Bella & Edward, we meet again.

Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

I know what you are thinking…you are blogging about Twilight again??? Well actually, the first time was an introduction to my blog, the reason why I feel the need to put my opinions and thoughts on the internet for all to see (See Why am I Here???). This blog covers my thoughts on the first book of the series.

Twilight is a story about a seventeen year old girl that decides to move to Forks, WA to live with her father. Within the first chapter we meet Edward Cullen, the heartbreakingly gorgeous vampire that is so attracted to Bella’s blood that it is painful for him. She realizes quickly that there is something different about him especially when he defies odds and saves her from a near death accident. This teen romance is a page turner from the very beginning, this book has romance, struggle, and action. Even though the primary focus of the book is for teen girls, I know many women of all ages that love this book and also I have spoken with men that have read it and liked it as well.

Praise for Twilight: I was enthralled in this book from the very beginning. I enjoyed the teenage struggle and the reminder of the awkwardness of first love. Meyers developed Bella’s character very well showing her humor, sarcastic tendencies, and also her teenage imperfections (such as forgetting to call her mom when she first arrives in Forks or the fear of going to a new school). Bella is also seen as observant (she notices everything about Edward to the extent of his eyes changing colors), selfless (moving to a place she hates in order that her mom could spend time with her new husband instead of staying home with Bella), a quiet martyr (she doesn’t want to talk about being unhappy in Forks or for others to share in her misery), she is also the caretaker for both of her parents (always kept her mother safe from her harebrained ideas and cooks and cleans for Charlie, her dad), and she’s brave (in love with a vampire, hangs out with his family, and runs to save her mother from a dangerous vampire). I have read some complaints about Bella’s character about her being whiney and not an interesting character, but I disagree. I think she is an ordinary seventeen year old girl, who is going through a lot during the course of this book-moving to a new town, starting a new school, meets her first love-that’s a lot to deal with in a short span of time, I might whine a little too! Out of all 4 books, Twilight is my favorite. Being the first book of the series, I think that the book presents the beginning of their relationship well. I just love the story of them falling in love. Throughout the first half of the book, it’s as if they are separately falling in love with each other for months and then they bring it together in the meadow for a perfect scene of declaration of love. Another thing I love is how he makes her absolutely freak out internally, her heart races, she faints, she can’t breathe, or at least she forgets to sometimes. He is very sensitive to her heartbeat and she knows it, therefore it embarrasses her when her heart goes crazy just by a small touch from him. Even though the sexual tension progresses throughout the books, there is definitely some of that tension in Twilight. They never really discuss sex besides one scene with Bella’s curious “round-about” questions about Emmett and Rosalie having a marriage like humans do. And also Bella asks Edward, “Your human instincts…, well do you find me attractive, in that way at all?” Edward answers, “I may not be a human, but I am a man.” I think the first time I read that, I melted into a puddle. Overall the book was great, I have at this time read it 3 times, but I refuse to read it again for at least a year :).

Complaints for Twilight: Anyone who knows me and my complete obsession with Twilight is probably really freaking out right now that I have complaints about this book. But, I do. The main one being the whole book takes place between January and June, it just seems too quick. I fight with myself on whether Bella and Edward can really have this kind of deep love for each other in such a quick time frame. My thought is maybe it’s not that strong (just like any normal relationship), but it has the potential of getting stronger. For example, when Simon and I went on our first date, I knew he was the man I was going to marry and I wouldn’t let anyone get in the way of that. We didn’t say “I love you” until we were engaged a year after that first date, but within 3 months I had met his family and we both knew where the relationship was going. (SPOILER ALERT-FOR TWILIGHT ONLY) The Meadow scene happens on Saturday, Bella meets the Cullen family on Sunday/Edward meets Chief Swan, and that night they play Baseball and here we are introduced to the villains, James, Laurent, and Victoria. Wow, over the weekend you have declared your love, met the parents, and get attacked by the nomadic, human-killing tracker, James. By Friday, Bella is in the hospital recovering from a Vampire attack, absolutely freaking out that Edward might leave her. It just seems a little sudden. But then again I know people in perfectly sound marriages that got engaged after knowing each other only 2 weeks. One other complaint that I have battled with is her writing style. I think I have come to terms with the fact that it is a Young Adult fiction book and that I believe that the writing style was on purpose. I could be wrong, but it just seems like it was written by a teenager, but what if that was the point? Just something I’ve been mulling over.
Thank you for your time if you made it through this long blog. This story is so hard for me to boil down into a paragraph synopsis, I have contemplated how to do it for a while, thinking the movie would help formulate my thoughts, I was wrong. I am a “Twi-hard” to my core, we had our tickets for 4 weeks before the movie came out and saw it opening night. I do have to say that I enjoyed the movie. I am eager to see it again with fewer crazed fans (you know, the cheering, clapping, and swooning of the 40 year olds in front of us were kind of a distraction), maybe I’ll wait a few weeks for the craziness to go down.

All of that, please read Twilight, it is a great book and let me know what you think! Coming soon: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.

Please enjoy some of my favorite quotes from Twilight:

I wasn’t interesting. And he was. Interesting…and brilliant…and mysterious…andperfect…and beautiful…and possibly able to lift full-sized vans with one hand. (Bella)

I thought you were suppose to be pretending I don’t exist, not irritating me to death. (Bella)

Stupid, shiny volvo owner. (Bella)

It was hard to believe that someone so beautiful could be real. I was afraid that he might disappear in a sudden puff of smoke, and I would wake up. (Bella)

What if I’m not a superhero? What if I’m the bad guy? (Edward)

There’s always a risk for humans to be around the cold ones, even if they’re civilized like this clan was. You never know when they might get too hungry to resist. (Jacob)

Stupid, unreliable vampire. (Bella)

Do I dazzle you? (Edward)

Your number was up the first time I met you. (Edward)

I hear voices in my mind and you’re worried you’re the freak. (Edward)

And you accuse me of dazzling people-poor Jacob Black. (Edward)

About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was part of him — and I didn’t know how potent that part might be — that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him. (Bella)

You already know how I feel, of course. I’m here… which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you. (Bella)

And so the lion fell in love with the lamb…What a stupid lamb. What a sick, masochistic lion. (Edward, Bella, Edward)

Are you still faint from the run? Or was it my kissing expertise? (Edward)

Just because I’m resisting the wine doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the bouquet. (Edward)

Yeah, it’s an off day when I don’t get somebody telling me how edible I smell. (Bella)

I may not be a human, but I am a man. (Edward)

I doubted there were any etiquette books detailing how to dress when your vampire sweetheart takes you home to meet his vampire family. (Bella)

You are utterly indecent — no one should look so tempting, it’s not fair. (Edward)

Shall I explain how you are tempting me? (Edward)

What am I going to do with you? Yesterday I kiss you, and you attack me! Today you pass out on me! (Edward)

I love you. It’s a poor excuse for what I’m doing, but it’s still true. (Edward)

You brought a snack? (Laurent)

I can feel what you’re feeling now — and you are worth it. (Jasper)

Do you think any of us want to look into his eyes for the next hundred years if he loses you? (Alice)

It’s like you’ve taken half my self away with you. (Edward)

I suppose you’re going to tell me that your boyfriend will avenge you? (James)

I heard my favorite sound in the world: Edward’s quiet laugh, weak with relief. (Bella)

You fell down two flights of stairs and through a window. You have to admit, it could happen. (Edward)

They gave you a few transfusions. I didn’t like it — it made you smell all wrong for a while. (Edward)

Don’t I taste as good as I smell? (Bella)

I think that boy is in love with you. (Renee)

Bella, we’re not having this discussion anymore. I refuse to damn you to an eternity of night and

that’s the end of it. (Edward)

You’ll never catch me betting against Alice. (Bella)

Is that what you dream about? Being a monster? (Edward) Mostly I dream about being with you forever. (Bella)

I will stay with you — isn’t that enough? (Edward) I love you more than everything else in the world combined. Isn’t that enough? (Bella) Yes, it is enough. Enough for forever. (Edward)