Sunday, January 25, 2009

Twilight?

Okay I'm not about to come down on anyone for obsessing over books. (I have a major Robin Hobb fandom thing going.)

However I saw Twilight and I was puzzled. The major attraction of Edward to Bella seemed to be that she smelled delicious and he wanted to eat her. In fact, he had to run out of the room to avoid taking a bite. Kind of like me when there are free doughnuts at work. Anyway so Bella might as well have been a cheesecake. That's the attraction, yumminess?

That doesn't seem so romantic to me. Maybe its because I'm not 14? meh. I'll read the book as long as I don't have to buy it, of course this review of twilight left me feeling like I'd already read it. Some of the dialogue from the book seems a bit harlequin romance to me "his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare." Is that why the teens like it? I suppose book four where they finally "get it on" will have all sorts of references to palid turgid manhood. Bleh.

Don't get me wrong I like a vampire theme, I have really enjoyed "True Blood" the TV series and one of the books I got my hands on.A small town mystery written with a light touch, but with adult themes, vampires, a page turner, read in an afternoon kind of thing.
Sookie Stackhouse Set
So I have been lusting after the complete set of books, Seven books for $107 eek. Its on my fishpond wish list for the next time they have a big sale. It seems to be the only series I can't find at the local library too :-( . I've read other books by Charlaine Harris, The Aurora Teagarden (sheesh what a name) series, about a small town librarian who solves crime, well murders mostly. In fact Charlaine Harris also writes lots of other books all about strong women, doing their woman heroine thing in a quiet way. The characters in her books don't see it as any big deal, they are just living their lives. Maybe that's why I like her books so much.

And maybe that's the secret to why I found Twilight so disappointing? Bella was just so blah. So instantly "I can't live without you!!!" "You are my everything" "I'll be nothing without you" in love with Edward. Needy and co-dependant are not qualities I enjoy seeing in young women, esp not in a movie character watched and idolised by millions of girls.

5 comments:

Nina said...

You go to Twilight to enjoy the teen angst and you stay to laugh at the blood drinking-as-sex one liners. I had a thoroughly good time! lol

Cavegirl Nat said...

I couldn't agree more. In fact, the only reason I think I really liked the movie was because the setting reminded me of so many X-files eps. And also Robert Pattinson is pretty gorgeous and I'm a bit of a cougar! Growwwl.

I read the first novel and, honestly, it was one of the worst books I've ever put myself through. Many of my friends like it, and I cannot understand them. They are the type of people raised on Shakespeare and other such intelligent things. I just don't get it.

Anonymous said...

Edward recognises Bella as his soul mate - someone he hasn't found in all his years as a vampire. But yes, the initial attraction to him is the scent of her blood.

I started reading the books based on a short Empire magazine article about the 'coming soon' film, and without knowing anyone else who had read them. I enjoyed the plot, but not the writing. Unfortunately they got longer and more repetitive as the series went on. But I was still anxious to find out what happened! ;)

They are the type of people raised on Shakespeare and other such intelligent things. I just don't get it.
I don't know if you're lumping me in this category, Cavegirl ... actually, I was raised on Little House on the Prairie series, Anne of Green Gables series, Sadler's Wells series, Mallory Towers and Trebizon series (Enid Blyton). Those last three aren't great literature by any means - just fun to read. :D

That's all by the by.
We're just the wrong age group to be appreciating these books.


*end drive-by comment*
(couldn't log in 'cos I forgot my password - oops)

Cavegirl Nat said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cavegirl Nat said...

Hey Elfy, no wasn't putting you in that category - you are the one that warned me that the books were a bit naff! (And I grew up adoring Enid Blyton and LM Montgomery too).

You may be right about the age group thing though. I recently had the misfortune of hearing some old New Kids on the Block songs - good god, what was I thinking when I bought all of their albums!!!

But I still think that these books are badly crafted. Books for teens don't have to be dumbed-down to be entertaining.

Blood lust in vampire stories is usually a powerful sexual metaphor, and I'm guessing that because the author is known to be strongly Christian, that Edward's resistance to biting Bella is really about resistance to giving in to adolescent hormones(i.e. sex before marriage), or something deep and meaningful like that. blah, blah

I've just watched the movie again, and I really enjoyed it, especially the music. I'll just wait for the next ones to come out and avoid the novels ;-)