I've also never loved to read, which makes me feel like a minority. School was hard for me growing up, because comprehension was not a strength of mine. It seems like EVERYONE has read or is reading the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer. Most are the 4th book (or just finished). Whenever the girls would be together they all talk about Bella and Edward, and I couldn't relate.
Well, I have FINALLY jumped on the band-wagon ladies!! I'm half way through the first book, and can hardly put it down! I've only had the book for one week, so this is huge for me! I am completely absorbed! I find myself thinking about it a lot, and even when I just have a few minutes, I open the book to try and read as much as I can.
Edward and Bella are getting me through my stressful times as well. It's been a nice release for me. If you have not read this book, I highly recommend it! Even if you are not a big reader, like me. I promise, you might surprise yourself! So jump on with us!!
Have you read this series?? Tell me what YOU think!!
Ooooo! I love this series!!! I'm just about to start the last book. YAY! It is a hard book to put down. I'm glad you're liking it!
ReplyDeleteI am probably in the minority...but I didn't like them at all. I only read the first two and that was enough for me. Bella drove me nuts...she is so needy. I really wouldn't want my teenage daughter reading them (you will understand why as you get going more in the books) so I thought, "Why am I reading them then?"
ReplyDeleteJust my opinion, almost everyone I know loves them. Glad you found something you enjoy reading! That is always nice!
I read them all. The short version - I liked them.
ReplyDeleteAre you still here? Okay, consider yourself warned. The following is my humble opinion of the Twilight series: Also, there are some spoilers, but probably nothing you don't already know unless you have been living in a box for the last year and a half.
I thought the writing was rather repetitive. I get it, Edward is beautiful, sparkly in the sun, and cold. And the eternal foreplay. Okay, I get it! You want each other!
As a mom, I despise Bella lying to her parents. I don't approve of her having a boy in her room, SLEEPING with her (to me a very intimate act, even if that is all you are doing), tracing her lips, cuddled up with her every night. Just because Bella and Edward don't actually have sex until they are married doesn't mean that they are being virtuous. If my 16 year old daughter was having a boy in her room at all, much less sleeping with her, I would flip out! If that was my son, in a girl's room, I would need resuscitation. These books are pop-culture and nearly every girl and woman I've met who has read them wants to be Bella. Yay. Not.
Aside from the physical aspects, the emotional nature of their relationship is not a healthy one and it is the last thing I hope for for my kids. It goes against everything my husband and I hope for our kids. Bella is so co-dependant. They both need therapy for self-esteem issues if they are that hooked on each other.
These books teach that true love in something you have no control over. Bella is constantly drawn to Edward even though he is dangerous. I don't like how they can't live without each other. She mopes around for MONTHS when he leaves and it just bugs me! (I had a boyfriend in high school who tried to kill me and himself when I broke up with him so I am a little sensitive to this.) I especially don't like the idea that you can't control yourself or desires.
Here is a summary of the third book -
Bella:"I want you to have sex with me."
Edward: "No, I can't. I am so strong I will accidentally kill you."
Bella: "PLEASE have sex with me."
Edward" "No, I will kill you. I am so strong."
Bella: "Here, I am taking off my shirt. Now will you?"
Edward: "No. ..."
More of the same. It is like three hundred pages of foreplay.
Breaking Dawn should have come with an age warning. Let's face it: Bella drinks human blood and loves it. It is rather morbid. Bella and Edward do married people (and vampire) stuff. A lot. And violently. I thought the writing was a little untrue to Bella's sulky, whining character, as she is just so happy in this book. Maybe she grew up? She finally gets the man? She and Edward work a compromise? The birth scene was like Rosemary's Baby and then Edward sensually biting Bella and licking her wounds closed - ugh. Oh! My favorite part (not) was when Edward wanted Bella to get an abortion, then get pregnant by Jacob, so she could have a human child to raise. Basically, Edward was pimping out Bella.
Also, this is minor, but I just can't get pass the fact that she is a teenage girl, and therefore would be menstruating and would smell like blood. The incident with the paper cut at the end of Twilight sparked this question for me.
That said, it was a fun, fast read. It has an exciting story line. I read Breaking Dawn in two days, the first three books I read in three days. I like the story. I don't usually do vampire and werewolf (sorry, shape-shifters) books and I liked some of her details and the way she had them living in this world. In the second book I liked the idea of Native Americans being protectors of this land and the inhabitants in it. I love the idea of a complex social sub-structure going on around the oblivious. I liked the characters (inspite of their obsessive relationships) and I was really rooting for Jacob but I liked the way Stephenie Meyer wrapped up all the loose ends.
Something funny - when I was at Education Week at BYU one of the presenters was talking about Twilight, without naming it, saying that if we don't watch R rated movies, why do we read R rated books. I think the front row of "I heart Edward Cullen" shirt wearing women scared him off with their Voltari stares because he quickly moved on. After class I over heard this conversation, "I know, I felt I like I should defend her too. I mean, it's not like the books are EXPLICIT. They are EROTIC but they aren't EXPLICIT." I totally LOLed.
(Are you still here? Are you sorry that I stumbled across your blog? I really am a normal person, just not crazy about these books being read by hormonally poisoned teenage kids, and that my daughter's 7th grade teacher picked the book to read aloud to the class. My blog is private, but if you want an invite you can email me :).)
I loved them. In fact, I loved them so much I was inspired to create this scrapbooking kit:
ReplyDeletehttp://skittlesandscraps.blogspot.com/2008/09/what-is-your-guilty-pleasure.html
For me, a good book is one I can feel emotionally involved in. This series I was easily drawn in and felt like I could completely relate to the characters. Fantasy or not, the emotions are real and she was able to put words to feelings that I have.
That being said, my kids won't read them until they are married!!
Wow! I am very proud of you for starting these books! I know you don't like to read, so congrats! I think you will like them. The first one is my favorite.
ReplyDeleteI must admit, they get stranger as they go along and when you are all finished with the series, you look back and wonder why you were so into them!
I was glad to be done with them. The fourth one pulled it all together and that was good because I felt that I could move on and not have to think about Edward and Bella again!
I do agree with Sants on some points. I definitely won't allow Bay to read these books. They talk about boyfriend/girlfriend relationships a lot and Edward and Bella do things that they should not be doing as teens.
The last book was ALMOST too much. It was very weird and got weirder by the page!
That said, please continue reading them. We all have our own opinions, I will say I liked them, but I am glad to be finished!
Careful - they'll consume you. They'll take over your night dreams, and day dreams as well!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had time to start #4 yet. Read 1-3 in two weeks. My (64 year old) mom just finished book 3, but is hesitant to read 4 because of the not so great reviews we've been hearing. I don't know any details, but have only talked to one who liked it. Not fun to finish a well loved series that way... but I have to find out for myself. I don't think I'll have time until January though. Good luck and enjoy!
HAHA I love these books. I have actually started the 1st book for the 4th time. They do make you think about them all the time. I hope you enjoy them!!!
ReplyDeleteWow... I love all these different opinions and mixed reviews!! I have some friends that let their daughters read these and some who would never. I probably wouldn't let mine either.
ReplyDeleteI love all of your opinions! Sants, I love your review. Thanks for your honesty. You are hillarious, and have a lot to say about the Twilight series! Love it, and thanks for the warnings!! LOL.
Thank you everyone for your comments!! I love comments, and I enjoyed reading your opinions and feelings about these books! XOXO
Oh, and Sants- I would love to see your blog... Go ahead and email me with an invite! (Couldn't find your emial address on your profile.) :)
ReplyDeleteI haven't read them, but I am very glad to be hearing something intelligent about them besides ( oh my gosh! I can't put it down! I just Love edward! bla bla bla! ) One of my friends who is very mature said she thought it was a very unhealthy relationship, and if edward is like 100 years old or something isn't that like child molestation or something? creepy. I don't plan on reading them, watching the movies or letting any of my 3 daughters read them. who was it that said we should be reading out of the best books?
ReplyDeleteI love them !! I'm on book # 3
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