adult take on Twilight
Thursday, August 28, 2008 by kate
This week, two guest reviewers are taking on Stephenie Meyer's book Twilight, which is being turned into a movie and hits theaters this November. On Tuesday, high-school junior Ashley DiFranza shared her take on the novel, and corporate mom Dee Murray joins Book Break today:
By guest contributor Dee Murray
“Just because I can’t taste the wine, doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy the bouquet …”
Edward Cullen, says to Bella, in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight
It’s full of corny lines more suited to Harlequin Romance Novels and some big words no one uses in real conversation (count how many times the word ‘incredulous’ is used in this book … it’s … incredulous!) Stephenie Meyer’s writing debut Twilight redeems itself with a breathtaking storyline and two outrageously passionate main characters who take unconventional romance to an entirely new level.
Book 1 in Meyer’s Twilight series was released nearly 4 years ago, but has recently been thrust into the spotlight again, thanks to the Twilight movie due out in November (moved up from a December release date, thanks to the pushback of the 6th Harry Potter movie) and the recent release of the final book in the four-part series, Breaking Dawn.
Even though the average age of those reading Twilight is more in tune to a Jonas Brothers fan club, Meyer’s teen dream duo of the no-more-than average Isabella Swan and dark, mysterious Edward Cullen can entrance even the most hardened board-room wheeler and dealer.
The story follows Isabella Swan through relocation to Forks, Washington – a rainy, dank small town outside of Seattle, where she decides to live with her father, who’s police chief of the not-so-fare hamlet. Bella, who was just average in the beauty-ridden city of Phoenix, immediately catches the eyes of several of the Forks boys, but spurns them all in the hopes of understanding the solemn, reclusive Edward Cullen – the middle kid in a rich doctor’s family. Mystery surrounds the Cullens and their separateness; their standoffish behavior and their super-modelish beauty.
Bella and Edward are drawn to each other but in a very dangerous way – as Bella discovers shortly after arriving in Forks, that Edward and his family are vampires – vegetarian ones (they don’t drink human blood).
It’s easy to go on and on about the plot twists, analyzing the relationship between Bella and Edward and Edward and the rest of his family. But in the name of sheer entertainment and character development, it’s just not necessary. Meyer does a brilliant job of telling you what you need to know, painting a beautiful picture of danger, mystery and wanting – and she does it in a way that constantly leaves a reader needing more (not wanting more … NEEDING more).
Her character development of Bella Swan is right on – she’s an average girl with insecurities, less-than-average beauty (at least that’s what she thinks) and is quite talentless. Meyer taps into the awkwardness of almost all of us during our teen years and portrays it wantingly and matter-of-factly – as if something key is missing.
Then comes Edward: The dangerous, beyond beautiful boy (Meyers’ constantly describes him as beautiful vs. cute or handsome – in an effort to convey the unconventional perfection of his looks). Meyer sets up the expectation of him being dangerous and kind of unstable in a very seductive way giving just enough info to really start falling for him – before the two have even really met. She further develops his character into a powerful, indestructible vampire who has finally found his only weakness – Bella.
After several chapters, a reader will discover Edward is actually more than 80 years old – which attributes to his old-fashioned ideas and some of the beyond-corny things he says (the “bouquet” phrase being only one) … and even though it most definitely makes a reader roll her eyes, it’s understandable. Meyer develops Edward through showing him as a needy boyfriend, an over-protective defender and a soft-hearted teenager. But all of this has the overtone of a character wise beyond his years – so it all works.
Meyer even throws in the ‘action’ twist, which adds a sense of excitement to the book (not quite as action-packed as a Batman/Joker sequence ... but hey … what could be?) She is methodical in her pacing of the book – its highs and lows – and allows it to deliver in a way that is satisfying, yet still thirsty.
OK yeah. It’s sappy. The stories are slightly predictable and at times, the writing is a little obnoxious and calculated. But the bottom line is Twilight's addictive. Meyer has written an entire world a reader can get lost in – obsess about even (Um, this reader finished all four books in less than 7 days).
So readers beware. There really isn’t a natural ‘pause point’ in this book – it’s a huge temptation to finish it without sleep, without food and without interruption … so plan accordingly. And while you’re at it, make sure to have New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn handy … because they’re all the exact same way … no sleeping required.
Edward Cullen, says to Bella, in Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight
It’s full of corny lines more suited to Harlequin Romance Novels and some big words no one uses in real conversation (count how many times the word ‘incredulous’ is used in this book … it’s … incredulous!) Stephenie Meyer’s writing debut Twilight redeems itself with a breathtaking storyline and two outrageously passionate main characters who take unconventional romance to an entirely new level.
Book 1 in Meyer’s Twilight series was released nearly 4 years ago, but has recently been thrust into the spotlight again, thanks to the Twilight movie due out in November (moved up from a December release date, thanks to the pushback of the 6th Harry Potter movie) and the recent release of the final book in the four-part series, Breaking Dawn.
Even though the average age of those reading Twilight is more in tune to a Jonas Brothers fan club, Meyer’s teen dream duo of the no-more-than average Isabella Swan and dark, mysterious Edward Cullen can entrance even the most hardened board-room wheeler and dealer.
The story follows Isabella Swan through relocation to Forks, Washington – a rainy, dank small town outside of Seattle, where she decides to live with her father, who’s police chief of the not-so-fare hamlet. Bella, who was just average in the beauty-ridden city of Phoenix, immediately catches the eyes of several of the Forks boys, but spurns them all in the hopes of understanding the solemn, reclusive Edward Cullen – the middle kid in a rich doctor’s family. Mystery surrounds the Cullens and their separateness; their standoffish behavior and their super-modelish beauty.
Bella and Edward are drawn to each other but in a very dangerous way – as Bella discovers shortly after arriving in Forks, that Edward and his family are vampires – vegetarian ones (they don’t drink human blood).
It’s easy to go on and on about the plot twists, analyzing the relationship between Bella and Edward and Edward and the rest of his family. But in the name of sheer entertainment and character development, it’s just not necessary. Meyer does a brilliant job of telling you what you need to know, painting a beautiful picture of danger, mystery and wanting – and she does it in a way that constantly leaves a reader needing more (not wanting more … NEEDING more).
Her character development of Bella Swan is right on – she’s an average girl with insecurities, less-than-average beauty (at least that’s what she thinks) and is quite talentless. Meyer taps into the awkwardness of almost all of us during our teen years and portrays it wantingly and matter-of-factly – as if something key is missing.
Then comes Edward: The dangerous, beyond beautiful boy (Meyers’ constantly describes him as beautiful vs. cute or handsome – in an effort to convey the unconventional perfection of his looks). Meyer sets up the expectation of him being dangerous and kind of unstable in a very seductive way giving just enough info to really start falling for him – before the two have even really met. She further develops his character into a powerful, indestructible vampire who has finally found his only weakness – Bella.
After several chapters, a reader will discover Edward is actually more than 80 years old – which attributes to his old-fashioned ideas and some of the beyond-corny things he says (the “bouquet” phrase being only one) … and even though it most definitely makes a reader roll her eyes, it’s understandable. Meyer develops Edward through showing him as a needy boyfriend, an over-protective defender and a soft-hearted teenager. But all of this has the overtone of a character wise beyond his years – so it all works.
Meyer even throws in the ‘action’ twist, which adds a sense of excitement to the book (not quite as action-packed as a Batman/Joker sequence ... but hey … what could be?) She is methodical in her pacing of the book – its highs and lows – and allows it to deliver in a way that is satisfying, yet still thirsty.
OK yeah. It’s sappy. The stories are slightly predictable and at times, the writing is a little obnoxious and calculated. But the bottom line is Twilight's addictive. Meyer has written an entire world a reader can get lost in – obsess about even (Um, this reader finished all four books in less than 7 days).
So readers beware. There really isn’t a natural ‘pause point’ in this book – it’s a huge temptation to finish it without sleep, without food and without interruption … so plan accordingly. And while you’re at it, make sure to have New Moon, Eclipse and Breaking Dawn handy … because they’re all the exact same way … no sleeping required.
Labels: book review, Twilight
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I’m a coffee addict with a book fetish. I dream of having a third hand so I can sip my double-tall nonfat-no-whip toffee nut latte and turn pages at the same time. Really neat book covers call to me. When I'm not working as an editor for Captivate Network, I'm scurrying around town, looking for fuel to feed my inner bookworm.
