Twilight (Twilight, Book 1)

I have no idea why this book is getting so much hype. I've been hearing about it everywhere, and when I saw that there was an entire section of just this book at a local department store -- well, then I got really curious and picked up a copy.

I finished this book fairly fast in about two days (even though it's about 500 pages long). It kept me interested pretty much most of the time, but there...more

I have no idea why this book is getting so much hype. I've been hearing about it everywhere, and when I saw that there was an entire section of just this book at a local department store -- well, then I got really curious and picked up a copy.

I finished this book fairly fast in about two days (even though it's about 500 pages long). It kept me interested pretty much most of the time, but there were many things that I didn't like. The biggest complaint I have is of the relationship between Bella and Edward. For being such a central part of book, it didn't feel like it carried much weight.

Everything about this relationship just felt incredibly superficial. Edward is a complete ass to Bella. He's controlling, rude, yet she still falls for him because he's gorgeous. And not JUST gorgeous, "he's like a god with perfectly sculpted abs" and what not. Seriously, every time he has face time will Bella, that's the kind of stuff you'll always hear. It's always about how he looks and smells perfect in every possible way, and then when he's not around, she misses the fact that he's so perfect.

Honestly, I got tired of that fairly fast. When he's not being mean, he pampers the hell out of her by either of three ways: 1) He cups her face in her hands and says how much he loves her, 2) He kisses her lips or jaw and says how much he loves her, and 3) sometimes he gives a bit of variation on all of those things together by carrying her and THEN tells her how much he loves her.

And why does he love her? It's because she smells great. It's hard to believe that this perfect guy has been alone for 400 years only because of the fact that he couldn't find anyone that didn't smell right. I mean, seriously. The relationship just seemed entirely too fake. And yet, for 500 pages, I was still interested in continuing on. Why? The simple matter of fact is that behind the cheesy romance, it was mainly because of Edward.

He's still annoying, and seems to have anger issues with everything and everyone around him, but he's also interesting, and seeing him struggle with himself and having a bit of mystery around his background and family is what kept me going. So it's no surprise that I found the last third of the book to be the best part since it dealt the most with his vampire mythos. While most of the first part of the book is about Bella adjusting to Forks and trying to figure out why Edward is an ass her all the time, and the middle portion was mainly about their lovey dovey fake relationship, the last third of the book was the most interesting because that's when the plot finally moves along and brings us some truly scary consequnces of being involved with a vampire (yeah, I know how that sounded :P).

So in the end, was it worth it? It really depends. Obviously this is more of a 'chick book' so yeah, you're likely to enjoy it if you've got a thing for cheesy romance novels (Plus it plays on practically every females fantasy of that perfect looking dangerous guy). Personally though, I'm gonna say no. At least, not as something that HAS to be read. It's a fluff piece that can wait for a rainy day or for when you're in the mood for some light reading. The pay off in the end just simply isn't worth most of what you have to go through. I might give the sequel a try since things do seem to have turned a bit more interesting in the end, but if that doesn't impress me then I'll likely stay away from any more of Stephenie Meyers books.   hide

With the movie coming out this month, I decided it was time to finally see what the Twilight hype was all about. In this book, Bella moves from warm and sunny Phoenix, AZ to the Olympic Peninsula after her mother remarries. To her surprise, living with her father in Forks, WA is not as bad as Bella expected and she is quickly welcomed by the local teenagers. Yet, it is somebody-something-...more

With the movie coming out this month, I decided it was time to finally see what the Twilight hype was all about. In this book, Bella moves from warm and sunny Phoenix, AZ to the Olympic Peninsula after her mother remarries. To her surprise, living with her father in Forks, WA is not as bad as Bella expected and she is quickly welcomed by the local teenagers. Yet, it is somebody-something- altogether different who makes Bella's experience in Forks more than she could have ever hoped for... her classmate Edward. Edward and his family are not like her other schoolmates. His dark hair and strikingly pale skin, his eyes that seem to change color daily, and his conspicuous absences from school on bright days all lead Bella to suspect that Edward is more than your average high school student. Boy, is she right! The pages of this novel were filled with drastic mood swings, brooding eyes, and a lot of internal conflict and as a result this book encompasses all things teenager- high school drama, first love, popularity, self-doubt and inadequacy. These, combined with the inevitable dangers that come with falling in love with a vampire, make for a compelling read. The writing was a bit simplistic (which I guess is appropriate for a young adult novel) and I felt like Meyer dragged out the 'Does he like me?' drama a little too much, but I enjoyed it enough that I finished all 498 pages in three days.   hide

Twilight is incredibly a great book. Amusing, interesting and brilliantly written, actually is a Must read book. Especially for those who found shelter in romance and intimate relationships. For those who seek Love and warmth, twilight is their safe harbor. Twilight for Stephanie Meyer was “a life time experience”. For a reader like me, it was one of the greatest books I’ve read recently....more

Twilight is incredibly a great book. Amusing, interesting and brilliantly written, actually is a Must read book. Especially for those who found shelter in romance and intimate relationships. For those who seek Love and warmth, twilight is their safe harbor. Twilight for Stephanie Meyer was “a life time experience”. For a reader like me, it was one of the greatest books I’ve read recently. Twilight will be always the book you wished you had read it twice or more. I recommend this book to everyone precisely to the vampires’ fans and or at least to those who love nonfiction as a genre. Twilight is all about Bella and Edward: Her sentiment with her parents, her relation with her friends and precisely her warm feelings towards Edward. She is totally crazy about Edward. Meyer already devoted so many pages talking and describing how amazing Edward in Bella’s eye, and how perfect and breath taking he is to her. Edward is the perfect boy, is the heartthrob for every girl dreams. However, the relationship between Bella and Edward is already ill-fated. Edward is not human. He is a vampire and Bella in contrary is so "human". Therefore their bond is doomed by so many difficulties and obstacles. Yet, this risky relationship results in one of the most beautiful love story I ever read or seen. Actually, twilight is not going to be a full satisfaction to some readers; therefore, I suggest reading New Moon and Eclipse to discover what happened to Bella and Edward. I may not be surprise, if some of you found New Moon is more sufficiently better than Twilight.   hide

This book is an entertaining read, but should not be taken seriously. Although it was a page-turner and intriguing plot, there were several moments where the star-crossed lovers thing made me sick. The tone of the author correctly appealed to most teenage girls. The book has a good hook and reels the reader in, but when the book is done, I have learned nothing new. It's an easy read, pretty...more

This book is an entertaining read, but should not be taken seriously. Although it was a page-turner and intriguing plot, there were several moments where the star-crossed lovers thing made me sick. The tone of the author correctly appealed to most teenage girls. The book has a good hook and reels the reader in, but when the book is done, I have learned nothing new. It's an easy read, pretty straightforward. Meyer exercises her imagination and creativity on her interpretation of a vampire. The imagery was nice, I felt as if I could picture everything clearly. Once again, I feel that the content of this book should not be taken seriously. Who has ever passed out from kissing someone? I found that a bit ridiculous. Also, the fact that Bella tells so many white lies vexed me immensely. As I read I found myself asking the protagonist, "What the hell is the matter with you?" Her love towards Edward approaches idolatry. In Edward's absence she is utterly helpless and miserable, which advocates the common misconception about love that I fervidly discourage. One does not love another more because they are nothing without the other person. Synergy and dependence are NOT the same. This book will provide however an entertaining and light read. Finally, the concept of perfect love in this book should be taken as a story and should not be applied to a real relationship.   hide

sorry for writing continuously but my comp. conked out. getting back to edward. many people have commented on the fact that meyers made a vampire look stupid with only feeding on animals and going glittery and stuff....well if we get the same old vampire story of sleeping in coffins and sucking blood then what makes edward's character different from other vampire characters in other books? if...more

sorry for writing continuously but my comp. conked out. getting back to edward. many people have commented on the fact that meyers made a vampire look stupid with only feeding on animals and going glittery and stuff....well if we get the same old vampire story of sleeping in coffins and sucking blood then what makes edward's character different from other vampire characters in other books? if the authors used her own creativity then there is no such problem with that. As for Bella. Meyer's created Bella's character incredibly well. a normal teenage girl who doesnt like sports, gets bored in class and falls madly in love with a guy. well he's not human but she didnt know that. so what if she's really clumsy!?! and if U were chased by a gang then what would you do exept run to the place which u see first, which in Bella's case is a dark ally where if the other commenters dont recall she saw two cars going past the inter-section. she must have thought she'd be safe. the other characters are good too. alice, jasper, rosalie and emmett. Meyer's put a great variety of personalities. alice is sweet. rosalie is beautiful but jealous of Bella. Jasper's distressed because he does come from a very different family and thrives for the blood of humans which the cullens do not permit. Emmett...well he's just "the big brother". Esme and Dr. Cullen have been worked on well giving them the nature of kind parents. James, Victoria and Laurent have their own nature as well. Meyer's worked on each character and given them their own place in the story. i enjoyed twilight and hope to red new moon soon. One last pointer: As Meyer herself said, the first 3 chapters are'nt that strong so don't leave the book by the first chapter! Okay I dont know why but some of the people writing reviews say that twilights boring. personally its one of the most amazing book someone can ever come across. Meyer's writing skills can literally beat Rowling's. the ideas are brilliant and the way she portrays the love between a vampire and a mortal girl is applaudable. right now im waiting to get my hands on new moon because twilight is a book which you just cant leave!after you get the few minutes of satisfaction when you finish the book in one reading (which i did) you immediately want to get your hands on new moon. i just hope the movie is good. i recomend this book to everyone. Suspence, Romance and Horror...who can withstand this combo?   hide

I believe some might find the story progresses at a slow pace in the beginning - However, I found it acceptable in a sense- I don’t know why I always think a book will start off with a bang- it rarely does. In all honesty, I was intrigued from the beginning, even if nothing significant had yet occurred. The beginning of the story is used to establish the main characters and their...more

I believe some might find the story progresses at a slow pace in the beginning - However, I found it acceptable in a sense- I don’t know why I always think a book will start off with a bang- it rarely does. In all honesty, I was intrigued from the beginning, even if nothing significant had yet occurred. The beginning of the story is used to establish the main characters and their relationships- and cleverly done, in my opinion. Truth is, I can completely relate to the main character Bella. Her longing to be with someone - her desire for love, is undeniably a characteristic we both share. In terms of the romance in the novel, there are the truly ‘mushy’ moments but I found them in-part to be rather necessary. This a romance novel- I would be complaining to a higher extent if the moments didn’t exist. In fact, I found the novel void of cliches in the dialogue- that made such a significant impact- the words exchanged between Bella and Edward seemed very real and conveyed indisputable emotion. Simply put, I admired them. I loved how their relationship progressed throughout the novel and marvelled at the strength they possessed to pull through the suspenseful sequence of events that followed. Towards the middle, the story really moves forward. I found it impossible to set it down- it was very suspenseful and I found that I truly had to restrain myself from having a peek at following pages. It was a brilliant first book to the series. It truly established the foundation necessary for a successful trilogy.   hide

okay. it is the 2nd time I read this book and I can't believe I did so. When I read it the first time, it was when it just came out. nobody knew what it was, it was not a series, not a best-seller and all the hysteria was non-existent at that time. So I read it as a simple book which you read just to pass time as light reading and did not think that much of it. I thought the way the...more

okay. it is the 2nd time I read this book and I can't believe I did so. When I read it the first time, it was when it just came out. nobody knew what it was, it was not a series, not a best-seller and all the hysteria was non-existent at that time. So I read it as a simple book which you read just to pass time as light reading and did not think that much of it. I thought the way the story ended was okay that way. I thought the book, perceived that way, was okay. then a year after the 2nd book arrives, and then the 3rd and so on. I read them all, still considering them as little books, but I saw all the hype growing more and more. this is insane. I would have understand if it was that good of a book, but its not. The reason why I read it again is because I was wondering at some point if I had missed some deep and meaningful points in the book. so I read it again to check. my god, it was even worst than I thought. Not only the grammar is awful, this book could have been way less long than it was. I don't need to know that bella is brushing her teeth. There are so many useless stuff in this book, its incredible. By more than half of the book, I made the conclusion that this book was not a novel, but rather an endless and really boring conversation between two characters (can we call them that?) that seems to love each other with no other reason than one smells good, and the other is handsome. wow. true love for sure. and by the way, even when I read it thr first time, Edward got on my nerves. His character is really contracditory: what he says are at time so-too-perfect! I know its fiction, but please nobody is that perfect no matter what. And on the other side, he sometimes seems more like a creep. stalking her and watching her sleep when she has no idea who that guy is, really poeple? I admit that watching someone that you love is cute, BUT NOT THAT WAY! Nothing is happening in those books. the only 2 events are bella almost getting killed by a car and bella almost getting killed by the big vilain james. thats it. and I already knew the bad guy would of course loose. Emmet and Jasper seems to only exist so rosalie and alice would have boyfriends, I mean, COME ON. nothing works. this could go on and on. I know a lot of poeple love it, and I respect that, but it does not mean that I understand why though. bref, this book IS WAY OVERRATED. thats all.(38) .   hide

I hated this book with a passion! If you, like me, mostly enjoy stories with strong and complex characters who are easy to care about, well-written plots, new perspectives, female empowerment themes, and a satisfying conclusion, then this is NOT the book for you! I know there are zillions of people out there who are love it and are obsessed with this series, and that only makes my heart grow a...more

I hated this book with a passion! If you, like me, mostly enjoy stories with strong and complex characters who are easy to care about, well-written plots, new perspectives, female empowerment themes, and a satisfying conclusion, then this is NOT the book for you! I know there are zillions of people out there who are love it and are obsessed with this series, and that only makes my heart grow a little harder towards this book. In my opinion, there are hundreds of people on Fanfiction.net who can write better than this. The characters are flat and boring. Main character Bella is a total Mary-Sue, and a bit of a brat to boot. She's also weak, thinking she's not good enough for her "true love", and pretty spineless - a terrible role model for young girls! Handsome vampire Edward is a moody, emotionally abusive jerk. The rest of the characters are unimportant. The plot is introduced late in the book, and totally secondary to watching Edward and Bella moon over each other. Meyer's descriptions are extremely cliched. The only things I can see to like about this book are 1 - I found it to be a quick read (probably because it doesn't require much thought. In fact, thinking about it would frustrate the reader), and 2 - It has a sort of "trashy romance novel" appeal, what with the danger, and the melodrama and such. I vote thumbs down all the way on Twilight!   hide

okay, so i was considering writing a review earlier, but i wanted to see what other readers thought of this book first. I have seen very few complaints, but they simply must be explained: 1) Edward/bella has no flaw- Edwards falw is much more deeply discussed in the second book. and you will find it there hiding in teh pages of the first book. As for bella, consider her fatal flaw being love. I...more

okay, so i was considering writing a review earlier, but i wanted to see what other readers thought of this book first. I have seen very few complaints, but they simply must be explained: 1) Edward/bella has no flaw- Edwards falw is much more deeply discussed in the second book. and you will find it there hiding in teh pages of the first book. As for bella, consider her fatal flaw being love. I do not see very many selfish actions on her part, and she's rather masochistic int he way that she'll do anything for those she loves 2) Bella's lack of brilliance- Yes she was not exactly very smart running into an alley when being chased, but i know from personal experience that a large city, and a small town are set up very differently... it's much harder to find a dead end in a large city like phoenix, than it is in a small area. 3) meyers lack of depth to the secondary characters- You will find in the next books that she does indeed pay more attention to the secondary characters. she explores them a little more, but i think that Twilight was meant ot be about Edward and Bella, and anyone else around them aare truly the paper cut outs that they are. My overall comments: 1) dont be so quick to judge this book if you don't enjoy it. Simply because you are used to Tolstoy or Flaubert, does not mean that a simple fictional novel cannot have a touching effect. 2) Best. Series. Ever.(Note i do not say book... Because i simply cannot choose) -B-   hide