Kellen Rice, one of the Blast’s writers and a regular contributor to Blast’s PSA: Politics, Sports, Anything Blog recently picked up and read the entire Twilight series.
She did not like it. No, ma’am, not one bit.
“Thankfully, the ‘Twilight’ series is over. Not as great is the fact that millions of girls are reading this sexist tripe without a care in the world, obsessing over the "perfect" Edward Cullen and the "hot" Jacob Black, pretending to be Bella Swan and ignoring the unhealthiness of the relationship just as successfully as the character does. What happened that two hundred years after feminist hero Elizabeth Bennet is put down on the page, we get one of the most awful excuses for a female literary hero that I’ve ever seen?”
About Blast Magazine Newsroom
Oh wow. Some of you need to grow the fuck up and stop screaming. Not everyone is going to like that shameful, crappy series just because you love it. We don’t give a damn IF ITS FICTIONAL; that may be true, but never in my LIFE have I read a book with so many unexplainable plot holes in them. Some of you don’t even realize this AT ALL and I feel really sad for you, especially for those who are whining and crapping their little pants because OMG DEY R MESSIN WIT TWILITE.
For GOD’S SAKE, I feel like I’m the ONLY teenage girl here that sees that this series is nothing but complete CRAP. EDWARD AND BELLA DO NOT HAVE THE PERFECT RELATIONSHIP. HELL, ITS NOT EVEN HEALTHY. Some of you should have grown up a little more before deciding to read this series because it just seems like too many of you are ignorant of the things going on in the books. Is it just me or are the fans of the book blind?
As a teenage girl who’s actually felt something of what Bella supposedly feels towards Edward (but of course not all of it – no goddamn human has *that* much emotional OMG I WUV YOU), I’d just like to note something here…
Falling in love is the most intoxicating narcotic in the world. Refusing to live your own life as a result of constantly trying to feel that way is just fucking stupid. Being entirely depressed over a boyfriend leaving you is fine. Trying to commit suicide because you have no sense of self without him isn’t. I realize that actual humans have this issue, and I don’t wish to trivialize it in any way; however, actual humans can manage to deal with it given proper assistance from friends and the drive to live. Actual humans can manage to grow from traumatic experiences. Not, as Twilight would have it, by relying on the boyfriend the moment he reappears on the scene, but by taking stock of their own selves and motivations. Bella has no personality, no sense of what *she* wants to do without the love of an ever-perfect Edward guiding her every choice. Is this the kind of mentality we want to instill in teenage girls – that their own actions are always secondary to the wonderful guidance of their boyfriends, who are after all ever-loving? Or, given that teenage girls actually have brains, and know when they’re too invested in their boyfriends and when to back off, why attempt to teach them that the ideal of romantic love is a woman who only lives for her lover, and not one who can actually think independently?
Twilight sounds like a fairy tale and should be treated as one. Edward Cullen deserves about as much attention as Prince Charming, and I personally like Snow White better than Bella; Snow White wasn’t a bitchy caricature of an average teenage girl.
Wow… that is the first thing that I can honestly say. Now, to my analysis. As an editor here at Blast I also took the “Twilight Challenge” and read the four books, Midnight Sun and character guides, in a week.
Yes, I do read fast but the books were, well amazing. Amazing int he sense that they took me in, as many of you has mentioned, but also because they reminde me of tru, beautiful, love and had me at the point of tears when I saw Bella’s reaction after her breakup with Edward.
As the blank pages passed… October, November, December… I literally felt MY pages turning with the same heartbreak… May, June, July. Furthermore, after realizing that Edward felt the same way and was really to end his life because he though his lover was dead too, hope sprang and like Bella I believed they’d make it work. “Yes, Yes, Yes!” I chanted.
The series is as addicting as it is inspirational. Like fellow readers said, if you cannot remember a time when you felt like your life would come to an end because you lost your significant other, sadly you have not loved at all. As crazy as it sounds love is wonderful and horrible but after the pain you remember the goodness.
Now, there were some things I did not like about the book. Yes the author is great at bringing you in but there were questions left unanswered. Like, what happened to the bracelet Bella got? Did she use it again or not?
Aside from this I do not, whatsoever, think this book should be apt for teenage reading. Let’s say its better as a PG-17 because the 13 year rating is still quite young but kids could read this “responsibly” between 15-18. After that the young adults have been more exposed and know about sex, family troubles and life dilemmas. So the danger of influencing their decisions is not as grave.
When younger readers take this book in it is not as if they are reading Harry Potter exactly. Yes there is magic and legends involved but the context of the book and the time setting are very different and real. The topic of peer pressure is mentioned as is the unsatisfying desire to “have” somebody and even become sexually active.
At a time where teenage pregnancies are so “popular” a book of this nature to a 10-13 year-old can be sort of wrong. The love that develops between the main characters is quick but it is because they were destined to be with each other.
To an adult mind this is obvious, but to set of growing minds thinking that once school starts you can find, fall in love and get close to physical with somebody is normal, is pretty darn dangerous. Because there is a lack of education and censorship we have so many problems with our children and teens books like these can be blamed .
But, like with everything else, it is up to the parents/mentors/guardians of these children and tens to explain right from wrong and develop reading comprehension. As cheesy as it sounds I think it is true.
Finally to comment on the feminism part, I liked how a reader said that feminism is NOT a choice, simply is the fact of knowing men and women are equal. Some of us may choose the family route, others the business route and yet others both. What our writer was trying to get at, I think, is that sometimes women get so caught up in the romantics that they can-and often times do- forget this ever important fact.
The books are good, although once Renesmee was introduced my hope this could reeeeally happen to me was completely gone. Thy are also seducing and a little racy. But if taken as literary entertainment in the correct ways they make up for their existent flaws.
I respect your opinions and though there are concepts that I admitted were great in the book and lovable the overall appeal of Twilight is that it is a thinly placed, a skeletal broth minus the calcium goodness.
I do not believe that Bella and Edward’s love is real thus I cannot sympathize with her sadness, in fact, I felt more sympathetic to Victoria whose bond with James bordered on something quite meaningful. Though twisted beings they are they are vampires who can rely on each other. With Bella and Edward’s relationship this did not stir. One of my best friends who is very unbiased of this series gave it thumbs up for entertainment but even he gave it a slight thumbs on for the romance. To him it seemed overused and hollow to some extents.
I agree with you feminism and masculinism are not a choice they are facts. Many people do get pregnant as teenagers but Bella’s problem is that its almost like she coerced Edward to impregnate her and vise versa. She has no aims and Edward too has none. Bella is quite superficial to me for aside her contemplation of Edward she never grows to become the powerful Queen that Meyer promises with the cover of Breaking Dawn. And – it also seems that Edward got fixated with her because he had nothing else to do.
Love at first sight is not fictional. It can happen. But with them it is blinder than a black hole. My unbiased friend commented that Bella’s unique beauty is never explored thus we feel that Edward is biting into bones (pun intended). Bella too looks only that which glitters – there is no gold or diamonds (pun intended).
The series had potential. I loved New Moon’s movie execution of visuals and some scenes, however, Twilight still needs a stronger story. Love here does not equal immortality.
Though I do respect your opinions these are just my feelings.
Honestly, the books were horrible. I’m sad to see 20 to 40 year old women saying how they loved the books. Ugh.
I cannot continue reading the first book. The writing is HORRIBLE, the plot is disgusting, and the characters are just ick.
People please. Pick better books.
This woman knows her shit. And this series, infact is shit. The worst part is teenage girls thinking this could be real. Being controlled is not the same as being loved. There should be know “because he loves me”, because really it is “because he wants too and is mentally fucked up”. Men shouldn’t act to women like Edward does, hell why doesn’t he just beat her. If I want a vampire story, I expect blood and violence not shitty fake teenage relationships. People phail to understand that teenage relationships are all bullshit and never work out.
My final remark is. Phail phail phail, desu desu desu ~
-Love, Anon
What is wrong with being a feminist? What is so horrible about wanting a little more from the female community? Then again, being a feminist is only bad because it happens to be against Twilight. When women couldn’t vote, it was okay but apparently opposing the underlying message in a fiction feel good story is crossing the line. This is a classic example of people taking their disagreement to an excessive level. Last time I checked, millions of posts were pro-Twilight. Some people here are defending this book like it is holy material. I’m 17 and I used to love Twilight until I saw it for what it was all on my own. One day, I got disappointed in it and myself and I GREW UP. It still hurts and I’m jealous of Twilight fanatics, I miss enjoying Twilight.
Further more, who said Bella was a hero? She’s merely an example created to work in a fantasy. I would hope people new better than to believe that the things in that story (not the vampire’s the romance) were mundane and had the chance of coming their way. I’m sure everyone knows that life isn’t so easy. I hope. if Bella is a hero of any kind, then America’s young ladies are in deep trouble. You may want to BE like Bella but she is not someone to look up to. No mom should want to here her daughter say ‘I want to blow off my education, get preganant, and get married’, moms should want the BEST for their children.
This is a nice story that I’m sure people loved it for a variety of good reasons but it is not something to be glorified and the people who are against it should not be bad mouthed and ridiculed. If you support the series, romanticize it in your own little circle, don’t look for some anti-Twilighter and shout your disagreement at them. This world had and has too many troubles and most of them stem from people just not being able to keep their feelings off other people. Like Twilight at the Lexicon, at your house, and 90% of everywhere else their is Twilight–let someone else have their opinion for once.
OMG this is a book totally fake. I myself loved these stories but thats what it is a story why cant we leave it at that… quit “reading” so much into it. BEST I HAVE READ IN YEARS
I didn’t like the books because I didn’t like them. Period. I read Twilight and didn’t get into it. What are you going to do about it, all you rabid fans who are easily angered over others’ opinions? Sadly there are people in this world who don’t share your opinions.
Ouch. Why is everyone so aggressive. ***
This book was absolutely terrible in my opinion. I’m glad someone had enough courage to speak their mind about it’s flaws, despite the millions of screaming teenage fan-girls.
I’m only 14, yet I knew the book was a complete waste of time reading. The characters were dull and two-dimensional. The plot was poorly thought out and simply uninteresting.
The only positive thing to add is that this book inspired me to write, because I’m certain I can write better than Stephanie Meyer.
I read a quote from Steven King once that said, writers read a lot, and one day, they run across a book and go: If they could get that published, I could publish something! I can do better!
My book was around before I ever read Twilight, sadly, because Twilight was a more impressive fail.
I read the books, and while they are not the best thing I ever read, they are not the worst thing either. Yes, Edward and Bella have a abusive, obbsessive, controling relationship, and I would know, I’ve been in one. No, it’s not always a teardown abusive relationship, because the one the guy I was with tried to make me feel better for a while, cause I was really depressed all the time from being really far away from home because I was in the military. Well, he left the base I was at, we kept in touch over the phone, and things were ok for a while. Then I finally got home, and was spending time with my friends, and he started to tell me, I couldn’t see them, and basicly should wait around for him to call, and then dumped me when I went into the hospital, cause I was being childish. Trust me, you say those kind of contorling relationships arn’t bad till you end up in one, and it’s sad that so many teenage girls, some already in happy relationships want their relationship to be like that. One of my friends even told me how some guy she knows got dumped by his girlfriend for Edward… That says something bad on both their parts. Imagine how the guy must feel. Getting dumped for a fictional character. And hell, I’m not saying that I have never fallen in love with book characters before, I fallen for plenty, and I cried when said character died, but I didn’t go around idolising that character for more than a day, and mostly kept it to myself, unless my mom asked me why I was crying, and I told her. I have to listen to all my friends still in highschool tell me how the books are the greatest, and that there is no books better, but I have read quite a bit of books that are better written, and have much better characters, and I get sick of being told I’m an idiot for not liking the books as if they were the greatest thing. I’m not saying don’t read the books if they are your cup of tea, but some of the teenage girls really need to think about what they are saying, and idolising. Abusive, obsessive, controling relationships are not healthy. Bella has the obsessive part, and Edward with the controling. I know from personal experiance that the relationship is not healthy, and the, they’re in love bull ain’t gonna swing with me, cause, you kill someone in the name of love, you still go to jail, so it’s no excuse. I just don’t wanna see younger teens end up in bad relationships cause it was intentionally or unintetionally idolised in books, and it’s also the readers faults more so than the author’s fault, for beliving things really work like that in the real world, or desiding to idolise it. And to all the people who love the books, it’s an opinion. I don’t go around yelling, you suck, how dare you not like Dragonlance books, when someone doesn’t like them.
Dang, I didn’t realise I wrote so much, sorry.
To the fangirls. If you can’t explain decently WHY you think the series is OMFG the most awesome thing eva~~ with something other than “because I say so”, don’t insult the lady who wrote that.
Also, she isn’t the only one who thought the series were … mediocre at best. So did Stephen King. So did many critics who, mind you, have more experience than any of you. No plot, no character development, no conflict, … Oh wow, I wonder why some people might not find it perfect.
Then again, I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Twilight lexicon bans those who don’t agree with the fans. SMeyer has her brother filter her mails because she can’t handle being criticized. If she was a real, mature writer, she would use the negative feedback to try to improve herself instead of whining and throwing temper tantrums . No wonder why you all get along so well, geez. You have the moaning in common.
I watched Twilight on DVD, the day after I turned 47 because I wanted some romantic escapism on a wet afternoon and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve just started listening to Twilight on unabridged audio book, to get some romantic escapism in the gym, too. Twilight is not a major piece of literature, but it surely has something which appeals to its young readers, or it wouldn’t be such a phenomenon.
Edward is a fictional vampire and we are all trying to judge him by human behaviour,firstly !
He didn’t ask to be a vampire and feels he is a monster. When he tells Bella that he is a predator he’s not trying to impress her, he’s being bitter. Bella reminds him of the humanity he lost in 1918.
Having been around for a century, Edward has more life and after death experience than all the humans around him and he is desperate to keep Bella safe from the real/perceived dangers – he knows how fragile humans are, compared to vampires and werewolves. Edward has been alone for a long time and he’s very very insecure about losing Bella therefore.
Yes, he can be too controlling, but if Bella sets boundaries, he has enough respect for her that he would comply. But she’s too submissive, she puts too many people before herself. Since when did being watched while you sleep by a loved one become a marker for an abusive relationship ? And are there no parents out there who haven’t resorted to grounding daughters to keep them away from friends the parents don’t feel are good for their daughter ?
“Since when did being watched while you sleep by a loved one become a marker for an abusive relationship ?”
Maybe because he broke into her room?
<>
He had been breaking into her room to watch her sleep for a couple of months without her knowing it. That’s not necessarily abusive, but it’s definitely unhealthy and stalker behavior. In real life, there would be a restraining order and charges filed against the guy.