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amivivi's review against another edition
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Blood
bludgeoned_by_hail's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Oh Twilight... how to even engage with a book like this on its own merits, now that even the backlash to the backlash to the backlash has gotten stale?
At the core of it all is a pretty mediocre but not too offensive YA romance. It's not as bad as the haters say it is, it's also not as subversive and genius as the defenders try to intellectualize it into being. The writing style is pretty competent, pretty simplistic, feeling almost "proto-Wattpad" at turns, but it does capture the inner voice of an awkward teenage girl very realistically.
I actually think Bella's joyless, asocial, parentified personality is one of the strongest points of the book and genuinely pretty unique in a lead (unlike the avalanche of brunettes with messy buns she precipitated). I especially like the strained, weird relationship with both of her parents, it comes through very vividly in so many little subtle details, particularly at the beginning. The other big asset of the book is, much like the movies, just its pure escapist value. There is something very relaxing and pleasant about the sleepy, rainy atmosphere of Forks, the slow slice-of-life of Bella's day to day, and the understated but pretty interesting hints to a wider-ranging paranormal system. I found myself picking up the book to decompress quite a bit!
However, unfortunately, Twilight is still a love story, and it's such an incredibly boring and unappealing one that it really drags everything good about the book down. It's not even that I don't think this "lion fell in love with the lamb" dynamic can work, but it would require me to percieve Edward Cullen, the world's lamest vampire, as even slightly threatening or believable as a horror monster. No matter how much he insists that he's a killer and a monster and could crush Bella's skull accidentally (seriously, they go into this so much that it begins to feel like a sexual fantasy at points), I simply can't buy it. Their interactions do read a lot like high school romance texts, but I don't know why anyone would want to read that. The fact that the story devolves into a pretty unnecessary and stupid action finale that Meyer seemed to also not be really enthusiastic about writing definitely doesn't help either.
All in all, I do think Twilight has gotten a pretty bad rep, one that might not be deserved. But it's not like I would recommend it either loll
At the core of it all is a pretty mediocre but not too offensive YA romance. It's not as bad as the haters say it is, it's also not as subversive and genius as the defenders try to intellectualize it into being. The writing style is pretty competent, pretty simplistic, feeling almost "proto-Wattpad" at turns, but it does capture the inner voice of an awkward teenage girl very realistically.
I actually think Bella's joyless, asocial, parentified personality is one of the strongest points of the book and genuinely pretty unique in a lead (unlike the avalanche of brunettes with messy buns she precipitated). I especially like the strained, weird relationship with both of her parents, it comes through very vividly in so many little subtle details, particularly at the beginning. The other big asset of the book is, much like the movies, just its pure escapist value. There is something very relaxing and pleasant about the sleepy, rainy atmosphere of Forks, the slow slice-of-life of Bella's day to day, and the understated but pretty interesting hints to a wider-ranging paranormal system. I found myself picking up the book to decompress quite a bit!
However, unfortunately, Twilight is still a love story, and it's such an incredibly boring and unappealing one that it really drags everything good about the book down. It's not even that I don't think this "lion fell in love with the lamb" dynamic can work, but it would require me to percieve Edward Cullen, the world's lamest vampire, as even slightly threatening or believable as a horror monster. No matter how much he insists that he's a killer and a monster and could crush Bella's skull accidentally (seriously, they go into this so much that it begins to feel like a sexual fantasy at points), I simply can't buy it. Their interactions do read a lot like high school romance texts, but I don't know why anyone would want to read that. The fact that the story devolves into a pretty unnecessary and stupid action finale that Meyer seemed to also not be really enthusiastic about writing definitely doesn't help either.
All in all, I do think Twilight has gotten a pretty bad rep, one that might not be deserved. But it's not like I would recommend it either loll
Content Warnings
Moderate: Blood and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Abandonment
queenkath32's review against another edition
lighthearted
2.75
Content Warnings
Minor: Death, Blood, and Injury/Injury detail
mostly_present's review
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Racism, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Gaslighting
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Incest, Blood, Murder, Sexual harassment, and Colonisation
Minor: Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Suicide attempt, and Schizophrenia/Psychosis
The book has a constant prevailing feeling of internalised misogyny related to gender roles There is throughout a racist depiction of a very real Native American tribe, with near all real world mythology and religion replaced with the authors ramblingsmmx_sa21's review
adventurous
dark
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I think that this is way better than the movie! I really like this. It was a kind of insta love thing but I enjoy those so I didn’t have any problems with it. I loved how different it was to the movie bit it was still really good.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood
notnaomie's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I got the Twilight Saga complete collection of books for my birthday last year. I remember watching the movies when I was younger and I was so entertained by it all. There are definitely many details that aren't featured in the movie, but it was great to get those extra details! I cannot wait to continue reading these and comparing how many things aren't added in the movies. As cringey as some of the writing could be, it was so nostalgic I loved it so much. Page after page I could picture everything that was happening. What a time honestly, you just had to be there. I was a little young to be watching some of those movies, but I am glad to be able to say I was there in the theater for some of them!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, and Stalking
Moderate: Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death, Murder, and Fire/Fire injury
veronyqueso's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I never read Twilight as a teenager, but even after watching all the movies, I was still engrossed in the book! I honestly had so much fun and was surprised by how the movie is nearly 100% true to the book. Yes, Stephanie Meyer’s writing is very simple, but I liked it because I could focus on the content. I’m fascinated by the backstories of all the characters (especially Alice <3). Edward and Bella have a pure love that is endearing
Content Warnings
Graphic: Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, and Murder
canadiannooby's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Misogyny, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Car accident, Murder, and Injury/Injury detail
rosamaria's review against another edition
dark
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Stephenie Meyer loves the word inconspicuous.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Blood, and Stalking
Moderate: Violence, Medical content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Death, and Murder
kyarabereading's review
emotional
funny
mysterious
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
The Twilight movie series has always had a special place in my heart, so finally I thought it was about time to read the books. Reading this for the first time, it’s crazy seeing that Edward and Bella were this toxically obsessed with one anothe after just a few months 😭
Inarguably, Twilight is not the greatest book of all time, but it was still a really enjoyable read. I loved getting to better understand what drew Edward and Bella toward each other, what made them fall in love. I loved getting to learn more about how vampirism (& other magical elements discussed in the book) works in this world Stephenie Meyer created. And I loved getting to see more of the characters’ personalities - especially Bella and Edward. I was surprised that they didn’t necessarily act the way they do in the movie - they aren’t super serious & brooding all the time. They joked around a lot, were very sarcastic…It honestly made me wish we got to see more of that in the movie. I feel like Bella’s personality especially felt very watered down in the movie. It’s also reading this being completely aware of Meyer being a Mormon because it is VERY obvious when you read the book.
However, there were some things I thought were better done in the movie. I think the movie did a better job of setting up Bella’s relationships with everyone other than Bella. I was surprised at how little time we spent getting to know her friends/family/the Cullens, how long it took before Bella even meets another member of the Cullen family, how little attention the 3rd angle of the Twilight love triangle was given. The movie also did a better job of setting up the main conflict (James wanting to kill Bella) and creating more drama around the big moments of Bella and Edward’s relationship (e.g. Edward revealing he’s a vampire). These were things I was looking forward to learning about more, to seeing how they played out in the book, so it was disappointing not to see any of that. Every moment I was excitedly looking forward to ended up being so anticlimactic.
The book spends a LOT of time focused on building up the relationship between Bella and Edward through a series of very long conversations. I didn’t necessarily mind these conversations - it was interesting getting to learn more about Bella and Edward & getting to see the way they interact with one another. But unfortunately, that meant this book was one were not much happened - and that surprised me for a book about vampires. It wasn’t until the last few chapters of the book that something actually happened, and it’s insane that it took so long to get there.
Nonetheless, I’m excited to continue reading the rest of the series & getting to learn more about these characters and the world they live in. I’m hopeful that now that we’ve set up Bella and Edward’s relationship, we get to learn more about this world & the other interesting characters in it.
_____________
Slightly unrelated to my review, so I’m putting it down here, but is it not insane that Edward literally wanted to kill Bella, stalked her, watched her sleep…& we’re supposed to find all that charming ??? If he wasn’t a vampire - his one excuse for his behavior - he’d be a weirdo like ???
Inarguably, Twilight is not the greatest book of all time, but it was still a really enjoyable read. I loved getting to better understand what drew Edward and Bella toward each other, what made them fall in love. I loved getting to learn more about how vampirism (& other magical elements discussed in the book) works in this world Stephenie Meyer created. And I loved getting to see more of the characters’ personalities - especially Bella and Edward. I was surprised that they didn’t necessarily act the way they do in the movie - they aren’t super serious & brooding all the time. They joked around a lot, were very sarcastic…It honestly made me wish we got to see more of that in the movie. I feel like Bella’s personality especially felt very watered down in the movie. It’s also reading this being completely aware of Meyer being a Mormon because it is VERY obvious when you read the book.
However, there were some things I thought were better done in the movie. I think the movie did a better job of setting up Bella’s relationships with everyone other than Bella. I was surprised at how little time we spent getting to know her friends/family/the Cullens, how long it took before Bella even meets another member of the Cullen family, how little attention the 3rd angle of the Twilight love triangle was given. The movie also did a better job of setting up the main conflict (James wanting to kill Bella) and creating more drama around the big moments of Bella and Edward’s relationship (e.g. Edward revealing he’s a vampire). These were things I was looking forward to learning about more, to seeing how they played out in the book, so it was disappointing not to see any of that. Every moment I was excitedly looking forward to ended up being so anticlimactic.
The book spends a LOT of time focused on building up the relationship between Bella and Edward through a series of very long conversations. I didn’t necessarily mind these conversations - it was interesting getting to learn more about Bella and Edward & getting to see the way they interact with one another. But unfortunately, that meant this book was one were not much happened - and that surprised me for a book about vampires. It wasn’t until the last few chapters of the book that something actually happened, and it’s insane that it took so long to get there.
Nonetheless, I’m excited to continue reading the rest of the series & getting to learn more about these characters and the world they live in. I’m hopeful that now that we’ve set up Bella and Edward’s relationship, we get to learn more about this world & the other interesting characters in it.
_____________
Slightly unrelated to my review, so I’m putting it down here, but is it not insane that Edward literally wanted to kill Bella, stalked her, watched her sleep…& we’re supposed to find all that charming ??? If he wasn’t a vampire - his one excuse for his behavior - he’d be a weirdo like ???
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore and Blood
Minor: Sexual harassment