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izzcano's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Graphic: Ableism, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Kidnapping, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
skyeshark1's review
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, and Medical content
Minor: Animal death, Pedophilia, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Alcohol
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.spiderelsa's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
5.0
(One of) The problem(s) with this book is:
-- if you believe Edward, Bella is delusional and self-harming, and he is noble for trying to save her from herself, while also being deplorable (before that became a political buzzword) for continuing to bait her.
-- if you believe Bella, she has only now found something worth living and dying for, even though it's borderline toxic and abusive.
Minor: Sexism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, and Injury/Injury detail
justcallme_blondie's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
- first, i'm incredibly impatient when it comes to romance and the characters need to get together almost instantaneously
- I love Robert Pattinson so despite the fact that Edward is pretty toxic and controlling I kept picturing Robert so I was enjoying it
- It's so bad, it's good. It's certainly not a work of art, but that's what makes it great.
Bella was pretty annoying and I am Team Edward but it's important to note that Bella is the problem not Jacob or Edward.
Minor: Toxic relationship, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
tiaroseshang's review
- 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? It's complicated
4.0
Graphic: Animal death, Toxic relationship, Blood, Medical content, Kidnapping, Car accident, Fire/Fire injury, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Adult/minor relationship, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Toxic friendship
stindex's review against another edition
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Misogyny, Sexism, Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, and Sexual harassment
Moderate: Body horror, Death, Emotional abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, Medical content, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
lovelymisanthrope's review
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
"Twilight" is the vampire sensation story of Bella and Edward. When Bella moves to a new town, she was not expecting to fall for the elusive, mysterious Edward. But she falls headfirst in love with him, even after discovering his secret.
This book aged moderately well. There are definitely some references and aspects of this book that are immediate indicators that it was written in the early 2000's, but overall, I was surprised that it did not feel too dated. I was also surprised that I think the story holds up for what it is. I can appreciate why everyone loved this story before, and why people are still enamored with it today.
My biggest reservations with this story are with Bella. Bella fell so hard and so fast for Edward that it felt entirely unreal. She was willing to give up so much for him so quickly, but I think it is unfortunately true of a teenaged character experiencing "love" for the first time. Bella also just felt two dimensional. There did not seem to be anything special about her and she was not the most interesting character to read from. She seems so overly concerned with taking care of her father and making sure she cooks him dinner, but she wants to spend no time with him.
I can also see that there is a love triangle brewing, and it feels like the most 2000's, unnecessary plot point about this book. Bella does not even see Jacob in that way, and he does not stand a chance because she has so willing given all of herself to Edward right off the bat. There is no contest, so why even have it in the book?
Will I continue with this serious? Perhaps, out of curiosity.
Graphic: Violence
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Blood, Stalking, and Toxic friendship
ellaticonstellation's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Bella has a funny mind. She's opinionated, clumsy, and awkward and I love that. I also like that she reads books for fun. Oh, I also love the part where she prepares and cooks in the kitchen a lot of times.
Edward on the other hand is toxic basically. The horrors of the vampire life aren't mentioned that much, it might have been interesting.
Jacob was chill and funny.✨
By the way, didn't Bella even realize that she might have liked or loved Edward because it's part of the vampire stuff? I mean, teenage hormones, I guess? But yeah, I sensed that she had a death wish.
Poor Charlie, he had no idea.
Oh well, thanks, Stephenie❤️
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Suicidal thoughts, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Stalking, Gaslighting, Toxic friendship, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
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