Tuesday 23 April 2013

Twilight


I'm pretty sure I'll be losing some credibility for this post. But what can I say? You've got to give credit where credit is due. I was one of those who flocked to read Twilight due to the hype that preceded the release of its 2008 movie adaptation. Like others, I was just hoping to see what all the hubbub was about. Little did I know at the time that the Twilight saga would end up overstaying its welcome, all thanks to those movies.

Twilight was published in 2005, and it was there that we were first introduced to Bella Swan, who had just moved to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, Charlie. A new town meant a new school, and Bella tries to adjust to both. The narrative doesn't shift into gear until one day in class when she is paired with Edward Cullen, a mysterious boy who for reasons unknown to her seems to find her repulsive.

The next time they are paired together, Edward seemed to have overcome that repulsion somewhat, and the two of them forge an unlikely friendship over time. Then one day, Edward inexplicably saves Bella from being crushed in the school parking lot, by stopping an out-of-control car with his bare hands. Edward dismisses the feat when confronted about it, and Bella begins to suspect that he was something not quite human, a suspicion that would eventually lead her to a discovery that would forever change her life.

Of all the books in the series, I still favor the eponymous Twilight. This is probably because the infamous Bella-Edward-Jacob love triangle wouldn't rear its ugly head until the second book, New Moon (I was on Team Jacob by the way). I also expected the other books to dive deeper into the vampire origin story, an expectation that was sadly never met. So back then, the first book and the entire series seemed so ripe with potential. It's a shame it all had to end for better or worse in Breaking Dawn.

26 comments:

  1. Giving credit where credit is due: TWILIGHT was the book that really got me reading YA. There, I said it. I wouldn't call myself a TWILIGHT fan now, but I am definitely grateful for the way it introduced me a whole world of books that I absolutely love. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Harry Potter was the first non-chapbook that I read, and it also falls under the YA umbrella. It basically ignited my present love for literature.

      Delete
  2. I've seen three of the movies (just so I'd know what it was all about) but I've never read the books.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Twilight is one of those rare exceptions where it is not really worth going back to read the books. Some of those movies were actually improvements over their source material.

      Delete
  3. I figure my experience with Twilight will always be the movies, and I've only seen the first two at this point. For what it's worth, I've liked them both.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no problem with either the books or movies. It is the rabid fans of both that keeps me up at night. lol.

      Delete
  4. Ok Michael, similar situation for me. I saw previews, my wife was stoked, I like vampires... So we went and saw Twilight. It occurred to me soon that it was a chick flick. I was mildly entertained at best.
    The success of the books should be enough reason for me to read them in an attempt to emulate whatever element was so popular. But I don't intend to read them.
    I read the Hunger Games trilogy. The first book was best. Shoot me for saying so but the first was the only one worth reading.
    Like your interest in vampires, I was stoked to hear about rebellion, war, battle and blood with futuristic weapons and crafts. It turns out Katniss was only stoked about boys. Seeing as she was the full time narrator, we didn't see eye to eye.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I liked the first Hunger Games as well. The second felt like filler to me. And the third wasn't all that great until the very end; I am one of few who liked the ending apparently. What can I say: I am a borderline sadist. LOL.

      Delete
  5. I can't say I love the books, but I do have a soft spot for the movies. I went to the midnight showings like a teenage girl and everything.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Now that's just... hardcore. Not rabid. But still hardcore. LOL.

      Delete
  6. The Twilight Series is the first series my daughter (15) got me to read a couple of years ago. I thought I didn't have time to read anymore. But I found if I took the book to work and read it on my breaks, it made my break time better! Allowed me to escape the office and it's problems completely for 15 minutes. She's gone on to give me several other thrilling series to read. And best of all, I can converse with her about the stories she loves!
    Life & Faith in Caneyhead
    I am Ensign B ~ One of Tremp's Troops with the
    A to Z Challenge

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh yes. There's nothing like bonding with a loved one over a shared love of art, or in this case, a shared love of love triangles and sparkly vampires. Seriously though, the Twilight books are skewed towards a younger demographic, so the fact that those of us outside that demographic can still relate with its story on some level is a testament to their appeal.

      Delete
  7. Thanks a lot for sharing us about this update. Hope you will not get tired on making posts as informative as this.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Pretty good post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed reading your blog posts. Any way I'll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you post again soon. Big thanks for the useful info.

    ReplyDelete
  9. So luck to come across your excellent blog. Your blog brings me a great deal of fun.. Good luck with the site.
    Designer Outlet Sales

    ReplyDelete