I don’t know how many of you got dragged into Twilight, but I have to confess it’s a guilty pleasure. I never got into Harry Potter, but I read the three books in two days. It was fluffy and made me feel 15 again, what can I say. However good the idea was, I read all three waiting for the writing to get better, less predictable, to have a better voice… more flow. I love the idea, but Christ, I thought, that Stephanie Meyers can’t write.
So moving right along, she gets the idea to tell the story from Edward’s perspective. She put the first chapter online on her site, and I have got to give her props: It’s good. She gets good feedback, decides to write a companion piece to the original novel and calls it Midnight Sun.
Apparently someone leaked the partial draft, so she posts a rant about feeling violated, etc plus the drafton her site and puts the project on indefinite hold. I read the whole thing, and it’s better than all other three put together. She has her disclaimer about typos, etc. but Edward’s voice is more defined, much more interesting and the whole thing was a page-turner. Figures! Anyone out there read it? Am I alone here in thinking this is her best work?
I read it. You’re right, it was better than the other books, and I was pretty sad when I got to the end, not knowing if she’ll finish it. I’m one of those types of people that just has to know everything there is to know about things that catch my interest, and even though I technically know the whole story and how it ends, it bugs me to know that she has a definite backstory for Edward beyond what was told in Twilight.
Here’s hoping that, with the success of the first movie, and plans underway on the second, she will bring Midnight Sun back to the front burner.
I know she sounded pretty whiny when she posted her rant, but I sympathize with her. I don’t think I’d be able to continue either–but then I’m not a writer and have never wanted to be one. Funny that I’m completely on her side about this, since I don’t like the series at all–I read the first one and have no interest in reading the others.
If you’re so inclined, go take a peek at that draft. It’s the same story as the first book, but much better writing and characterization. I wouldn’t re-read any of her other books, but this draft is really a dramatic improvement.