Twilight – What IS The Big Deal?
Posted by bethany on March 23, 2009 · 9 Comments
Last week, while sick, I saw no less than two hundred commercials advertising the DVD release of the Twilight movie on Saturday. Included in the commercial was the request that you “find out where a midnight Twilight party was happening in your area on Saturday.”
Now, let me explain, I’m not completely bashing Twilight, as many have done. For one, I’ve read the first two books. In doing so, I feel I must explain why I caved and became one of a number sucked in (pun sort of intended) into this trend.
When Harry Potter was all the rage, I was, at first, completely taken aback. When Goblet of Fire came out (book four to you non-Potter-o-philes), I rolled my eyes at the stacks of the books I saw at the grocery store. I rolled my eyes at the coverage of the book’s release on CNN. I rolled my eyes everytime I saw the words “Harry” and “Potter”.
Then, something strange happened. My (now former) brother-in-law was visiting and he popped the DVD of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone into the DVD player. As I was getting the house ready for a party and he was in the main living area, I had no choice but to watch the movie while I was cooking. I was enthralled. It seemed like a good enough story, so I found the paperback version of the Sorcerer’s Stone that I had bought a few years previously, just to find out what all the big brou-ha-ha was about and forced myself past chapter one. Just like that, I had to have more.
So, this past fall, it seemed like Twilight was destined to be all the rage and destined to surpass Harry Potter’s popularity. I mean, Cedric Diggory was cast in the movie, as the lead!!
I finally got my hands on the first book. I read it. Immediately, I needed book two, New Moon. I read both of them, and to my credit, I did so even after briefly skimming a headline in which Stephen King was panning the books. (I’ve never liked Stephen King – he writes a good story, but somehow I can’t read him, I just can’t get into his written word…)
Then, I watched the movie and suddenly, I began to wonder, “Is this really what everyone is talking about?”
Bones divx Day Zero video I thought, perhaps, I was missing something and so, I went back and began to read the books again. It was worse this time, which is something I’ve never experienced before. I realized just how poorly this stories are written and by a woman who has a Bachelors in English, who should know better. Or, at least, her editors should know better.
When I took a step back, I realized… these are not even well written stories. Without the Edward – Bella tete a tete that goes from good to bad in less time than it takes to say “moody, spoiled, whiny brat”, these stories would not be read by millions of women.
And, they’re marketed as “young adult” literature?
I read a blog Empire film recently on the critical nature of just why these books should not be placed into the hands of young teens, everywhere, and I have to say, the more I think about it, the more I agree. (And again, I’m only up to book two.)
I haven’t yet decided on whether or not I’ll actually read the other books in the series. I’m sort of torn on that. On one hand, the writing is really bad, and on the other, I do want to know what happens. However, unlike the Harry Potter read-all-night-long-until-I-finish-the-book and mandatory waiting in line at midnight for the release of all the books, I kind of have a “meh” attitude when it comes to Twilight. If I read them, I read them, but the burning desire dissipates with each passing day.
Perhaps, I’m just a woman who is in need of having her “ovary” status taken away. After all, I wasn’t that into the Notebook, either.
Although, I do have to say, this isn’t half bad. It’s actually pretty good:
That’s why I like being a guy. We get Lord of the Rings, you chicks get Twilight.
I couldn’t get through Lord of the Rings…. I tried, God, how I tried… and I just couldn’t do it. Much better written, though… J.R.R. Tolkien knew his grammar, at least. I didn’t cringe when realizing what I was reading…
My cousin lets her ten-year-old read these books. TEN!!!
Has your cousin read them? Because my understanding is they get pretty racy after two. I’m just sayin’…
I’m kind of iffy on a 14-year-old reading them.
I don’t know if she’s read them, and something tells me that she wouldn’t care. The girl’s a mature 10 year-old, but still . . .
Your cousin should read this blog: http://tinyurl.com/d53sf6
I wanted to add it earlier, but couldn’t find it… it’s linked now above, as well…
Well said!!! I don’t get it either……Bella was just annoying…and my friend says the series, in general, isn’t a good role model for girls. I dunno….Maybe I’ll finish reading it, maybe not. But, I do have to say…. I miss Harry and Hogwarts.
I do wish J.K. Rowling would write another series…
As per our conversation earlier in the day, I kinda see Twilight like a burger. It’s bad for me, but I like it!
“On one hand, the writing is really bad, and on the other, I do want to know what happens. ” Yep, that’s where I am at, I kinda make sport of finding the (many, MANY) mistakes in the writing, and flaws in the editing because the story is just so gosh darned enthralling. I’m about to read “Breaking Dawn” and I’m sure our most irritating protagonist (Bella) won’t end up with the right guy (Jacob!!!) but I will keep reading, coz it’s fun.
As I said earlier, it helps to have a (fun) drink beside you so you can skull (swig!?!!) everytime something stupid happens, or everytime the editor missed something important. (She’s used “chagrin” 3 times in this paragraph, perhaps I should point it out to her? Nahhhhh!)
I was going to loan the books to my 12 year old niece, but having read them, have decided to give them to her mother to read, and let her make the call. If it were my kid, I’d probably say no, or at the very least, read it WITH her. (As I did with Harry Potter with my niece, so we could talk through the scary bits together.