Thursday, August 28, 2008

a disappointment


While I was on vacation last week (which was great, by the way), I decided to read Twilight. Three or four people had told me that I had to read it, and how amazing it was. Supposedly it was the new Harry Potter. And I love Harry Potter, so I was eager to read something as engaging as the wonderful Harry. I tried to like Twilight, I really did. However, the book was a disappointing teen trash novel. The writing was over-the-top, and the dialog made me gag. It seemed like an unrealistic picture of the way things work. Obviously, it is fantasy, I get that, but what cool guy like Edward would actually like a girl like Bella? Frankly, I thought it was written to appeal to the part of girls that wants to be told that they are fascinating, interesting, perplexing creatures that guys don't understand, but just want to get to know better. Edward Cullen is like Mr. Wonderful, which is to say, unrealistic (and again, I get that he is a vampire and thus not realistic). Over time, Edward becomes more vapid and annoying in his glistening marble beauty that never ends and just keeps going on until you wonder if in the next scene, someone will fall dead from his radiant handsomeness. I mean, I suppose there is an appealing aspect to dating a vampire, because you get to feel all dangerous and different, but I don't think a real vampire would like Bella because she was a fairly boring and flat person. I'm not really sure what Edward saw in her; I agreed with Bella when she wonders what he loves about her--I was confused too. Ultimately, parts of the book were fun, and it was good, trashy beach reading, but my impression before reading it was that it was on a much higher tier than beach reading. So I guess I'm ranting because I had heard so many good things going into it. Thankfully, I read a much better book after Twilight called The Invisible Heart, but that deserves its own post. That's all for now.

3 comments:

Hobbit Wife said...

oh, mr. wonderful! what happy memories i have of you from my bachelorette party! many are the enchanted moments i have lingered wistfully over the tender words you blared in your cassette tape- quality recorded voice: "i'll do the dishes... and then, afterward... i'll rub your feet..."

Jennifer Anne said...

Hmph. I liked Twilight. I loved it. But I respect your opinion. Just don't insult it too much in my presence. :]

Aubrey said...

I agree with you, it's definitely not very good writing and there are aspects that just don't make sense and frankly break the laws of physics, and granted, he's a vampire, but there's still a limit to how far you can bend the rules.
It's too bad you went into it with high expectations cause it can't live up to them, but if had expected a cheesy teen fiction I think you would have liked it more cause when you read books like that you automatically turn off the part of your brains that thinks critically.
But yeah, I still like them, even if the fourth one is so over the top happy. Oh well.