Twilight

[sweetnpetite]

Who's read it? What do you think?

Do we have any fanatics a la Svenskaflicka over Harry Potter yet?

I"ve only read book 1 and haven't seen the movie yet, so no spoilers please.

 

[DeeZire]

I saw the movie, but it was rated PG. What a waste of young flesh!

Steven King had high praise for the Harry Potter series, but totally slammed the writer of "Twilight". My GF has read all of the books in both series and liked them.

I read the first three pages of the first Potter book and was impressed with the writing, but knowing there was going to be no sex, I had no motivation to keep reading.

I did like the story of the "Twilight" movie, but my GF was unimpressed, saying the book was much more interesting.

 

[Liar]

My 14 year old cousin called it the lamest book she'd ever finished. Whatever that means.

 

[KarennaC]

I've read the entire Twilight series, out of sheer boredom (I'd read everything else in the house.) The first and third books are okay. I wasn't thrilled with the second and fourth. Some of her "plot twists" seemed kind of lame to me.

The movie wasn't as good as the book.

 

[3113]

We had a fourteen year old friend who loved the books...till the last one. When we asked her how she liked that one, she said, "I hope Stephanie Meyers rots in hell for writing that book!"

A twelve year old we know and respect was urged by her friends to read it--but she's both highly intelligent and a very sophisticated reader. She started reading the first book, then whined to her mother, "Mommy it's so badly written! I can't finish it!" When a twelve year old, however precocious says that, I accept that this is not a book that's going to interest me.

 

[PrincessErin]

.....

 

[MagicaPractica]

I can't say I'm a fan but I read the first two with an eye to putting it in the high school library and thought it was well done for what it was. I thought it would appeal very much to teens who like romance and/or the supernatural. I enjoyed reading them. I don't remember a heck of a lot about them at this point.

 

[Kojiki]

I've read the book. It was ok. I didn't like the concept she put for the vampires. I mean, what the hell, sparkly vampire. Since when vampire sparkle. The editor for the books was smoking something because all the books have spelling errors that are beyond normal. No one is perfect but still.

The movie sucked balls. The effects were so gay I was having one hell of a case of serous lolz.

Twilight is for little 12 to 14 year old girls and boys in my opinion.

 

[sweetness6280]

I don't like them. It's a constant source of disagreement with one of my favorite professors. I think the books are simplistic and verbose. At times it feels like she was just adding words to up the word count... or compete with Rowling.

When reading, I want an author to draw me in, make me want to suspend disbelief (and believe me... with me it's not that difficult). Meyer never acheived that. I plodded through the first book because my daughter likes the series. I can't bring myself to pick up another.

I like the fact that my daughter is reading, but I don't want her to think of this as an example of great writing.

 

[Pure]

twilight

our friend's daughters are obsessed with the books, and loved the movie.

i saw the movie a second time and think it's a kind of modern happy-ending romeo and juliet or westside story.

since the books sell like hotcakes--even in the college crowds-- i think some of the negative comments above are atypical.

i think it would be useful to look at the formula that has generated this success: for example, the girl is estranged from father, and somewhat out of mom's league. Bella's bf is very fatherly; hundreds of years old; super strong, etc. They are constantly beset with dangers, including death-- almost 'perils of pauline' stuff.

the bf is not really pushing the sex thing throughout the first book at least. his control issue is to do with drinking her blood! and by happy turn of events, he's a 'vegetarian' [non human eating] vampire.


the superpowers fascinate the daughters; fantastic leaps; running faster than cars, mind reading; future divinnations..

any one else have ideas what makes it fly?

 

[angelicminx]

I'm a huge fan of the series. I did see the movie first, and yes, the book is better. My 13-year-old daughter is OBSESSED with Edward, lol. I liked the first book, thought the second was really slow, the third picked up and I wasn't able to put the fourth down until I finished it. It's one of the few series that I've read that I thought it got better as it went.

Just goes to show how many varying opinions there are out there, doesn't it, lol.

As soon as MY copies of the first two books come, I'll read the series again. (I borrowed my daughter's the first time through.)

Minx

 

[Verdad]

our friend's daughters are obsessed with the books, and loved the movie.

i saw the movie a second time and think it's a kind of modern happy-ending romeo and juliet or westside story.

since the books sell like hotcakes--even in the college crowds-- i think some of the negative comments above are atypical.

i think it would be useful to look at the formula that has generated this success: for example, the girl is estranged from father, and somewhat out of mom's league. Bella's bf is very fatherly; hundreds of years old; super strong, etc. They are constantly beset with dangers, including death-- almost 'perils of pauline' stuff.

the bf is not really pushing the sex thing throughout the first book at least. his control issue is to do with drinking her blood! and by happy turn of events, he's a 'vegetarian' [non human eating] vampire.


the superpowers fascinate the daughters; fantastic leaps; running faster than cars, mind reading; future divinnations..

any one else have ideas what makes it fly?

I've not read the books and don't plan to, a bit because I gather this particular series is substandard, but mostly because I probably wouldn't read a vampire book if Jesus Christ wrote it. From what you describe, though, it seems pretty clear what makes it fly. You've just listed every typical ingredient of the formula.

Fascination with superpowers? If you used to read comic books as a kid/adolescent, I'm sure you remember the superpower fantasies and their appeal. I even think I have some to this day.

Then, the control issue is not sex but blood? Well, has vampire genre ever been anything but a metaphor for sex? Not in the past 20-30 years, that's for sure, and probably never. In a book aimed at teens, the metaphor additionally allows for amounts of sexual tension that would be too much in a literal form, and isn't that convenient?

Then, his fortunate turning a vegetarian? A classic fantasy if there's ever been one, along the lines of owning a terrifying pet tiger who's, however, a nice kitty just for you, and sans all the nasty tigerish stuff like, well, blood. Or maybe in different words, a classic girl's fantasy of reforming a bad boy, which is pretty much the staple of romance.

Since I haven't read, I don't know if this series has some particularly catchy ingredient all its own, but overall, it seems to work by combining the predictable ones in a predictable way, hitting a safe area where a young reader can explore some sublimated erotic danger but not enough of it to be really intimidated.

 

[sweetnpetite]

our friend's daughters are obsessed with the books, and loved the movie.

i saw the movie a second time and think it's a kind of modern happy-ending romeo and juliet or westside story.

since the books sell like hotcakes--even in the college crowds-- i think some of the negative comments above are atypical.

i think it would be useful to look at the formula that has generated this success: for example, the girl is estranged from father, and somewhat out of mom's league. Bella's bf is very fatherly; hundreds of years old; super strong, etc. They are constantly beset with dangers, including death-- almost 'perils of pauline' stuff.

the bf is not really pushing the sex thing throughout the first book at least. his control issue is to do with drinking her blood! and by happy turn of events, he's a 'vegetarian' [non human eating] vampire.


the superpowers fascinate the daughters; fantastic leaps; running faster than cars, mind reading; future divinnations..

any one else have ideas what makes it fly?

I read it and loved it. What made it fly with me was that 1) I loved the heroin from the start. She reminds me of myself and my daughter who is very sarcastic (sarcasm it's a way of life) and who loves the series and loves vampires. 2) I love vampires, fantasy and supernatural. 3.) The love story is very dangerous. And it's also very intense. He wants her so bad, he literally wants to eat her up! I had to stop several times just to catch my breath.

For those who think that it's nice and convienint that he's a "vegatarian" (ie. non human eating) it's not at all convienient because it's something they CHOSE to abstain from, it's not like they don't have the desire.

And Bella (the main character) is someone he finds himself attracted to in more ways than one. He wants to hate her because she is a threat to his way of life (abstaining from humans in exchange for being able to live amoung them, have a somewhat "normal" life and not be a cold-blooded killer) on account of the fact that she is different from other humans, she smells so good he is barely able to control himself. She's like a drug that he's addicted to. Yet he doesn't hate her, despite his best efforts he loves her. She knows all of this and knows it's dangerous to be around him because he is stronger and faster than her, so if he can't contain his desire, she doesn't have a chance to survive. Not only that but he also has a supernatural charm that draws her to him like a moth to a flame.

Some of Edwards supernatural abilities don't work on Bella however, and she is an unsolvable mystery to him, even though he can read other people like a book. It is pretty much a typical romance in that aspect, because Bella is completely frustrating to him, to everything he ever believed about himself and the world.

Now, I did have some problems with the book. The main one was that she used way to many adjectives and it felt very amaturish at those times. (Everything doesn't have to be done quickly or slowly or carefully or ruefully... lol) She seemed to do this only in spots, so some sections weren't as bad as others. In fact, some sections the problem seems to disapear all together.

I LOVED the book, but I do remember thinking, "If I ever get a book published, PLEASE SOMEBODY make sure that I don't go all adjective crazy! A good copy-editor should have caught that IMO.

I don't think my buddies here at Literotica would let me send a manuscript off for publication that was full of adjectives. You wouldn't would you?

 

[sweetnpetite]

I've read all four books because I teach Grade 8 and all the girls in my class are obsessed with it, or at least were in the Fall.

The story was simplistic and not as well written as some think it can be. The movie was a typical chick flick and I did enjoy seeing it in theaters.

Erin

I haven't seen it yet, but from what I have seen and heard about it, it seems to have more action than your typical chick flick. In fact, I read that they even focused more on the action than the romance and more on the action (by far) than what you should expect from the books.

 

[cloudy]

I've read the book. It was ok. I didn't like the concept she put for the vampires. I mean, what the hell, sparkly vampire. Since when vampire sparkle. The editor for the books was smoking something because all the books have spelling errors that are beyond normal. No one is perfect but still.

The movie sucked balls. The effects were so gay I was having one hell of a case of serous lolz.

Twilight is for little 12 to 14 year old girls and boys in my opinion.

What kind of vampire goes to school, ffs? I mean....really.

I heard that about the movie, and I wouldn't touch the books with a ten-foot pole. I enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but at least J.K.Rowling knows how to spell and uses grammar correctly.

I think the author just saw a cash cow, and rushed as many books out there as fast as she could, not bothering with any kind of editing.

Nope....when a twelve-year-old tells me they're "lame as hell," I won't waste my time.

 

[sweetnpetite]

I've read the book. It was ok. I didn't like the concept she put for the vampires. I mean, what the hell, sparkly vampire. Since when vampire sparkle. The editor for the books was smoking something because all the books have spelling errors that are beyond normal. No one is perfect but still.

The movie sucked balls. The effects were so gay I was having one hell of a case of serous lolz.

Twilight is for little 12 to 14 year old girls and boys in my opinion.

I like the sparkly vampires

Every vampire writer changes something, adds something to the myth. You have to do something to make the vampires your own. Stephanies vampires sparkle in the sunlight and it's explained that it's the true reason behind some of the myths about vampires.

 

[sweetnpetite]

What kind of vampire goes to school, ffs? I mean....really.

I heard that about the movie, and I wouldn't touch the books with a ten-foot pole. I enjoyed the Harry Potter books, but at least J.K.Rowling knows how to spell and uses grammar correctly.

I think the author just saw a cash cow, and rushed as many books out there as fast as she could, not bothering with any kind of editing.

Nope....when a twelve-year-old tells me they're "lame as hell," I won't waste my time.

If I were a vampire, I would go to school.

Anyway, they go to school partly because they want to live like humans and be as normal as possible. Since they were teens when they were turned, that means high school.

My daughter is 13 and she certainly doesn't think it's "lame as hell." She's very intellegent and mature too (and I'm not just saying that because I'm her mommy. She won a school wide book writing contest when she was in second grade.) She did agree with me that she uses too many adjectives, but it was worth overlooking.

I'm 34, and I don't think it's lame as hell I think it has problems, but overall it was an amazing book. Of course, I am a very big fan of Young Adult (YA) fiction and fantasy/supernatural in general. So this book was right up my ally.

I loved the aspect of the "dangerous love." Even though there's no sex in the books (until book 3 or 4), I didn't find them to be "goody-goody" at all either.

I can't believe how many people here seem to really dislike this book. It took my breath away.

I'll say it again. Twilight took my breath away.

[I guess I am twilight's svenkaflicka.]

 

[cloudy]

To each his own, I suppose. *shrug*

I have too many other things to read than to spend my time on what looks like (to me, of course) a waste of energy.

If you like them, though...more power to ya.

 

[Lady_Guenivere]

I read the books before I agreed to letting my 13 year old read them. I thought they were very entertaining but then I wasn't really being over analytical.

It was fun to read and what excited me the most was that it got my daughter to enjoy reading...something I have been trying to encourage all her life.

Now the movie on the other hand...blech. Watched it last night and I hated it. What a dismal piece of crap that was. I would hate to think that anyone would judge the series based on the movie alone. It definitely did not do it justice at all. The screen play was poor, the acting sucked and the action was lame. Hope the next movie is executed better than the first.

Just my humble opinion.

 

[Guest]

Who's read it? What do you think?

Do we have any fanatics a la Svenskaflicka over Harry Potter yet?

I"ve only read book 1 and haven't seen the movie yet, so no spoilers please.

Here's a thread I started a few months ago about my daughter's opinion.

It is not favorable.

http://forum.literotica.com/showthread.php?t=627666&highlight=Twilight

 

[Selena_Kitt]

since the books sell like hotcakes--even in the college crowds-- i think some of the negative comments above are atypical.

I don't think they're atypical among writers.

But among the general reading population... maybe. My teens loved all of them. I read them, just to see "what what going to happen" - but man, they really ARE poorly written. Long, drawn out, each of them could have been half their size. She needed a much better editor. Was she getting paid by the pound, or what?

The story itself isn't... terrible. But it isn't, at least to me, that unique either. *shrug* And I have to say, I haven't read a vampire book since "Interview" - and I read that back when vampire fiction wasn't the new black... so that alone was a struggle.

Sparkly shiny vampires who DON'T drink people's blood, though? Really? This was her premise? Bram Stoker is turning in his grave, methinks...

 

[driphoney]

I don't think they're atypical among writers.

But among the general reading population... maybe. My teens loved all of them. I read them, just to see "what what going to happen" - but man, they really ARE poorly written. Long, drawn out, each of them could have been half their size. She needed a much better editor. Was she getting paid by the pound, or what?

The story itself isn't... terrible. But it isn't, at least to me, that unique either. *shrug* And I have to say, I haven't read a vampire book since "Interview" - and I read that back when vampire fiction wasn't the new black... so that alone was a struggle.

Sparkly shiny vampires who DON'T drink people's blood, though? Really? This was her premise? Bram Stoker is turning in his grave, methinks...

Desperate need for female companionship recently put me in a group of women to watch the DVD release and it was like being transported back to junior high! The gushing, giggling and twittering on about the characters and actors was startling, but then fun (if you can't beat 'em ....) They're a neighborhood book club and they've read the whole series and know every single detail of the story.

This helped the clueless as they fleshed out the movie for us. It would have been much less without their aid.

ANYWAY, according to them, the author, a Mormon, was sheltered from most vampire lore growing up and used her own ideas and apparently vague understanding of vampires to create sparkly, cold vamps.

As a non-vampire fan, this might have actually make the movie better, and it doesn't bother me. I mean, look what Disney does to real history? It also helped that I went into it expecting to not like it at all, so my expectations were nil.

 

[honeybites]

I saw the movie... considering reading it as long as it doesn't cost too much. Pure escapism IMO. A little too teen angsty for me.