Twilight: A Confession

[dolorous_ett]

I'm about halfway through Twilight and I have to admit that I'm actually quite enjoying it.

While I do not squee and flail about it, there are a few things I rather like:

 

* The scenery. I've never been to any part of America - I've no idea whether Falls really looks like that or not, or whether anywhere in America looks like - but it sounds absolutely gorgeous, and I want to go there, where it's all damp and squashy and misty, where the wind blows and rain falls, and there's grey sea with stony beaches and rock pools, and squishy green things that hang from trees, and cheerful kids who like snowball fights and get to drive around in their own cars (though I am not convinced I'd really like to meet a sparklepire - and certainly not one who drives a Volvo). I'm so far more entranced by the idea of the place than anything else I've encountered in the book.

* The fact that Bella likes being by herself - most of the Young Adult books I've read are populated by cheerful, gregarious types, or people who are solitary because Something's Wrong. Bella pays lip-service to the idea that having friends is good, but I like the way she takes pleasure in her own company. I hope the advent of Edward doesn't interfere too much with this.

* Jacob is a sweetheart, and Charlie is not a demon parent (though I'm impressed at how little he's adapted his lifestyle to the sudden presence of a teenage daughter in his life. If this is realistic, those of us who like the idea of children in principle, but not the havoc they are meant to cause, would do well to take note. All is not lost.

* If we must have sparkly vampires (and I'm sure if I hadn't been warned in advance I'd have been hooting with laughter when Edward first begins to scintillate - as it is, I was forewarned and could take it in my stride), it does at least make sense that they've picked somewhere with a lot of cloud cover to live. This brief moment of logic really made my day.

On the other hand, a few things are starting to get on my nerves.

* Edward and Bella have no emotional middle gears whatsoever. It's either no strong emotional tone at all or OMG HUGE ANGST TORTURE FURY RAGE DESPAIR. I can't believe this bodes well for a stable, long-term relationship. Is this why it (presumably) takes them four books to get together?

* Edward does come across as mysterious at first, but he is in danger of being downgraded to portentous and a bit dull. And I don't altogether care for the way he makes free with car keys and various other things that actually belong to Bella.

* There are a lot of cardboard cutout characters in this book.

* I don't think much of Meyer's prose style.

In short, neither as good, nor as sidesplittingly bad as I'd hoped for. I'll keep on reading, and with a bit of luck there'll be some more scenery soon.

Comments

[vivien]

Stop at book three. Seriously. Up till book four it's a "tra-la-la omg this is painfully bad and yet compelling story". Then go read cleolinda's summary for book four and be glad you did not spend the time and energy to read!

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I echo this comment (except that I wish I had read the summary rather than wasting several lunchtimes in Borders).

I agree that the scenery can be quite evocative (there are one or two really quite memorable passages), but it also gets a bit repetitive.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I agree that the scenery can be quite evocative (there are one or two really quite memorable passages), but it also gets a bit repetitive.

It's a good job I really liked the scenery then, isn't it, given that we're going to get a lot better aquainted.

And warnings about Breaking Dawn duly noted - I've heard mind-boggling things about that book, and I can't afford to have my brain completely broken - I need it in term time!

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I have read at least the passage about the birth in Cleolinda. Based on that absolutely astonishing entry, I have to agree with you (though Q was really amused at how much I was laughing as I read it!)

[tree_and_leaf]

Vampires driving Volvos?

That's wrong on many levels....

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I agree - Vampires in Volvos isn't right (as well as sounding like something from Dr Zeuss). And vampires driving volvos to high school where they pose as students even though they're decades or ceturies old must be a pretty grim existence - with or without sparkles.

[tree_and_leaf]

Yes, if you're going to lose your immortal soul and the ability to go out when it's not overcast, you'd think you could get a better price for it than being stuck in high school. It was bad enough once...

(I sold my soul, and all I got was this lousy Volvo....?)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

... and this rather nice beige leather jacket...

[tree_and_leaf]

Oh well, that makes it all worth while. Why didn't you say?

[pandorasblog]

Yeah, this is something that I found a bit sad. I kept wondering why they put themselves through that endless high school trawl, which must be torture. I mean, when I was at school I was piqued that I'd been taught about the water cycle every year since the age of six, so I can't imagine going through the whole curriculum (and only the last two or three years of it, apparantly) over and over again...

It's almost a penance, like Louis's rat-eating in Interview with the Vampire....

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I kept wondering why they put themselves through that endless high school trawl, which must be torture.

Very true - and you wonder how someone like Edward, whose attitudes are positively middle-aged in many respects, manages to keep up the pretence.

You would think university would offer a bit more of a challenge. Not to mention more opportunities to avoid direct sunlight...

[pandorasblog]

I hear the sound of a premise shattering! Suspect that this also crossed the author's mind, but that it would've been a whole lot harder to market the thing to the mainstream in a university setting because people just wouldn't believe in all that abstinance...

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

people just wouldn't believe in all that abstinance...

I'm not surprised either, having just finished Twilight.

It doesn't add up - she's too luscious-smelling even to kiss without Danger, fair enough, but what about when Edward sucks her blood? Doesn't add up.

Though I realise I'm probably not taking the right attitude to this, and logic is probably Not the Point.

[pandorasblog]

Yeah, that's the thing with morality-driven stories. They have to have the right message regardless of whether we can believe the characters would behave that way, or whether their so-strong morals would last in other circumstances, etc. And there's probably nothing wrong with a teen vampire morality play in itself; it's just annoying to see it feted as if it were something better-written and more subtle...

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

::snerk:: Yes, Meyer's prose leaves much to be desired. But there is a certain amount of guilty pleasure to be derived from the books. As a Solitary Girl myself, I was at first excited about that aspect of Bella, but then she became a bit of a dishrag. Although I was totally unprepared for the sparkly and was nearly dying from laughter as I was reading it the first time.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

There is a certain guilty pleasure you can get from them, indeed. I wouldn't say I felt proud of reading them - or that I'd learned a great deal - but it's an easy read, which makes it easier to ignore some of the stylistic faults.

Disappointing to hear that Bella ditches solitary for Lurve, but not particularly surprising. Forewarned is forearmed, anyway - thanks.

[lareinenoire.livejournal.com]

Oh, they're very easy reads. As I probably mentioned at some point, I think they took me an average of 2-3 hours each.

I really wanted to like Bella -- at first she really reminded me of myself. And then...not so much.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

That is a dangerously brilliant icon. I nearly had to explain to my father why I was laughing. Actually, perhaps I should look up the film release date and explain to my father why I was laughing.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Not my icon, alas - and embarrassingly, I can't remember who did make it, though it should be credited in my user info.

I wouldn't know how to begin to explain Twilight to my dad.

I do wonder what the film is going to be like. I would sort of like to go and see it, though I would hate to be seen there.

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't know how to begin to explain Twilight to my dad.

I think I will start with its handling of themes of Community, and move on to the different symbolism of Volvos*, and the way in which Edward's character is oddly androgynous, with particular reference to Edward's Defence of His Virtue.

*Dies laughing. We had a couple in my childhood.

I could not love you so much, my dear, loved I not honour more

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

Volvo-driving vampires are in some ways even more extraordinary than sparkly ones. It always makes me snigger.

And the Defence of his Virtue thing is already starting to wear me down, and it's only just started. Oh, the clench-fisted, tight-jawed effort! My eyes nearly rolled out of my head.

Re: I could not love you so much, my dear, loved I not honour more

[nineveh-uk.livejournal.com]

The clench-fisted, tight-jawed effort (and subsequent "Oh, I could not soil your delicate purity"*) reminds me that there is in fact a reason to skim some of "Breaking Dawn" - the honeymoon.

*I bet he's afraid he wouldn't pass the test.

Re: I could not love you so much, my dear, loved I not honour more

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I've read cleolinda's take on the subject, and judging by her pretty extensive quotations it's... breathtaking. Just not in a good way.

Re: I could not love you so much, my dear, loved I not honour more

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I've just realised I misunderstood what you were saying. The honeymoon is mostly pretty tasteful fade-to-black (thank god). It's the furniture that seems to suffer most...

[lavieverbale.livejournal.com]

I will agree with you that the scenery and sense of Big Huge Lonely Beautiful Outdoors is very nice, that was one of the first things that struck me about the book. I was sort of annoyed that Bella did not seem to appreciate it, actually.

In fact, agree to varying degrees on all your points.

Also - if you think Meyer's prose style is bad now, ohoho, just you wait until she gets to the scenes where Bella and Edward are proclaiming their love for each other. It's as if she went through an astronomy textbook.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It's odd that Bella can't appreciate the beauty around her at all, considering that it's meant to be described through her eyes. Perhaps she comes to like it more once she starts sparkling herself, and realises the advantages of a more humid climate!

It's as if she went through an astronomy textbook.

Ouch. I can't say I'm looking forward to that prospect - though it sounds like it's a phenomenon, at least!

[katyhasclogs.livejournal.com]

Yes you've pretty much summed it up. It's compelling silliness.

Breaking Dawn is utterley bonkers - read it, by all means, but be prepared for crack!fic. :)

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

It's got plenty of silliness and a good deal of shallowness, but it does slip down very easily, and I'm really surprised at how much I'm enjoying the setting up of the plot, though less convinced I'll enjoy the actual plot itself.

And thanks for the warning about Breaking Dawn - duly noticed.

[st-aurafina.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying the parts that are enjoyable. I found the Cullens and their way of life fascinating.

I laughed so much at the volvo - there's a certain preconception we have about volvo drivers, I can only assume that it's not the same in the US.

[dolorous-ett.livejournal.com]

I'm glad the Cullens are enjoyable - as I assume we're about to see a lot more of them.

We have exactly the same preconceptions of volvos here. But that's Edward for you - he may be eternally seventeen, but on another level he is definitely eternally middle-aged!