{my thoughts} - I wanted to read this series because everyone else was and I wanted to know what all the fuss was about. I was hooked on this book wanting to get to the end. I wanted to find out if they got together, to know more about the Indian tribal land. I wanted more of the background. I was not disappointed with the book itself. I think that it is a good story and many people can relate to the tale. There is always someone out there that you want to be with, but it seems impossible for you to be able to obtain that opportunity or chance. However, by luck you may get to be with that person, they may change you world forever, but are all the sacrifices worth it? In the end Bella had to decide if giving up her humanity was really what she wanted – although she has three more books to go before she will be completely forced to decide we can all determine that it is the choice she will make – for not a lot can stand in the way of true love if true love is suppose to be.

{reason for reading} - I honestly read this series because everyone was all hyped up over the movies that were coming out and I wanted to see what all the excitement was about. ( )

I read the first book because I like fantasy and it was very successful fantasy. Even if I was not the target audience, I thought it would have some good qualities to be so wildly successful. I expected some kind of appealing urban fantasy with a romantic plot. After reading it, I thought it was shockingly bad for its level of success. From a technical point of view I agree with you that the writing was not awful. Not particularly good but not particularly bad either. Just plain and functional, and I'm perfectly OK with that. The problem was not that the author couldn't put together a subject and a verb to form a sentence. The problem was what the sentences said. It was like a parody of the worse traits of YA romance. The absolutely passive and brainless main character, with the personality of a dead fish who is sighing all the time and for some inexplicable reason has hot supernatural sparkling hunks all over her. Really, pretty awful.

I mean, OK, YA supernatural romance is not my thing. But I can enjoy a good YA supernatural romance, one with appealing characters and an engaging story. This was very far away from that.

So why was it so successful? I guess that for the target audience it was a wish fulfillment, harmless fantasy. But still, there are so many wish fulfillment romantic fantasy books for teenage girls, most of them much better... It's just crazy how sometimes destiny makes a book wildly successful. ( )

Overall impressions
More entertaining than I was expecting. Most of what I knew about Twilight was cultural osmosis and mockery. That said, it's not for me. I doubt I'll read the rest.

The sparkling vampire thing is so bad. Having your vampires be unaffected by traditional wards or having the vulnerability be because of some kind of twist isn't new. Nor is it bad to have your vampires be different somehow. Having the vampire aversion to sunlight due to them being too beautiful and sparkly... I just don't know what to say.

Recommendation
Honestly, it is a surprisingly wholesome for a trashy romance. I get the appeal and getting teens reading isn't a bad thing, they have to start somewhere. As a wish-fulfillment/self-insert kind of novel, they definitely should have the ability to separate fiction and reality.

It feels really weird to say that having just read Sense and Sensibility and straight up not understanding the appeal of that novel. Given that Sense and Sensibility has lasted for 213 years, it will probably still be around in another 100. No idea if Twilight will. Probably a case of the genre isn't for me, but Twilight is just easier reading.

Brief summary
Bella moves to live with her father as her mother begins a relationship with a new guy. She runs into the mysterious and incredibly beautiful Edward Cullen. She is instantly attracted to him, but he seems initially hostile.

A little later he seems more friendly. They start conversing but he is still standoffish and insists that Bella should avoid him.

Through a series of strange events and hints from others, Bella eventually discovers Edward is a vampire. That is why he thinks she should avoid him. Their attraction is just too strong so they become a couple.

A wandering vampire group encounters Bella and the Cullens. The leader decides he wants Bella for the thrill of the hunt and the Cullens have to protect Bella from this bad guy vampire.

Thoughts
Ultimately, it is just a girl falls for the bad boy kind of story. Despite his danger, he uses his strength to protect and defend the girl. Not exactly realistic, but it isn't supposed to be.

One thing that really stood out to me, having just recently been in a car accident, was Bella's memory of the car crash was way too detailed. Even from a dispassionate observer perspective, there is so much going on and it happens so fast you are not going to have that kind of detail. It is important to the narrative for her to remember it all vividly, so I understand, but it killed any sense of immersion.

There were a number of legitimately funny parts. I laughed out loud multiple times. I do not know if they were all supposed to be funny.

The worldview contained within the novel is pretty conservative. That makes sense from what I know about Meyer.

A lot of the book is just mooning over Edward. Some pruning of that would really help the pacing.

Once James shows up, and we actually have something happening, I enjoyed myself.

Characters
Bella: she is pretty much just there. She's clumsy. She's not like other girls. All the boys want her: named male classmates, Edward, Jacob, James. Why, I am not entirely sure. At least with Edward there's the something magical something draws him to her. McGuffin, yes, but at least it is a reason.

Her most relatable feature is the guilt she feels over the Cullens endangering themselves to protect her. I totally get that feeling regardless of how irrational it is to attempt to take responsibility for someone else's free choice.

Edward: I get his appeal. He's the most handsomest man in the world. The only thing he wants is Bella. He is physically powerful. He's got money. He is dangerous, but kind.

None of the other characters really stood out to me that much aside from Charlie. I really like Charlie.

It's a really good book and had potential to be 5 stars but there were some parts where I found myself getting bored, and some scenes felt like filler scenes and a bit dragged on. Still one of my favourites and the plot line is so good at the end and I just couldn't put it down! 4.75/5 stars ( )

Hey everyone,

I really like this book, I truly think the highest element has to be imagination. But truly, who can resist a nice 'ole vampire romance, huh?

Ezamoosh. ( )