When all the rave about a new cult phenomenon called Twilight started, I paid no attention. A vampire novel? My generation of vampire novelist was Ann Rice, an author whose books I never read, because I don’t do vampires, the un-dead, creepy things, etc. Not interested. But then I heard that my sister had read it. Katie doesn’t really like to read books, she reads plays. For her to find a book that she really enjoys, it takes a pretty talented writer, someone who can really work with the flow of the story. If Katie had read it, I had to try it.
And so two days ago I purchased the book for the members’ price at the local B&N, and let it sit on my nightstand for a day. Today, in one of the few afternoons I have to myself, I started reading and couldn’t stop. I finished the 500-page book in two hours.
It’s no wonder that Meyer’s book is causing a phenomenon. It’s a quick, intense, suspenseful, romantic storyline, told from a very identifiable first person perspective. The heroine, Bella Swan, is shockingly easy to relate to; she’s clumsy, nervous, slightly socially awkward, (but simultaneously strong) and makes a difficult choice to move up to the middle of nowhere and start a new life because she wants to see her mom happy. I’m not giving anything away – you learn this in the first few pages. Edward Cullen on the other hand, is breathtakingly surreal. Meyer describes him in such perfect detail that you can see his character glide across the pages with surprisingly little effort. If you’ve paid any attention to pop culture at all in the last two years, you’ll recognize where the vampire craze has come from. Edward Cullen is such an irresistible character that Meyer’s sequels should sell themselves.
I am, despite all my intentions to resist, a little bit of a romantic. I don’t, however, take up romance novels or the like and whisk myself away to small, sunlight dazzled corners and smile unabashedly at love proclamations from fictional characters (not that there’s anything wrong with it). But this story is a love story. One so intense and passionate, and yet painfully human, that I was slightly breathless on more than one occasion.
I haven’t written a book review since high school, and this is my first stab in four years, so to sum it up: Stephenie Meyer is a compelling, talented writer, and I’m leaving the house now to go buy the sequel.
3 Comments
November 21, 2008 at 10:37 am
That’s a pretty compelling review. I’ve been following the buzz about the movie and wondered whether it was worth the hype. It sounds like the books are…I may have to check them out after all.
November 22, 2008 at 2:57 pm
[...] Across the country, teenage girls flocked to the premiere of Twilight in theaters today. The film is based on a series of books written by author Stephenie Meyer, and the storyline follows a young girl who falls in love with a vampire, Edward Cullen. For a review of the first book, check out Jessica’s blog, The Rules for Twilight. [...]
November 22, 2008 at 10:31 pm
I love you.
Thank you for being awesome.