Book Review - Twlight by Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 4/10

Err. Yeah, I know I just read crap but whatever. I was trying to find out what made Twilight click among teenage girls, and I think I found out. Bingo. Cheesiness... What else? It's a cauldron brimming with cheesiness. You know, I cringe whenever I read those lines. I've copied a couple of 'em and you're going to read them in a little while (see if you'll cringe or not). Frankly, as I was reading it, the style of writing isn't all fabulous, unlike Katherine Paterson's (author of Bridge to Terabithia) and other fantasy authors' were. I'd gladly classify it under "good fanfiction writing" because I think that's just what it is. (Well, after all, the great Stephen King did make a comment on Stephenie Meyer's books.) Perhaps it is the simple way it was written and the puppy love rush you get while reading it that made the series such a hit among the youth. But I don't really see myself immersed in this sort of series. I'd much rather prefer something more adventurous or full of action. Twilight was all romance and all that stuff. Sure, there was the vampire thing but, as far as I can see, that's the only fantastic thing about it. Stephenie Meyer even made a daring move as to uproot our standards of what a vampire should be. That's a brave step, but in this case, her vampires are too fabulous, too perfect to be true. Her idea of vampires is downright ridiculous. Bleh. It's probably all been said before (the criticism). But the book (unfortunately, I guess) hit its mark and girls the world over are screaming like crazy.. I guess it's just weird for me 'cause I tend to read "classic" and "science fiction" books.

I know I should have given it a lower rating but there were (strictly) three things I liked:

1. Carlisle

2. the story of Rosalie and Emmett

3. Alice

And there! Plus one point for the effort. :D

Anyway, here are the cheesy lines, as promised:

Excerpt from page 108:

He waited in the car, not appearing to watch as I shut the door behind me without bothering to lock the dead-bolt. I walked to the car, pausing shyly before opening the door and stepping in. He was smiling, relaxed — and, as usual, perfect and beautiful to an excruciating degree.
"Good morning." His voice was silky. "How are you today?" His eyes roamed over my face, as if his question was something more than simple courtesy.
"Good, thank you." I was always good — much more than good — when I was near him.

Excerpt from page 114:

I didn't hesitate this time, climbing in the passenger side quickly, the sooner to see his face. He grinned his crooked smile at me, stopping my breath and my heart. I couldn't imagine how an angel could be any more glorious. There was nothing about him that could be improved upon.

Excerpt from page 117:

"I'll try." He still grinned. "And you try to be safe, please."
"Safe in Forks — what a challenge."
"For you it is a challenge." His jaw hardened. "Promise."
"I promise to try to be safe," I recited. "I'll do the laundry tonight — that ought to be fraught with peril."
"Don't fall in," he mocked.
"I'll do my best."
He stood then, and I rose, too.
"I'll see you tomorrow," I sighed.
"It seems like a long time to you, doesn't it?" he mused.
I nodded glumly.
"I'll be there in the morning," he promised, smiling his crooked smile. He reached across the table to touch my face, lightly brushing along my cheekbone again. Then he turned and walked away. I stared after him until he was gone.

Excerpt from page 118:

When the school day had finally ended, I walked to the parking lot without enthusiasm. I did not especially want to walk home, but I couldn't see how he would have retrieved my truck. Then again, I was starting to believe that nothing was impossible for him. The latter instinct proved correct — my truck sat in the same space he'd parked his Volvo in this morning. I shook my head, incredulous, as I opened the unlocked door and saw the key in the ignition.
There was a piece of white paper folded on my seat. I got in and closed the door beforeI unfolded it. Two words were written in his elegant script.
Be safe.

Excerpt from page 121:

"I won't let you get lost." He turned then, with a mocking smile, and I stifled a gasp. His white shirt was sleeveless, and he wore it unbuttoned, so that the smooth white skin of his throat flowed uninterrupted over the marble contours of his chest, his perfect musculature no longer merely hinted at behind concealing clothes. He was too perfect, I realized with a piercing stab of despair. There was no way this godlike creature could be meant for me.

Excerpt from page 123:

Edward in the sunlight was shocking. I couldn’t get used to it, though I'd been staring at him all afternoon. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal.

Excerpt from page 129:

"Isabella." He pronounced my full name carefully, then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. "Bella, I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don't know how it's tortured me." He looked down, ashamed again. "The thought of you, still, white, cold… to never see you blush scarlet
again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you see through my pretenses… it would be unendurable." He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. "You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever."
My head was spinning at the rapid change in direction our conversation had taken. From the cheerful topic of my impending demise, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. He waited, and even though I looked down to study our hands between us, I knew his golden eyes were on me. "You already know how I feel, of course," I finally said. "I'm here… which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you." I frowned. "I'm an idiot."

Excerpt from page 147 to 148:

"You were very deeply asleep; I didn't miss anything." His eyes gleamed. "The talking came earlier."
I groaned. "What did you hear?"
His gold eyes grew very soft. "You said you loved me."
"You knew that already," I reminded him, ducking my head.
"It was nice to hear, just the same."
I hid my face against his shoulder.
"I love you," I whispered.
"You are my life now," he answered simply.
There was nothing more to say for the moment. He rocked us back and forth as the room grew lighter.

Excerpt from page 150:

"Are you going to tell Charlie I'm your boyfriend or not?" he demanded.
"Is that what you are?" I suppressed my internal cringing at the thought of Edward and Charlie and the word boy friend all in the same room at the same time.
"It's a loose interpretation of the word 'boy,' I'll admit."
"I was under the impression that you were something more, actually," I confessed, looking at the table.
"Well, I don't know if we need to give him all the gory details." He reached across the table to lift my chin with a cold, gentle finger. "But he will need some explanation for why I'm around here so much. I don't want Chief Swan getting a restraining order put on me."
"Will you be?" I asked, suddenly anxious. "Will you really be here?"
"As long as you want me," he assured me.
"I'll always want you," I warned him. "Forever."

(If you'd care to notice, the excerpts begin from page 108 and onwards. That's because that's where the real cheesy parts come in.)

Enjoy reading, I guess?

P.S. I think I'll continue reading the series. It's not because I'm interested but just because I want to really know why girls love this. Of course, not all girls. I hope that I don't get too involved. XP