Monday, June 23, 2008

Not a Vampire Fan

I love to read. It is a huge past time of mine. I love books with great plots ... and great plot twists ... and interesting characters. I love everything from Jane Eyre (my mom just bought me a fantastic hardbound copy) to Harry Potter. So I decided to read the Twilight series because it is all the rage.

I really expected to love them. But I didn't. So if you are a huge Twilight fan ... or if you haven't read them yet and want you you probably shouldn't read any farther.

Twilight was pretty good, but I disliked New Moon and Eclipse a lot. I didn't expect to get in to the story at all. Vampires are NOT my thing. I had a roommate once who thought she was one (don't ask ... it's a long story ... but perhaps as a result I am biased against vampires). I will give the books this - as much as I didn't like them I was still compelled to finish them. So that is my I'm-trying-to-be-positive moment.

By the end I hated Edward and Bella ... It started off that I just didn't like Edward. He is controlling and manipulative. It was his way or no way ... and he was going to destroy himself when she died/or was going to die. Just a fantastic thing for teenagers to get in their heads. My next issues is that he was just too suave. Like a 30 year old seducing a 17 year old. And to top it all off she saw him as being perfect. Gross.

And Bella. Don't even get me started! She is moody and irrational. She has no idea how to have any kind of normal relationship with anyone ... friends, boyfriends, you name it. She is also very manipulative, a liar and played a ton of games ... not to mention how many people she destroyed along the way to getting what she wants. She is obviously highly incapable of making life-altering decisions in her state of mind. Annoying.

Jake ... now I really did like Jake's character. He was like a normal teenage boy with the obvious difference of being a wolf (always a problem ...). But I felt like even if he was trying to get his way he had her best interests at heart and he went about it the same way 17 year olds should. And ultimately he brought out the best in Bella ... which is what a healthy relationship (friendship or otherwise) should do.

Overall, I'm not a fan (just in case you couldn't tell). I think it is great that people enjoy them ... and like I said before ... they are strangely compelling. But overall - I wouldn't recommend them to anyone.

5 comments:

Carolyn said...

I gotta give a big AMEN to that! I was not a fan either, although I am also an avid reader. I'm just glad I'm not the only one :)

lance, miss, my, & finn said...

I totally know what you mean about the books. I found Bella REALLY annoying and manipulative and strange in the second and third books, but I really liked Edward and Jacob...couldn't decide on that one. I did find some things I didn't like, but I guess I read so many books where I don't like the characters and enjoy the books anyway...maybe that's a weird personality quirk.:) I'm excited for the movie. Totally gotcha, though, on what you're saying...

Becca said...

Yeah, I thought the books were okay, but their relationship was really weird. Bella's all like "I'm so much more mature than everyone else" but then she acts so immature the whole time! And Edward's had like 100 years to figure out relationships, and has apparently gotten nowhere. But apparently there are a lot of women who want their type of relationship.

Unknown said...

Ari, THIS is why we are friends. That is all.

Dan said...

From a boys perspective you are absolutely correct. Those books are not that good and I have no clue why everyone loves them so much. Your best point was that for some reason you feel compelled to finish them. Even though I like them less as I move from book to book I still will read that new one that comes out later this year. Weird. --dan