let your imagination run free. It was chock full of misspellings, grammar mistakes. There were a handful of sentences that I had to pause in the middle of because there were obviously words missing from them.
As for the whole sex factor, I was shocked when I read “Eclipse” and “Breaking Dawn”. I certainly wouldn’t let someone under the age of eighteen read them. “Breaking Dawn” didn’t go into full-blown details of their sexual encounters, but there was much more than what a ‘young adult’ should be reading. Also, the childbirth and subsequent death sequence was pretty graphic, too.
Don’t even get me started on Bella. I despise her character. She is a seflish little #*&@^.
I was really disappointed at how the media has touted this book because it ‘has no sex and no cursing’. What about the messages it is sending to young women? A girl who cannot function in life without her boyfriend. There will be girls who completely model their lives after her character, and that is sad.
I found this review so true. The list of the funniest lines was hilarious, and I’m sorry but I couldn’t read that parody, it was so close to the writing of the book.
I recently borrww twilight from a friend because I wanted to be able to criticize it after actually reading at least some of it. I also planned to write a review for my shcool’s newspaper. I really expected to hate it. And I do. If you pay attention to how it’s written it’s just awul. I’m 14 and I think I could rewrite it so that it could be readable by those of us who pay attention. What I want to hear is what you think of Meyer’s one demensional characters and ridiculous description of teenage life. Bella is annoying at best, and unrealistic. The book woud ahve been better if Bella didn’t explain every single thing she does. The town of Forks is riduclous, and the dynamic at the high schol discusts me. An anti-social new girl like Bella would never get that many friends. The obession with this books makes me embarrassed to be a teenage girl.
I personally loved the book. I admit that Breaking Dawn was too graphic, but don’t complain about it. Honestly, if you hate it, who cares?
wow are you kidding me? I admit you have somethings right but twilight is far from emo. i dont see how it is at all? and the descriptive adjectives are needed for the reader to digest jsut how “perfect” edward cullen is! they trigger the imagination from 8 year olds to 49 year olds, they let everyones minds wondering into forming a perfect person (or vampire. I think the part about sex how they never have it, at least till the fourth book, only intensifys everyones interest in it. It biulds suspense taht everyone can relate to, everyone wants to read to see if theyll finally get some and eggs the reader on. So meyer wrote it thinking morals but in the story it has nothing to do with that so i dont see why you are bringing morals into being a bad trait in the novels. Ummm sooo…ya i think this review is horrible haha
I agree with Kyler, and dont you have something better to do than sit on your butt and say how bad a great book is? IT IS NOT EMO, so dont be a idiot! :-p
I’m a highschool senior from Bangkok, Thailand. I’ve heard of the hype of this book, good and bad, but refrained from commenting until now because I have yet to read the book. But now that I have, I could comment on a few things, corresponding to your review.
Twilight indeed is not a book for deep thinkers. If you’re looking for shallow entertainment, or if you just want to read and pass the time, this is the book for you. But if you’re not looking for that (like me), this book will only prove to be a disappointing read.
What irks me most is the style of writing Meyer uses. It lacks sophistication and substance, one which affected not only the plotline, but the reliability and realness of her characters. I am not scared to compare her writing to that of fandoms writing bad fanfiction…something I could do as well if you gave me the time and the imagination which I could dwell and write upon, and also the great reserves of adjectives that Meyer possesses and I don’t :P.
But enough talk. On a solemn final note I’ll just say this: the book doesn’t deserve to be crazed upon like it was best thing since sliced bread. Because it isn’t, and I have read better things.
I hate this book. I am halfway thru it and don’t think I can read another word of this garbage. It is poorly written and I’ve been waiting for something interesting to happen. Enough of every single mindless conversation between Bella and Edward. Enough of his white, perfect teeth and her clumsiness. I agree that Edward seems more of a stalker than a boyfriend. It’s creepy and that’s not because he’s a vampire. I don’t get what he sees in Bella. Are all the other girls at that high school such losers that because she’s the new girl, she’s instantly popular? A much better vampire series is Charlaine Harris’s books, The Sookie Stackhouse series which HBO’s “True Blood” is based on. Not for the young though. At least those were interesting and the writing is much better. Those I couldn’t put down. “Twilight” is a snooze fest and I’m tired of wasting my time with this obnoxious piece of drivel. I enjoyed the Harry Potter series and read every book. I am hugely disappointed by “Twilight” and it concerns me that teenage girls love this. Where is the independence and spunkiness that I thought lived in today’s young woman? I don’t get why these books are so wildly popular.
Crappy Book. Crappy Author.
I am eighteen years old and I personally enjoyed Twilight. It is very easy to read, mostly because of how well it flows. I think what I like most about the book is the fact that I can really relate to Bella. The thoughts that she has are usually exactly what I am thinking. I will agree that there are quite a few spelling and grammar mistakes, but it didn’t detract from the story very much at all. The only other thing I didn’t like was how obvious the foreshadowing was. I would like to comment on some of the statements that Michele made above. Personally, I like Meyer’s detailed descriptions that allow me to visualize the conversations Bella has with the other characters. The descriptions add to the story and do not by any means take away from it. Also, people need to realize that the book is written from Bella’s perspective. Bella is somewhat of a loner, and loners are often more observative and attuned to other’s thoughts and actions. And Bella’s perspective also explains the underdevelopment of many of her high school friends. She isn’t very interested in them, and so her descriptions reflect that. Lastly, Edward truly loves Bella. Bella questions his interest in her several times throughout the book, so it is not true that “Meyer never gives Bella the awareness needed to see the relationship for what it is.” Bella’s attraction to Edward is even more intense than true love because of Edward’s irresistible qualities, but it is still true love nonetheless.
I loved the whole twilight series Michele probably didn’t read the rest of the books. Bella is in love cut her some slack, so is Edward and it is not stalking if Bella doesn’t care. Edward is a vampire who is like 100 and something years old. Who cares how he speaks. Just because people say they are great books doesn’t mean you have to agree with them. You don’t even HAVE to read the book! How the hell is the book emo? Personally it is NO where near emo. Who died and made you queen, just because you decided you didn’t like doesn’t mean you should tell everyone not to read it.
Do you understand the concept of a book review?
Apparently, they don’t, haha.
WOW…fail I spelt my name with an e. I’M NOT STEPHENIE MEYER, GUYS.
I’m really confused….
I read until i just couldn’t take it anymore…the long list of bad and repetitive adjectives…the “perfection” of Edward Cullen shoved down my throat over and over again…the shallow and dull characters, especially that of Bella Swan…the terrible attempt at a love story… The only thing vaguely interesting was Bella’s relationship with her father and that’s saying very little about the book as a whole.
Good review, you hit the nail on the head several times…
I can understand why it’s popular. Don’t get me wrong, it’s absolute crap, but it allows the reader to live vicariously through Bella. Fourteen year old girls aren’t looking for literary devices and style. It plays on the emotions of young teens. I guarantee you Meyer wasn’t liked by boys in high school.
When I first read it freshman year, I did enjoy it. A lot. Now, a couple years and a hundred books later, I know the difference between good and bad literature. Twilight is like junk food reading. It’s entertaining, but it isn’t good for you.
[...] maligned bestsellers, the books earned their share of literary criticism, much of it legitimate. Reviewers denounced poor editing, slow development, and mediocre writing. Fans of vampire lore balked at the undoing of the genre [...]
well Twilight isnt emo(not once did anyone cut theirself). but i agree with you with the thing about everyone obbesesed with these books? they are good i agree but not fall down love over.
-lOVE bre(:
Michele in case you forgot your teen years, teen girls are like Bella! The want to talk about every detail of a person or event and have obsessions over unobtainable guys. Most girls grow out of that stage as they understand the adult world around them. If you understood teen girls you would “get” the book.
I thought the book was well written and they did a good job with the low budget movie. It is a teen book written from a teens perspective which is a fact many reviewers ignore. Also I am amazed at how many people are fearful of their own sexuality and of a teens emerging sexuality! Bella is 17 after all, a teen turning into a young woman.
your an idiot.
Thank you so much for stating what needed to be said. The only thing worse than Meyer’s descriptions is the horrible or rather lack of characterization.
I tend to feel sorry for the authors with such amazing work out there who never get acknowledged, but crap like Twilight can get published.. No idea in the world how she made it past an editor.
First of all, I am glad we live in The United States of America where we have the freedom to write and read whatever we want. However, with that being said, this is not a book I would re-read nor recommend to anyone. It was a quick and easy read with little substance to slow me down. I felt like I was reading a harlequim romance novel (are those even in circulations anymore?) Secondly, I think there are much better book to “engross” yourself in than this book. My daughter, who is 17, has had trouble getting through Twilight, I now understand why. I suggested she not finish and find something more her style. I must admit I am still confused as to why this book is such a rave. I am all for love stories, don’t get me wrong, but HEALTHY love stories. Where each character is treated honorably. I really don’t like the Edward “idolism” Bella has nor the negitive put downs she constantly says about herself. I couldn’t stand reading the not “worthiness” that iminates throughout this book regarding how Bella feels about herself.
I agree with the author of this review totally (esp the bit about Nickleback - rectal surgery for the ears…). The character of Bella Swan is a feminist’s nightmare whose sole purpose in life is her boyfriend. Add to that that Bella has less personality than a laundry basket, the nauseating “abstinence” subtext and the two dimensional background characters and I am fairly dissapointed with what I thought would be some nice escapism while I was on maternity leave.
When my daughter is old enough for this book I’ll recommend Michael deLarabetti’s “The Borribles” instead.
And please - how many descriptions of teeth can anyone other then an orthadontist stand?
Twilight was a great book. If someone didn’t like it, it is because they are ugly and never have relationships. You have to appreciate love and love boys! Obviously some people don’t, but that does not make this book horrible. You are just ugly =] Sorry you don’t get any!!!
Yes! Finally a reveiw about Twilight that doesn’t doesn’t swoon over a perfect ‘Sparkle Fiend’ (My name for the Twilight vampires) I’m sixteen and I found this book extremely laughable until I got so annoyed. My friends are huge friends of Twilight so when I borrowed it I expected Stephenie Meyer’s writing to be above that of a D average 7th grader.
The Twilight series probably set back Womens rights thirty years.
I agree with every thing you have said here except that you forgot to mention that all the other girls in Twilight (except maybe Alice) are portrayed as shallow and cruel.
Over all I hope Twilight hasn’t scarred the public for life.
That’s what I want to say, first of all.
Secondly, Meyer had a decent storyline on her hands but she ruined it with her (or Bella’s) obsession with Edward’s irritating perfection (the face, the skin, the muscles, the teeth, the eyes, blah blah blah). I mean, the point was driven home in the first half of the first book so why drag it mercilessly throughout the four books?!!!!
Third, it is scary when so many teens and tweens start looking up to the obsessive Bella whose low self-esteem and “over-dependency” on men is a tight slap on feminism.
Fourth, Meyer writes breathlessly (literally) but in the process, she makes so many ghastly errors that it is amazing how the books got approved by an editor.
Fifth, message to fans- read, enjoy, but please don’t look up to Bella as a role model.
oops! the first thing i wanted to say was “Thank you for the review!”
I liked Twilight. It was a fun read.
but I’m definitely not taking it as Shakespeare.
and HELLO, I am so happy to be the only one to realize that theirs was an emotionally twisted relationship.
I am a huge fan of abstinence, but it was so clearly not the focus. It was all about the emo angst. I love me some angst, but not…. so…. much.
Also, if one more person complains that supporting abstinence is setting women back 30 years, I will slap them.
With my mind. Because seriously. If you want to preach open-mindedness, live it for FIVE SECONDS, kthx.
I’m 17 and last year all my friends were reading twilight and I got it as a christmas present. I read it and loved it. I devoured each book one right after the other. And when I finished the fourth and final book I went right back to start reading the original Twilight novel and couldn’t believe how idiotic and mindless I had become over it. I don’t understand what the hell made me think it was a good book. Bella Swan is the Mary Sue of all Mary Sues. I think the reason I became so attached is because everyone else was so in love with it and I wanted to be in love with it too, not to mention the word vampire instantly attracts me ( I was born into a family of Buffy addicts). But after rereading Twilight again, I honestly wonder how this can be considered a classic love saga. Its like a cheep romance novel and not worth the popularity it has attracted.
Well thank you for your review you did bring up some points that I agree on. For example, the repetitive description of Edward’s beauty.
Personally, I found the writing very simple and the plot as a whole could have definitely been more discriptive i.e., more vampire lore. When I began to read the first chapter the first thing I began to think is, “this reminds me of a fanfiction.” That’s truly how it appeared to me, it has been said that it lacks sophistication and I could not agree more.
Yet, I couldn’t help to fall in love with the story nonetheless. I was completely smitten by the love story and Edward that I was able to ignore the writing and come to appreciate the stormy love story. In Bella’s defense, she’s truly, madly in love. An independent woman can easily, and unfortunately just let a man occupy her thoughts no matter how feminist she is.
I really don’t mind how moral Edward was as it wasn’t such a big deal in my opinion. There’s just something about this book, something about Edward Cullen that did not allow me to put the book down. I actually finished all the saga in five days and it was a very interesting read. The obsession that these two people have for each other is just as well since many times one does become obsessed with the one they love.
Not to mention that Meyer was aiming this for teenage girls, yet here I am at age twenty-two completely captured by the story and so is my eleven year old cousin. I am surprised myself at how a highschool book captured my attention this much, and as the story progressed I was never dissappointed by the story… but I’m sorry to say I can’t say the same for the writing.
As the story progressed I would have hoped for more character development, to make the book seem less like a diary… to see in Edward’s perspective. The writing quality did not get any better…
Meyer deserves some credit for having such a great idea, and for it being her first book. I must admit though that no matter how addicting the book was or how entertained I was, the writing style alone does not make this a book one that I would hold such a high regard to. It’s definitely not a book that I would go back to reading as I have to certain HP books. I love the book, I honestly do, but the writer needs to work on her writing because it didn’t change much from book 1-4…
In any case, Twilight is still worth a shot.
Thank you for reading all the way through. Although you’ll never get those hours of your life back, at least know you potentially saved hundreds of other people from the same fate.
We paid big bucks to rent this book for a trip. We wish I’d read your review first. We were trapped listening to tedious description, gushing, little plot action. Not to mention that Bella is constantly lying to her father, her mother, friends and all. I’m wondering what is in the movie version. Perhaps a script writer had more excitement and imagination than Ms. Romance Meyer
This review totally summed up everything I was trying to explain to my husband as to why I didn’t LOVE this book. I’ll admit, it had me hooked. I read it in one day actually (which I never do) but after I closed the back cover I felt so disappointed.
Maybe it was built up too much by my friends who all told me to read it and how much they loved it. But I just couldn’t bring myself to say those same words. I loved Bella’s character for the first half of the book (I’m a clutz myself so I could relate) but it’s so true, after a while ALL she can do with every thought, every moment, every fiber of her being is talk, think, fantasize about Edward. Which I can and can not relate to. Belive me, I’ve been there before (haven’t we all?) but when I’m reading about it, it would be nice to have that constant obsession broken up a little bit with normal real life situations. Granted she’s in a relationship with a Vampire, how real are we talking here.
I guess in the end I really wanted Bella to become a vampire. If Edward is going to keep saying “I’ll be here as long as you need me” well take the hint Edward! She wants you for eternity which only you are fortunate (or perhaps unfortunate) enough to experience. What happens when Bella gets older while Edward remains young and perfect. Will he still love her when she’s old & gray? If she’s so willing to sacrifice human life for love, then hell! Grant it! This is a love story after all.
Maybe I should read the rest of the novels, although I read some descriptions of them and it sounds like I’d be disappointed all the way until Book 4. Not sure I can wait that long.
I feel deeply ashamed for my age group.
Really, are we all this dumb to buy into this?
I love reading, but even I can’t muster up the drive to get past this book. I’ve had it four about for months and have barely gotten into the second chapter I think. Which is rare, I finished most of the Harry Potter books within a month.
And that’s another thing. Harry Potter may not have been the most quality literature, and there were definitely parts that made me go, “Really?”
But the characters were so alive and interesting, even the minor ones. JK did an amazing job of creating a world that was a pleasure to dive into.
However, Mrs. Meyers does nothing but type out her teenaged romance fantasies, and very badly at that.
So thank you for pointing out how wonderful this book is NOT.
Even tho i would have too agree with some of the things you are saying…I believe twilight is one of the best books i have read along with new moon, eclipse, and breaking dawn. Its one of those books you just cant put down because you want to know what happens next…you may think its poorly writen but the actual story is amazing
LOL!!! IDIOT STUPID!!!! LOL!!! classic! seriously LMAO!!!
Anyway, yes, Bella is the most pathetic character i have ever come across, and Shiny Vampires??? wow thats something else. Either way, i will continue to read the books. I get a good laugh at how ridiculous the characters are.
[...] Book review # 3 [...]
i think twilight is a great book. of course, as a Catholic, the Bible is wayy better, but twilight is my favorite non-religious book. i think that breaking dawn is annoying tho because they go wayy too far with everything considering all the abstinence in the first three books. but overall the series is amazing. give it a chance and look at it with an open mind. its refreshing to find teens choosing abstinence rather than “do and go” like real life. obviously its fictional so its not likely to happen in “real life” but as a 12-year old the abstinence is inspiring.
and thats no april fools
I would like to…no actually…I would love to say that I think whoever you are that wrote this is a complete idiot! It’s fine and dandy that you don’t like the book, but someone professional would not slander another professional in the way that you have. I honestly think that is the only thing you have accomplished in this review. If you want to look professional next time, use constructive critsism and not slander!
Oh, and one more thing. I’m at a mere age of 17 and I still see how unprofessional this work is. That just gives you a little something to think about also.
I don’t see why pop “junk” literature is necessarily bad for you. What happened to imagination? I suppose I do have a wild imagination and often fill in the holes for less adept writers. I think Meyer’s work has resonated deeply with so many people because of its themes of sacrifice, mortality, true love, and obsession.
I think you have to look at Meyer’s work both objectively and subjectively. Yes, she is inexperienced and somewhat…turgid in style. Sometimes when reading her work you feel a bit like Bella, tripping all over the place. However, if you really let your imagination run wild and ‘feel’ the characters, I think it’s a fun ride.
Reading Meyer’s work is not life-changing and I would never call Twilight a classic, but it was enjoyable if only in the way it allowed my fancy to take flight.
I enjoyed reading the Twilight Series. I found them quick and enjoyable to read. I’ve also written a review on them. Check it out at http://www.read4fun.today.com
Thank you! I have read the entire Twilight series and I burned them all. I saw them as a total waste of my money. But now I think I should’ve sold it on ebay and to make a couple bucks.
I’m 17 and I see my friends glorifying Edward and having a very unhealthy obsession over him. Frankly, he disgusts me. Some of the lines he said made me laugh and throw up a little in my mouth at the same time. When I hear my friends saying how they would love to have Edward as a boyfriend, I remind them that Edward is a fictional character.
I absolutely despise the book. It lacks any real structure AND its being hailed as the next Harry Potter?
Please!
The very idea disgusts me.
Harry Potter has more plot structure, more twists and dynamic chracters.
A classmate of mine actually looked for symbolisms in Twilight and didn’t find many.
Perhaps it is enjoyable, but that feeling will only last for a short while.
Its a typical teenage romance story, just with sparkly vampires thrown in.
And really… Sparkly vampires? Well on the positive side, they’ll make great disco balls!
Bella is a troubled teen (which teenage girls can all relate to) and Edward is the knight in shining armor/bad boy… The combination that we all want, but won’t in reality.
The entire book screams teenage angst and emo… Its kind of funny if you really think about it.
Whenever someone talks about how “Twilight is the best vampire book ever”, I always get filled with immense hatred because there are better vampire books out there.
Better teenage romance novels too!
I guess all I am trying to say is…
I would stake Edward if I really could and would be more then happy to slap Bella.
P.S.
If you want to read a real vampire book I recommend Dracula or even perhaps Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles such as Interview with the Vampire, Vampire Lestat, Queen of the Damned…
Wonderful series!
I’ve read all the Vampire Chronicles at least five times now and they still have the power to draw me in and keep me interested each time. (I’m currently re-reading Queen of the Damned!)
Another great vampire book is Sunshine by Robin McKinley. A not very well-known vampire novel, but its great! It gives a new, fresh perspective to vampires.
also, was it not a mite disturbing that edward had so much authority and control in the relationship? the only good thing i could glean from isabella swan wanting to be a vampire was that it would make her a little more equal in the relationship. so instead of being picked up and plopped in the passenger seat when she wanted to drive, or be thrown over someone’s shoulder and taken somewhere when she was reluctant to go, she could kick him in his cold, smooth, swooningly perfect vampire balls!!! i haven’t read anything past the first book, but if i were to write book 4 when she becomes a vampire, i would try to make her powers greater and flashier than other vampires, and would also give her a purpose outside of obsession with a boy. maybe she could devote herself to the pursuit of enlightenment, for example. and since she would be around for eternity, she could be a demi-god, helping humankind overcome their earthly attachments, raw hormones and dangerous obsessions, and find more peace. or she could just be a bloody vampire and suck people’s blood! and excel at it! worse than the limited writing for me was the willingness of the star female character to continuously s–t on her own potential.
also, this comment thread was infinitely more entertaining to read than the book.
OMG!!! how could u hate Twilight it is like the best book ever!!!
How can yew possibly say that Twilight was a bad book! YEWR obviously retarded or something. I mean it has romance, suspense, and not to mention it reaches right into the teenage soul. I think yew need to read it again…and if yew dont like it the second time…GO TO THERAPY!
you have no idea how SATISFYING it is to know people agree with my thoughts on how deplorable these books are.
unfortunately, they get worse.
a little bit of me dies every time they are over-praised.
ugh…i feel dirty for having read them
I have read all the above comments, including those who need a good grammar policing *eyes the person who types “yew” instead of “you”..
The adjectives and the less used vocabulary words had me cringing. But hey… I know what Chagrin means.Thank you Ms. Meyers making me look that up!
Hmm my point..I enjoyed everyone’s opinion that took the time to read this reveiw and possibly the books. (I am on the third book). Think each generation has a book or author that really quantifies teen angst. Mine was Judy Blume and the book “Forever” that went through my catholic school like the devil giving out candycanes!
This being her first attempt at completing a book and oh come on people..She’s published and making money for characters that she personalized to please herself- not the general public. I have read her website, wanted to know more about this author who in less than 5 years seen her book protrayed in a movie.
Word for thought…
The critics weren’t kind to Shakespeare when he was making plays and what not. But he is now the classic and most plagiarized author. There’s not a book, movie that has some connection to Shakespeare.
Thank goodness someone agrees with me. I finally decided to find out what all the hype was about and picked it up at the library. My co-workers have been raving about it for months. After making it half way through I just couldn’t take it anymore.
How many times can the same thing be repeated. I became annoyed by Bella’s obsession with Edward. In the beginning of the story I was impressed by Bella’s ability to make her own decisions and be independent. I was disappointed when her character turned into a potential domestic violence victim. That may seem harsh but there’s nothing sexy about the way Edward uses dominance to get Bella’s attention.
I am just glad I didn’t waste my money buying this book. I’m disappointed to know that my co-workers believe this book is worthy of being called great literature.
I’m seventeen. If I met Bella in real life I’d punch her in the face. If I met Edward I’d get a restraining order on the bi-polar sparkly ginger bastard. These are not characters I can relate to.
Sadly there aren’t many I can vent to, the most often-heard excuse for the book being, “It’s fiction, you can do whatever you want!” *sigh*
You’re absolutely right. There’s a lot more to morality than simply abstaining from sex!!! It’s sad to see that a lot of people actually deem this “the best book they’ve ever read.” the only thing that proves is that people need to read a whole lot more. Most of the characters in the book are flat and uninteresting and Bella is actually absolutely unlikeable. She comes across as a person who thinks that most people are not worthy of her attention.
well, Twilight was a book i thought was gay before i read it, BUT once i got half way through the book i got hooked and couldnt put it down. this book is amazinggg.
Your article pointed out every little thing tat was wrong with the book and how I felt about it. I din get the excitement, the chase and the terror. The starting plot is quite weak.
I’m stunned. Not by the book (as good as I thought it to be), but by this review. The only words that kept coming to mind while reading this was “really!?”. I’m stunned about how the critic is confused by how Bella goes from being independent to dependent on Edward. Really?! What is confusing? Have you truly never been in love? It almost leads me to believe that a depressed teen wrote this review. When I met my husband I went from hating the world and being a very education driven hermit, to (for the first time in my life) only wanting to be happily married with kids. Just as in the book, my world did a 180 when I met my husaband. While I should be upset about the critic not being able to see the simple genius in “Twilight”, I only feel pity and sympathy for the critic who wrote this inaccurate review. I hope love one day will find you to.
Sympathetic reviewer, in the first sequel when Edward believes Bella has offed herself he fully intends to do so as well, because “he can’t live in a world where (she) doesn’t exist.” She admits that her life and happiness is fully dependant on his proximity to her. That is *not* a healthy mentality to teach anyone, let alone teens.
i thought it was a fantastic book and was much better then the movie. dont get me rong the movie was great but the book had fantastic details. i somtimes thought i was there. it is one of the best books i have read in a long time. im 16, i love to read and i think your oppignion is very rong. i think u probably read a fake copy of the book or soething bcause this book is amazing!! YOU HAVE 2 READ IT U PPL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love the review, you got a lot of points that I hadn’t thought about much.
Myself, I objected to the fact that there were so many ‘ly’ adjectives on every page that I wanted to strangle someone. A few are ok, but good writers don’t *need* that many of them! It kind of does a disservice to every good writer out there who’s not having these kinds of sales. Each to their own on what they enjoy, however. I think I just am not a fan.
Twilight is the stupidest book in the world I mean she lies about vampires which I think are the flippen bomb and I hate when people lie about them. Stephenie Meyer her wrighting style sucks, I couldn’t even get through the first few pages without throwing the book out my window and its not because I can’t read it because I can, I sit and read Stephen King. Anyone who thinks this a good book needs to read some really vampire books and if you want to know some real vampire books just email me and I will tell you some good ones, or if you want to hear somemore of my complants on her stupid books. Her books will never be as good as Harry Potter.
Well Email me at Giovanni2445@yahoo.com
diz r3vi3w waz awsooooooooooooooooooooooomm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
At last, someone who is not enthralled with Bella!
I love vampire books, but Anne Rice’s in particular. I am a 50 something female not a teen and while I like the books, I am not thrilled with the heroine who I feel is too often rude and antagnoistic to most of the people around her and a self involved “headcase” on top of it all. I am reading the second book in the series and like the Jake character who is a teenaged werewolf, as well as Alice, Carlisle, and Esme from the vampire family. Edward is so so.
Bella is supposed to be smart, but she is, also, unrealistic, impractical, and a danger to herself and others. Unless she becomes a vampire herself she can never safely have any kind of physical relationship with Edward beyond the few careful kisses they share. She is supposed to be 18 not 12! These vampires are like thinking breathing talking statues and they are cold. She would be better off with the werewolf who is her best friend. At least, he’s half human- flesh and blood, and warm. Plus, it was ridiculous that she would not confide in at least one female friend how devastated she was over her breakup with Edward in the second book (not that she had to say that he is a vampire). This is what girls/women do-they talk. I l’m enjoying the books, but they are not very realistic in terms of what real people would do. The series is really better for teens and maybe women who think like them. I’ll take Anne Rice and Kim Harrison over Stephenie Meyer any day!
OK, I have found something else to dislike about these books. I am a vegetarian (still eat fish sometimes) and an active supporter of environmental/wildlife protection. It has been bad enough that the Cullen vampires prey on grizzly bears and mountain lions and that Charlie once made a negative reference to “tree huggers”. In the third book while discussing a possible move to Alaska, Edward suggests that they may possibly kill polar bears and wolves and drink their blood. Bella only objects to the latter because Jake is a werewolf. I can probably guess who the Mormon author of this series voted for in the last election, but if Meyer continued to make these kind of anti-environment/wildlife references in the rest of this series I will have to personally boycott her books in the future.
My first post on a website ever: Great review. I’ve been wondering why this book is touted. It has a compelling plot and the languid build up of the romance is a nice thing in this ADD world. But the writing is just okay — probably good for young teenagers — it’s repetitive and flat for anyone who appreciates language and writing. It’s a page-turner without depth, other than idealistic, blind love, if you think that’s a healthy model for teens.
What disturbed me most about this book is just how predictable it was and yet, people said it is a page turner. I could see things coming that happened in the next book! A lot of my friends praised it, so I got it and began to read. Finished in three hours because I knew I would never pick it up again if I stopped. Seriously, I have written fanfiction with a better plot than that.
Bella is the most annoying and unreasonable character I have ever come across, Book Edward is really stalkerish, as you said, and simply creepy. Pattinson is hot though. I love his voice!
I love both vampire novels and trashy romance novels, but this book was a disgrace to both genres.
Ok that was nice. But its a love story and the way you adjectized bella is the way a lot f girls are and Edward is from another time and is in love. No one knows edward until Midnightsun comes out and I guess this is a book that can make no sense but young adults need something to fantasize about and bella is obsessive because she is in LOVE. young adoring and obsessive love. who wouldn’t be obsessed w/ a cullen?
Thank you!
I just read all 4 twilight books this week.
For a story that is supposed to be romantic, there is nothing more than juvenile sexual attraction to Bella and Edward’s relationship. If I had to read one more repetitive sentence about ‘topaz eyes’ and ‘alabaster skin,’ those books were going in the dumpster!
And forget classifying this as suspenseful! I must be a psychic vamp like Alice because I too could see the future - and it was a horribly uneventful and PREDICTABLE story. Nothing was new or fresh or different. Seriously, did anyone think this was suspenseful? If so, you must have NEVER read a book prior to Twilight.
Perhaps because I am well read and well educated and not a whiny 17 year old, I am unable to appreciate the story. Or maybe its because the cliche series reads like cheap fan fiction.
Unlike the last poster, I’m a whiny 17 year old. I happen to be well read in the classics (a lot of Shakespeare, as well as Dante’s Divine Comedy, and some of the more modern classics, such as Catch-22, which is absolutely brilliant), and I must say, these books are utterly terrible. They pale in the face (pun intended) of conventional, fresh, and unique storytelling. The plot is supposedly about some great and wonderful love story between a girl I came to loath around page 12, and her magical not-really-a-vampire vampire boyfriend.
I want to make this abundantly clear: VAMPIRES DO NOT SPARKLE IN THE SUN. THEY TURN TO ASH AND DIE. THEY SMELL LIKE DEATH BECAUSE THEY SLEEP IN GRAVEYARD SOIL, THEIR BREATH SMELLS LIKE BLOOD, AND ARE BASICALLY WALKING CORPSES. THERE IS NOTHING ATTRACTIVE ABOUT SOMETHING THAT CAN KILL YOU AND IS NATURALLY MOVED TO DO SO.
Now that my rant is done, the real part.
Edward is abusive, the vampires have superfluous powers that lend nothing story-wise, the story itself is sorely wanting for any sort of compelling factors. There is not a single positive factor for me to state about the books, other than that I learned a couple of nice places for the word ‘ochre’. Bella was needy, if not totally useless without Edward, and she was clearly obsessed with him. Edward was so aloof it was like their relationship was one-sided, and he was never in any case thinking of her past ‘I don’t want to kill you’. I absolutely abhorred this book.
you like it or you don’t! why does everyone against it care so much!?
Ok so i read the books. All I can say is that while I cant write to that level of detail both me and my friend (who is a NORMAL, NON-VAMPIRE OBSESSED teenage girl) can only say this.
SHE IS A MAGICAL CREATURE HOE! ENOUGH SAID AND DATE SOMEONE NORMAL BELLA!
Now I have said my piece so please don’t think every single teenage girl understands this book.
I hate the book so much! I totally agree with you! I’m half way through and I can’t even believe I got that far. I want to throw the book at the wall! I’m reading it for my English class and my Teacher said I can’t start a new book until I finished this one. Now I’m supposed to write a reaction to a review of the book. I think I’ll be using yours. TWILIGHT SUCKS!
I tried giving Twilight a try, but after 5 long agonizing chapters, I was thru and chucked it at the wall. It’s trash. I had the same thought that others were thinking: it’s fan fiction! I love my vampire stories but this wasn’t it. As a writer, I’m appalled that this got published! Why her and not me?!?!?! I’m back to writing even more now–my stuff will be better than this schlock. As better schlock, no doubt, hahaha!
Yes.
I read the entire freaking series. hated it. burned the books too. good thing i got them for free.
Excuse me for saying this, but I totally don’t know WHAT u r talking about. twilght is making reluctant teen readers everywhere REALLY READ. iF U DON’T APPRECIATE GOOD BOOKS, OR IF U DON’T CARE THAT PEOPLE LOVE THIS BOOK, AND SOME WHO hate READING NEVER PUT IT DOWN, than guess what? Who cares i will pass it on to my daughter, and I am more than sure that she will pass it on to her’s, and so on. Meyer has really created something here, but u don’t even want to acknowledge that. Some people don’t want to open their eyes and read this, and thanks to u, lots of ppl won’t even try the best book ever. I am sticking by twilight, and if u fan killers refuse to even look at it, fine. see if i care.
OMG! Like I can’t get why everyone is like so like I mean REALLY don’t care that like Bellaedward (Edwardbella?) is forever if only they are like REALLY gonna not want to touch and beonly the most erotic emo to dish up like Harry Potter crzey times that slow-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-w-ly boredom drives away, U know? WOW! Can this be real alasbaSTERD SKINLY? O CHER man, I get only so sparkly myself. And now, I go to sleep and have the neversleeping listen to the new aunsis of my boring sleepliness.
Whether or not you love or hate this franchise, you have to admit that it is strangely compelling. Why do we spend so much time delineating the virtues of the characters, the “true” characteristics of a vampire or the quality of the writing? Somehow, it has touched off a debate that is hard to leave alone. It looks you straight in the face and dares you to remain uninvolved. I cannot understand why it matters to me whether Bella is spoiled and self-centered, whether Edward is controlling or simply no longer human and why any of that counts in the grand scheme of things. I do think, for what it is worth, that this is an incredibly erotic book for all of the lack of physical consummation. And that touches off another debate, etc., etc., etc. The book has brought out something in a great number of people that is perhaps good to discover, about our views of what it is to be alive and interacting with others and what we believe in at a very personal and intimate level. That does not mean it is well-written, correct, without grammatical errors or overuse of toothful adjectives. But like a rock in the road, it is there and we have responded to it. That is pretty powerful in and of itself. Do I like the book? Well, Bella is a self-centered, self-involved character, and I have definitely met people like that and do not like them. But the test of liking the book seems to be whether I put it down or not. In spite of the shortcomings, I found it an interesting take of teen angst. Is it about sexual restraint? Hardly. About control? Of course. Are those issues of interest to you?…………….
I totally agree with yu. Bella’s dependancy on Edward is sick, it takes the relationship to an obsessive like turn. I find Alice quite more interesting than Bella , and Jasper much more likable than Edward. The characters are not deep,and are either black or white, sad or happy, they hate or love, I feel like Meyer wrote a longer/worst version of Daughters of Darkness ( by L.J. Smith) I knew what the end of the book was going to be as soon as I got to the Meadow chapter. The book is predictable , highly over rated.
I won’t read it again.
Here’s the thing about the girls saying they “relate to Bella”: SHE HAS NO PERSONALITY. They can simply slip into her shoes and have wet dreams about a fictional character stalking them.
Plus, you don’t see Harry Potter fans scratching forheads into a lightning bolt shape, do you?
Yeah, some Twilight fans did something like that for RPatts.
They scratched their necks ’til the BLED.
Twi-Tards are scary, Twi-Moms: doubly so.
The writing, as the author of this review said, was absolutely horrible, and I wish the Twi-Fans would just realize it.
Also, I can’t help but notice that the people saying the review is wrong constantly use “u” instead of “you” and make other grammatical errors as well.
I hate the argument against twilight where people say
”no guy would act like that”
”it gives false ideas about relationships”
etc, etc
apart from the whole vampire, watching her sleep, sparkle in the sun, all for eternity thing, is it so hard to believe that a guy would actually be a gentleman to a girl for once? Is it so hard to believe that a real guy would fully commit his heart to a woman he has a connection with? Is is so wrong for a woman to wish she could find a man who would treat her like she was a Queen? I’m no love expert but many women always complain about guys not caring for them enough, not interested enough, not calling enough, and blah blah blah, etc etc.
call me crazy but I didn’t think ed and bella had the perfect relationship, which is something I hear alot as a criticism. Bella and ed get frustrated with each other sometimes, they disagree, edward is too overprotective sometimes, he overthinks things all the time. I think the people who call ed and bellas relationship perfect don’t know how to pick up clues from a book and look at the evidence.But wait-I thought Twilight was such an easy read and it is too straightforward?So how are all these people mistaking ed and bellas relationship as perfect? So either the book is not as straightforward or spoonfed as some might think, or edward and bellas relationship isn’t as perfect as everyone thinks. People who are claiming this is bad lit aren’t even looking at whats happening in the story and deriving their conclusions-they are going off of what they read on the surface.
Hey there!
I’m a 17 year old guy and I can tell you that my friends at school are pretty much knee deep in twilight. I first got the chance to watch the film last December, and I thought it wasn’t bad. I started the book with some form of expectation.
Big mistake. It was alright until Bella met Edward. The entire narration of the relationship was awkward. Edward more or less DID stalk Bella, who seemed to be loving every minute. IMHO there was no feel of the romance developing at all, just Bella talking about Edward’s hair, and teeth, and arms, and smell, and face, and eyes, and nose… again and again and again, and Edward indecisively hovering between stalking her and avoiding her, ‘for her own good’.
Say whatever you want to say, but I can’t help agreeing with most of Michele’s review. The concept is beautifully conceived, but (maybe it’s because i’m a guy) the story seems to be a really thick volume of Bella drooling over him. I haven’t bothered reading past Twilight, so i can’t comment on the series as a whole. The movie, though, wasn’t that bad. Perhaps because Bella’s thoughts are kept to herself there. The first time I’ve seen the movie beat the book.
A good book? Maybe. But one no self-respecting guy/serious reader I know would ever dig.
Peace,
Alex
[...] Dedicated to Michele Catalano [...]
Totally right man! I tried to read this ( The girl that i was dating loves this book) and it is like they said in Time” …she never used a sentence when she could use a paragraph instead…” The author totally broke every vampire rule that has ever been and this guy would be in jail in reality. HE’S A STALKER PEOPLE!!!!
Thank you very much for this review. It is encouraging to see that there are people out there that look past the surface of the book.
I’m 18 and have been hesitant to begin this series for a couple years now, mostly because I found myself irritated by the hype that it was receiving. I would often condemn the book when it was brought up in conversation with criticisms based upon speculation, but felt bad when I admitted to never reading it. Just recently, my best friend began reading the series and has become obsessed, and to my dismay has joined in with the Twilight discussions that go nowhere. She lent me the first of the series and I began immediately, curious to find what makes it so appealing.
The first page was reminiscent of a journal entry I had written in second grade. Her poor word choice, flat descriptions, and absolute lack of passion carried out through the absurd length of the book. Meyers writing does gradually improve as the “story” moves along, but that is not at all something to be proud of. Good literature is consistent; a novel requires a strong beginning, middle, and end, which Twilight does not have. There is zero character development with any of the characters, which is something I’ve discovered to be part of the genius of the series. Teens become obsessed because Meyers has made it excruciatingly easy for them to fall into the rickety framework of Bella, and to feel mentally safe in the arms of the controlling, demeaning Edward.
This is not a story of love. There is no true connection between the two, for her obsession is based upon his outward appearance. His obsession is based upon her scent and the fact that he can’t figure her out. Is this a strong, healthy basis for a relationship? Frankly its stomach-turning and sorrowful that so many teens believe what the shallow couple have is love. There is no equality, respect, communication, or understanding between them. Only mere infatuation.
Sorry for how long this was, but I just now finished Twilight and had to get a rant out. By the way, anyone that says this is the “best book I’ve ever read!”, please, I beg you, read something more than trivial little teen novels. Just because its long, does not make it intellectual.
i agree with everything you said, these stupid little twilight fans that come on and call you stupid are funny, i have read all the twilight books and seen the movie and didn’t really find them amazing at all, and I’m not ugly.
haha okay I’m going to be honest. i’m 15. i’m a published poet. I know something about literature. Not a lot, but something. And yet I have read every single twilight book (multiple times) and I have seen the movie. i will most likely see the second one. And I’m a wee bit ashamed. Because everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, in this and other articles like it is absolutely true. Meyer is a horrible writer, the plot is pointless and fulll of holes, the book is most definately an “overwrought emo song told in prose.” But that is exactly why I like it. I spend most of my days reading Shakespeare, Vonnegut, Braudigan, Bronte, and Thoreau, but every now and then who doesn’t want to pick up a nice ol’ “emo song” to crack open. I mean really the book isn’t the devil, it’s just kind of stupid.