… And there is not enough Freudian analysis in the world to explain this book. It’s a bit creepy. Ok, more than a bit. I refuse to spoiler such drivel.
Never mind the whole twisted self denial perversion of sexuality stuff, the part that icked me out the most was when Edward placed Bella on his shoes, so that they could dance at prom. My daddy (and I say Daddy because this happened when I was a toddler/preschooler) used to do that (on his wingtips–I loved it) and dance me around the kitchen.
Like I said-- there is no amount of deep, deep analysis that could save this book.
I take back any even nominal defense I ever made of this book. I do think that kids should not be turned from books (afterall, the Bobbsey Twins were pure shite, too), but there is so much better stuff out there. This is some nasty shit.
Thoughts?
No, but I’d probably make sure she knows it fantasy (and not even good fantasy at that). I’ve only read the first book, but Ed and Bella cannot open mouth kiss–her blood boils and he’s too tempted to suck her blood if they do so. They are both 17, btw–well, he’s actually 90+, but I digress…
Anyway, it takes half the book (490+ pages) for him to be able to touch her–he tends to stroker her neck, a LOT. Each time is heralded as a victory for him. He carries her around a LOT, piggyback rides and swooping her up in his arms and cradling her on his lap (it all sounds very child/parent to me). She is supposed to be 17, but she thinks and acts more like a 13 year old girl. An immature 13 year old girl.
Meyers isn’t a horrible writer and I’m not advocating teen books to be full of sex, but to say over and over how like marble Edward is, how cold, how remote, how “beautiful” and to have Bella describe herself as inadequate and clumsy (which really strikes a false note, IMO–it’s so played up you can’t possibly believe it’s true), sets up a very unequal relationship, IMO. Bella keeps telling him how much better than she Edward is. Gah. Eddy, to his credit, compliments her, but honestly–it’s a bit wearing. I don’t think it will harm anyone, long term, but they might get some weird ideas about dating some coldhearted bastards in future. Who knows? There is no more inexplicable creature than a tween girl (unless it’s a tween guy) so I wouldn’t worry too much.
The other characters (non-vampire ones) are pretty much cardboard cookie cutter ones. I do like some of the plot twists-but will have to see if they play out over the next few books. I’m not super eager to check the next one out (which is good because it’s out), but I’ll see.
Note the discussion of the apparently utterly bizarre fourth book and the linked cartoons. I find them as amusing as hell from a distance ( I never have and likely never will read them ), but you should ask somebody who has read that one in particular as to whether it is appropriate for your 11-year old.
I’d be no judge even if I had, as at 11 I was reading my mother’s volume of Victorian porn that I had carefully filched .
I read it too (I even BOUGHT it) and from the get-go was looking for bubble-gum or string-fruit (or anything kid-like) inbetween the pages.
One of the kids at work (OK, she was 25 - but I’m 59 so that makes her a kid) was raving about it, and since I am a Bram Stoker/Hammer Films fan, I thought I’d go ahead.
No thanks.:smack:
But go figger: I lovedChronicles Of Narnia: Prince Caspian and the first one too!!!
Anyway, let’s let the little ones have this series!
Frankly, I’d be happier if a tween was reading Penthouse Forum or romance novels. This book was creepy. Not Twilight Zone creepy or Stephen King creepy, more like Peeping Tom creepy. It’s nonsexual sex–this is scene after scene where you think that Ed and Bella are going to at least release some of their passion (not explicitly, but perhaps metaphorically) and they don’t. It’s like the Osmonds do Equus.
My 15 y.o. daughter and I read all four books in about a month. I was a fan of Stephan King’s Salem’s Lot, so I, too, thought they might be good. But, meh, not particularly well written. Neil Gaiman’s young adult novels, (Coraline, and The Graveyard Book) are creepier and better written.
Quasi–I don’t think anyone is truly concerned about the books being a bad influence or anything. I read it because I’d heard so much about it, but I refused to buy it. It finally was available at my library, so I checked it out. It’s not very good and definitely not worth the hype it’s received. That’s all.
But I’m not a 13 year old girl, so there is that. I read Jane Eyre at 13, and believe me, it’s got Twilight beat in every possible way.
If you want vaguely creepy but fantastical, I suggest A.S. Byatt’s short stories–her Little Black Book.
I found it to be like the worst kind of Mary Sue fan fiction out there.
What I found actually creepy was Edward standing in the corner watching Bella while she’s sleeping. Whoa! Who finds that romantic??
I wouldn’t worry about my daughter reading it, though - when you’re in your teens you read an awful lot of crap, but you usually grow out of it. Also, it’s worth to read it just for the parodies. Here are some:
Ellie (Is that okay by the way? It just seems to make things “closer” somehow, but if you prefer your WHOLE name be used, I will. I LOVED that song anyway!)
It’s absolutely a “kid’s book”, yes it is.
And it isn’t written very well, I agree…
But… if the kids like it, who are we to say they shouldn’t, Hon?
Or who are WE to say it is a poorly written book?
I do agree it doesn’t appeal to me, but what if it wasn’t supposed to?
I prefer Ella or Rigs, but whatever. I think we can say it’s a poorly written book–even if it’s just opinion, that’s valid. It’d be valid if someone wants to come in and defend the book as well written, too. I’m sure my not liking the book will not sway anyone to not read it. I had just finished it this afternoon and wanted to share my thoughts on it, having read some of the previous thread that Tamerlane linked to.
I’m reading it right now as well-I’m at the “vampire baseball” part. I’m probably going to just read the whole serious and get it over with.*
It’s incredibly, hilariously bad. It makes the dialogue in the Star Wars prequels between Anakin and Padme look like Shakespeare. (Although I did like the prequels, the “I hate sand” crap was cringe-worthy)
Quasi-trust us, it’s BAD. It really, really sucks. The guy is a total stalker, but it’s just because “he loves her sooooo much-Edward is soooooo hot!!!” Ugh. I mean, if I had a kid, I wouldn’t forbid her from reading it, but I’d rather she read V.C. Andrews. (It’s even worse than the crappy ghostwritten stuff). At least Andrews had incest and stuff.
BTW, did anyone hear that Stephen King said he thought she was a poor author? Here is one fan’s reaction.
(And this seems to be the typical fan type. Note-in her profile, she’s actually 22. Girlfriend needs a new hairdo and some make-up)
*I think it will be worth it, though, if only because in the last book, there’s a:
Yup. The book’s essence captured in 5 panels. Edward really doesn’t have a personality, does he? Not that Bella has a great one.
Here’s what I think should be revealed in future books (I have not read any of them):
Bella with her porcelain skin and lack of fear is found to be half vampire–her mother had sex with Carlisle or someone in Forks, not Charlie. This explains a lot and allows Bella to live Happily Ever After with Eddie (Haskell-heh. just kidding!).
Rosalie is revealed to have a secret crush on Edward, but she is done down in some as yet unthought out plot and leaves the “coven” or whatever and lives in Denali where she specializes in igloo building and art photography.
Angela is found to truly BE an angel and one who is destined to look out for the True Love of B and E. She has been sent by Lord High Angel of the New Age and faces a dilemma: Jasper falls for her and what’s an angel to do?
Alternative ending: Eddie finds that he can just drink Bella’s tears–they’re enough to get “by”, so he ends up doing horrible things to her so that she’ll cry and slake his thirst. She ends up in a locked psych ward, suicidal, whereupon he breaks down and starts shedding his skin mica. One of the psych docs notices this and Ed ends up in the New England Journal of Medicine as a case study.
I could go on…
Guin–I don’t really see Edward as a stalker. I get that he fits that criteria(in RL), but to me he’s more like a statue come to life. He’s not (ever) going to DO anything to Bella–in fact, I was never convinced of his love for her–what does he see in her? “She’s special”. Oh, ok. And? WTF? WHY do they love each other? Since he overcomes the obstacle of touch about halfway through the book, now what else is there? Guin–the action picks up right at the baseball game. Prepare to enter the surreal as you’ve never seen it before… Lemme say this: for her being so smart, Bella is one stupid little girl.
I do want to read the rest of them, just for the cheese and to see if my speculations are correct. When I compare this book to Blood and Chocolate, a truly well written teen novel about werewolves, it makes me sad for kids today. There is so much out there that is good to read and is well written–and this tripe is the obsession? I can’t get over the inherent nastiness of little girl and daddy figure in this book.
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