Many of you may be disappointed in me, even mad. But I decided it’s better to be honest from the beginning instead of building our blogger/reader relationship on falsehoods.
So here goes … deep breath … I don’t like the Twilight saga.
In fact, I haven’t even finished the series. I have read “Twilight” and “New Moon.” But I stopped there. My copy of “New Moon” had a preview of “Eclipse” in the back and as I read it, I thought – I just don’t have another one in me.
I finished “New Moon” while on a family vacation this summer, and my husband, who was driving, and most likely extremely bored, started asking questions about the book. “So what’s going on in ‘New Moon’?” Hmm … let’s see … oh, wait … “nothing, absolutely nothing.” Of course, that was before the Volturi drama, which I liked. As far as I’m concerned, “New Moon” could have cut straight to Italy, skipping the first few hundred pages. I have heard from others this is the most difficult book to get through.
Maybe it would be more accurate to say I don’t like large chunks of the Twilight series. Because there are segments that were immensely enjoyable, and then there were segments filled with an overwhelming amount of growling and hissing and not much else.
And, as long as I’m being honest, I choose Jacob over Edward. C’mon, Bella. Quit leading him on. (That revelation may have generated a whole new wave of hate mail.)
I can sense your shock and disbelief, but I hope this won’t ruin our relationship. All of that said, I do admire Stephenie Meyer and am happy for her success. (More on that tomorrow.)
But tell me, why should I continue? I haven’t seen the movie “Twilight,” and “Eclipse” sits untouched on my bookshelf. So give me a good reason. Give me a good reason to read “Eclipse” – and I will.
Tags: series, thumbs down, wildly popular
I wish I didn’t like the series because I’m kind of ashamed that I do! Maybe I haven’t evolved much beyond my 13-year-old self.
I can’t tell you to continue reading because it is more of the same – some enjoyable moments, lots of Bella thinking and more growling and hissing.
You HAVE to keep reading. Well, I guess you don’t…but you really SHOULD. The second book was my least favorite, mostly because I’m Team Edward, and he scarcely made an appearance. I actually started the 3rd book at 1 in the morning after finishing New Moon. It was a cliffhanger. No resolution in the end. I kept reading because I needed to see Bella and Edward together, and because I have an odd draw to vampires in general. (I know-sign me up for therapy now). The last book was drama drama, and less love story. If you liked the Volturi part, you’ll like that 4th book…so keep on reading!
Kristen…my opinion is that the first and last books are the best. So keep going.
The second book touches on what it is like to lose your first love and that sick empty feeling you are left with. The last book will definitely explain why Jacob and Bella can NEVER be….trust me! Team Edward all the way baby!
Kristen, I am totally Team Jacob as well. I did read all four, and I still feel that way. Edward just bugs me. It might be all the hissing and growling. Like you, I’m not a fan of the series, and I was completely annoyed by Bella and her insane choices. The best thing I can say about the series is that I’m glad I finished them. At least I won’t wonder if I missed out on something great.
I have to admit that I feel like Danielle. I’m over thirty, educated, relatively intelligent, and could not figure out why this saga appealed to me so much. I was embarrassed calling my daughter’s teenage friends begging to borrow the next book or stand in a check out line with it…and nothing else. I read the entire series in a week! I just had to know how it all came to a close…RIGHT THEN! After much thought, I decided the saga appealed to the young, hopeless romantic that still dwells deep down inside. When I was young, I wanted my prince charming to sweep me off my feet and ride away into the sunset where we live happily ever after. Well, life happens and you grow up. Even though I am happy, I don’t live in a castle with a prince. I guess Stephanie Meyers was able to let that naive young girl surface for a short time.
I don’t expect this saga to have the same effect on everyone. Bella is, at times, a little too needy ( to the point of nausea), and Edward is a little too protective (way over the top). Plus, I saw the first movie with my daughter before reading the books so I pictured the actors from the movie instead of creating their persona’s with my own imagination. I was also disappointed when I realized I could probably beat up Robert Pattinson in reality (It’s hard to fantasize about a guy that’s shorter and smaller than you are – and I”m not that big).
My advice about continuing with the third book is this: If you aren’t already interested enough to pursue the third book without encouragement from others, it’s probably going to be a waste of your time. Some people just aren’t into this saga and that’s okay. It means your normal.
I’m an over-50 mom of a teenager who turned me on to Twilight. I guess I am reliving my teen fantasies, too but the books, for me at least, were a great escape. Sure, Bella acts like an idiot over these two hunks, Edward and Jacob act like an idiots over Bella; Edward with his super over-protectiveness and then his whacked-out rationale for leaving Bella and poor, pitiful Jacob who is constantly rejected. The third book, Esclipse, was my favorite so I think you should give it a try. However, the last book of the series, Breaking Dawn, was a real disappointment.
Sorry everyone, I hated the books. I read all four because my daughters kept telling me it was going to get better, but it never did it for me. I think it was because I hated the character of Bella. She was over the top needy and so very whiney. By the fourth book I really wanted her to die. I also was uncomfortable with her as a role model for young girls. She wanted to die to be with her “true love”. She wasn’t a strong, independent woman model. However, I did like Stephanie Meyer’s following book “The Host”. It was an interesting book I read in one sitting.
I am halfway through Twilight. I have to read it for a couple of reasons, the first of which is because I have an eleven year old reading on a college level and she struggles to find interesting things to read. She has wanted to read this for a year now. The older girls have read the books and lastly, my students have been bugging me to read the books. My students and my older girls are crazy about the books and often talk and write about the characters as if they are real. It drives me crazy. My stepdaughter’s mother’s room is apparently plastered with Twilight Saga posters – a grown woman, over fifty. So far the book reads no better than a dime store romance. If I were grading this writing I would be commenting to show don’t tell. All Bella does is tell how great Edward looks. It drives me crazy. My students have said how impressed they are with the descriptions and the vocabulary…so far no evidence. I will check back when I am done for a more well informed comment but this is it for now. ~Kelly
unDeniably Domestic
Wow, Kelly, I imagine that it’s challenging to find suitable reading material for your 11-year-old. My oldest is only in first grade, so we’re not quite there yet. Do you teach English? Are your students and older daughters disappointed that you don’t like “Twilight?” A few of my younger friends and even those my age were disappointed that I wasn’t devoted to the series. I agree wholeheartedly with your description and especially relate to your comment of “show don’t tell.” I hadn’t thought of it, but maybe that’s why the books seem so flat to me because as a writer and journalist I was taught that very thing. I’ll be anxious to hear your final analysis.
i am a 13 year old girl but i have read the entire series multiple times and i love it, also Eclipse was my favorite. So i believe you should continue reading them aswell, and i agree New Moon was ahard one to get through i pefer edward to jacub personily so that might have something to do with it but i do know that all that part of the book is to explain how Bella and jacub are becoming friends and him being a wolf impacts alot. but i think you should read Eclipse and Breaking Dawn they are both good books and i wouldent want you to miss out
Kamara Berland
Thanks for your input, Kamara. I guess I’ll keep reading. At least I can find out how it ends, and I’ll be able to join in on the multitude of Twilight conversations. I’m glad to hear you think the last two books are better.