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Annie
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2 months ago
in Book Review: Twilight Series Is a Primer for the Mormon Religion and Is Boring. on PurpleCar
Christine, I'm shocked that you were able to get through all four books in the series! I finally read "Twilight" because I like to keep up with current popular culture. I really do not see how you could pick up book 2 after reading book 1! I can only bow to your dedication in reading all of the books, so you could write a cohesive review on the whole series.
I did find the book to be quite boring, although I thought it was because the teenage angst was so dramatically boring. I think the feelings that Bella portrayed seem true to what some teenagers would feel, especially when she can't bear to be separated from Edward for any amount of time, and her constant neediness and lack of self-confidence. It definitely is geared toward teens and I wonder if that aspect of it does speak to them.
Is it that writing specifically for teenagers makes a book boring? I am tempted to read another author to see if that's true or not. I actually do not think the Harry Potter series was written specifically for children, even though the main characters are children. The Harry Potter books are so well-written! I remember reading Sweet Valley High books when I was really young and totally loving them. Do you think that the Twilight series is comparable to the Sweet Valley High series, but with vampires? I know that Sweet Valley High doesn't have a great reputation as "literature" as it seems like the Twilight series is trying to be passed off as.
I did find the book to be quite boring, although I thought it was because the teenage angst was so dramatically boring. I think the feelings that Bella portrayed seem true to what some teenagers would feel, especially when she can't bear to be separated from Edward for any amount of time, and her constant neediness and lack of self-confidence. It definitely is geared toward teens and I wonder if that aspect of it does speak to them.
Is it that writing specifically for teenagers makes a book boring? I am tempted to read another author to see if that's true or not. I actually do not think the Harry Potter series was written specifically for children, even though the main characters are children. The Harry Potter books are so well-written! I remember reading Sweet Valley High books when I was really young and totally loving them. Do you think that the Twilight series is comparable to the Sweet Valley High series, but with vampires? I know that Sweet Valley High doesn't have a great reputation as "literature" as it seems like the Twilight series is trying to be passed off as.
1 reply
Well, Jodi Picoult is considered "YA" (Young Adult) and she writes so much better. Or Judy Blume. Think of those authors and then compare. John Knowles wrote A Separate Peace for young people and that is now a classic in Literature. There are many, many titles from our youth, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, To Kill A Mockingbird, Jacob Have I Loved, for example, that show good writing for Young Adults. It's possible. Meyer didn't get close to that. But who cares when you are making millions of dollars, right?
I think teens like this series because 1. Edward is a superhero/perfect man 2. They aren't experienced enough to recognize a harmful obsession. 3. They fantasize about being in love and/or having sex. 4. They dream about money and ultimate freedom. Bad writing shan't get in the way of that.
Stephenie Meyer is just getting started. She will drag this out as long as she can. I hear there is another book in the works. I won't be reading any more of them, though. Meyer got slightly stronger as a writer with each passing book, but only by miniscule amounts. I think you can portray teen angst without repeating conversations constantly, which is what she overdid in the first book especially. It was very boring. The characters are extremely selfish, too, and there isn't many redeeming qualities to keep one interested in the characters' fates.
I hate to rip up other writers. But this deserved ripping and discussing because it is so popular, and mostly popular with the 12-18 set. Why adult women are reading it and loving it is a mystery. Our own mom's club is having a book club meeting about it in a few weeks! They've had movie-watching parties! These are 40 year old women (none over 50, not many under 30, I may add).
I haven't read any Sweet Valley High. I'll have to take a look at them.
-PC