FallaciaSonata
New member
- Joined
- Apr 9, 2009
- Messages
- 159
- MBTI Type
- ISTJ
- Enneagram
- 1w9
Greetings.
I recently entered into a bargain with my sister, primarily to make her stop bothering me about it. She's been wanting me to read Twilight since it came out, and I have refused to (on semi-solid reason) until two days ago.
The deal was, I read her Twilight, and she reads one of my books. (I also have an ulterior motive here. She outright refused, without just cause, to read Eragon when it came out. My Mom and I convinced her to read it and now she likes it more than I did. So, I have a good reason to think she'll like Ian Irvine's Geomancer.)
I didn't skim, but I've devoted the necessary hours to read Twilight through to completion. I proceeded (an hour ago) to give my sister a detailed explanation of my thoughts on it. I gave it a 5.5/10, in general. Here's my breakdown of it.
Positives of Twilight:
Stephanie Meyer is very descriptive, at least for me. The setting was very well depicted and required little imagination on my part. I was able to see everything as I assume she wanted me to.
With the notable exception of the stereotypical school kids Bella socialized with, the characters were moderately well developed. The Cullen family was the most developed, personality wise, and for good reason I suppose.
The story itself was well written, in my opinion, which is contradictory to what I've heard. My Youth Pastor did not like her writing style very much. He referred to it as "amateurish". Although I have no idea what he reads on a regular basis.
I was able to identify with two of Edward's attributes. I understood his desire to protect that which he cared for (SJ Guardian feeling there?) and I understood his anger with himself for not being "strong enough". (I imagine that's only partially what I feel. I refer to my perfectionism here. I'm never good enough for myself, if you catch my meaning.)
Negatives of Twilight:
My first and foremost complaint with the book was the plot. While it was well written, the entire book and every event within it revolved around the romance between Edward and Bella. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a bit of romance here and there, and it is an essential element in almost any story, but here.....it was almost like romance overdose for me.
I am accustomed to, and prefer, romance to be one of many small things that revolves around the greater plot core, that being a struggle between good and evil, or man versus alien/machine, or two political forces clashing, or whatever it may be.
I suppose it just lacked any suspense or mystery in the plot department, because I know that they love each other early on, and then there's no real surprises from then on.
Next complaint. I'll cut it some slack here because it was the first book of four, but I think it took way too long to get to anything remotely "exciting". It spent a lot of time building....something....(Almost three hundred pages) before something actually "happened" to them. Again, don't misconstrue my meaning here. I greatly enjoy learning the history of the plot or the setting, or the characters, but in this case it was almost as if she was building up their romance, or the climax where they say "I love you".
I found it extremely odd for the somewhat level-headed Isabella Swan to change her tune so suddenly. The first few chapters describe her as an introvert. She seemed to have her plate full, school, possibly college, her mother and this Phil guy, and loathing the trip to Forks and her disappointment in living with Charlie. And then all of a sudden.....this Edward guy appears and he instantly becomes her whole world. Nothing else matters.
That threw me a bit. I mean, I know it's supposed to be a romance, but the display of total infatuation was too much for this camper. If I were Edward, I would not want a girl to be that....dare I say, "obsessed" with me. I'd find it mildly creepy.
Anyway, that's my take on the book. Long, I know, as most my posts are.
Are there any other SJs who have read it? If so, care to share your thoughts?
I recently entered into a bargain with my sister, primarily to make her stop bothering me about it. She's been wanting me to read Twilight since it came out, and I have refused to (on semi-solid reason) until two days ago.
The deal was, I read her Twilight, and she reads one of my books. (I also have an ulterior motive here. She outright refused, without just cause, to read Eragon when it came out. My Mom and I convinced her to read it and now she likes it more than I did. So, I have a good reason to think she'll like Ian Irvine's Geomancer.)
I didn't skim, but I've devoted the necessary hours to read Twilight through to completion. I proceeded (an hour ago) to give my sister a detailed explanation of my thoughts on it. I gave it a 5.5/10, in general. Here's my breakdown of it.
Positives of Twilight:
Stephanie Meyer is very descriptive, at least for me. The setting was very well depicted and required little imagination on my part. I was able to see everything as I assume she wanted me to.
With the notable exception of the stereotypical school kids Bella socialized with, the characters were moderately well developed. The Cullen family was the most developed, personality wise, and for good reason I suppose.
The story itself was well written, in my opinion, which is contradictory to what I've heard. My Youth Pastor did not like her writing style very much. He referred to it as "amateurish". Although I have no idea what he reads on a regular basis.
I was able to identify with two of Edward's attributes. I understood his desire to protect that which he cared for (SJ Guardian feeling there?) and I understood his anger with himself for not being "strong enough". (I imagine that's only partially what I feel. I refer to my perfectionism here. I'm never good enough for myself, if you catch my meaning.)
Negatives of Twilight:
My first and foremost complaint with the book was the plot. While it was well written, the entire book and every event within it revolved around the romance between Edward and Bella. Now, don't get me wrong, I enjoy a bit of romance here and there, and it is an essential element in almost any story, but here.....it was almost like romance overdose for me.
I am accustomed to, and prefer, romance to be one of many small things that revolves around the greater plot core, that being a struggle between good and evil, or man versus alien/machine, or two political forces clashing, or whatever it may be.
I suppose it just lacked any suspense or mystery in the plot department, because I know that they love each other early on, and then there's no real surprises from then on.
Next complaint. I'll cut it some slack here because it was the first book of four, but I think it took way too long to get to anything remotely "exciting". It spent a lot of time building....something....(Almost three hundred pages) before something actually "happened" to them. Again, don't misconstrue my meaning here. I greatly enjoy learning the history of the plot or the setting, or the characters, but in this case it was almost as if she was building up their romance, or the climax where they say "I love you".
I found it extremely odd for the somewhat level-headed Isabella Swan to change her tune so suddenly. The first few chapters describe her as an introvert. She seemed to have her plate full, school, possibly college, her mother and this Phil guy, and loathing the trip to Forks and her disappointment in living with Charlie. And then all of a sudden.....this Edward guy appears and he instantly becomes her whole world. Nothing else matters.
That threw me a bit. I mean, I know it's supposed to be a romance, but the display of total infatuation was too much for this camper. If I were Edward, I would not want a girl to be that....dare I say, "obsessed" with me. I'd find it mildly creepy.
Anyway, that's my take on the book. Long, I know, as most my posts are.
Are there any other SJs who have read it? If so, care to share your thoughts?