Twilight (The Twilight Saga, #1) in SOS: Serious Overload of Series

Mar 07, 2009 Kelly (Maybedog) rated it did not like it

Shelves: why-abandoned, what-fantasy, what-horror, what-danger-danger-wilma-robinson, what-young-adult, other

Updated 9/3/2012

I wanted to start out by saying that I first tried to read this book right after it came out, when no one had even heard of it. I tried again at the beginning of the hype because I love Forks and have a lovely memory of staying at a bed and breakfast there with my siblings. I then tried a third time when two people I respect said they loved it. I was never able to get past the first few chapters because the writing was SO bad. Really, really bad. (See I tried I really did.)

I fee Updated 9/3/2012

I wanted to start out by saying that I first tried to read this book right after it came out, when no one had even heard of it. I tried again at the beginning of the hype because I love Forks and have a lovely memory of staying at a bed and breakfast there with my siblings. I then tried a third time when two people I respect said they loved it. I was never able to get past the first few chapters because the writing was SO bad. Really, really bad. (See I tried I really did.)

I feel that I'm missing something because I strongly didn't like this book, I couldn't even finish it, and it's so popular. What is the appeal? I am so sick of stories where women/girls are attracted to dangerous, threatening men who are constantly on the verge of violence? Why can't women be attracted to the nice guy next door who treats them well? On top of that, the women just take it and chalk it off to the behavior just being who the man is.

A good example of where an incredibly strong, powerful and intelligent woman excuses and tolerates this behavior is the Mercy Thompson series. She makes allowances for how the men treat her because it's the way their society is. Even though she is in mortal danger when they are aroused or angry which is most of the time, she is still attracted to them and hangs around their misogynistic society.

A good example of where the same type of woman acknowledges her attraction to the man's great qualities but labels him a psychopath and refuses to tolerate anything like that is the Kate Daniels series. Kate never tolerates Curran treating her as less than a woman who can take care of herself. She makes him to adjust to her world when he's with her not the other way around and he does so while still maintaining his strength and power. The beauty is that that is what attracts him to her. He believes Kate is equal because she thinks she is and acts like it.

And she is his equal completely. Even in combat with each other they would be evenly matched. And the great thing? He never once, ever, tries to hurt her or threatens her with violence, or forces her. He's still the respected and feared leader of the shapeshifters, every bit as virulent and sexy as any of the vampire and werewolf heroes of any other book. I'm not saying all of the books in that series are perfect (the earliest ones aren't) but the authors always get this part right. Why don't more women write these kinds of heroines and heroes? This Kate Daniels series is very popular.

Even without this, Twilight is terrible. The plot is trite, stealing chunks from Buffy, bodice rippers and the Book of Mormon. The premise is contrived. It really feels like a formulaic romantic fantasy designed to sell books. I am particularly horrified by how popular these books are with women my age (in their 40s!) There is no substance here, just more teenager angst, violence, and stupidity.

Ugh, if you want a good vampire tale, there are much better ones, gobs, just about all of them in fact. If you have the sensibility of an adult who respects women, I suggest you give this one a miss.
...more

34 likes · Like · see review

Apr 23, 2009 Shelleyrae at Book'd Out rated it it was amazing

Oh you know what I loved it, loved it, loved it.
I bought Twilight for my 13 yr old initially (in a vain attempt to get her to read) - and thought I would read it first. Read it that night - stayed up til 3am to finish it and next morning went and bought the rest and read them within 3 days.
I'm not even sure why I loved it so much but I did - it just got me on a certain level somewhere - my inner teen probably - the Saga was just astoundingly addictive. I was happy to suspend belief and while in ...more

7 likes · Like · see review

Jan 27, 2009 Thenia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: r-ab, reviewed, vampires, 2009, paranormal, shifters, series

Review of the series

The series gets 5 stars only because it was the one that brought me back into the world of books with a vengeance. It's a good series, don't get me wrong, but it's not a 5 star one for me, not anymore.

I rarely change my original rating of a series, though, since it was rated the way it was the first time for a reason - maybe because it was exactly what I wanted to read at the time, or because it made me think, or a few dozen other reasons, so 5 stars it is. ...more

3 likes · Like · see review

Nov 23, 2008 Susan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I didn't really want to start this series. I did it kicking and screaming. It was getting so much hype and I usually dislike books that have so much hype BUT I was hooked from the start and I loved the characters and yes I wanted Edward to bite her...LOL....fast reading, good book. ...more

1 like · Like · see review

Dec 14, 2008 Samantha rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I read this book last summer and I just can't understand what all the fuss is about. After I read this book, I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it, either. That's my problem with Meyer's writing (same story with The Host). Characters that I can't care enough about to love or hate. It just passes the time... ...more

Like · see review