Character Swap

[Khrisma]

Okay I've just started reading this book and its so hard to read(Not in a bad way). It just because all the characters are swapped. And for years I've been used to Bella's thinking and with Beau its totally different and I both love and hate it. And the Cullens its hard for me to remember who each on is supposed to be like how Archie is our Alice and Elenaor is our Emmett. Its so werid but so fun to read. Even though its the same story its so interesting and different,

[[deleted user]]

I loved the swap. I decided that it was more fun not to compare the original to this one because then I would be thinking too much and miss something. After I passed the ton of thinking, I really got into the story, into Beau's head.

It felt so different even though there were so many similarities. I think it really did prove that Bella wasn't a damsel in distress.

I also agree that it was a fun read. :D

[Khrisma]

Thanks. I feel like the majority of people don't like it because of the swap. But your right after I stopped trying to compare it and just take it as a different type of story. This book was cool.

The only character that I still wasn't comfortable with changing genders was Alice to Archie. Idk why

[[deleted user]]

Kris wrote: "Thanks. I feel like the majority of people don't like it because of the swap. But your right after I stopped trying to compare it and just take it as a different type of story. This book was cool.
..."
Yeah, that felt slightly weird to me too, but I ignored it for the most part

[Rel8tivity]

I did my best to look at this as a fresh story. And if SMeyer had truly re-written it as other fanfic writers would have, it might have come out fine. But she left too much of the original story - even down to dialog and mannerisms - for it to be considered anything but derivative.

Even looking at this with fresh eyes, there were things that didn't sound right coming from a guy vs. a girl. Do boys really blush that much? I know I didn't. And what 17-year old boy cooks and does his laundry without even being asked? I've smelled teenage boys' rooms. They're not cleaning anything without the threat of dire consequences.

By keeping the mannerisms of her gender-swapped characters, she made them come off wrong. The Emmett/Eleanor character sounded like a hulking amazon girl, hovering protectively over her skinny boyfriend Royal (come on, who names their kid Royal???)

The problem with this book is, Meyer was looking for a project that was fast and easy. But no project worth doing right is fast and easy. If she were to do this project right, she would have completely re-written it with the genders swapped. If you're going to fanfic your work at least fanfic it properly. Then you don't have androgynous characters and misplaced characterization. It would have been a complete work on it's own, rather than the patchwork that we got.

[Khrisma]

I agree that some characters didn't change as much as they should have with the gender swap like Emmett to Eleanor and Rossmarie to Royal. But some of them like Alice to Archie did fit.

Meyer could have done more to change the characters so that they seemed more unqiue. The only unique part really felt like the ending, which was my favorite part. However I'm proud of what she was able to do with the book.