I finished that book a few days ago and considered what to read next. Then yesterday as I was coming out of the bathroom, I saw something glisten (or maybe I should say sparkle) out of the corner of my eye-- it was Twilight, sitting on the ironing board outside my bedroom, it's black cover glossy in the light. I succumbed. It was a quick read, despite its girth, and I finished it in two days, just as my younger cousin promised I would. And, finally having read it, I see its appeal, especially to preteen girls: A perfect yet dangerous Adonis hero plus a clumsy yet gorgeous heroine who is in constant need of saving equals a delicious yet slightly patriarchal love story. The twelve year old girl in me devoured those romantic chapters.
But the twenty-nine year old woman in me, the part of me that's been to grad school, scoffed at the awkward prose, especially at the beginning of the book. Meyer desperately needs a thesaurus and a copy of Stephen King's On Writing (she should pay special attention to the chapter on adverb usage). Bella's character is flat, predictable, and, often times, annoying. And I literally had to put the book down and stop reading for awhile as the plot twisted into a cliche hostage scenario I've seen played out on tv shows and movies hundreds of times.
But there are parts where Meyer's writing shows promise, most notably when describing the scenery, as my friend Phoebe mentions in her recent review of the book on her blog. The chapter that takes place at the beach on the Indian Reservation was done particularly well, in my opinion.
My final verdict on the book: Twilight is a fad, not a classic-- it lacks the depth and grace of Harry Potter, whose place in my heart is all the more firmly secured now. But if you're looking for a simple entertaining read to while away a snowy afternoon or bring out your inner twelve year old girl, Twilight will do just fine.
