And with that, Twilight was conquered. I'm one-fourth of the way through this epic saga of sparkles and chagrins, so how has it been so far?
It's time for a little honesty. This hasn't been something I'd enjoy reading if it weren't for the humor I can get out of writing about it, but we all knew that going into this. If you aren't either a 15-year-old girl, or someone who has been a 15-year-old girl at some point in their life, Twilight isn't for you.
And there are things that are quite objectionable: the absolutely ridiculous nature of the "vampires" in this series (SPARKLE!), the less than wonderful messages about relationships it might send to young girls (remember ladies, following you out of town and watching you sleep without your knowledge is only creepy or controlling if he's not hot), and the inability of Stephenie Meyer to be subtle in the slightest about anything (did you know that Bella is clumsy? And Edward is perfect? And they may possibly have feelings for each other?). All of these factors add up to a book that is, quite frankly, not very good.
However...
If Twilight were just another novel that were sitting in the young adult section or fantasy section of your local bookstore, I feel pretty confident that nobody would spend any time bashing it. It's pretty much on par for bland, mediocre genre fiction that should have simply gotten lost in the crowd. It was certainly good enough to get published, but it feels like one of those books who should have sold a few thousand copies, or at best developed a cult following, and was never heard from again.
But for some reason, it wasn't. Maybe it picked the right topic at the right time, or maybe the wish fulfillment aspects really connect with a segment of women for whatever reason. And it's not like there aren't any redeemable aspects of the books; a few of the characters (particularly Alice and Carlisle) are genuinely well-written and interesting, and the setup is good enough that there's often the potential for awesomeness right around the corner.
Sadly, the two main characters are probably also my two least favorite characters in the whole book, and that awesomeness is the proverbial carrot on a stick, always just out of reach. But if for whatever reason, you disagreed on those two points -- or if you're just a sucker for vampires in any form and over-the-top "romance" -- it's not hard to see why you might have enjoyed the book.
That said, if you're a typical adult guy, don't read the book, unless like me you just needed to see the horror yourself to believe it. Or, just read all the summaries I've been posting over the last couple weeks, which (I hope) should entertain you a little more than the source material. But at the same time, don't be entirely shocked if your wife, girlfriend, sister, friend who forced you to take all the books home with you, or daughter enjoys them -- especially on the "I know they suck BUT I CAN'T STOP!" level.
In summary: Twilight is really bad, but it's not totally incomprehensible as to why many women seem to get into it.
Next stop, New Moon, which I've been told that even a lot of fans of the series hate. Oh boy.
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Ed, i love the way you think, because it sort of sounds like what I was thinking when I was reading it.... except I WAS a 15 yr old girl once, and I still found Edward creepy, and Bella horribly whiny and annoying. The next book is the worst by far in my opinion too. I am going to bet you will probably enjoy the last one the most (b/c thats the only one I liked - only because it seemed a lot more interesting to read and seemed to have more action than the 1st three..but falls a little flat at the end.) And your right, Meyer writes in a way that is pure leisure reading, however, she could have done SO MUCH MORE with the story. I can't help but think of all the missed opportunities to have actual story and plot but she decides to just be in whiny Bella's head most of the time. Ah well. looking forward to more reviews!
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