Meyer, Stephenie - Twilight

[oyceter]

It was really odd reading this, because I had heard rilina rant about it a lot, but my sister was reccing it to me (and nearby while I was reading it).

I think I would have really loved it, had I read it a few years earlier, before I got sick of the entire vampire sub-genre, particularly the entire YA vampire sub-sub-genre.

Bella has moved from sunny Arizona to rainy Forks to stay with her dad instead of her mom, who's off being married. She starts noticing the strange Cullen family at school, particularly Edward Cullen, who is gorgeous and sends conflicting signals. They fall in love! It's too bad, since I think the book would have been about ten times more interesting if they fought crime instead.

Several elements of the book made me think that it would work much better as shoujo manga: a) Bella is clumsy and klutzy beyond belief, yet spunky, b) every other guy in the school miraculously has a crush on her and she doesn't realize, c) Edward is supernaturally gorgeous, and d) Bella's smell is irresistible to Edward.

As a benchmark to see if you will like this or not, if you haven't already fled at the shoujo manga description: Bella describes Forks as literally being hell on earth for her, despite the absence of pitchforks, flame, or anything else; Edward is introduced as having bronze hair.

The thing is, I can totally see why the book is a best-seller and loved by girls everywhere. It's got the same formula that's in Sailor Moon, every series by Watase Yuu, and most romance novels: clumsy, normal girl is pursued by a preternaturally handsome, dangerous guy who dramatically rescues her from situations despite her brief attempts to show her independence. Granted, Watase Yuu's guys are generally less dangerous than most, and most shoujo manga doesn't even have the brief attempts at independence. And the romances tend to lovingly describe every gorgeous detail of the guys, whereas manga lingers over them in two-page spreads. But in the end, it's largely the same wish-fulfillment fantasy.

And, in general, I am a fan of female wish-fulfillment fantasies. I just think I have read too many of this sort, and so, my buttons have shifted enough that this didn't grab them. I would also snark mercilessly at it, except my sister likes the book and recced it, and because this is so the thing I would have loved way back when I was reading LJ Smith.

Also, (minor spoiler!) in this world, vampires sparkle like diamonds in sunshine.

sorry, totally could not resist. but really! they sparkle! LITERALLY!

ETA: And why is it that hundred-year-old vampires are always attracted to teenagers? I don't understand! And why is it that hundred-year-old vampires still act like mooning teenagers as well?

Links:
- buymeaclue's review
- habiliments' review
- sophia_helix's review

Comments

[oyceter]

I haven't planned for any other cons this year, so I doubt I'll be going to World Fantasy =(.

She totally screwed over her bad boys! Except Gabriel in Dark Visions, except I hated Dark Visions because I hated Katelyn or however you spell her name.

I had the hugest crush ever on Julian. I think I walked out in a daze when I read the last Forbidden Game book.

I actually got my Online Alias Maya from the Night World books.

Awesome!! My FG fic is still up on my Sekrit Fic Journal. Also, I totally wrote drabbles in college for the LJ Smith drabble LJ comm. The biggest secret, though, is that me and my cousin and my sister used to play games to the books: making up characters in the Night World and etc.

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

Woe! Mind you, the Secret Circle books are heartbreaking because her bad boy in that (Nick, I believe) was actually a good guy! Never did anything wrong! Did not deserve to be crushed into dust! Was just a bit snippy and unfond of the hero, never had a moment's glance towards the dark side, consistently protected the heroine in a surly, awkward, cold-eyed sort of way. (As I swooned, natch.) And I was like, man, of all your bad guys, LJS, this is the one who should catch a break. Alas, no. Well, the hero and the heroine were soulmates (cue greenish pallor) so what could you do.

My best friend helped me make the LJS fan site: she called herself Hellewise. Poor sweetie, she's a little horrified that I took Maya and ran with it. But nobody played games with me, that is awesome.

[oyceter]

Awwww! Poor Bad Boy!

Hellewise! Awesome!