The struggle with ARTHUR REDUX continues. I may have to lock myself somewhere in a garret to finish on time.
One of the most talked about and purchased young adult novels is TWILIGHT and the rest in its series. I hadn't heard much about it until last fall, and I had a grudge against it because the opening of the film version pushed back the opening of the HARRY POTTER movie. I love all things HARRY POTTER. My niece Leah, who knows about young people, being a recent college grad and an employee of both SESAME STREET and THE ELECTRIC COMPANY, told me I should read it. Just the original, she said. Don't worry about the others (3 is it?). So I did, because if I am interested in writing YA lit I should be acquainted with the most successful examples.
I really liked the beginning and the end of TWILIGHT. I though that Stephenie Meyer, she with the name containing 5 "e's," did a great job in introducing Bella and detailing the story of a kid tossed into a new school in one of the most sun-free spots in the world. I liked her friends, both human and vampire. I got a kick out of how her dad was almost constantly absent, which is often a requirement in teen lit. I mean what can you do with your mom and dad around? I thought the end was pretty exciting and suspenseful, although not the slightest bit scary, which I kind of expect in vampire stories. But the middle of the book...OY!!
The middle of the book overwhelms the reader with teenage/vampire angst. And they never get anywhere! They talk intensely to each other, look at each other intensely, which nearly sends Edward vampire ballistic a couple of dozen times. I wanted to shout, "you're nuts about each other, so go for it. If Bella gets torn to shreds, then she asked for it." Like that would ever happen. Do you know it took 270 pages for them to finally brush lips? And the lip brush and the ensuing clench nearly caused an earthquake in the Pacific Northwest. Also, TWILIGHT is one of those YA books where the protagonists have amazing, SAT busting vocabularies. This is called the DAWSON"S CREEK syndrome.
So, I enjoyed TWILIGHT, but as a threat to the HARRY POTTER books? No way, Jose, which is a good expression because Bella is from Arizona. I couldn't wait for each new HARRY volume. I don't imagine I'll read more of the TWILIGHT series. In fact, I waited until I could find a $7.99 paperback to read the first. After all, great young adult literature is great adult literature, too. HARRY POTTER is a classic. I don't think the TWILIGHT books will be.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe the teenaged girls who embrace TWILIGHT, love chapter after chapter of superbly mushy dialogue. Actually, I just think they're imagining being embraced by Edward. If Bella had said he looked just like a model one more time, I was going to be forced to call Tyra Banks.
Finally, wasn't it a bit to cute to name our female protagonist Bella. The fact that it means "beautiful" is fine, but the fact that it is also pronounced the same as the first name of Bela Lugosi, the most famous DRACULA portrayer of all time, was a bit much for me.
I read all four books in the series due to prodding by some students. I 100% agree with you. The entire time I was wondering why they were just staring and longing the eintre time. If you think the book was tough...try seeing the movie!!! The next 3 books are ok but the series, in my opinion, has a disapointing ending! Thanks for the compliment at the beginning. I will be working on the story next week while on break!
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