Subscribe to Our Feed!I didn’t want to read it. It, of course, being the Twilight series. Oh, that’s right. I ended up reading all four books. But it’s really not my fault. The fault rests on the shoulders of my friend’s husband. Here’s how the story goes:
He got her the book for Christmas. It wasn’t her style but she didn’t want to return it either. So, she started reading it. She liked it. After she finished it, she brought it to our weekly friend coffee get-together and tried to pawn it off on me. I laughed and said a firm no. Our other friend (whom some of you are getting to know) said that she’d read it first. I said, “I’ll read it if she likes it.”
Fail. That sentence would come back to haunt me.
Not only did she like it, she loved it. She immediately devoured the rest of the series. I was trapped. I put off reading the first book for about a month as I finished up some review books and procrastinated to the best of my ability. One night I found myself with no books left to read. At that point, I figured I wouldn’t get past the first chapter or two and could say that I tried. The first night found me 100 pages in and not hating it yet. I eventually liked it and finished it. Don’t judge me.
That’s not to say that I feel the book is well-written. It wasn’t. It drove the writer-and-editor portion of my brain slightly insane. But I finished it. I then began the second book, New Moon, and struggled through it for longer than it usually takes me to tackle a book, however long. I hated it. I mean, I hated it with the passion of a thousand suns. My two “friends” (if you can call them that) encouraged me that the third book, Eclipse, was much better and that the third and fourth books wouldn’t make sense if I didn’t read that (horrible) second book. I think the pages of the books must be laced with crack cocaine to make my two very intelligent friends spout such nonsense but, as per usual, I trusted their opinions. Perhaps the crack cocaine laced pages got to me as well.
I got to procrastinate the reading of Eclipse for a few weeks as I had to endure show week and three performances and the necessary time for recuperation. Once able to keep my eyes open, I read the third book in the teen vampire series. I didn’t feel one way or the other about this particular book. It was in this book, however, that I decided that I don’t really like vampire fight scenes. While not overly gory in this series, I just don’t enjoy the anxiety that builds with the setup of the fight and the worry that accompanies it all. While these vampires are “vegetarians” in their own right, I’d really prefer if they were also 100% pacifists. Make vampire love, not newborn war and all that jazz. But, alas, I survived Eclipse and immediately began Breaking Dawn.
Now, I didn’t hate Breaking Dawn. In fact, when it ended, I felt pleased. Everything wrapped up nicely with a tight little bow surrounding the words, not used in the other three, “the end.” Then something washed over me. It wrapped up too neatly. Like when family sitcoms dramas try to solve the problem by the end of their 30 to 60 minutes, minus commercials. It just doesn’t seem possible. Of course, one might argue that it is a book about vampires and therefore any legitimate form of possibility is tossed out the window. Still, it was too neatly closed and speaks volumes about the simplistic writing. Furthermore, this book, perhaps more than the other three, left such huge gaps in the story-telling that I wanted to scream. All four of the books, of course, annoy me in this way but this last book really had some glaring gaps that left me rolling my eyes.
And so, the question remains, what did this sci-fi-genre-avoiding, non-young-adult think of a young adult series in what I would call the “Sci Fi Light” genre? I didn’t hate it. I maintain that I never would have read them at all if it wasn’t for my friend’s husband. It’s just not my thing. I do, however, talk about sparkling in the sunlight now and make too many references to being a vampire. As such, you could probably say that I liked the story. I will clarify that by saying that I liked the story but almost hated the writing. One of my friends said that they were books that didn’t make you think and that’s why she liked them. For me, my editor brain was on overdrive. The writing really killed the series for me. Thankfully the story itself kept me afloat until that last page.
So, why did I keep reading? What won it for me? When it comes down to it, couldn’t we all use an Edward? I did feel kind of swoony about how he looked in my head. (I refuse to watch the movie even yet because I find the actor who plays Edward to be in desperate need of a haircut. The vampire in my mind was clean cut, for Pete’s sake.) If FireDad was a vampire, I’d change for him. (I said the same thing about the movie City of Angels. If he was a human and I was an angel, I would have fallen.) And that, in the end, is why I kept on keeping on through the last page of the four book series. I don’t regret having read it as I can now annoy my husband with references to vampires. But I wouldn’t read them again. I’m still not sure that I’ll watch this movie either. Or the next three.
But, seriously, have you ever seen my pale skin in the sun? Are you sure that I’m not a vampire?
18 Responses to “My Experience with Twilight (or, Do I Sparkle in the Sun?)”
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I too hesitated reading Twilight. I had the first book for 6 weeks under my bed before I got desperate enough for reading material that I opened the book.
And now I would say I am hooked. The books, the movies: love love love.
Now I COMPLETELY agree that it looks like Mr. Edward needs a haircut in real life. He does, actually. BUT you need to watch the movie. With the exception of one or two scenes that are OVER THE TOP CHEESY, I loved the movie. He was HOT in the movie. Hot hot hot.
If you really really don’t want to…. yeah, I still think you should see the movie. Edward is hot.
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FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 8:36 am
I don’t know. I mean… I own the movie. I bought it before I read book two or I wouldn’t have done such a thing. I just really am not attracted to the actor. He really ruins it for me. I suppose I’ll eventually watch it when I run out of other books to read but… ugh. At least it isn’t Johnny Depp. HA!
I didn’t hate the way it was written; it’s not exactly literature, for sure, but I was able to enjoy the story without my editor-brain getting too caught up in little things — and I think that helped matters a lot. The story is engaging, there is some fun dialogue, and by the time you’re into Eclipse, you know the characters well enough that you’re at least curious to know how it turns out in the end.
After the first book, I was prepared to leave it at that. What changed the game for me was reading Midnight Sun – the retelling of the first book from Edward’s POV. Being able to get inside Edward’s head rather than Bella’s gave both characters a new appeal to me. Unfortunately Midnight Sun was leaked online while still an unedited partial draft, so it would probably continue to do bad things to your editor-brain — that said, I actually thought the writing was generally better, either for increased experience in writing or possibly for not having been to Meyer’s editor.
I agree that the series ended too neatly. I would have liked to see a bit more action, maybe even have a couple of the minor characters (and certainly a couple of the more obnoxious Volturi) killed off. Unfortunately I also felt that it would be rough to do this without exposing enough weaknesses that we’d end up with a deeply unsatisfying “and everybody died” ending.
Would I read them again? Did already.
Will I read them a third time? Unlikely.
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FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 8:46 am
I don’t plan on ever turning my editor brain off just to enjoy something. It’s a part of who I am and why should I change who I am or how I do things just to enjoy something. If something doesn’t appeal to my whole self, then it simply doesn’t.
My second evil friend was telling me about Midnight Sun and, as I’m her editor and sheE noticed the writing issues, I have no desire to subject myself to it. HA!
I actually found the dialogue to be grating at times. I really, really hate cheesy dialogue exchanges and all four books were packed full with them in one way or another. I’d really rather see authors avoid dialogue than attempt it and flub it to no end.
I will admit that I was curious as to how it would end, which is why I read. I will admit that the story itself was engaging, as I said. But I simply couldn’t get past the writing. And that’s okay. To each their own.
I had just about the same experience – our book club picked the first one and then I just got roped into the storyline. There is something about the style that I dislike but have never been able to put my finger on, and I like how you articulated it – I think my problem is similar. But I just got the fourth book and I’m keeping it for our vacation, when I’m sure I’ll stay up way to late finishing it.
You must watch the movie, I think you can get beyond his hairstyle – it’s very entertaining. And he is easy on the eyes…
FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 9:44 am
See, he’s really not my style. Nothing about him appeals to me. Sigh.
SPOLILER ALERT!
Giggle, Giggle, Giggle! I can read in between the lines! You are hooked on vampires, but want to write a better book about them. You can write the “edited and well-written’ version of how Reneseme and Jacob fall in love and have little wolf-babies.
You do seem to have an aversion to the summer months…
FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 10:14 am
Perhaps that is why I do hate summer so very much. Good point. And I could write a better book. If I was actually a vampire and had all that free time at night! Right?! RIGHT?!
I hated Twilight and would not read another of Meyer’s books unless I were paid. A lot of money. That’s not me judging anything, just to be clear; that’s me having an opinion. I still like (even still love) people who loved Twilight. I can’t say it’s not my thing because I love Harry Potter books, Stephen King, and a lot of sci/fi (I don’t think Twilight qualifies in any way to any level as sci/fi) and fantasy stuff (Guy Gavriel Kay comes to mind, and Neil Gaiman). But there were so many many flaws with Twilight I could not stand it. I can’t believe I finished it I hated it so much.
And if that puts me on the Twilight fans s&*( list, I can live with that.
ciao,
rpm
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FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
I tend to lump fantasy and sci-fi together because neither appeal to me. At all. Ever. And I’ll join you on their poop lists!
THANK YOU! That is just how I felt about the books. I could. not. stop. literally groaning out loud at the language. Story? Addictive as hell. But the writing was horrid. I hated myself for not being to stop reading.
As for Edward – I agree. The actor holds no appeal for me whatsoever. None. I always pictured Edward as Wes Bentley (played Jane’s neighbor in American Beauty). Not that I’ll ever see the movie (cast all wrong!), or read the books again. But I can say I’m glad I’ve read them once, if for nothing more than to get all the cultural references (and drop a few of my own).
Have you tried the Thursday Next series (by Jasper Fforde)? Completely on the other end of the spectrum.
Katie in MAs last blog post..Love might grow up, but it can never be outgrown.
FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
I mean, seriously. He is not attractive to me at all! Then again, my friends berate me constantly for not adoring Johnny Depp (whom, in my opinion, is in serious need of a bath and a haircut as well).
I’m glad someone else read it even though they hated the writing. I don’t feel as alone!
And, no, I haven’t heard of it but I’m off to Amazon now. Or, rather, I just read about them all on Wikipedia. How’s the writing?
Katie in MA Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 10:43 am
The writing is…gosh, now I’m scared of answering. What if you’re all ‘what was she thinking?’…the writing was good, I thought. Snarky. Witty. Not at ALL what I would call a “summer book.” In fact, I would call it a book for literary snobs. I’m trying to remember (in a bit of a panic) how the dialogue went, but I think it was okay. Granted, it’s been a few months since I read it, but I think you’ll like it. Who would your measuring stick be?
Katie in MAs last blog post..The If Question in which you are some thing.
For the record, here’s what I wrote about Twilight: http://albamaria30.wordpress.com/2008/11/23/is-it-safe-yet/
It turns into a reflection about eventually raising teenage girls, which I am destined to do.
thanks!
rpm
red pen mamas last blog post..Literal much?
FireMom Reply:
June 4th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
RPM; I won’t have the joy of parenting a teenage girl but I greatly appreciated your review, especially that part of your review. Bella annoyed the living snot out of me even if my inner teenage angst ridden self remembered feeling like that at times. I wanted her to be stronger, to be more… or, rather, less wimpy. But, at the same time… I remember. Just without vampires. Thankfully.
It’s funny, though, as I realized that I’ll eventually have to read the Harry Potter series as, chances are, my children will take interest at some point. I missed the whole hub-bub the first time around, not being interested myself and being an adult, without children, when the books were written. I thought I had escaped. I have, likely, not. Oh, children.
I have not read Twilight. My little sister (she’s 17) really likes the series and she has recommended it a few times but I just haven’t picked it up. I still might at some point. I don’t know yet. I think she really wants me to so we can talk (or giggle) over Edward together and so I am thinking I will read it before I go visit her this summer. Thanks for the review – it pretty much confirmed my suspicions
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Wow, you are the first mom I’ve heard didn’t like the whole Twilight thing. That’s okay. I still love you
But, don’t get mad (I know, s/b angry) if I tell you that I’m still mad (angry) with Edward for leaving Bella (BASTARD!) and am “Team Jacob” all the way!
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FireMom Reply:
June 5th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
I’m not the only one! Read the comments! But Jacob is not my type either. Just saying. HA!