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

[littlebutfierce]

I haaated this book, & I'm still in the throes of a vampire phase. I definitely like cheesy vampire stuff, but this was not my kind of cheese. I dunno... I really hate teen romances that feel fake--like "I love you!" & you don't feel like they've even gotten to know each other to that point--& that was totally how Bella & Edward felt to me. Also, I hated how ethereally & classically beautiful everyone seemed to be (in a white way, of course). Yawn.

I've heard the sequel has a badly written Native American guy in it, & is as cringeworthy (@ least wrt what made me hate the first one).

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Vampires are obviously stuck at the emotional maturity level of teenagers. Which means that if you fall for one and don't go vamp yourself, in five, ten, twenty years, you'll be ready to settle down and start paying a mortgage, and he'll be all wanting to go to concerts and go cruising and maybe go off to South Padre at spring break and drink lots of really cheap beer.

[oyceter]

Yes! The "you are my life!" "never leave me!" stuff really annoyed me. And I forgot to note just how annoyed I was that they made a huge point of Bella being so white and pale that she stood out and the random mystical and mysterious Native Americans.

[oyceter]

See, someone needs to write that. Or someone needs to write a vampire love story in which the vampire falls for an eighty-year-old woman because of the life experience or something.

[snarp]

Elizabeth Knox's Daylight comes pretty close to the first one.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

vampires sparkle like diamonds in sunshine.

!!!

I would totally run out and buy this if it was a shojo manga instead of a YA novel.

(Why is this sort of thing more acceptable in manga form? I don't know. Possibly 'cause of pretty drawings of preternaturally beautiful and sparkling vampires.)

[oyceter]

Oh interesting, I'll have to check that out! Thanks.

[oyceter]

I know! I nearly burst into hysterical laughter at that point.

(Why is this sort of thing more acceptable in manga form? I don't know. Possibly 'cause of pretty drawings of preternaturally beautiful and sparkling vampires.)

I have no idea! I agree; I suspect some of it is having eye candy to ogle at, as opposed to having to wade through bad prose about bronze hair and topaz eyes that change colors to onyx (so not making that up). And chibis. Chibis make everything better.

[katie-m.livejournal.com]

Wait, why are hundred-year-old vampires in high school at all? I mean, after the twentieth time you repeat your senior year, isn't someone going to notice?

[rilina.livejournal.com]

You know, somehow I had managed to forget about the sparkling.

[oyceter]

You DIDN'T! That is too funny!!

I feel the sparkling adds a whole new level.

[oyceter]

Well, like most vampire YA books, they explain it by having them move to different areas every so often so presumably people don't remember. Of course, this doesn't address things like paperwork, but I think most of the books handwave and say vampires are master paperwork forgers.

What I don't get is why a hundred-year-old vampire would ever want to go through high school repeatedly. I can see the first few times for the novelty, but after that?

[tatterpunk.livejournal.com]

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.

I'm probably unfairly biased because LJS was my intro to trashy vamp literature, way back when, but I felt that she (or most her books, at least) had a redeeming sense of snark and self-awareness that Twilight, while harmless fun, was completely and totally lacking.

I mean, seriously. Sparkling vampires? Bella? Meyers is pretty shameless with her wish-fulfillment, and normally I like that, but... actually, my main problem was with the narrative drive that seemed to screech to a half 2/3rds of the way through. Like Meyers honestly wasn't sure what to do with her lovebirds once they were in each other's arms.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

This book annoyed the hell out of me. All the "no I love YOU more, shmoopy" "No, sweetums, I love YOU more" and Bella's insistence that she is plain and boring when no less than three guys (not counting the Hot Vampire) are falling all over themselves to ask her out - it was all just ridiculous.

And how about the "we're vampires keeping our secret under lock and key, but Edward has a crush, so let's not just tell her that we're vampires, but also our whole history."

Or the fact that she wants to be a vampire, but can't stand the sight of blood? Or the fact that she wants to be a vampire so she can live with him forever, but shies away when he brings up marriage?

There is just so much.

Have you read Vivian Vande Velde's Companions of the Night?

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

I thought it was pretty hilarious, but sadly not intentionally. (Sparkly vampires!) I enjoyed the read, but didn't bother with the sequel.

By far my favorite character was Alice. If the whole book had been about the vampire family and Bella and Edward hadn't even been in it, I would have been much more into it.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Now THAT is hell.

[desdenova.livejournal.com]

why a hundred-year-old vampire would ever want to go through high school repeatedly.

Tasty, tasty snacks?

[sarahtales.livejournal.com]

I could not BELIEVE that I was being asked to accept sparkly vampires with not a hint of humour. Sparkly vampires! They should be hysterical, I feel so wronged.

I also feel like the vampire subgenre needs to take a different turn. Hot vampires are all well and good, but I am sick to the teeth of them.

That said, OMG you also read LJ Smith? I was seventeen, and terribly terribly obsessed. I had a little fan website with reviews. It was so lame.

Apparently in the sequel, Edward makes Bella a mix tape about their great love. Won't be reading that one.

[oyceter]

Dude, LJS was totally my intro too. Though I'm still pissed off about the ending for Forbidden Game. I think she started off not being quite as snarky (at least, from what I remember of the Vampire Diaries, what with the absolutely beautiful blonde Elena who had two vampire brothers swooning for her). I think I like her Night World books best, except the whole soulmate thing. Ok, mostly I just like Jez. And the three vampire sisters and Ash.

Meyer is very wish fulfillment! One of the things that I did like about Edward and Bella was that they actually talked to each other, but sadly, most of that was lost amongst the "My love and my life!"

[oyceter]

OMG! Bella not noticing she was hot drove me crazy. Particularly after Meyer's loving descriptions of her gorgeous pale skin.

Ditto with the wanting to be converted to a vampire thing for a guy she has only known for a few months.

I think I've heard some people mention the Velde before, but I've never read it.

[oyceter]

I tried not to giggle too much, since my sister was there and I felt bad making fun of it. But, um, yes. Sparkly vampires!

I liked Alice a lot too. I think the book would have been ten times more interesting had it been about Alice and her secret past.

[penmage.livejournal.com]

Companions of the Night, in my mind, is everything a teen vampire book should be. It's smart and scary and concise and wonderful, and every time I read it, I find myself wanting there to be more of it, but knowing that it's perfect as it is.

I highly recommend it. It's a very quick read.

[oyceter]

YES! Sparkly!

I am really sick of preternaturally beautiful and graceful vampires as well. Particularly those with metallic hair and gemstone eyes.

OMG! You read LJ Smith too! Awesome! I am getting such a kick out of old LJ Smith fans coming out in the comments. I was so obsessed in high school. I even wrote Forbidden Game future!fic resurrecting Julian that I never finished. I actually never read all her older series, like the Secret Circle, b/c I couldn't find all of them in the library, but I loooved Night World (reincarnation! blue fire! black flowers! wasn't that big a fan of the soulmate thing though).

[oyceter]

I know! I can see college, but high school? Whyyyy?!

[oyceter]

Hee! Except they are moral vampires who won't snack on people!