Vampire-Proof (yes, those vampires)
I am a reading snob. If you tell me what you are reading, I will judge you accordingly. I have been in a book club since before Oprah even had magical bookselling powers. And I think life is too short to waste on chick lit, mysteries or Maeve Binchy-style beach reads.
And usually my friends agree with me, but many of them have fallen under the Twilight spell. I have held out against the Twilight forces for months now. But my friends are pressuring me and to be honest, its becoming a bone of contention.
I realize that I am coming off as a pretentious snob not willing to lower myself to the magic of the vampire series. I can not participate in their conversations, their dissections of the movie, their mooning over Robert Pattinson. Their excitement over the idea of "Rosten" (It's PR manipulation, people!) is well, bizarre. They have already pre-ordered their tickets to New Moon and they aren't even taking any tweens as cover.
I have laughed at their stories of their bad parenting while devouring the series: their tales of ignored kids; piles of laundry and dishes piling up; of being late for school pick-up. I have witnessed their glassy-eyed approaches in the morning after being up most of the night reading. But I have not succumbed to the lure of the "golden eyes".
It seems that Twilight has hit a nerve with moms seeking a break from the everyday. But what I don't understand is that my (very intelligent) friends are urging me to read the series, yet at the same time, they tell me how badly written it is. BrainyJane kind of sums it up for me with her critique.
Maybe its the idea of romantic love, maybe its because it forms a bond with the teen babysitter, maybe there is some kind of drug emitted from the pages. I don't know and I don't really intend to find out unless I am stuck on bedrest for a number of weeks. But if you are one of those Twilight-loving moms, don't send me hate mail, just go to Twighlightmoms.com and chat up other like-minded romatincs in the forums.
I realize that the Twi-hards are a hard-core bunch, that they send viscious missives to their detractors and swarm the teenage stars of the movie. But I know I'm not alone in thinking it is a bit weird that so many middle-aged women are obsessed with high schoolers.
I didn't jump on the Harry Potter bandwagon either. I enjoyed the books a lot, when I read them to my son. But I was not reading them to myself -- they were well-written, but they were written for kids. And there a lot of books written for adults out there, some of them are even love stories -- between grown ups. So if you are looking for me, check me out in the adult section of the bookstore.
In the meantime, if you love the series, let me know what the appeal is (in 100 words or less) ...
Posted by: Kitty | 2009-11-19 2:13:17 PM
I love the story of the books. Its just so sweet and interesting.
But then again, im only 18!
Posted by: Lairenn | 2009-11-19 10:35:28 AM
Wow. You love the book that's fine. I actually own all of them. I've read them all too. Once was enough. Yes it's lovely and romantic, but I think for me the larger issues that vampire fiction often touches on are not there. What is humanity? How does one find redemption? What does it mean to be moral? Vampires by their very nature are for the most part outside of time. Humans by their very nature are defined to some extent by time. None of those issues are ever touched on except in passing, the issue of monster and man or girl as the case may be is all brushed under the carpet for the sake of the romance.
And that's fine, as I said I own the books, I wanted to know what the fuss and bother was about. Meyer's tale is good in the telling, but doesn't stand up to a reread like Rowling's stuff does. At least to my mind.
Posted by: Pobert Pattinson is hot - but Twilight is not | 2009-11-17 6:12:41 PM
I love to read almost anything - Steinbeck to US Weekly. I was holding out on the Twilight series, but I broke down this summer while looking for free books on tape for background noise at my office, and listened to books 1, 2 and 4 (and 1/2 of 3) to see what all the fuss was about. The first book was a fun and guilty pleasure - romantic, tortured, trashy - in a word - fun. The more I listened, however, the more irritated I became. There are several issues that I can't get past: The thinly veiled religious/abstinence agenda; the fact that the third book is completely useless; the parallels drawn between true love and a willingness or desire for death, or violence (sucking one's prey dry, for instance). Bella is so weak! And boring! Yet "indescribably" perfect Edward loves her because she smells so good he wants to eat her - not because of any part of her (non-existant) personality or shared interests. He's what? 400 years old or something and he's supposedly not any more psychologically mature than a 17 year old? I just can't get behind such a weak female protagonist. Yes the books are seductive, but reading them feels like emmotional manipulation the author plays on our desire for romance while offering up a steaming pile of very distorted morality while you're distracted by the main storyline.
Posted by: Oceanna13 | 2009-11-16 8:29:38 AM
I contemplated this many times as I read all 4 novels in record time this past summer. All I could come up with is that the love Edward has for Bella is the way every woman (no matter what age) wants to be loved. His love for her is absolutely perfect.
It is so unrealistic (too bad teenage girls will soon discover that there is no such love) but if it can help raise their standards to what love should be (more or less) than it can actually be beneficial for them in the future. Girls do not settle for second best make him respect and adore you.
Posted by: samantha | 2009-11-16 7:48:25 AM
i think edward and jacob are really HOT
Posted by: lulu | 2009-11-14 11:28:56 PM
I loved Twilight. I am 45 years old, married, have 4 kids, a Master's Degree and a great job. I love to read and do have my standards....which means no Harlequin type romances! I've read Hawthorne, everything Dickens, Austen, and the Bronte sisters have ever written. But does that mean I cannot and should not enjoy a well told story. Meyers is a new writer and she has done a pretty good job. She is no Charles Dickens but then who is. There is room for serious writing and fluffy writing. LIfe is too short to not enjoy Childrens Lit. Loosen up a bit!
Posted by: Lily | 2009-11-14 11:24:05 PM
I didn't even hear about the books until this summer past. When I watched the movie, burned, for the first time. I wasn't interested in watching that either but my friend burned it for me so I watched it. Now after the movie I still could not care less. It was a bad movie the first time around. I went shopping one day, came across the book for like $5, was on Mat leave so decided to give it a go. It was then that it began. I read the books in two weeks (with a newborn) and only wanted to know what happened next. Now I have my tickets for the advanced screening of New Moon. It was my very favorite book of the four. I never would have without reading the books, I probably still wouldn't give a shit. They are mesmerizing and magical. A great escape from the everyday. It was just a fun way to escape the stresses of life for a few hours. Who cares if they are teenagers, it's just a book.
Posted by: Myself | 2009-11-14 10:21:59 PM
You are an insufferable snob. You feel yourself to be so high and mighty, above the general masses, and far removed from the average folk, that you belittle a literary work of art without having read it. Your means of justification are weak. I'm a woman in my late twenties, a University graduate in Microbiology, and a third year medical student, and that's just the tip of the iceberg lady. Fans of this series are diverse, of all walks of life, age and class. You make a significant effort to convey a level of distinction and maturity that you believe eludes the readers of the Saga. Your elitism is laughable and most blatantly immature. You ask what the appeal is? Read it and find out for yourself douchebag.
Posted by: Me | 2009-11-14 5:39:28 PM
TWILIGHT IS AWESOME! esapecially edward <3 not rob pat...edward <3
Posted by: Vanessa | 2009-11-14 5:12:34 PM
I don't understand the hype either -- though I tried to. I read the first few chapters of Twilight and it bored me to tears. Given my first impression, to me, it is merely a series full of clichés. The only thing that sets it slightly apart is the vampire/werewolf factor, which is so bizarre to me. I have been told of the "incredible" plotline, but it has zero appeal to me -- and I'm the target audience! Initially, I didn't mind people gushing over this "saga", but it really has been taken too far. Poor Robert Pattinson (a.k.a. "Edward Cullen") was hit by a car trying to escape fangirls. Numerous boys have been dumped by their girlfriends because they simply don't compare to the fantastic boyfriend character, Edward Cullen. A mild criticism will send millions of girls chasing after the critic. I have even avoided seeing the movie partly because I know that I will burst out laughing during one of those "love scenes", which will only prompt more girls to attack me (not saying that boys don't like the series either -- but it's extremely rare). What baffles me the most, however, is when people claim it is the "best book ever". Um, excuse me? Can Stephenie Meyer REALLY compare to great authors such as James Joyce, Vladimir Nabokov, George Orwell, and many more? I beg to differ, and if this makes me a "book snob", then so be it.
Posted by: Julie | 2009-11-14 4:58:53 PM
I don't understand how there can be people judging the result of someone's hard work... could those people do any better?? I am quite fascinated just by the fact that someone could come up with a storie and take the time and go through all of the steps to actually make a book!! I happened to have watched the first movie a few days ago, I really enjoyed it, now I am reading the first book and I am enjoying it even more... I am in my early 30s and you know what?? I don't care!! It doesn't matter how old you are if it brings something good to you... we all get older physically, and more mature, and responsible and many of us have children now, but it doesn't mean we have to leave our imagination behind and feel ashamed and think "OH GOSH maybe I shouldn't read a story with teenagers in it!!"... My soul doesn't get any older, my teenager years were not so long ago!!... Anyways... GOOD WORK Stephenie Meyer, and thank you for sharing your story, millions of people are totally enjoying it... so, to those of you who think it's badly written, let me know when your own story is out, and CHEERS to The Twilight Saga Lovers!!
Posted by: Tanya | 2009-11-14 4:29:08 PM
The draw is the format of the stories. Continuous suspense and a subject that so many girls & women relate to - high school crushes. But this story is what happens is when that guy, who has never found anyone who interested him in 90 years, finally finds 'the one' for him - a regular girl (read: OMG - I'm a regular girl!). He's not a jerk, and neither is the next possible romantic interest. Stephenie Meyer studied literature and is fan of classic romance novels, and that shows in the storyline & the obstacles that are put up along the way. Read the stories with this in mind and you'll see similarities and those parallels indicate to me, why the classics and this story is so popular. I can understand the resistance to what has become a name brand, but in order to evaluate truly, you really should read the books. Then feel free to criticize.
Posted by: Ed | 2009-11-14 4:14:26 PM
I laughed at everyone being so crazy about it, so I had to see what it was out of curiosity.
I have read all the books too and seen the movie with my 13 year old daughter and we have
those tickets for new moon's first show. I think the attraction for me was it is a great love
story not unlike what I had with my husband because young kids today don't have and never
will have what we have (I met my husband when I was 13) We are now 50 and I still am very
much in love with him. So maybe the only way my girl will know what we have is through a
love story like this one (despite the vampire, that just adds a twist of excitement) though the
movies don't show near the detail as to how good the books are written.
Posted by: ShanMah | 2009-11-14 3:57:36 PM
I don't have an opinion of my own when it comes to the Twilight saga, because I didn't have time to read it yet. But I think that in general, if you're being a reading snob, then you're missing a lot of things. You admitted that Harry Potter is well-written, and yet you won't read it for yourself because it is "written for kids" ? I think it is quite riddiculous. My mom read all of them and enjoyed it, and she is not going to pretend she did not read Harry Potter because it is "for kids" (and my mother is a very smart woman who reads a lot of books). Besides, I don't think the last books are written for kids, I'm thinking the 6th and 7th ones...
Posted by: Lisa | 2009-11-14 3:07:22 PM
Interestingly enough I initially felt the same way you did. I just couldn't grasp the widespread appeal that this series seemed to have. Then a coworker lent me his copy of Twilight and the rest was history. I finished all 4 books and watched the movie within a week. I became like the friends that you described. Now looking back, what I enjoyed the most was the unadulterated relationship between the main characters, a certain innocence that despite the 'dark' & 'mysterious' undertones/elements in the stories, rang out as sincere. This series provided a refreshing escape, which to me is the mark of a great book regardless of the genre.
Posted by: Candice | 2009-11-14 2:51:42 PM
I've had friends hound me to read it, and i honestly wasn't into vampires. I happened to be bored, watched the movie and had to read the books to find out what was next. So what? Someone decided to write and the majority of the world loved it. Is it such a crime?
Posted by: Kathy | 2009-11-14 2:41:32 PM
I held out on this series for a long time as well. I always felt that when massive amounts of people start raving about one book, it's because they don't read much and become a bit obsessive when they do..not a great recommendation. My elder daughter read Twilight because all of her friends were talking about it. She enjoyed the story well enough, but wasn't thrilled with the writing style (she was 13 at the time). I watched the move about a month ago with my younger daughter and decided to read the series after that. It's a light enough read... a variation on many romance stories. Two people from different worlds fall in love and they struggle to be together. There's the interesting twist of the of the Cullens chosen lifestyle within the hidden vampire society... and their struggle to rise above their instincts. The vampires in the story have the traditional seductive quality, but the story doesn't ever become a horror which, I think, makes the concept more appealing to those who might otherwise not read it. All in all, the media hype is way OTT, but the story is worth reading.
Posted by: Lisa | 2009-11-14 12:33:35 PM
I have to admit that I was wondering what the big hype was...but then I decided to read it. I loved Harry Potter...so I decided to give Twilight a go. I am 33 yrs old, have a 4 yr old and a 2 yrs old. I read the whole series in exactly 2 weeks and I have to say that these books are my favorite of all time. Not only do you fall in love with the love story but you immensly escape. And I escaped from my every day boring life into this...I absolutley loved these books and Stephanie Meyer is a fantastic author...are you? What are your boooks??? Something that I can escape in???
One thing that gets me is that you can not judge one bit...until you have read them. You can not give an opinion until you have read so keep your comments to yourself.
Posted by: LM Ridley | 2009-11-14 11:46:41 AM
It's OK to not be interested in a popular series (and I'm not interested in the Twilight series myself); however, it is NOT kosher to justify your disinterest with a snide remark about "teenagers". Romeo and Juliet is about teenagers (Juliet being about 14-15, with Romeo maybe a year older), yet is universally acknowledged as a masterwork about love and tragedy. And your snarky remarks about not reading Harry Potter for yourself and to "find you in the adult section" of the bookstore? Frankly, dahling, you come across not as a snob, but rather as a b***h.
Posted by: Erin | 2009-11-14 9:40:19 AM
And they only way to try to understand the Twilight Madness, is to read it.
Posted by: Erin | 2009-11-14 9:38:01 AM
I'm a lover of books, of all forms, Yes even those $5.99 Christmas love story books you can buy at grocery stores at 5 am. I love to read. I, however was not planning on reading Twilight (and didn't understand the hysteria), but for some reason, I had the book passed along to me, I read it. In one day. Resist you might, but this series is actually worht reading. I'm 23 years old and I loved a book about ' teens' falling in love. Why you might ask. Because I believe it to be a great loves story and an inspiration to women ever where, on how love can, should make you feel. I'm on the Twilight Band Wagon. Wanna come? You know you'll like it! Perhaps why the anit-Twilights resist to read it? Because you know you fall in love with the books and characters.
Posted by: Aimee | 2009-11-14 8:44:27 AM
1. You are a book snob
2. A good book is a good book, no matter what your age.
3. Not reading Twilight to stand out from the crowd is super lame.
Posted by: Gwen | 2009-11-12 8:48:22 PM
I couldn't agree more. I don't get the whole Twilight hysteria. I am also a huge reader, but with 3 kids, I don't have a lot of time to induldge, so you better believe I am not wasting it on reading about teenage vampires. Everyone keeps trying to talk to me into reading it too, but I have zero interest. I am happy that they love it, but stop trying to convince me!!
Posted by: Jen | 2009-11-12 3:16:18 PM
I love reading. I love the classics. I love working my way through the Giller nominees. And I love Twilight. Hot vampires are good. They make my happy!
Posted by: Sam | 2009-11-12 9:44:16 AM
I preordered my tickets too...no tweens but 5 friends all over 35!