Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1)

Essentially what happens when you walk into Hot Topic, pick out the first twelve year old you see, and then have her write an Anne Rice novel. Twilight is a shallow blunder, and it sure is proud of it. The book reads like fan-fiction from a horny teenager (though that phrase may be redundant) with a mental problem, instead of providing any form of good writing we get every vampire...more

Essentially what happens when you walk into Hot Topic, pick out the first twelve year old you see, and then have her write an Anne Rice novel. Twilight is a shallow blunder, and it sure is proud of it. The book reads like fan-fiction from a horny teenager (though that phrase may be redundant) with a mental problem, instead of providing any form of good writing we get every vampire cliché known to man until you're guaranteed every scene-fag that reads it will adore it. It is truly astounding how Meyer is able to say so, SO little in the course of 500 pages. More than half of Twilight is just characters giving wry smiles, chuckling, hissing, glaring, flaring nostrils and raising eyebrows during some vapid, angsty conversation. The whole thing is narrated by some chick named Bella Swan, someone so lacking in human characteristics that it is more than easy to forget [i]this is your main character.[/i] Reading this book makes it no surprise the only people who like this are around thirteen years old, both the main characters are covered in disgusting gloss and teenage perfection. Bella Swan and Edward Cullen are two of the dullest characters I've ever become acquainted with. Bella is just another "average, ordinary, everyday girl" typical of romance novels. She is the "new girl in school" cliché and instantly becomes popular by doing nothing. She is made essentially perfect in every manner, but in an attempt to hide this the author decides to make her clumsy. The problem is that anyone familiar with these stereotypes knows that when it comes to these characters this is actually a "plus". It also doesn't help she spends a large amount of time I could have spent hammering a nail into my foot whining about how she always falls down. That is, of course, when she isn't using insane amounts of adjectives to describe the "dreamy" vamp of her life, Edward Cullen. Oh, Edward Cullen. How I loathe thee. This talking mannequin is spoken about for pages upon pages with what looks like a late-night session on fanfiction.net with a teenager and a thesaurus. Like Boring Bella, Ennuyeux Edward is without depth and without flaw. Know what else Bella and Edward are without? CHEMISTRY. This is pretty much the book version of Neo and Trinity from the Matrix, except even worse. A third of the book is spent with these two Barbie dolls enjoying fake, unrealistic sexual tension akin to an episode of InuYasha until an awful plot forms. The important thing is that it ends with Cullen and Bella at the prom... AWWWWWWWWW, NO ONE SAW THIS COMING. AWWWW. There is a lot more to say about this offense against literature, but this is just a quick little review from me. Despite all of this bullshit, the most infuriating thing about this 4-part story is that it isn't rotting on LiveJournal where it belongs. It is out there making millions with people who wouldn't know quality if it punted them in the vagina. It offers nothing to the reader. Just some clever marketing, some clever abuse of the masses. It is a superficial story that leaves readers with the image of a girl who discovers her own worth and gets all she ever wanted, by giving up her identity and throwing away nearly everything in life that matters. For this reason, Twilight's fame is far more understandable. For this sacrifice of self for the shallow and meaningless truly captures the spirit of the generation it's written for, or at least, the lack thereof.   hide

Ok, first for all of my English major friend types like me...It was okay. It is purely a light read with very little depth beyond the actual story. This is the first "vampire" novel I have ever read other than Brahm Stoker's (Spelled right?) Dracula. It does hold to what I know of some vampire lore and discards other or ignores other lore completely. I would have to do...more

Ok, first for all of my English major friend types like me...It was okay. It is purely a light read with very little depth beyond the actual story. This is the first "vampire" novel I have ever read other than Brahm Stoker's (Spelled right?) Dracula. It does hold to what I know of some vampire lore and discards other or ignores other lore completely. I would have to do more research into the legends of vampires are, but for a young person who has not read much on the subject, what you are given is enough for now. I selected "I liked it" because I was entertained at times. I was disappointed with the last quarter of the book because I felt it skimped in some areas - especially in the vampire fight which is alluded too rather than shown. I realize this book is geared for the 12-24 age group so some restraint was shown here, but felt there could have been more shown while still keeping the sensitivity of the age demographics intact. Plot line was fairly consistent with a rapid increase in pace and tenseness in the last quarter. Sexual tension is adequate and the "relationship" between Bella and Edward is fairly interesting as far as it goes but could go farther. Bella's character was fairly shown, but Edward and others are still lacking. Ok, now for my non-English major type friends....It is a fairly well written book with a progressive plot and enough interesting things happening to keep a young girl interested for the novel. Boys could easily become bored with the relationship tension and not near enough action. The mystery of Edward and his family could possible keep them entertained enough, but there is little action of note for a boy in this age group (12 - 24) to be interested consistently. Ok, parents - your turn...This is not a book that will send your child straight to Hell by reading this at all. While there is no mention of God and it avoids the legend of a vampire being a purely demonic agent of evil, it does address some myths of vampires in broad general terms. While there is moderate sexual tension throughout the book, there are NO sex scenes or inappropriate sexual behavior in this book. At one point Edward asks Bella if she has ever had sex and she responds with a firm no, but it is not portrayed as negative or positive either way - it's just information being passed along. Young girls will absolutely love this book as it seems to address many of the inner conflicts of a young woman growing up and all of the social pressures she may face with school, friends, and family. It also allows the fantasy of being the "damsel in distress" swept off by a dashing superman who "needs" her. There is no cursing present that I can recall and the violence in the book is minimal (more violence in a Spongebob cartoon than here). WARNING: PLOT POINT SPOILER: There is what appears to be an attempted rape of Bella, but Edward saves her before more than a serious scare can occur. The battle of vampires is alluded to and never shown. In short, decent story line, loved the relationship between Bella and Edward, and thought that more details about vampires and the action could have been done fuller. Purely a light read meant for entertainment only. Nothing objectionable over all (good) but nothing that makes you think beyond the story itself (other than to possible do more research on vampires). Tyler Mereness   hide

I really wanted to like this book - I'd read so many great reviews on it, and although it's not really my kind of thing (teenage, high school romance stories), I thought I'd give it a shot.But today, as I got half way through it, I decided I couldn't take it any more.It seems the same all the way through - Bella complains, falls over and Edward (oooooh soooo perfect, with his amaaazing eyes and...more

I really wanted to like this book - I'd read so many great reviews on it, and although it's not really my kind of thing (teenage, high school romance stories), I thought I'd give it a shot.But today, as I got half way through it, I decided I couldn't take it any more.It seems the same all the way through - Bella complains, falls over and Edward (oooooh soooo perfect, with his amaaazing eyes and Greek god-like muscular body....puh-lease!) appears out of no where and rescues her. The girl's perfect apart from her "flaws", she has 5 lads after her...I read an interview with Stephanie Meyer and she said that Bella was supposed to be "average". Just look at her name - Isabella (very Disney princess like) Swann (swan = elegant, beautiful, pure). Of course she's not average.That's not necessarily my annoyance with her though. It's the fact that she complains so much. It sounds stupid, but that's how it is. I want to write more but I've ran out of space : *bah*   hide

I picked this novel up a few years ago, seeing as it was a new release. I lost interest after the first few pages, and had done so until this year - when it was perhaps the most popular book among the student population at my school (mainly the girls). It was then that I decided to try it out. Bella Swan is a teenage girl who spontaneously decided to move from her mother’s home in sunny...more

I picked this novel up a few years ago, seeing as it was a new release. I lost interest after the first few pages, and had done so until this year - when it was perhaps the most popular book among the student population at my school (mainly the girls). It was then that I decided to try it out. Bella Swan is a teenage girl who spontaneously decided to move from her mother’s home in sunny Phoenix to her father’s residence in the perpetually rainy town of Forks, Washington. There, she meets the stunning, mysterious Edward Cullen. He greets her with a death glare and inches away from her during their first Biology class together. As the months go on, however, they somehow realize that they cannot live without each other, a fact instilled when a few shady visitors come to their town. Stephenie Meyer has done a fantastic job on the romantic aspect of the novel. After all, not everyone can write a novel filled with such emotion. Like any fantasy novel, the plot was unpredictable and an absolute thriller. In that respect, it is clear why so many people have touted Twilight as the “best book ever”. But once you delve deeper into the big question, "Why does everyone like this series so much?” the answer is clear: because of Edward Cullen. Now, I understand that any romance novel must specify exactly how attractive the lead characters are. But within the pages, you'll find words like "beautiful", "dazzling", and "perfect" mentioned as much as 55 times each. The way the novel continually emphasizes Edward Cullen's perfection (not to mention how many times Bella whines about how undeserving she is of his love) is unnerving. And what of how everyone - her suitors, her family, her enemies, and her classmates - revolves around Bella? As attractive as Edward Cullen is, there is only so much perfection one can attain. Granted, the romance is blatantly cliché. Bella’s clumsiness and seeming helplessness are contrasted by the heroic, muscular, and ever-there-for-his-lover Edward. At least the novel is targeted at teenage readers, so that most of them haven’t been completely exposed to the romantic genre prior to reading this book. I’d recommend this novel for the sake of knowing what all the hype is about, but really – if you’re looking for romance, I’d take an original chick lit plotline over it any day.   hide

I picked up this book to see what exactly the hoopla was about. I am repulsed by how anyone would find Edward and Bella’s relationship to be romantic in the least. Edward comes off as pushy and domineering-he reminds me of an abusive husband or boyfriend-Bella comes off ditzy and klutzy. She basically puts herself -and or plays into the hands of others that help-into her own...more

I picked up this book to see what exactly the hoopla was about. I am repulsed by how anyone would find Edward and Bella’s relationship to be romantic in the least. Edward comes off as pushy and domineering-he reminds me of an abusive husband or boyfriend-Bella comes off ditzy and klutzy. She basically puts herself -and or plays into the hands of others that help-into her own peril and I find myself, not sad at the notion of her dying for her massive amount of stupidity. Bella doesn't have much of a personality whatsoever. She has no independent or strong character-traits that makes her discernable from Edward. I hugely disliked how Meyer only gives sparse description’s of Bella (I'm assuming that's her way of allowing the reader to inject herself as Bella) throughout the book. All I know is the negative and her constant dialogue throughout the book is rather ungrateful and spiteful. I'm also tired of the fifteen different descriptions about how handsome and divine Edward is. The romance leads me to believe that it isn't as "Divinely Ordained" as Meyer wants everyone to believe, he's a vampire, they have powers to seduce-as evidenced by how she is easily swayed by Edwards dashing eyes and smile- from this angle; pretty much anybody's blood is powerfully intoxicating to him. So, therefore I'm supposed to believe that he's only rendered senseless by her? Sadly, the pace of the book has huge overtones of monotony in it. It's like reading a 16-year-old girls diary; it reads boring, because it is boring. Especially when she made her characters one-dimensional. Then their gaining and losing or lacking any common sense is rather frustrating. Not to mention certain chapters weren‘t needed and where there as simply fillers. I also didn’t like the scenes depicted between Bella and Edward on how he was so rough with her and dragged her about and how he was so condescending to her. Meyers only saving graces in my eyes are: Jacob Black and Emmet. I also am bothered by the authors underlining usage of abstinence and abuse in her work. For Edward to simply let go and be with Bella, would be damaging how? You made them have no interface for a foundation of love, they simply are in love from asking a game of Twenty Questions. So, why would it be so damaging if we even clipped the boundary of sexual-tension and sexuality between the two? If It’s evidenced all over the pages. You have the premise, might as well go all the way and explore it. It’s an outdated and antiquated idea, that a girl can’t possible be in control of her own sexual-feelings/nature towards someone she loves. That she’s needs her “Knight” to save her from herself and the precipice she and they teeters on. I’m also astounded-as I have mentioned quite some time- on Edward’s behavior. I understand Edward is a vampire. I understand that he could possible at any time kill her. Yet, does he also have to laud that over Bella? Consistently reminding me, how fragile I am compared to your massive strength and abilities. Does not elicit romantic-feelings. He reminds her how dangerous is, to intimidate her into submission. I also couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that she actually made her female-lead accepting of the fact that her hero watches her sleep. I’ve been taught that screams STALKER!   hide

Category: Books Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Author: Stephenie Meyer I actually saw this book in the bookstore a while ago, but I always hesitated to buy it, thinking it’s nothing but another teenage love story. Not interested. But I was intrigued, specially when knowing the fact (from a movie site) that more than half Americans are more excited waiting for Twilight movie in...more

Category: Books Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Author: Stephenie Meyer I actually saw this book in the bookstore a while ago, but I always hesitated to buy it, thinking it’s nothing but another teenage love story. Not interested. But I was intrigued, specially when knowing the fact (from a movie site) that more than half Americans are more excited waiting for Twilight movie in theaters, than Harry Potter's. So as soon as I saw the book again (I was in line in grocery store), I picked it up without hesitation. Ambitiously reading it, determined to finish the book before the movie premiere starts (which officially gave me 3 days to finish the 300-sumthing pages). And I almost can’t believe that the work was effortless, it was so easy to get drifted in the story. (This is according to a girl who almost fell asleep on the sofa at 9PM, and managed to pull it off until 1.30AM after reading the book. If it hadn’t because the vet appointment at 9AM the next morning, she would have continued reading it until the next sunrise. Hehe :p) Twilight is a story about forbidden love between a human girl and a vampire boy. Bella Swan didn’t really know what she was getting into when she decided to move to Fork with his father. The sight of Edward Cullen, the youngest child of the Cullen family, shivered her to the bone when she saw him for the very first time at school, yet there was something curiously interesting there, she could not stop thinking about him. But Edward was always tend to avoid her, almost rude whenever they spoke. Only after Edward miraculously saved Bella’s life from a lethal car accident, she began to understand that her savior was a vampire with a unique philosophy. Before she knew it, she was already involved in Edward’s live too deep, not realizing that not ALL vampires refuse to drink from human’s vein, which made her and her relationship with Edward, in great danger. I really can’t decide what makes this book so unbearable to put down. For me, it’s either: A. The classic love story of a mysterious powerful gorgeous man and a nothing-too-extraordinary-but-fragile woman. (Oh yes, twilight is a hard-core romance, not just blood and fangs) B. The dazzling irresistible Edward Cullen, who will easily captured you with his mystery and charm. C. The fact that you are entering something so forbidden, something new, something so dangerous, that will make you wonder how the story gonna end. D. Undeniable story similarity to True Blood (an HBO series), which I am crazily hooked to now. E. Or because I just luuuuuve vampire stories. Did I ever tell you that? :D When before I was puzzled, not knowing what the fuss was all about regarding this twilight Saga (Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn), now I am proclaiming myself.... as a fan. So do me a favor, please please please don’t read this book if you can’t handle the after effect. As for the movie? Hell yeah, I'm so going to watch it!   hide

Alright any of you Twilight fangirls *the reallyreally obsessive ones* don't kill me for this! I really do respect the book in some degree! On to the review... I encountered this before Breaking Dawn had come out, and was wondering what the hub-bub about this series, and why I suddenly noticed on my rare visit to Borders it was STUFFED with all these mangas and books about teenage...more

Alright any of you Twilight fangirls *the reallyreally obsessive ones* don't kill me for this! I really do respect the book in some degree! On to the review... I encountered this before Breaking Dawn had come out, and was wondering what the hub-bub about this series, and why I suddenly noticed on my rare visit to Borders it was STUFFED with all these mangas and books about teenage vampires. So I picked up a softcover of Twilight, the root of all this, and read it in a week. Even without bias I came up with my conclusions. The book and the sequels is a story involving teenager-aged vampires, werewolves and humans involved with love triangles, supernatural, affairs, drama and boy-meets-girl. This storyline is perfect for pre-teen readers and around to enjoy, however, I didn't particularly. Those who do not read this for entertainment will be turned off by weak style of writing, and those who have read earlier and historical facts and literature of vampires would get nitpicky about the vampire details. These days though we are all allowed to take liberties with the supernatural 'laws' about vampires and werewolves, however it still is seen offending to make vampires sparkle. It's as if the author wanted to pretty them up to her readers or her own personal tastes. It's even rumored she didn't hardly research vampires after she first dreamed up the plot and began writing. I have not read the rest of the books fully but I hope she had done more research. Conclusion? Two types. First, it's the perfect love story for young girls who have not encountered better written reading material and read in ignorance, most of them. Not only that but the success of the book and even before it has pioleted the new wave of vampire media. Instead of seriousness or something dealing with Victorianism, we are now flooded with school stories with vampires added to the mix for flavor because they make the most sexy boyfriend/girlfriends. That's perfectly fine in media standards! Second conclusion: If you want to read well-written, intelligent, and real good fiction with vampires, just give this a passing glance. Despite how it has fueled the need for vampires in literature for the 2000's it is seen insulting by the higher and/or older connoisseurs that have read better writing, style, and different story lines of vampires. Thus we have Twilight-haters and those who don't care for it. This book series definietley will not appeal to you for those reasons, as it did to me: I have read better, I'm not interested in highschool romance with vampires, drafty writing, lack of credibility with the author, and how dolled-up the characters are to make them sparkly, unbelievable and fantasy-sugary-dramatic. But...if you haven't read other vampire fiction *Anne Rice, Kim Newman, Bram Stoker, Kate Cary, even the author of Hellsing* and looking for romance to thrill you and start your young dreams, you will find hardly anything wrong with this book. The choice, is up to you! Note: This book has actually caused Twilight fans to act irrationally against people who do not like this book. Stabbing with pencils, chemistry ingredients, beatings with stones and books, and even knives. How could a series like this cause so much harm? O_o   hide

Never in my life have I started to read something so painful. This is possibly the WORST book I have ever picked up, but I had to pick it up to see what I had been reviling for so long. The idea of sparkling vampires who don't die in the sun made the whole thing seem a large joke. But then I picked it up. And it starts off as being entirely boring. A first person narrative should be...more

Never in my life have I started to read something so painful. This is possibly the WORST book I have ever picked up, but I had to pick it up to see what I had been reviling for so long. The idea of sparkling vampires who don't die in the sun made the whole thing seem a large joke. But then I picked it up. And it starts off as being entirely boring. A first person narrative should be engaging, almost as though the narrator is talking to YOU. But Belle Sue... pardon me, SWAN, is just talking to the air it seems. She's incredibly shallow. On her first day of school, everyone in the small town is trying to get to know her, and she rebuffs them all whilst griping about the weather. And then at lunch, she spies a table full of the most beautiful people she's ever seen, and finally there's a glimmer of personality but it all goes down hill from there. That's as engaging as it gets as this pedantic dribble continues. Because how DARE the pretty people ignore her. She'd been trying to be ignored all day, but that doesn't matter. And then we meet Edward. Who apparently hates her. And for some reason this really irks her. Because why would he hate her? She's pretty and her hair smells like strawberries (she actually smelled her hair to confirm this). But then she and Edward start doing a small lab, which they both find easy, and Edward can't read Bella's thought, to which she replies "My face is an open book." he says, "I can't read you though." and she says back "You must be a good reader." How does this exchange make ANY sort of sense. Can someone please explain that to me? Please?! And he's friendly. But then he's aloof again. Clearly Edward has some bi-polar issues. After Bella almost gets hit by a car (driven by a boy we've never met before, in a way that had never been set up in the first place) and Edward comes out of nowhere to save her, he starts to go ballistic, and his lack of talking to her is really hurtful apparently. Because no other thoughts go through her head other than this extremely pale boy who's eyes change color. Woop-de-doo. But then he asks her to sit with him at lunch! yay! Ugh. This book is just painful to fight through. I've gotten further, heard the rediculously cliched myth about the "pale ones" as told by a native american boy named Jacob. Frankly the telling was borderline rascist in presentation. Edward is clearly an abusive person, not letting her make any of her own decisions, and going so far as to drag her BODILY across a parking lot. How is this someone you'd want to be with? No, I haven't finished it. I don't think I'm going to. My hackles are up already, any more and I'll start snarling and foaming at the mouth. To those who swear by this book, I have several recommendations: Raise your standards, Edward is hardly even described beyond the words "hot" and "perfect" (and all sorts of synonyms for sparkly...). Therefore, how do you even know what he looks like, really? Read some real books. The Sword of Truth series is amazing, containing action, adventure, a PLOT, and a love story that is actually believable. If that's not to your taste, branch out. Many of the books Bella claims to have read in the book are brilliant works, and I'd take any of those over Twilight itself. This book is a steaming pile of crap in the guise of book, it even has a nice cover. The cover's the best part of the book really.   hide

I find it difficult to articulate all the ways that this book didn't work for me. Twilight did not pass the time pleasantly. I spent the majority of the book checking the page count and wishing that it was over. I was hoping for, expecting, something way more entertaining. Twilight was just bad, poorly and amateurishly written Mary Sue wish fulfillment. I should have stuck with...more

I find it difficult to articulate all the ways that this book didn't work for me. Twilight did not pass the time pleasantly. I spent the majority of the book checking the page count and wishing that it was over. I was hoping for, expecting, something way more entertaining. Twilight was just bad, poorly and amateurishly written Mary Sue wish fulfillment. I should have stuck with my plan to see the movie and skip out on all the rest cause this book has left a really bad taste in my mouth. It's just uneven, schizophrenic, boring, misogynistic and silly. Bella Swann is an insecure and apathetic heroine. I couldn't find anything likeable about her. Co-dependent, self-obsessed and then obsessed with Edward, whiny, mean, and yet everyone in Forks adores her. (I found it interesting that in Arizona, no one liked her, but in Forks Bella is magical.) I don't mind characters that aren't likeable (generally we call them anti-heroes), but usually there's something that makes them interesting. Bella isn't even interesting. Her entire focus is Edward's perfection and how imperfect she is. Pages upon pages of that do not a compelling read make. Edward is McPerfect and he sparkles in the sun. I thought that was a joke when I first heard about it, apparently not. I mean, really? C'mon?! I read an interview where SMeyer said that she'd only read The Vampire Lestat and didn't know much about vampire lore in general. Well, you can totally tell! Edward has moments where he sounds very much like Louis or even Lestat. The whole white, hard, cold-as-ice thing? Straight out of The Vampire Chronicles. The majority of the book was this stalkery, insular, and obsessive romance that gets sidelined by faux-plot, an eleventh hour action-adventure sequence. It was so out of left field that I checked out as Bella was fleeing for her life with Edward, Emmet and Alice. The writing is incredibly repetitive. How many times CAN we use smirked, gloated and dazzled. Then there's beautiful and perfect. Although I can kinda see how this book can be appealing to younger readers, I find it disturbing that it does. For me, I have no desire to read any more of these books.   hide