Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Twilight, book review

It’s just possible that I am among the last of the human species to read Stephenie Meyer's Twilight, but there’s a reason.

I had it pretty well pegged. It was a lot like reading a Harlequin Romance with vampires.

My fourteen year old had tried to warn me with his assessment. “Mom, it’s an amazingly plotless chick book.” He hadn’t finished it by the time I picked it up a few days ago. I have to add that all the action he is looking for is after his bookmark wedged interminably at page 382.

I will admit that when I was a fourteen year old, I read Harlequin Romances – more like ate them voraciously. In doing so, I quickly realized the formula and rarely looked back. So I can completely see why a bunch of fourteen year old girls would be completely enamored of Twilight. However, I am bewildered by the fascination it holds for adults. Although I can see how someone could laze on the beach and finish the series in summer vapid reading.

But it’s really not my kind of book. It seems all that drama could have been taken care of much more intensely in less than half of the nearly 500 page tome - and left me more inclined to purchase the rest of the series.

I bet in this case, the movie is better. Not something I usually would say, book lover that I am. But I am a movie lover, too.

6 comments:

  1. That's how I felt - if you're not 13, it sucked. And I can see where a 100 year old man might want to (ahem) a 17 year old girl, but fall in LOVE with her like that? Um, no. As we age, we require more than a cute body and ridiculous high school type drama to keep us interested. Since Meyer never gets around to telling us what's so dang 'special' about Bella, anyway, the whole relationship makes no sense whatsoever.

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  2. i know! and what's this whole thing about her fainting at the smell of blood business, anyway? if it's supposed to be a clue about her (along with the pale skin) then she must have the.worst.periods.ever. why aren't those in the book? and if they're so insepearble and that whole shark frenzy thingie, then why hasn't he ...oh, i am thinking way to much about this!

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  3. nah, you're not the last of the species to read it.... I'm holding out for that distinction! and with no pending plans to read it. i even got to hear meyer speak at a SCBWI conference but was still unconvinced it would be worth my time -- i've heard enough responses like yours....

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  4. good for you, jen...i was duped into it. buying it, too.

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  5. Out of curiosity, I bought Twilight in paperback a few months ago. I wanted to see what all the hype was about. I thought the book was okay but definitely something I would have enjoyed more as a teenager.

    My husband and I just watched the movie tonight. Stayed true to the book for the most part. I had fun watching it because I love watching movies based on books I've read and seeing how they come to life.

    My husband pretty much summed it up for me. He said Twilight is to today's teenagers what The Lost Boys was to us. Hm.

    I don't have any interest in reading any more of the series, but I will probably watch the movies. Maybe.

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  6. i just suggested to my dh to maybe watch it tonight, and he said, no way. over course we just finished the first seaon of true blood

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