Stephenie Meyer

[AlyssHeart]

i am so excited about thisss!!! XD WAHAHAHAHAHA!! XD I can't wait until I have more time to read it though...hmmm...=/

[ChristianKitsune]

Finished it.
Loved it.

[AlyssHeart]

I LOVE what i have read so far!! Bella isn't as annoying!! X) And..I like when she writes in Jacob's perspective...=) but..i still haven't finished it..and that bums me out.

[ChristianKitsune]

Haha..yah... It was great reading in Jacob's POV... and I love how we are able to hear his personality...

This book is DEFINATELY different, and I wouldn't reccomend it for readers under the age of 14 or 15...you'll see why, AlyssHeart.

I know a lot of people are really mixed about this book... I am a bit too...but I really think the way it ended is just right...

[Lengai]

Would I really be stepping on a land mine if I said I have utter contempt for this series? I'll admit, I haven't read but a snippet or two. And some reviews by people I respect. Analysis, actually, more than a review. And I'm going to be ill is I see anymore 'EDWARDISTHEBESTHE'SAPERFECTSEXYMANPIRE' stamps on DA or bumperstickers on Facebook. It's getting really old, really fast.

What I've seen, the writing is not good. Not the worst, but not good. I've seen fanfiction that's better. There seems to be no real depth in the characters, and honestly, I don't think it portrays what real relationships are like. At all. I know I can't talk, and that I'm judging it, blah blah. So, I'm going to post a link the previously mentioned analysis. Warning: It does have language. But it's someone I have respect for and who has read the series. And they're not bashing the series or anything. It's just analysis.

Read the journal entitled:
I don't know how I set off on this path and cannot remember a time before it.
And click on the links within it.
http://rawles.livejournal.com/tag/the+zombie+shame+paradigm

[ChristianKitsune]

No Lengai, you are not stepping on a Land Mine for NOT liking this series...I definately understand that not everyone will fall in love with this series....

But please forgive me, for I could write PAGES of why this book is GOOD and why it's awesome and blah blah blahhh...but would it really matter? It's just MY opinion...

I've read this article...and to me it didn't make any sense... Did this person even READ the same book series as me? It's so different from what I've read... She talks about the same occrances but they occured differently in my view.

This review also fails because it doesn't continue on to what the fourth book did to the entire series...and that it CHANGED it... about how much the Characters grew, and matured...

To hear that the characters have no depth...is a fallacy in MY opinion. This entire story is written FOR the characters... THEY Drive the story forward...

I could go on...and on about the redeeming qualities of this series...about how amazingly beautitful it is...and how wrong I believe that review to be. I could go on and on about the amount of time and energy I've delved into reading these books over and over again (at least 2-3 times) I can go on and on about the few fanarts I've drawn (which I DO NOT do unless the series/books/anime WHATEVER is worth my time...) I coudl tell you how I feel the first 3 books led up to the last book in an almost eerie but amazing order... I could tell you that Edward ISNT perfect...just people think he is... and he knows they are wrong...


But my opinions don't matter. The only opinion that SHOULD matter is your own. Pick up the book for yourself...you say you've not read but a few snippets...and already you judge a book out of context. If you were to do that for a research paper, you've already done something wrong...

And about the unrealisticness about the relationships: XD It's a Vampire and a Human...it won't be realisitc....

Think for yourself... don't just take opinions as truth, discover the answers for yourself... if then you decide you don't like the series at least you can say without a doubt, and with your own mind that you believe the books were horrible... Which is FINE. This series isn't for everyone...

I know that I LOVED this series... and I'm glad that I have the majority of the books on the shelf next to my favorite mangas. It is a series that I never though I would like... I hate vampires... I really do. But for some reason this series was so different and not how I invision "vampires to be" that... I just loved it.

[Lengai]

I know I don't have the right to judge it right now, and maybe I'll pick up one day for kicks. The nonrealistic part of their relationship doesn't have to do with him being a vampire. Real love doesn't function in an obsessive (or at-first-sight) way, and that's sending out a bad message about what love's supposed to be to impressionable girls. Maybe Bella and Jacob would be okay, because as far as I know, they HAD a relationship as friends before he entered the triangle.

Maybe it's not the book itself I hate - it's the hype. Everywhere I look, people are always going on about it's the best thing since sliced bread, that Edward and Bella are this generation's Romeo and Juliet. They kind of aren't? I'm fine when people casually like the book, but you've got people running around defending it as the greatest book ever and flaming people who don't like it (Hasn't happened here, but I've seen a lot of the on DA), then I have a problem.

I think perhaps you and Rawles just interpret things differently. She's someone who's opinion I have great respect for. I'm not copying her opinion as my own, because I already had my opinion when I read that - yesterday. So I don't see her analysis failing at all. It's her opinion, too. And she's read the book(s). Although, I don't know if she read the entire series all the way through. She may have.

Look at Bella's description on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Swan

That screams Mary-Sue to me. If I end up reading it, I'm going to have a hard time standing at the least, Bella.

[ChristianKitsune]

I know I don't have the right to judge it right now, and maybe I'll pick up one day for kicks. The nonrealistic part of their relationship doesn't have to do with him being a vampire. Real love doesn't function in an obsessive (or at-first-sight) way, and that's sending out a bad message about what love's supposed to be to impressionable girls. Maybe Bella and Jacob would be okay, because as far as I know, they HAD a relationship as friends before he entered the triangle.

Maybe it's not the book itself I hate - it's the hype. Everywhere I look, people are always going on about it's the best thing since sliced bread, that Edward and Bella are this generation's Romeo and Juliet. They kind of aren't? I'm fine when people casually like the book, but you've got people running around defending it as the greatest book ever and flaming people who don't like it (Hasn't happened here, but I've seen a lot of the on DA), then I have a problem.

I think perhaps you and Rawles just interpret things differently. She's someone who's opinion I have great respect for. I'm not copying her opinion as my own, because I already had my opinion when I read that - yesterday. So I don't see her analysis failing at all. It's her opinion, too. And she's read the book(s). Although, I don't know if she read the entire series all the way through. She may have.

Look at Bella's description on Wikipedia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bella_Swan

That screams Mary-Sue to me. If I end up reading it, I'm going to have a hard time standing at the least, Bella.

I'll give you one thing.... I've been up... for a while reading all the negative reviews... and I gotta say that the "anti-fans" are just as mean and annoying as the Fangirls! It's really sad... actually that people would go to such lengths to bash a BOOK. Seriously...it's retarded. People are actually reading this book to bash it. How stupid and lame is that? At least kids are READING instead of other things... It's kinda like Harry Potter and how people were bashing that too. Rawles is free to have her opinion...that's awesome. At least she's read the books and she was able to come to her conclusion on her own...


Yes the fangirls are annoying, and I'm hoping to death I'm not one of them.. >_<. There are some SCARY little fangirls out there...

I've never "been in love" before... XD so I don't know how love works, but I know sevearl people who have had the love at first sight experience and it worked for them... *shrug* This book is more than physcial attraction though. I wish people would get that. Edward is the kind of guy every girl dreams of... He's the Bishie of the Literary world... ._. He's not real... of course and I hope that girls know that XD. But there's a lot more to this character than his looks... ._.

Whats wrong with teen romance? I never had it...but my parents did... and they seem alright to me... I mean it's only RECENTLY that teen romance has come to be looked down upon...before it was ENCOURAGED...*shrugs*

This book is written through the mind of a teenager...and I know several people disagree that girls think this way...but SOME DO. I'm serious... Some people actually think like Bella does... I know because I really relate to her personality in a way. I'm a shy person, I'm ALWAYS worried I'm messing up. I'm a Klutz... I hate sports...if I do something that I think I've done wrong I will worry about it for days until the matter is resolved blah blah blah. Unlike a lot of fans, however, i don't put myself in HER shoes and WISH that Edward Cullen was my Boyfriend. ew. He's a character... Guys like him dont exist.

Is the writing style perfect? Psh No. It's not. But it wasn't intended to be either. Meyer didn't go to school to be a writer. She had a dream about this series...and then decided to write it into a book. Like many aspiring authors she sent it off to several publishers and got published a few months later. Twilight is her FIRST book...and I can tell you she gets a LOT better with age...

The thing is this series exists for entertainment. If people are reading this book to learn a lesson about life...they need to go read something better. Like maybe the Bible? Because that's sure a bajillion times better than a Romance Novel... *rolls eyes*

About the Mary Sue arguement. WHO CARES. It's a book. It's a book about VAMPIRES and WEREWOLVES. It's going to be a little Mary Sue. It's about the ordinary girl maturing and changing... isn't Harry Potter Gary Sue? And I've always thought that a Mary Sue character was PREDICTABLE...

What Bella turned out to be took MANY people by surprise...and it wasn't expected... so... I guess I'm confused there ^^;

Isn't just about every anime out there Gary/Mary Sue? And yet people find the need to pick on a book because it's POPULAR?

Stephenie Meyer isn't the Next J.K Rowling. She'll tell you that. She's amazed it's this popular... She has said countless times. Shes a Story Teller...not a writer... many people LOVE her stories and they take it for what they are...Stories.

Stories aren't meant to be analyzed and torn apart sentence by sentence... and frankly, anyone who does seriously needs to get a life... I'm sorry... but after reading all the negative reviews especially one in particular... I found myself wondering "WHY ARE THEY READING THIS?" Seriously... it goes back to the old saying "If you don't have anything nice to say, why say it?" Well, "If you don't like the book anymore, why read it?"

And then I find myself wondering "Why do I CARE what these guys think XD"

Why am I writing out these long drawn out paragraphs... I have know idea. I just know... what I've watched these characters change and "grow up" to be... and I can only speak for myself when I say *I* thought it was deep. I thought it was a great piece of modern storytelling... a piece of Character development that I can appreciate...

And so what if I have to hear how pretty the Cullens look. It's a small price to pay for some adjectives XD. And thankfully, Meyer gets better with that...

Sorry for the rant... ^^; but It's been a long night. I've had this conversation with a lot of people... and I didn't start the convesation in any of them either..

I do have one thing to suggest though... maybe by finding positive reviews you can get a better understand of WHY the fans like it so much? Instead of only sticking to one side... I mean... that's what I did ^^; I don't want to be ignorant about what others are saying about the series... lol.

I do have one thing to add though.. this book IS Fantasy...and Meyer wrote for HERSELF. She knew how the series would end...before she even started book 2... so... as strange as it got by book 4... I enjoyed the ride and the amount of thought and character growth she had...

IT's just a book series though...and Meyer said there was no hidden meaning behind it...it's just for entertainment.

It's a bit stupid that so many people are making this their lives though XD. I'm still riding on a "Wow... the series is over.. I loved the ending" high... XD it will pass in a matter of days. Kinda like the Harry Potter fans calmed down a bit too...

[Lengai]

For the record, I have read some positive reviews. And a lot of my friends love the book. I'm not living in a cocoon of Twilight-hate.

I have been in love. I broke up with my boyfriend of one and a half years last Friday. I've known him since I was in second grade and he's been one of my best friends since the sixth. And we broke up not because of a petty argument or something dumb. It was a lot deeper than that. And God is still working on helping me though it. 'Love at first sight' doesn't exist. You can't love someone you don't know. I'm a senior in high school, and I see TONS of people who date based on looks and maybe some idle chit-chat. They fail. Miserably. My former youth minister's wife told us once 'The best thing you can do is end up marrying your best friend'. Which was her case.

Teen romance? If it's not Christ-centered, it'll probably end up being shallow. In books and in real life. The only way it can work, truly work, is when you have people dating for marriage. Courting more so. I'm not a fan. I am a fan of fantasy and sci-fi novels, though. I eat them for lunch.

I've been role-playing on forums for over five years. I care about Mary-Sues. Mary Sues are defined by being predictable. They are characters that seem to be perfect in their physical characteristics and personality. They have no REAL flaws. Bella's clumsy nature could be considered a flaw, but it doesn't hinder her attractiveness to others. [SPOILER]And her becoming a creature of the night makes her MORE attractive. And she seems to have inherited all of the 'positives' to being a vampire without suffering negative consequences. She can resist the blood lust. Her mind is an impenetrable fortress whereas all others are susceptible to Jedi mind - I mean vampire mind tricks.[/SPOILER] I've had experience dealing with Sues and their creators. It isn't fun to read. There are Sues/Stus in almost everything. (Naruto, lolwut?) Some are only part Sue, and some are overkill. I don't read/watch much 'new' manga/anime because of it.

I don't have anything against you. You seem to be more leveled-headed and realistic about it. But a lot of people aren't. And that cheeses me off.

By the way, someone wanted to know the difference between Christians and Mormons. BIG DIFFERENCE. I'll pin point it exactly later.

[LadyRushia]

I've only read the excerpt of Twilight on amazon.com and the reviews on that site. The negative reviews explained pretty thoroughly why they disliked the book while the positive ones were not much more than "this series is amazing." What I saw of the writing wasn't that good, then again it's told from the perspective of a teenager and the series is YA. But then again, just because something is YA doesn't mean it should be written badly. But then, Meyer wasn't really aiming for the attention her series has gotten. Also, a writer always gets better as he writes more.

I'm very much into stories. I write them, read/watch/listen to them, and one of my favorite things to do is to analyze them, especially if the creators use a lot of symbolism and other literary devices. I think the best stories are meant to be analyzed, but I think what you were referring to, CK, are people who analyze things to bash them. That is kind of dumb, and I'm guilty of doing that myself with the Inheritance series (and now I sort of like it because there are a couple really awesome characters).

As for Mary Sues/Gary Stus, they are pretty common and they're a sign of bad writing. I think what makes a Sue depends a lot on context. Tons of characters have Sue-like qualities, which make a character more interesting when handled well.

Gah, my nerdiness is making me go off topic, XD. If I ever check out this series, it won't be for awhile. I guess what I want to know is what's so great about this series? I understand that Meyer's vampires aren't conventional and some of the gripes I've heard have to with that. Something about sparkley vampires?

I've heard the same "you must've read a completely different book" thing said by fans in response to negative reviews many times, which is kind of confusing.

[ChristianKitsune]

Apologies in advance for I feel this will be long...as I am trying to answer everyone's questions the best way I can.

Let me start off by saying this: Please don't think that these books are affecting my faith or I shouldn't be reading these books because they have Vampires in them.... I am really AGAINST Vampires.. but for a reason further down in this post, I like these books. I can't explain WHY I like this series... I just DO. LOL. I like the writing and I guess... just knowing that the series already IS a Mary Sue kind of story anyways...doesn't really bother me... because I EXPECTED it to be. It's kinda a no brainer.

I DO agree with you, Lengai about the whole Love at First Sight thing... I would MUCH rather get to know someone before I go "OEMGEE I LOVES YOOOUU X3" It is silly...but I think that's the point? It's a fairy tale, and I would seriously hope that no one uses this series as a jump off to a realationship. Just as I would hope that no one would do the same for an anime series with a really hawt Bishie in it...

And I totally realize that Without Christ in a realationship it's pretty much asking for trouble... I understand that. Which is why I'm seriously waiting for God to show me who HE WANTs. haha. Umm but since this book ISNT a Christian Novel, and unfortunately, God isn't really discussed in it... I guess I don't see how that relates to the book ._. and I don't look for religious meanings in books like this. Honestly. I won't find them.

I look for ways to grow in Christ through talking to HIM, through reading my Bible, and fellowshiping with my Chruch family. A visit into these books is no more to me, than sitting down and watching a good anime, or a good movie...

But that's the problem Unfortunately A LOT of the FANS AREN'T like me...they aren't level headed enough to see this is JUST A YOUNG ADULT BOOk. They see Edward as this perfect man who they want to find...but they NEVER will. That's the sad thing...but I'm not going to let the immature fans ruin this fairy tale for me... ^^;

But I don't think someone should have to change thier writing just so people will react negatively to them... well I mean not when it's something like this.. O_o How would Meyer know that her fans would be affected this way? She didn't write this series for them...

As for Mary Sues/Gary Stus, they are pretty common and they're a sign of bad writing. I think what makes a Sue depends a lot on context. Tons of characters have Sue-like qualities, which make a character more interesting when handled well.

I agree with this There aren't many characters out there that WONT have a Mary Sue/Gary Stu tendency... seriously It's almsot impossible. Thats like saying that just because I'm different from the other people...that I'm a Mary Sue.. O_o So...if I were put in a story, and since I like to draw art and I want to be a cartoonist and I rely HEAVILY on my faith... I woudl probably be considered a Mary Sue...because I'm predictable?

Wierd argument I know XD...

But the thing is...what happens in this book ISN'T entirely predictable. Soo.. again I don't understand ^^;

And I'm not EVEN going to go into the fact that this author is MORMON and why Christians shouldn't read it just because it's written by a lady of a different faith... that's just silly. Being as though this book doesn't even have anything to do with Mormonism... the only thing that I've noticed is the fact that The characters want to be together forever, and there's this strong family bond thing. But that can be found in ANY series... Everyone wants a happy ending right?

I mean The things that I just said were pointed out to me, I didn't even think of it like that until someone told me that stuff... or until I read a Christian Review on this series... (which, suprisingly wasn't THAT glaring like I thought it would be O_o; )


Lady Rushia, To answer your question about WHY I like the book? Gaaah I don't even know myself all I know is I went from Hating ALL Vampire stories...to finding my sister reading this and I was like "O_O why are you reading THAT It's got Vamps in it! D:<" And she was like "No, No CK this book is different...try it I think you'll like it."

and I did. I can't believe I liked it. but I did...

To me it's got a mixture of a lot of Shakespearean themes, one book is even inspired by A Midsummer's night's dream (sorta...) and there's even a little bit of hintage at Romeo and Juliet and Wuthering Heights... (so I've heard... )

But more than that, I LOVE a story with GOOD character development... I like all the backstories that these characters have. And they all have a purpose at the end.. It's great... I love that I was able to "get to know" them by the end of the series... I think it's awesome when I can go from totally hating a character at one time, to reading about him or her, and realizing "Wow, now i don't hate them so much... ._."

It matters to me that a writer cares about their characters... and Meyer definately does...

Also, Meyer is kinda what a lot of writers apsire to be... I'll link her path to getting published soon, but after reading all that she went through to GET to where she is...was pretty much like a fairytale too haha. It's kinda cool...


The fact that the main vampires are GOOD in this series helps a lot. And yes, they do sparkle but thats explained really well. Basically their skin just reacts differently to sunlight... and it's not really made a big issue in the book ^^; And it's got a good reason for why they sparkle XD But I can't remember it because again, it's not a huge issue...

And though it might be considered "unrealistic" to fall in love so easily...it's still a great story. The Love the two main characters have is something people dream about...and though I'm not sure that's a GOOD thing or a BAD thing... I still found it interesting.. These two would give anything for the other person even if it means hurting themselves...and even though some may say "OMG that's SO UnHEALTHY." Its not... and Book 2 touches on this issue pretty strongly.


I also like that anything more than kissing and such is limited to marriage...I really appreciate that. It shows a great deal of repsonbility on Meyer's part...

I found Meyer's writing to be enjoyable. as said before She's NO J.K. Rowling... but I liked her style, it was an ENTERTAINING read. XD.

Granted I do caution on Book 4... it does have a more mature feel to it... that even shocked me. It was well written, and except for a very violent scene, tastefully done I feel... >_>

And yes, you got it right... I didn't mean that we shouldn't analyze books at all...just not analyze with the INTENT to bash... because wow..could they not find somethint BETTER to do with their time? Meyer wanted to show that her vampires couldn't get hurt by sunlight...however they are EXPOSED as different when they are in it... and that's something they want to avoid...which is why the book takes place where it does... in a rainy forested town in Washington.

So.. yeah. Lengai I'm sorry if my post at all offended you or anything ^^; that's NOT my intent! I promise... I'm was minoring in Journalism for a little while in college, I've had 3 years of experience working on reporting and stuff...and I like to know both sides of the situations XD. (which is probably why I'm going to such lenghts to tell my side of the story, as well as listen to yours.)

Lady Rushia, it's very simple how someone can read a different story than I've read... My mind and the minds of a lot of others don't work the same as others do... some people wanted MORE gratuitous stuff in the series, I was content with where it was...and I was impressed that in a story ABOUT vampires...it was as chaste as it was. (granted it wasn't PERFECT...but it's a YA novel... XD for some reason, people wanted kissing scenes in the books. *shrugs* )


EDIT: For those who are even remotely curious, here is Stephenie's Story in how she got the book published... http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/twilight.html

She will admit to your face she's still new at stuff like this ^^;

[GeneD]

I didn't read all the posts about the current topic, because I have a ton of windows open and not a lot of time, but I have to say that the following made me laugh.

'EDWARDISTHEBESTHE'SAPERFECTSEXYMANPIRE'

Just plain funny.

Everywhere I look, people are always going on about it's the best thing since sliced bread, that Edward and Bella are this generation's Romeo and Juliet.

I was like, lolwut, Edward and Bella die/kill themselves?! That's going to suck for the fans.

XDD

[Kuro-Mizu]

Wee I have only read twilight but I gotta say.

WAY OVER HYPED.

SO FAR this series is ANYTHING but amazing. The writing is actually pretty bad.

Stephanies pacing isn't very good at all. She prattles on and on about things that don't matter (edwards beauty being the main example) when she could be advancing the storyline. Fortunately this means she also pays alot of attention to important scenes and parts but it doesn't make up for the rambling.

ALso their are 5 I counted them FIVE male characters with a crush on bella. And ALL of the character development of these characters is based on their crush on bella. The reader isn't let into any other part of there life and as such they come off as REALLY 2-D. Its like reading about a cardboard cutout male and a fully developed female character fall in love.

All the male characters who don't have a crush on bella we never hear from. Of them though I would have to say her dad charlie is the most developed and hes probably my favorite character so far.

Oh and one of these males go so far as to-

[spoiler]sit in bellas room and watch her sleep (she doesn't know about it)[/spoiler]

Some people defend this saying its beautiful cuz

[spoiler]Bella is edwards entire life. He is so obsessed he doesn't have time for anything else.[/spoiler]

Well thats just a bad character then. No matter how in love you are with somebody other things will ALWAYS get in the way. You will always have other interest etc. Its not healthy if you don't.

Of course their is that brief scene-

[spoiler]Where we find out edward is a musician.[/spoiler]

But it came off as stephanie trying to add more character development but not really caring about it. She's to obsessed with the romance part. It seems like the only part she wants to write about.

After I got past the middle part though (the meadow scene was the worst offender when it came to bad pacing) I actually got pretty into the book. The action scenes were pretty cool but stephanie still had bad pacing (especially the part in the hotel >.<)

OH and about all the negative reviews and people bashing the book?

Well I have to agree with ladyrushia most of the bad reviews are well written. The people holding these views know people will hate them for it so they make sure they have the facts before posting. It seems the fangirls and boys are doing most of the bashing.

Not to say I haven't seen some bad reviews that were just bashing but the majority make good points and are well written IMO

[ChristianKitsune]

Wee I have only read twilight but I gotta say.

WAY OVER HYPED.

SO FAR this series is ANYTHING but amazing. The writing is actually pretty bad.

Stephanies pacing isn't very good at all. She prattles on and on about things that don't matter (edwards beauty being the main example) when she could be advancing the storyline. Fortunately this means she also pays alot of attention to important scenes and parts but it doesn't make up for the rambling.

ALso their are 5 I counted them FIVE male characters with a crush on bella. And ALL of the character development of these characters is based on their crush on bella. The reader isn't let into any other part of there life and as such they come off as REALLY 2-D. Its like reading about a cardboard cutout male and a fully developed female character fall in love.

All the male characters who don't have a crush on bella we never hear from. Of them though I would have to say her dad charlie is the most developed and hes probably my favorite character so far.

Oh and one of these males go so far as to-

[spoiler]sit in bellas room and watch her sleep (she doesn't know about it)[/spoiler]

Some people defend this saying its beautiful cuz

[spoiler]Bella is edwards entire life. He is so obsessed he doesn't have time for anything else.[/spoiler]

Well thats just a bad character then. No matter how in love you are with somebody other things will ALWAYS get in the way. You will always have other interest etc. Its not healthy if you don't.

Of course their is that brief scene-

[spoiler]Where we find out edward is a musician.[/spoiler]

But it came off as stephanie trying to add more character development but not really caring about it. She's to obsessed with the romance part. It seems like the only part she wants to write about.

After I got past the middle part though (the meadow scene was the worst offender when it came to bad pacing) I actually got pretty into the book. The action scenes were pretty cool but stephanie still had bad pacing (especially the part in the hotel >.<)

OH and about all the negative reviews and people bashing the book?

Well I have to agree with ladyrushia most of the bad reviews are well written. The people holding these views know people will hate them for it so they make sure they have the facts before posting. It seems the fangirls and boys are doing most of the bashing.

Not to say I haven't seen some bad reviews that were just bashing but the majority make good points and are well written IMO

You have very well and informed points, Kuro-Mizu, However, I still think it's because Meyer is SO inexperienced as a writer during this book.. ^^]sit in bellas room and watch her sleep (she doesn't know about it)[/spoiler]
She does too...

Well thats just a bad character then. No matter how in love you are with somebody other things will ALWAYS get in the way. You will always have other interest etc. Its not healthy if you don't.

Of course their is that brief scene-

[spoiler]Where we find out edward is a musician.[/spoiler]

I think that's the point? ^^; that it's not healthy...but the characters really don't give a darn?
It's a LOVE STORY FAIRY TALE THING XD. It's not going to be REALISTIC. Srsly.


I'm not saying that this series is AMAZING...not by far, and its DEFINATELY not for EVERYONE. I'm glad I know where I stand in my faith, and my values that I can read this series without letting it affect me.

There are FAR better series out there that I would suggest over the Twilight Saga. So please don't assume that just because I draw fanart, and that I really love this series that I think it's THE BESTEST EVAR!!!!!111 It's not... I won't fool myself into saying they are the best. XD

As for the 5 male characters, after the first book... don't worry they end up happy too XD. but they are very minor characters... I don't see the big deal here... All of my guy friends have had or have a huge crush on my older sister.... O_o But I don't know much about the male mind so XD... *shrugs*

and... Awww... the meadow scene is one of my favorites in the book. It's what STARTED it all... WHICH could explain the pacing! She started writing with the meadow scene, moved forward and THEN wrote the beginning. Seriously, if you are curious read the link I posted above it explains A LOT about how unexperiences Meyer was, and KNOWS she is.

I seriously want to write a review on this series from a fan who isn't OBSESSED but also doesn't want to bash it either... XD just so I can copy and paste my concerns and my views on this book

Because I know this series isn't perfect, I never will say it is perfect... there are some huge flaws and problems that I have with it... but I still find a lot of things I like about it.

I think I will write something ont his.. I have a very under used Live Journal. I have a mini review on my DA page but because I don't want to talk about the book that much on DA (because not all my watchers like Twilight, ) But I do have a mini-review on my view as the series as a whole...

But I want to go into more detail with it XD WITH Spoilers. So I can share my views on it more clearly... >_> Because there are things in this book that DO make me go "whaaaat?"

But I find things like that in anime too...and I just kinda take it with a grain of salt ^^;

ALSO:

Stephanies pacing isn't very good at all. She prattles on and on about things that don't matter (edwards beauty being the main example) when she could be advancing the storyline. Fortunately this means she also pays alot of attention to important scenes and parts but it doesn't make up for the rambling.

Either I got REALLY used to this... or she GOT better at NOT doing this XD I admit I was SO annoyed when she did that.... XD. I was like "Okay...okay...he's gorgeous...moving on then? OKAY WE GET IT... Okay, Bella... SHUT UP."

I am re-reading Twilight right now XD and I almost want to count how often she says how Gorgeous the Cullens are... XD. Just for fun...

[Kairi]

One of my friends bought Twilight for me as a gift a little while ago. I had been planning to pick it up for over a year now, just to see what all of the hype was about, but I wasn't sure whether or not my mom would approve of the vampire content or not. She knows I can handle the fantasy element -- she just doesn't want me reading anything too seriously dark, you know? I...decided to take my chances with this book, and quickly found that my friend and I couldn't put it down. We sat in my room reading non-stop for hours, completely absorbed.

I just finished it yesterday. Sadly, that was probably the fastest I've ever blown through nearly 500 pages of reading material for my own enjoyment. I'm not exactly what you'd call a bookworm -- I like to read Jane Austen novels and whatnot in my spare time, but otherwise, I have other hobbies that I prefer to stick to. Maybe that's a sign that you shouldn't take my opinion very seriously, but...whatever. XD

I know I'm going to get mauled for saying this, but the writing style was one of the first things that drew me in. That's probably because it seems to flow so simply and casually, like you really are listening to a (teenage?) friend telling a story. That's just my opinion. I can understand someone not liking it if they're picky about what they spend their time reading, but if you just want something to take to the beach, or casually go through in your spare time, I don't see the harm in giving Twilight a chance. It's nowhere near being the greatest book ever written, but it is fun...minus a few very, painfully cheesy parts. [SIZE="1"]It's more amusing if you decide to make fun of those scenes instead of actually try -- to no avail -- to take them seriously, though. XD[/SIZE]

I'm also genuinely looking forward to the movie. I saw the trailers before I started reading the book, so it wasn't difficult for me to picture Edward and Bella looking like the actors they chose. If I hadn't, then I would probably be on the side of most other fans who seem to prefer Gaspard Ulliel and Emily Browning, but... *shrugs* Robert Pattison is cute enough for me. And, judging by the previews, he seems to have Edward's trademark crooked smile down. XD I also like Kristen Stewart's overall appearance, such as her outfits and how she wears a headband in her hair most of the time. It suits Bella, in my opinion. The only change I'm really hoping for is that they'll tone down her obsessive nature in the movie, heh!

[ChristianKitsune]

YAH, that's exactly why i liked it too, Kairi! ^_^ I mean it's told through the mind of a 17-18 year old girl, who has NEVER dated... In my opinion Meyer captured her pretty well... I mean I know A LOT of girls who have minds that work like Bella,s obsessive nature and all But why WOULDN'T someone be obsessed with a guy that saves your life? X3

I can't wait till the movie! And BTW for those of you who haven't heard, because Harry Potter 6 was moved back to next year. Twilight will now be released November 21st, instead of December 12. Yaaay!

I've sneaked a peak at some rumored scripts and it sounds SO CLOSE to the book it's not even funny. I'm really excited!

OH and for anyone interested, I'm currently working on summary reviews. They are very long, and through, and so far I've only started with the LAST book in the series, because it was the one I've most recently read. Because the last book is a bit controversial among all the fans, (although the majority of us LOVED IT, I felt that I needed to talk about my views on it, because some people will be freaked out by it... I'll post links to the reviews later XD. I decided to put my LJ to some use...

My review of the first 3 books probably won't be as thorough as the last one was though >_<
(actually I'm about 15 pages from finishing my 3rd re-read of Twilight XD)

I've also drawn up this little comic thingy, because as much as I love Twilight, it's also kind of fun to make fun of too:

http://christiankitsune.deviantart.com/art/Twilight-Joke-95052138

[avidrkfan]

I'm with Lengai.

"I've seen fanfiction that's better. "

That pretty much sums up the style of Meyer's prose.

I was incredibly disappointed by Breaking Dawn's ending. All that buildup and then no payoff.

Don't get me started on Renesme either. The sheer physiological impossiblity of that happening is staggering. If Meyer wanted her vampires to procreate she shouldn't have stopped their hearts/blood circulation and made them into animated statues. It's fiction, sure, but if Meyer creates a fictional world then she should have to abide by the rules of the world she created and not break them all in the last book. Rules like: Vampires can't have babies (much to Rosalie's dismay) or All newborn vampires go a little nuts with bloodlust at first.

All in all it was a sadly anticlimactic end to the series.

I did enjoy Jacob's POV though. Once it switched from him back to Bella I noticed a steady decline in the plot.

[ChristianKitsune]

I'm with Lengai.

"I've seen fanfiction that's better. "

That pretty much sums up the style of Meyer's prose.

I was incredibly disappointed by Breaking Dawn's ending. All that buildup and then no payoff.

[spoiler]Don't get me started on Renesme either. The sheer physiological impossiblity of that happening is staggering. If Meyer wanted her vampires to procreate she shouldn't have stopped their hearts/blood circulation and made them into animated statues. It's fiction, sure, but if Meyer creates a fictional world then she should have to abide by the rules of the world she created and not break them all in the last book. Rules like: Vampires can't have babies (much to Rosalie's dismay) or All newborn vampires go a little nuts with bloodlust at first.

All in all it was a sadly anticlimactic end to the series.

I did enjoy Jacob's POV though. Once it switched from him back to Bella I noticed a steady decline in the plot.

[/spoiler]

I put your stuff in spoilers...and I'll reply with spoilers too...

[spoiler] Breaking Dawn is probably my favorite book of the entire series, you say it's anticlimatic, well that's your opinion XD and it's okay.

Meyer's writing style isn't perfect but hey, I enjoyed it as it was. A prose written from the mind of a 17-18 year old girl...who probably wouldn't write differently than say, a "fanfiction" She's not a college graduate for goodness sakes.

Umm about your complaint about Renesmee... Meyer NEVER said that Male Vampires couldn't father children. In fact theres a ton of folklore that says they CAN. Meyer has said repeatedly that her statements on that have been misquoted...and if she had given any hint that Edward and Bella could have kid while she was human that would have ruined the book. Seriously it would have. Meyer had Renesmee planned from the beginning. So... I guess it annoys me when readers are like "This wasn't the way it should have happened blah blah blah. It's not your world, it's her's. She didn't write these books for US. She wrote them for herself.

Renesmee's existence is the very embodiment on Edward and Bella's love for each other IMO. I've heard it said that children can be evidence of how much a couple loves each other...especially if that child is raised in a loving home... you know?

As for Bella not going crazy with bloodlust...I thought that was awesome. We all EXPECTED her to go crazy...didn't we? it was a nice twist... And it doesnt' really surprise me. Bella's had almost 2 years to prepare herself for the life that her new family has. Whereas they didn't. Many of them were turned on the verge of death, right? They didn't have a chance to understand what they would be going through. Bella is a naturally stubborn person and she had the life of her child waiting for her. It was tough, sure...but I'm actually relieved that she didn't have a problem. I mean it would have been boring in a way... there wouldn't have been the special moments that I read in the book. Moments where she was willing to give up Renesmee so she could live..you know? It was heart-breaking and I found myself crying so many times.

As for the "buildup but no action" part...umm do you understand that what that scene was? It's a TRIAL. It's a game of wits... (which is why there's a chess board on the front of the cover) Meyer knew that if there would have been a huge battle scene she would have to kill A LOT of her characters and she said "She didn't want a Hamlet ending where one character is left standing giving a monologue about what he learned."



I guess it just bothers me, how quickly some fans have turned against the books that they once loved... Some people are actually threatening Meyer about it..how stupid can people get? I LOVED Breaking Dawn it didn't feel like a fan fiction to me... I'm sorry that you were disappointed though. [/spoiler]

EDIT: oooh lookee what I got in the email today... It seems Focus on the Family got around to reading the series... XD http://www.pluggedinonline.com/read/read/a0004206.cfm (spoilers are used in this)

Though they are right on a lot of levels. I really never took this book THAT seriously...and anyone who does... gosh, seriously go read the Bible if you want to find some life lessons. Seriously, don't use romance novels to try to teach you about "real love" it's stupid to do that...

I'll say it again, If you aren't comfortable in your faith, DON'T read this book... if you don't like mature themes stay away from it... but I know a lot of the members here who watch anime with worse content than this book... so... use you own judgement XD.

I appreciate Plugged In for their reviews, they are really insightful, but I was catching all the things they talked about, and though they would probably make me cringe as a parent... and I won't let my little sister read these books until she's like 17 or older... I think it's great that they even tried to read them... Because a lot of girls are going to read these books, and a lot of them are probably going to be confused...and they need to know about reality...

[Kairi]

YAH, that's exactly why i liked it too, Kairi! ^_^ I mean it's told through the mind of a 17-18 year old girl, who has NEVER dated... In my opinion Meyer captured her pretty well... I mean I know A LOT of girls who have minds that work like Bella,s obsessive nature and all But why WOULDN'T someone be obsessed with a guy that saves your life? X3

I can't wait till the movie! And BTW for those of you who haven't heard, because Harry Potter 6 was moved back to next year. Twilight will now be released November 21st, instead of December 12. Yaaay!

I've sneaked a peak at some rumored scripts and it sounds SO CLOSE to the book it's not even funny. I'm really excited!

Yeah. If a guy like Edward really did exist, I can imagine he'd probably have the same effect on a lot of girls. You know... dazzling them and all. XD *snorts* I would be impressed simply because he's so polite -- and can play the piano! That earns lots of bonus points with me.

Anywho, I just started reading Eclipse this morning. New Moon was great, minus the flipping huge chunk of story that revolved around...

[spoiler]JACOB. Gah! He's an interesting character and all, but I was never able to get used to the absence of Edward and his family throughout most of the book. I was so thankful when Alice finally showed up. XD (She's one of my favorite characters.) That kicked off the story for me, although I did enjoy the first several chapters, as well. It certainly didn't take long for the action to start.[/spoiler]
I heard about the movie's release date being changed. W00t! Has anyone seen the actual trailer in theaters? I'm also glad to hear the news about the script -- as long as it's not too different from the book, I won't complain.

Like I said, I'm already pretty happy with the actors they've chosen. My British friend isn't too thrilled about Robert Pattison, though, simply because he = Cedric Diggory in her mind. I guess I can understand that, but still... how could you not like this? XD I think he's cuuute.

And aww, I loved the little comic you drew!

[Kairi]

Sorry for the double post, but I wanted to share some depressing news straight from Stephenie Meyer's website. Click.

I feel so sorry for her. Whoever is responsible for this is obviously a complete jerk, and has now ruined things for both Stephenie AND the tons of fans eagerly awaiting the release of the book. I can't blame her for wanting some time to cool off... I'd be extremely ticked if something like this happened to me without my permission, as well. Ugh.

It's just frustrating because this is something that didn't HAVE to happen... and now everyone gets to suffer for it. Let's just pray that Stephenie is able to make a quick recovery. :/ I know there are plenty of people (myself included) who still plan to buy the book, regardless of what has happened.

[ChristianKitsune]

I was going to report the same thing...but many twilight fansites are banning together to give the change for fans to show their support...

http://www.twilightlexiconblog.com/?p=1485#comments

I'm working on something for it... (yes, I'm a total dork but I don't care, I feel that Meyer has been bombarded with negativity from all sides in the past month).

My views on this are pretty simple: I wanted this book in just that. BOOK form. I don't want to read it on my computer as a cheap transcript. This isn't how Meyer intended it...and i'm just not going to read it until its published...

What happened to her was horrible, but i almost think she is giving up too early. No one should have leaked this onto the internet... what they did to Meyer was terrible, but I just wish she woudln't punish the fans who would never do this to her... we don't deserve that... ._.

[mechana2015]

Ignoring the last couple posts really fast, I'm gonna throw out there that I read the first book, twilight. And I was pretty dissappointed by the end with a lot of things. I think she could be a good writer, but needs some work and serious editing, and possibly a new point of view for her books to be enjoyable to me.

[ChristianKitsune]

My contribution to the "Support Stephenie Meyer" campaign XD
http://christiankitsune.deviantart.com/art/Author-Support-96568620

EDIT:
Meyer has updated the site with Breaking Dawn FAQs.. I won't link it because it talks about mature themes... ^^; if you are REALLY interested...go to her site and read it there...

I suggest if you haven't read this book don't read this yet... (and it also talks about for those of you who have and are totally confused/angry about it...maybe reading the author's thoughts will ease that a bit?

[avidrkfan]

Mechana2015 - if you didn't like the first book, you probably won't like the others in the series. Meyer's writing style doesn't really improve much, and her editors really dropped the ball on things like plot consistency.

The FAQs of her website serve only to try to render the illogicalities of her plot as logical and her basic excuse seems to be that she wrote the books for herself, not for anyone else and if you don't like it it's because of your own biases and opinions.

You're much better off reading Shakespeare - two of whose poems Meyer claims served as inspiration for her last book, Breaking Dawn.

[mechana2015]

I'm... not planning on it. I have a list of vampire comics and books to read (and movies to watch) that aren't related to her series or the vampire romance genre.

[Kairi]

My views on this are pretty simple: I wanted this book in just that. BOOK form. I don't want to read it on my computer as a cheap transcript. This isn't how Meyer intended it...and i'm just not going to read it until its published...

What happened to her was horrible, but i almost think she is giving up too early. No one should have leaked this onto the internet... what they did to Meyer was terrible, but I just wish she woudln't punish the fans who would never do this to her... we don't deserve that... ._.

Totally agreed. As much as I've been looking forward to the release of this book... I don't want to read it online simply because, like you said, that's not the way Meyer intended her fans to experience it.

I just don't want her to dwell on it for too long! She's already going on about veering her focus toward other writing projects, and not even being sure if she WANTS to finish Midnight Sun now... It's not fair to those of us who have been waiting (patiently) for so long already. ;_;

Hopefully, all of the support from her fans will cheer her up.

[Nikolai Melodie]

I'm not exactly into YA fiction (really odd, because I am in that target audience) but I did read some of Twilight. I couldn't finish it, but it wasn't awful. Stephanie's prose irks me sometimes, but she is very inexperienced as a writer, (even she admits it. She says, 'The Host,' is her best work yet) but that doesn't mean she's a talentless hack. Given some time, I think she'll create some very interesting things. Whether or not that means more Twilight is beyond me...

One thing I really wish she'd have worked on before publishing: Bella's POV. Sometimes when you flip through the books, it feels like you could replace , 'I,' and, 'Me,' with, 'she,' and , 'her,' in the Bella sections without much effort. Bella has hardly any voice to her. It sort of makes the text feel really bland at times. Again, Stephanie is a new author, so I'm not amazed. First person is really difficult.