2008 Woodie Awards
Dueling columnists: anti-'Twilight'
Issue date: 11/20/08 Section: Out & About
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I don't want one that is currently hot to the touch but will eventually smolder and fade away.
After the third "Twilight" book was released, I finally gave in. (I'm blaming my decision on the fact that I had a fever and kept hearing the books being compared to Harry Potter, which I love).
I read the first book in one day, and while it propelled me along, that doesn't mean Stephenie Meyer is a good storyteller.
She has a good plot and knows that girls dream of the perfect romantic opportunity.
The following sentence describes the entire daily actions of the main character: Bella wakes up, falls down while walking, eats food and salivates over Edward at school.
This is about the only thing that happens. Any conflict is breezed over in this straightforward story.
The attraction between Bella and Edward, both of whom I have serious problems with as characters, is purely physical, more lust than love.
Bella is the most annoying, stupid character I've come across in fiction lately. She is weak and submissive to the man, or vampire, that she loves. She goes on and on about the wonderfulness of Edward. At points, I wanted to reach into the story and slap her.
And, OK, Edward is divine, but he almost drowns in his own brilliance.
He is the sole reason females everywhere read the series at all. He allows readers to dream about his perfection and imagine themselves in Bella's position.
He refuses to associate with other humans, besides the temptingly tasty Bella, who he orders around like a pet rather than a girlfriend. Basically, he comes across as superficial.
Calling Meyer's series a vampire series is like calling J. K. Rowling's series a boarding school series.
Even putting the two collections in one sentence makes me cringe.
The extreme fanaticism surrounding the "Twilight" series is over-the-top, but not unexpected.
These best-sellers are in the same realm as the "Gossip Girl" series.
They draw in the readers with gushy romanticism and keep stringing them along with symbols of perfection.
- Lindsay Oberst is a variety writer for The Red & Black.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
Twilight Series
posted 11/20/08 @ 10:18 AM EST
It's true. I did find 'love' between characters to be more lust than a real feeling. That type of 'love' is, however, what teen most often experience and understand. (Continued…)
Stephanie
posted 11/20/08 @ 12:00 PM EST
I wanted to thank Lindsay Oberst for her article on Twilight. Like Oberst, I read the series out of mere curiosity but I was not impressed. I found Bella insanely annoying and Edward dreamy but ridiculously over dramatic. (Continued…)
Sakuru
posted 11/28/08 @ 12:37 AM EST
Man, thank you for the speech of Twilight. I want to also add that the Twilight Saga has little parts of Romeo & Juliet. Like how Edward climbs up Bella's room and Edward running away to kill himself since he thinks that Bella suicided. (Continued…)
Cynicide
posted 12/02/08 @ 4:04 PM EST
I haven't read the series, but just hearing about it, I know how fake Edward is and how annoying Bella is. That's saying something. It's the sick popularity and , frankly, the bad character combo that repells me from it. (Continued…)
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