Well, Twilight**. What can I say about you.
I heard a lot of hype about these books - I heard someone say they were the best books since Harry Potter. I think it was even the blurb on the cover of New Moon.
Which is why, sadly, I was a little disappointed. (It's always the way with high expectations - they naturally lead to let downs, I think). The idea was fantastic - it's hard to go wrong with vampires, because they are always such an exciting idea - immortal, beautiful, violent, just that little bit erotic - what could go wrong? And I did like a lot of the ways in which Stephanie Meyer portayed them - the little quirks she added, the highschool setting (how could I not enjoy the situational humour springing from vampire boyfriends, werewolf friends, and the pressures of highschool and parents? I'm a Buffy fan after all). Her invented histories she threw into Eclipse - the origin of the werewolf clan, Jasper's dark and violent past - were also great. My problem was one particular character.
Bella Swan - ugh. I'm so torn about her. Some of the time I find myself relating to her, other times I was shaking the book(s) and yelling at her not to be such a stupid bint. She was so FRUSTRATING. Utterly thick - what it took her a hundred pages to figure out I had picked as soon as the first doubt surfaced in her mind. Sometimes before that. You'd think the problem would be the predictable plot but really, I think it's how utterly dim and self-deprecating Bella is. That's another thing - these books really enraged my inner feminist (she's been somewhat sleepy of late, but these books really woke my inner Germaine up!) Everything is her fault - even the problems that arise just because she hangs out with territorial boys all the time. She's so drippy she can't take care of herself - she relies on Edward or Jacob to save her all the time, and make her feel bad about anything that happens - both of them manipulate her in an attempt to make them love her. She sees no problem in any of this, and just falls in love with both of them. Way to go, girl power. Meyer was obviously inspired by a very sappy reading list - Romeo & Juliet, Wuthering Heights, and Jane Austen's entire back-catalogue are all texts mentioned throughout the series.
Maybe I shouldn't have had such high expectations for something billed unashamedly as "vampire romance", but I still expected a modern female author to deal with love and romance without completely selling out the sisterhood. Maybe I just need to go and read The Female Eunuch quietly in the corner and stop annoying everybody with my ranting. Whatever.
BUT (and this is a big qualifier), despite all these things, all the frustration Bella caused me and tiny Germaine, I was completely addicted to this book. I'm dying to read Breaking Dawn and I can't believe it's not out yet. I'm suddenly really excited for the film. I spent all of today lying on my couch racing to the end of Eclipse. It really is addictive - can't think of a better word for it.
So here's my recommendation - if you're looking for something deep and meaningful, with stellar prose and a completely original plot - don't go anywhere near these books. These are not for the pretentious readers among us (and I say that with no judgment - sometimes you're in the mood for something that makes you think, sometimes you're not). These books are things you read when you don't want anything serious. When you want happy endings and romance and a little bit of Gothic style - read Twilight. It's good, trashy fun.
** Don't read this review if you haven't read the books. I don't think there are many spoilers, but I haven't bothered to stop and explain who any of the characters are or what happens. This is all about assumed knowledge. Basically, because it's such a big seller, I assume everyone is going to know what I'm talking about. If you don't, go read the damn synopsis off Stephanie Meyer's website - I'm not going to waste time regurgitating what you can find on a hundred other sites, and much more accurately.
So, had my rant for tonight.
Sweet dreams.
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