Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Peer Pressure

I gave in. I jumped on the bandwagon or off the cliff. Whatever you prefer.

I read the Twilight saga.

My niece Chelsea was generous enough to loan me all of the books with her very high recommendations and since so many people have just been raving about them I figured why not? It was kind've nice to be able to read them one right after the other too.

But it has been a very long time since I've been this conflicted about a book. And I find it kind've hard to articulate so here's part of my thinking about this series at least.

The Good
1. They were certainly gripping books. The first one started slow I thought but the others were a lot more intense. I had a really hard time putting them down -- in fact, I read them all in 6 days. Poor Chopper. And poor me -- not much sleep going on.
2. I thought that the characters were good. Some of them annoyed me enough to really be 3-dimensional. But overall I had very clear pictures -- pictures that did NOT match the preview I saw for the movie of the first book.

The Bad
1. I'm sorry but they were a little teenager for me. Until I got to the 3rd book. And then I thought they were books I wouldn't want my teenager to read because they were too adult. I LOVE LOVE LOVE a good romance but not when it's a romance novel. I prefer things a little more subtle and . . . mature.
2. How many times do I have to hear that Edward is so beautiful she can't look away? Or be mesmerized by his beauty or something? Is there nothing more substantial to this relationship than good looks? I guess I'm not ready to be a vampire. Bella's insecurity with her looks I know is something real but I did not like the fact that it was resolved by her change to a vampire and becoming super-model gorgeous like the rest of them. But stuff like that has always bothered me, I think because of my own insecurities.
3. The love triangle. Having never been involved in one myself I found it somewhat ridiculous. Maybe that's an experience I would have to have in order for it not to annoy me to death (ha ha). And then the way that was resolved! I should've known. I almost stopped reading at that point because, seriously . . .

I won't continue in this vein (I am also having a really hard time avoiding the vampire/blood/dead puns and that's probably fairly painful for most of you), but there were a lot more things that I think I took issue with rather than loving them so much. Oh I forgot . . .

The Ugly

1. Would someone please get this girl a new editor? I felt like I was reading a very long 9th-grade paper. Ok I guess it wasn't that bad, everything was spelled right, but professionals should be better at this!
2. Titling. I thought the last one, Breaking Dawn, fit very well. The rest? Random.

Again, I'm really really sorry if you just loved them -- maybe I shouldn't be so honest about them but . . . to each his own right? I do have to admit, I was glad that I read them and satiated my thirst, uh, curiousity. (I had to get that in somehow!)

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Well I am the biggest Twilight fan so I have to be bias in reading what you thought about it! WOMAN, the first and last were my favorite (I read the first one two and a half times - went to just my favorite parts the third time). I can't get enough of the romance and description of how HOT Edward is!!! I thought Bella HAD to become a vampire. If you noticed she never really cared or really took notice that she became beautiful and neither did Edward. He said she has always been beautiful. That was the whole point, she saw herself as normal no matter what but in the same light Edward saw her as the most gorgeous person no matter what. You can tell I'm a total sap. The one part I hated was the love triangle. I was so MAD at Bella when she was doing stuff with Jacob, I was like "YOU DON'T DESERVE EDWARD!!!" Anyways I can see where your coming from on your critique, you are much more logical than I was when I read them.
(sorry such a long post...)

Rachelslope said...

Kristi, How are you? I found you from Marks Blog which I found from his Facebook...Wonderful for you that your at home with your absolutely beautiful daughter with the GREAT genes from not only her dad but her wonderful mother!
Take care!
Cheri (Sister Koller the crazy seminary teacher! LOL)

Alicia said...

hmmm...so I will agree with you on most of your points, especially the negative ones. The thing I cannot figure out is WHY they are so gripping. If I start one I literally have to peel it off my hands. I didn't like the fourth one as much. I think the second would be my favorite although I hated it the first time I read it. I agree that the love triangle is totally ridiculous.