TWILIGHT, from a teen's point of view.

[Guest]

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[rgraham666]

Bright kid.

I wonder what she'd say about my vampire stories?

 

[Guest]

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[CharleyH]

Coolest vampire? Catherine Deneuve. Period.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Even 'authentic' vampire stories are crap. If you go back and read the finale to Dracula he wasn't killed by a wooden stake in his heart, it was a Bowie knife. So much for that part of the myth. Personally, I much prefer the ones in Carpe Jugulum especially the old Count who treated the entire thing as a game and that getting staked was just part of the play. Now that's a vampire I can identify with, a sportin' chappie of the British Empire sort, wot?

 

[CeriseNoire]

Lol. I bought the first two books for my classroom library because it kept popping up on my request sheet. One of the kids saw it on the shelf and came up to me all giddy, asking what I thought about it and "OMG isn't Edward so hot!".

I told her that I just checked for it on the approved list and didn't read it.

She answered, "But Miss! I thought you liked vampires.

Me: I do, and I like good writing too. That's two reasons for me not to read it.

I'm so ready for the craze to be over. I recently had to threaten to kick to girls out of the anime/maga club because they were irritating the other kids with their picture sharing-squealing-drooling routine (about books that have nothing to do with the club).

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I read them, because the kids were reading them. I didn't get it. Could have cut each of the books in half, at least. Bo-ring!

She wrote a new one that was better, The Host, a sort of twist on Invasion of the Body Snatchers. Liked that book better than the entire Twilight SERIES... but still. Not stellar.

She's gonna make a mint, tho!

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[CeriseNoire]

I was also a bitch and went to see the horrible movie a day before everyone else and told them it wasn't very well done. I mean everyone in the theatre spent at least half the movie laughing. Um.. you're not supposed to laugh at a romantic drama.

Erin

Lol. I thought I was the meanest 8th grade teacher ever

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[voluptuary_manque]

I haven't read them because I only deal with 6th grade and they haven't gotten to them yet. These seem, though, to be another iteration of the Sweet Valley Twins, Captain Underpants, and the like school of children's books. Feed them garbage until they're used to it and then authors never have to demonstrate skill or talent ever again!

 

[Liar]

Hilarious review of Twilight.

Even better review of Twilight.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Hilarious review of Twilight.

Even better review of Twilight.

OMG I nearly peed myself laughing.

This line!

Pattinson is a horrible, horrible actor, delivering his lines with a Keanu Reeves-esque look of panicked confusion, like a moose that’s just woken up in a space shuttle.

and this one!

It’s clever, like how when Bella sees Edward in science class for the first time and discovers she has to be his lab partner, her hair blows around all dramatically and importantly, but there’s a fan behind her, so there’s like two things going on, like it’s not just a fancy thing the director did but it’s also, you know, really there in the room. And when Bella says in her voiceover, “Edward was a vampire,” it totally sounds like something from a Jane Austen book. That’s literature.

*juice spew*

 

[Liar]

OMG I nearly peed myself laughing.

This line!

Pattinson is a horrible, horrible actor, delivering his lines with a Keanu Reeves-esque look of panicked confusion, like a moose that’s just woken up in a space shuttle.

Instant classic, isn't it?

 

[sweetness6280]

You have reason to be extremely impressed with your daughter's intelligence and her confidence level.


I started reading the 1st book because I'm taking a class on the phenomenon in YA lit in the spring. The class will examine the prevalence of supernatural themes within the genre, not just the Twilight books.

I love YA lit, which is why Children's/YA lit are my specialization for grad work. I also enjoy vampire, werewolf, and other supernatural stories. I enjoyed Blood and Chocolate (book not the movie, which was a joke) and Silver Kiss, both by Annette Curtis Klaus. I was initially surprised at the length of the Twilight books, but willing to take a chance.

I'm barely halfway through the first book. I can't seem to get any further. I will, of course, have to finish the series in order to take the class, but I don't expect to enjoy them. They are very poorly written, and I don't connect with any of the characters. I give some leeway with the details about the myths -- a lot of authors take some license with those but still produce quality fiction.

I probably won't see the movie, unless curiosity finally gets me after it is released on DVD. I am looking forward to the class. I have a feeling the discussions will be quite interesting.

 

[CeriseNoire]

I love YA lit, which is why Children's/YA lit are my specialization for grad work. I also enjoy vampire, werewolf, and other supernatural stories. I enjoyed Blood and Chocolate (book not the movie, which was a joke) and Silver Kiss, both by Annette Curtis Klaus. I was initially surprised at the length of the Twilight books, but willing to take a chance.

I'm barely halfway through the first book. I can't seem to get any further. I will, of course, have to finish the series in order to take the class, but I don't expect to enjoy them. They are very poorly written, and I don't connect with any of the characters. I give some leeway with the details about the myths -- a lot of authors take some license with those but still produce quality fiction.

I probably won't see the movie, unless curiosity finally gets me after it is released on DVD. I am looking forward to the class. I have a feeling the discussions will be quite interesting.

It's interesting that you mention the length of the books. I've seen several of my struggling readers trying to get into the books because so many of their friends are reading them. Since these are the kids that don't care much for reading to begin with, they're not very patient. I heard one of them complain to her friend that she couldn't get past the few pages. Her friend told her to "just skip to chapter 4 (I think?) since nothing happens before that. I think that says a lot.

BTW, since you're into YA Lit, what do you think of the Percy Jackson series?

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

I'm glad I deal mostly with 3rd-5th grade geeks. Though trying to tell them that Grand Theft Auto is NOT appropriate for them EVER is becoming a daily test of my resolve not to duct tape them to the walls.

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[sweetness6280]

It's interesting that you mention the length of the books. I've seen several of my struggling readers trying to get into the books because so many of their friends are reading them. Since these are the kids that don't care much for reading to begin with, they're not very patient. I heard one of them complain to her friend that she couldn't get past the few pages. Her friend told her to "just skip to chapter 4 (I think?) since nothing happens before that. I think that says a lot.

BTW, since you're into YA Lit, what do you think of the Percy Jackson series?

It does say a lot. If you can "skip" chapters and not miss anything, the chapters are unnecessary. Sometimes less actually is more. While I should hold my assessment until I have read the entire series (or at least one book ), it seems Meyer tries too hard. This is a great example that you don't have to be good to have commercial success.

I like the Percy Jackson series, although I've only read 3 of them. I love mythology (something that started when I was in 5th or 6th grade) and I think Riordan does a great job of modernizing the Gods while still maintaining the integrity of their characters. He know his audience very well, probably because he was a middle school teacher. The books are funny and engaging.

I hear he's writing a new series. Something about Ben Franklin.

 

[pellso27]

Bla Bla Bla and I was expecting HOT TEENS!

 

[Salvor-Hardon]

And I thought I had it bad with my students quoting South Park and suggesting movies like Wedding Crashers, Chuck and Larry, and Borat as movies we should watch in class.

With 9 to 11 year old boys ( I get a few girls but mostly boys) just beginning ot recognize that girls are different, and being interested in computers, I have to deal with a lot of "Mr. H! Did you know that there are strip clubs in GTA 4? Real strip clubs! and they get really naked!"

Being neither a certified teacher, nor a counselor, I just respond with "well that's just silly. Now build your robot."

 

[CeriseNoire]

Being neither a certified teacher, nor a counselor, I just respond with "well that's just silly. Now build your robot."

Lol, I love that line. I just may have to use it. Even though I teach nothing related to robots.

It does say a lot. If you can "skip" chapters and not miss anything, the chapters are unnecessary. Sometimes less actually is more. While I should hold my assessment until I have read the entire series (or at least one book ), it seems Meyer tries too hard. This is a great example that you don't have to be good to have commercial success.

I like the Percy Jackson series, although I've only read 3 of them. I love mythology (something that started when I was in 5th or 6th grade) and I think Riordan does a great job of modernizing the Gods while still maintaining the integrity of their characters. He know his audience very well, probably because he was a middle school teacher. The books are funny and engaging.

I hear he's writing a new series. Something about Ben Franklin.

Indeed, it seems appealing to an audience is more important that actual talent as far as being a financially successful writer.

I've only read the first two in the Percy Jackson series since the third has been checked out of my classroom library since I bought it. I'll need to get number 4 the next time I can afford books. I am fond of them as well since I love all things mythology too (that's one of the things I miss most from teaching 7th grade). I noticed it's got a lot of kids asking questions and researching myths on their own.

 

[ellynei]

Hadn't heard about 'Twilight', neither books nor films, before reading this thread. (What can I say? I live in a cave, and don't like leaving it.)

So, the kiddies be reading crap?

Well, you gotta admit folks. It's better than them not reading at all, isn't it ?

And lots and lots of people (sort of people, kids are a kind of people too!) reading books by an author like you be describing.

Ah, it instills hope in a silly writing heart. If writing that awful can be so loved, maybe there be hope for an amateur like me still (not much, but one can dream right?)

 

[Guest]

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[voluptuary_manque]

Delightful.

What Sarahh said. You're right. It is encouraging.