Twilight (Twilight Saga) Book

Twilight:

Since it's release Twilight has become an international phenomenon, hundreds of thousands have read the books and even more have gone to see the films. Spoofs have been released, worldwide debates concerning "Team Edward" and "Team Jacob" have over-run teenage girls' lives. The original book was released in 2007, five years for it to become a international obsession, surely this book must be good?

The plot concerns a 17 year old girl: Isabella Swan (Bella) moving to her father's dreary village of Forks in Washington so her mother can travel with her new baseball-playing boyfriend. Whilst there she feels alienated and shows early signs of depression until she meets a mysterious stranger, Edward Cullen. Tall, handsome, mysterious and dangerously beautiful she of course begins to fall for him. However there is something strange about this boy, and the course of events show that he is a vampire. Not the traditional kind however, this vampire is a "vegetarian" i.e. he only drinks animal blood. Thus the mysterious romance between the Wolf and the Sheep comes about and the book concerns it's complexities and unique aspects. The main appeal for many of the more "hormonal" readers is the great level of romance between the couple, Edward is a very forward character who is very open and descriptive about his strong feelings for Bella. Hence the attraction for the afore mentioned readers.

The plot arch is intriguing to read and does keep the pages turning well, however it is quite shallow in it's form, there are few layers to it and its substance is purely on the surface. However this may also be part of it's appeal as not everyone likes to read a book of several layers of meaning, hence it appeals to a wide audience; also the surface material is so unique that it holds it's own appeal. On a personal note however I would have preferred a perhaps deeper plot for consideration and it is this shallowness that has led to it's own force of anti-fans: the "haters." From here is where the spoofs have risen and the mockery and unfortunately for the fans nearly every flaw they point out is true.

The characters themselves have depth but not in such a way that can be explored by the reader. Take Bella for instance, a character more complex than the stereotypically "emo" teenage girl she appears to be. However this is not found out through her actions, or even her thoughts, it is pointed out in Myer's narrative. We explore this character's development not through our minds but our eyes, there is not much more to see besides what is told and this I think is one of the major flaws of the book and the series.

This book has it's own unique take on vampires, in this book their skin shines in the light like a rough diamond (nicer than bursting into flames in the sun) hence why they cannot be seen in the day. They are incredibly strong and fast but have no fear of Garlic or any kind of cross. This new take on vampires is refreshing but may have possibly upset the more dedicated fantasy readers used to up-keeping the traditional fantasy elements; however in my opinion change and different interpretations can only be good.

What is pleasing to see in this book is that it is all written very well, flowing sentences that are a pleasure to read create some very well-written material. The language is sophisticated, as are most of the characters and this I think brings a sense of maturity to the book. The layout also is easy to navigate and overall the way it is written has no major problems, it doesn't feel like I'm reading a child's narrative, it feels like I'm reading a sophisticated novel.

Overall then this book is pleasing to read and the premise of it is intriguing: the romance between a vampire and a human is a relatively unexplored area of literature. However the lack of actual depth of the characters, the way everything is told to the reader and the shallowness of the entire plot let it down. The fresh take on vampires is interesting to read but may not please all. This book is for those who wish to experience Romance and Fantasy in what appears to be a sophisticated package but, with all it's criticisms and mockery, you can't help feeling like a 13 year old girl if you do read it.  

Don't let the fact that this is about vampires fool you, the whole series is awful

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and all the others in the twilight series. Many of friends my age and older all love the book as well. It"s not just a book for teenage girls; anyone can read and enjoy it. It"s a sci-fi romance that"s very beautifully written. I would definitely recommend this.

When 17 year old Isabella Swan moves to Forks, Washington to live with her father she expects that her new life will be as dull as the town. But in spite of her awkward manner and low expectations, she finds that her new classmates are drawn to this pale, dark-haired new girl in town. But not, it seems, the Cullen family. These five adopted brothers and sisters obviously prefer their own company and will make no exception for Bella. Bella is convinced that Edward Cullen in particular hates her, but she feels a strange attraction to him, although his hostility makes her feel almost physically ill. He seems determined to push her away - until, that is, he saves her life from an out of control car. Bella will soon discover that there is a very good reason for Edward's coldness. He, and his family, are vampires - and he knows how dangerous it is for others to get too close.

Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga is a worldwide phenomenon, and as a fourth book has now been added to the series, it's the perfect time to find out what all the fuss is about!