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betonylark's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
- Is full of Mormon ideology and theology if you know what to look for (I'm exmo, left as a teenager, so I spotted a lot of Mormon influence) - just FYI.
- Glorifies and romanticizes controlling behavior, toxic relationships, stalking, domestic abuse, physical abuse, and SA.
- Depicts women as deprived of full personhood, intelligence, independence, and agency
- Presents various pedophilia-esque relationships in a positive light
- Diminishes the severe problems absent/wishy washy/not properly supportive parents (particularly fathers) cause in their children
- Diminishes the impact of power imbalances on consent in relationships
- Fully inappropriately and very inaccurately appropriates the culture, history, and beliefs of real people who are part of the Native American Quileute Tribe, which is a real tribe (something no white person, and especially a mormon white person, has any right to ever do; if you don't know anything about the history, look up the Mountain Meadows Massacre and Brigham Young's treatment of the Native Americans)
I rated this book 0.25 stars for these reasons, as well as the multitude of writing, character, and plot issues present. There are far better books out there with far better messaging and far better writing too. I would definitely pass up all of Meyer's writing, including "the Host," which is better overall in terms of the above issues but still has a lot of problems with it, particularly when it comes to consent.
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Pedophilia, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Stalking, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Ableism, Bullying, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Religious bigotry, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death, Gore, Mental illness, Vomit, Kidnapping, Car accident, Suicide attempt, Murder, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Classism
DISCLAIMER: This is a mormon-y series written by a mormon author, and thus it's rather tame in most regards. (Too much so in many ways honestly.) In a way though, that tame-ness makes Twilight even worse, because the harmful messaging (where abuse and SA and stalking are seen as not just acceptable, but actually romantic) can be very subtle at times. Teenagers who read this will often be taking it in subconsciously rather than recognizing and challenging this messaging. That is why I put what I did as trigger warnings. It's not necessarily graphically described, but it is certainly "graphic" in it's romanticization of very alarming and even fully abusive behaviors, from the male characters and the overall narrative in particular.lonely_tardigrade's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
1.0
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Medical content, Stalking, Car accident, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Blood, Kidnapping, Murder, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Minor: Death, Rape, Sexual content, Cannibalism, and Death of parent
doriandelioncourt's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Stalking, Suicide attempt, Cultural appropriation, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
2357aya's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
1.0
Graphic: Sexual assault, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Gaslighting
bellaiu's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
Moderate: Sexual assault, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
directorpurry's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
March 2021:
I read this book once again for my March 2021 challenge of only reading books by women writers for Women's History month! You can read more about my experience here!
I was also just having a Time™ IRL and I needed to wallow in some garbage for a minute.
Update to my previous statement: I also hate this book. I have been personally victimized by this book. I'm pretty sure I have Stockholm Syndrome from this book and Edward with his "long" Yaoi hands.
Someone help me, I shall never be free of Twilight but I keep coming back for more anyway.
August 2020:
I love Twilight. If I had said that in, like, 2014, I would have beat myself up for saying it.
I used to be majorly obsessed with this series, constantly reading and rereading them all through middle school, but I'm pretty sure the last time I read this was about 2012.
Now that I've grown, and I don't treat it as the pinnacle of art and romance, I can truly enjoy it for what it is. Most issues with the actual story I have enough distance on, I can brush them off, but the treatment of the Quileute Native American tribe is truly upsetting. I really think it would have been better, and much less malignant, if Meyer had invented a tribal group to give these fake characteristics to.
And let's not talk about the, um, let's say generously loose plot...
But really, a good time all around. I reread this in order to prep for Midnight Sun - now that I have some FEELINGS about.
Graphic: Violence, Blood, Stalking, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Suicidal thoughts and Sexual harassment
Minor: Rape and Sexual assault
bruts_bane's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Moderate: Sexual assault