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3.28 AVERAGE
3.28 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
11 year old me: Oh this is so enjoyable!
19 year old me: Never again. Thank you.
19 year old me: Never again. Thank you.
I read these and all I can say, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight didn't come from a dream did it?
The Vampire Diaries were interesting to read because they were set in the nineties, which is when they were originally published! I did enjoy them but they were nothing special!
The Vampire Diaries were interesting to read because they were set in the nineties, which is when they were originally published! I did enjoy them but they were nothing special!
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Both The Awakening and The Struggle were books I enjoyed much more than I thought I would. This book is nothing like the show (besides shared character names). Even though the plot as a concept is simple, the writing is compelling and I found myself have genuine reactions as I was reading (which I don’t normally have with this fantasy/romance style books). As much as I don’t want to admit it, I enjoyed these reads!
3.5 stars, really. And if we're judging along the Vampire YA fiction scale (tm) perhaps a 4.
A review is pretty much unecessary. You already know if you're going to enjoy this book or not, and that tells you what you need to know: no surprises here. Similarly, you already know if you will never read a book whose title contains the words "vampire" and "diaries" or if you would read it just to mock it afterwards.
Really everybody wins with a title like that.
A review is pretty much unecessary. You already know if you're going to enjoy this book or not, and that tells you what you need to know: no surprises here. Similarly, you already know if you will never read a book whose title contains the words "vampire" and "diaries" or if you would read it just to mock it afterwards.
Really everybody wins with a title like that.
The first time I read this book, I was roughly twelve years old - fifteen years later, I still have my original copy in pretty awesome condition and I've read it many times. As a young girl I was SO in love with every aspect of these books. I wanted to be Elena and I dreamed of Stefan and Damon. As an adult, my thoughts have changed slightly...
Yes, Elena is self-centered, egotistical, and needs to learn a thing or two about priorities; but should we really expect more from a seventeen-year old girl with very little life experience? Add to that the setting of a small and rather isolated town where there’s everyone knows everyone else’s business and the character of Elena is pretty realistic. I’d also like to give the author some credit for writing a main girl that’s not supposed to be perfect, because there is no such thing. While we as readers see her flaws, the people of Fell’s Church stay spell bound by the Golden Girl of their small town which lends credit to the tension between Caroline and Elena throughout these books. Though the initiation of the Caroline/Elena plot was rather week with no true catalyst. Credit also to Elena for trying to fight off Damon, only willingly submitting to protect her loved ones.
The Vampires – two incredibly sexy men over 300 years old trying to date teenagers. Yikes! But let’s put the adult reasoning aside and just let the young adult fantasies live. Stefan is a self-loathing and love-sick vampire who has spent centuries in regret over Kathrine’s death and the fight that killed him and Damon, resulting in them both becoming vampires. Damon on the other hand revels in his nature and personifies darkness, using people to make Elena give herself to him and tormenting his younger brother for centuries. Overall Stefan comes across as whiney and pathetic while Damon comes across as a complete jerk who fancies himself God’s gift to women. In real life these are two personalities I prefer to avoid in men.
The other big thing is the first book, the Awakening, cannot stand alone as a book. The plot line is very thin and is truly a set up for the next two books; and considering the first two books are bound together, it took me fifteen years to notice.
Overall though, these are entertaining books with a decent story line. L.J. Smith captured my attention as a young girl and, despite the fact that we will NEVER know the ending to her Nightworld series, has kept my love for her writing many years later.
Yes, Elena is self-centered, egotistical, and needs to learn a thing or two about priorities; but should we really expect more from a seventeen-year old girl with very little life experience? Add to that the setting of a small and rather isolated town where there’s everyone knows everyone else’s business and the character of Elena is pretty realistic. I’d also like to give the author some credit for writing a main girl that’s not supposed to be perfect, because there is no such thing. While we as readers see her flaws, the people of Fell’s Church stay spell bound by the Golden Girl of their small town which lends credit to the tension between Caroline and Elena throughout these books. Though the initiation of the Caroline/Elena plot was rather week with no true catalyst. Credit also to Elena for trying to fight off Damon, only willingly submitting to protect her loved ones.
The Vampires – two incredibly sexy men over 300 years old trying to date teenagers. Yikes! But let’s put the adult reasoning aside and just let the young adult fantasies live. Stefan is a self-loathing and love-sick vampire who has spent centuries in regret over Kathrine’s death and the fight that killed him and Damon, resulting in them both becoming vampires. Damon on the other hand revels in his nature and personifies darkness, using people to make Elena give herself to him and tormenting his younger brother for centuries. Overall Stefan comes across as whiney and pathetic while Damon comes across as a complete jerk who fancies himself God’s gift to women. In real life these are two personalities I prefer to avoid in men.
The other big thing is the first book, the Awakening, cannot stand alone as a book. The plot line is very thin and is truly a set up for the next two books; and considering the first two books are bound together, it took me fifteen years to notice.
Overall though, these are entertaining books with a decent story line. L.J. Smith captured my attention as a young girl and, despite the fact that we will NEVER know the ending to her Nightworld series, has kept my love for her writing many years later.
I know people have said that they don't like people comparing this to Twilight. But for me I read Twilight first, so any Vampire series I read I compare to Twilight. I tried my best not to do that in my review.
So I have to admit I only read this because I heard it was going to be a show on the CW this fall. It seemed very blah though. I finished the first half (The Awakening) and I was like what? Where was the plot? Yea a couple were attacked, but it didn't really seem like anything happened. Also, Elena and Stefan just seemed kind of strange. Yea she was determined to have him. But I mean you kiss the first time and immediately discover you love him. It just seemed a little overdramatic.
Then I read the second half (The Struggle) and it seemed the same way. I didn't really get where the plot was. And there was the introduction of the new teacher Alaric. I'm sorry but what teacher invites students to his home? Pedophile! Maybe it works into the next books, but it's still weird.
I honestly find myself rooting for Damon, as Stefan seems like a wuss. (Well except for when he decided to kill for some Powers) But I may just be rooting for Damon because I know that Ian Somerhalder is playing him in the TV series.
Elena: She seems very superficial. She's not a very likeable main character.
Bonnie: I absolutely love her. I love that someone who isn't a vampire has a power.
Meredith: Didn't seem to have much a place in the book, which is maybe why they are leaving her out of the TV series.
Matt: Very similar character to Mike Newton or Jacob Black from Twilight. (I know this came out before Twilight) I like him alot, I feel bad for him though.
I do plan on reading the rest of the series, and watching the TV series. I mainly want to see the series to see if it's better. And it's got Nina Dobrev from Degrassi and Ian Somerhalder from Lost.
As for the title. For being named "Vampire Diaries" I felt there wasn't much diary action in the book. It was every few chapters I believe. I just expected a lot more diary entries in a book with diaries in the title. Granted the diary was a little bit of a plot but still. I just really think there shoudl have been more entries in the book. Even though most of Elena's diary entries were her obsessive thoughts over Stefan.
Last thing is the ending of The Struggle. I honestly don't really get what happened. I understand in changing she forgot some stuff. But I don't get why or how Elena obsessive love switched from Stefan to Damon.
So I have to admit I only read this because I heard it was going to be a show on the CW this fall. It seemed very blah though. I finished the first half (The Awakening) and I was like what? Where was the plot? Yea a couple were attacked, but it didn't really seem like anything happened. Also, Elena and Stefan just seemed kind of strange. Yea she was determined to have him. But I mean you kiss the first time and immediately discover you love him. It just seemed a little overdramatic.
Then I read the second half (The Struggle) and it seemed the same way. I didn't really get where the plot was. And there was the introduction of the new teacher Alaric. I'm sorry but what teacher invites students to his home? Pedophile! Maybe it works into the next books, but it's still weird.
I honestly find myself rooting for Damon, as Stefan seems like a wuss. (Well except for when he decided to kill for some Powers) But I may just be rooting for Damon because I know that Ian Somerhalder is playing him in the TV series.
Elena: She seems very superficial. She's not a very likeable main character.
Bonnie: I absolutely love her. I love that someone who isn't a vampire has a power.
Meredith: Didn't seem to have much a place in the book, which is maybe why they are leaving her out of the TV series.
Matt: Very similar character to Mike Newton or Jacob Black from Twilight. (I know this came out before Twilight) I like him alot, I feel bad for him though.
I do plan on reading the rest of the series, and watching the TV series. I mainly want to see the series to see if it's better. And it's got Nina Dobrev from Degrassi and Ian Somerhalder from Lost.
As for the title. For being named "Vampire Diaries" I felt there wasn't much diary action in the book. It was every few chapters I believe. I just expected a lot more diary entries in a book with diaries in the title. Granted the diary was a little bit of a plot but still. I just really think there shoudl have been more entries in the book. Even though most of Elena's diary entries were her obsessive thoughts over Stefan.
Last thing is the ending of The Struggle. I honestly don't really get what happened. I understand in changing she forgot some stuff. But I don't get why or how Elena obsessive love switched from Stefan to Damon.
After watching the show on the CW, I was curious to see where it all started. I actually like the show so much better than these books! Elena is beyond annoying and you wonder how she falls in love so quickly that it's unrealistic. The descriptions are boring and repetitive. I had to force myself to finish it.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
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
http://lhubert3.blogspot.com/2010/02/awakening-and-struggle-fury-and-dark.html