Reading Log: Stephenie Meyer: Twilight

a reading log by mrs h.

What made you pick this particular book?

All the 8th-graders are currently reading this book and have become totally engrossed with the story and the characters (whisper “Edward” in a 14-year-old girl’s ear and watch her faint). I was interested – besides, I was looking for a birthday present for my niece. When, on the last day of school before the Fasching break, my dear colleague Ms. H. told me she’d read it in record time and really enjoyed it, I immediately ordered it for some light and enjoyable holiday reading.

Give a brief summary of the book.

When 17-year-old Bella moves to the rainy town of Forks on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington state* and starts to make friends at her new high school, she is intrigued by the icy good looks and aloofness of a group of students who never sit with the others. One of them, in particular (enter Edward, the tortured hero), has some strange reactions around Bella. This is because he, just like his friends, is a vampire. Bella and Edward fall in irrevocable, passionate, star-crossed love and complications ensue.

Was it good?

Let me put it this way: If you, like the bazillion girls who wrote Amazon.com reviews, are saying this is the best book you’ve ever read, you are either 14 years old or haven’t read very many books. Within that frame of reference, though, it is a well-crafted, exciting and very entertaining novel for young adults and an amazingly gripping read. I finished it in 4 hours and really cared about what happened to the characters. The nice thing is that the vampire theme doesn’t result in a steamy, gloomy, tortured atmosphere generally (I would not even consider reading an Anne Rice book and generally don’t care for vampires at all) – instead, any steamy scenes that seem to be so unavoidable in modern YA (young adult) literature are nicely sublimated into scenes in which Edward struggles with bloodlust as opposed to regular lust. Much better reading, in my opinion. Also much more suitable for younger teenagers

Who would you recommend this book to?

Obviously, your 14-year-old sister. The only trouble is, she’s already got it – or her friends are planning to give it to her for her birthday. But if you don’t know what to do on the weekend and would like to lose yourself in an escapist romp, this book is a very good choice. You can borrow my copy, if you like.

I liked the book so much that I went out to buy the sequel, New Moon (and we all know what kind of creatures like new moons, right?), which I didn’t like so much, as the story went into what I felt were too many directions. I know that Ms. H. has got the third volume in English, so I will be asking her for it very nicely tomorrow.

*To my great delight, everyone is suddenly interested in the place where the story is set. Olympic National Park and the entire Olympic peninsula is one of the most mysterious and beautiful places I’ve ever been to.