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.

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.

Maybe because he broke into her room?

But (this might be slightly off-topic) there’s this tiny problem where working women are ALSO expected to take care of the home.

That doesn’t sound like equality to me.

My book was around before I ever read Twilight, sadly, because Twilight was a more impressive fail.

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 ?

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’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.

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.

My final remark is. Phail phail phail, desu desu desu ~

-Love, Anon

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.

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.

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.

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?

I did not dislike this series. I have also bought the same thing for a dime off a gasoline station stand. As entertainment, it reads at the about the same level as popular shoujo manga titles. This is not negative, but Twilight fans claiming Meyers to be on the same level with Cervantes, Hugo, Dostoevsky, Stoppard, and Salinger, are of course not going to be taken seriously. Fandom does not equal superiority, and thus no matter how times you post in all caps that everyone opposed to the series is a fucking cold-hearted asshole, you’re never going to rally the ‘positive’ support behind this romance series that you feel it deserves. Since when are others not allowed to have a negative viewpoint? Only when it conflicts with your interests? How self-absorbed.

And please, Sara, do not categorize teenage girls. We don’t all respond the same way to attractive males. The rest of us do not appreciate the stereotypes.

To the point – I agree with the characterization of Edward. Any professional who has worked with abuse victims would not take the above comment seriously. No derision needs to be attached to make control abusive. Many controllers appear very loving, tending to the needs of their mates… as long as their mates do not step outside their expected roles. Edward reacts very negatively when Bella does this, fretting, becoming angry, retaliating (the Engine Incident). All of these indicate an unstable individual seeking to master a situation through socially unacceptable routes. Edward may love Bella, and Bella may love Edward. That alone, however, is not an ultimatum that their relationship will be perfect. And that is why Rice is so concerned – because above all else, the Twilight series teaches that LOVE will make whatever else happens okay. But it won’t. That’s not negative. That’s not over-analytical. That’s life.

I am very relieved that the internet continues to be very. serious. business.

I’m glad you agree, Roxanne. Definitely! (I agree with you too and happy that you liked the series!)– expressing opinions are fine with me, but comments which intentionally attack people who liked the books (and down talk SM) are really just… arghs. But at least this article didn’t do that, reject those who liked the books that is; but it did insult SM, which I’m really not okay with.

another rant, but i just had to say it–
Kara- you don’t make any sense. I don’t have poop in my eyes and I really loved the Twilight saga.
——————————————————————-
Hmm, Edward is in no way abusive to Bella. He always gives her what she wants. He didn’t take away her future like college and a family; in fact he was all too willing to give those to her. It was up to Bella to make her own decisions of what she really wanted. Bella’s experiences however, shouldn’t be compared to reality– for example, Bella’s pregnancy. We all know that pregnancy isn’t like that, thank God that this is *ahem* fiction, or else I’d be scared to death at the thought of babies. Of course, this being a fiction isn’t an excuse for the other points you’ve made. I agree that Jacob’s personality drastically changed in New Moon (confusing me for a bit), but his relationship with Bella was also not sexist, abusive, or whatever else you said. Jacob, like Edward, also gave Bella a choice, but like any crazy in love teenage guy, he fought (figuratively speaking) for her by being extremely stubborn, haha– though, who could win against dazzling Edward? haha. Oh and she didn’t magically fall in love with him half way in Jacob’s kiss… it was later, much later (just to point that out).

I do praise you though for at least reading the entire series before bashing the books, unlike others…
I’m so happy with the outcome of the plot. Breaking Dawn is definitely my second favorite! And after reading it three times now, I can really see that this was how the series was intended to end. And “The several hundred pages are filled with sickly-sweet self-indulgence” of Breaking Dawn was my favorite part! hahaha.

IS THIS LADY HIGH!?!?

SHE HAS NO F-ING IDEA WHAT SHE IS TALKING ABOUT!!!

SHE IS OUT OF HER EVER LOVING MIND!!!

ITS A FICTIONAL STORY LADY…GET OVER IT!!!!!

THESE BOOKS ARE AMAZING AND SHE HAS NO FREAKING IDEA WHAT SHE IS TALKING ABOUT!!!

THIS ARTICAL IS A LOAD OF BULL!!!

ITS NOT OVER…AND WERE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!!!

I can say with certainty that this post was not written to anger anyone or stir debate — not that there is anything wrong with that.

Debate, especially literary and political debate, are the cornerstones of this country.

Try to tone your remarks to that. I allowed the post to run because the author read the entire series and responded in kind. It wasn’t a mindless rant like others I’ve seen.

I don’t see how you can think this was sexist at all. You’re just overthinking it way too much lady. It’s a fantastic story, something to escape the everyday, not a dictation of lifestyles.
**Spoiler Alert***

When Bella does become one of them, Edward praises her for her strengths. He doesn’t try to hold her back at all. He’s happy that she’s on the same level as him. It’s empowerment by Bella, isn’t that what feminism is about? Being regarded on the same level as our peers?

IT’S NOT OVER WE’RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I loved the series and this is just a sad article which I couldn’t bare to read all of because it’s so NEGATIVE.

Edward is in noway abusive to Bella mentally or physically.So he takes a part out of her truck,big deal. The whole point being that Alice saw what Bella was going to do and he believed he was protecting Bella from the Jacob and his pack. Edward KNOWS about the Wolves and he feared for Bellas safety around them. He was wrong and he admitted it to her.

I think people need to just stop reading so much into these books,just realx and enjoy a great story!
Can anyone so uptight seriously do that anymore?

Feminism is NOT a choice. It is the concept of equality between the sexes.

That is not something you can choose. Either men and women are equal or they’re not.

And that doesn’t mean, oh a women should be able to choose to stay home and be protected by her man if she wants to. That means, god forbid, you have to think for yourself. That means, heaven forbid, that you have to take care of yourself sometimes.

That means you don’t have to kiss a man because he wants to kiss you. That means a MAN doesn’t have to kiss a woman because she wants to kiss you.

Heck, that means grow up and get a job like the rest of us.

‘michelle’ your argument is without any sense of merit. It’s simply not a choice. Equality means you’re held accountable and held responsible. Men can’t just “chose” to stay home and not work, especially by your logic that women should be free to chose to stay home. If women are free to do that, men are not free to do that, and that means the sexes are not equal and that means women are admitting they are inherently weaker than men. I don’t believe that one bit.

That’s the problem with these young girls, these 13-19 year old girls. They have no idea what it was once like for women. Study history. Trust me, barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen while your soulmate brings home the bacon isn’t all it was cracked up to be.

Shame on you.

(See: Jenny)

In Breaking Dawn the heroes are the females! Bella is at the top, Alice, and even Renesmee. I think all the anti-feminist rhetoric comes from the fact that these women want us to live like them. I gotta let you know, being a mom is the most courageous, feminine being a women can be. It is my DREAM job!

I don’t expect everyone to like these books, but geeze. Why post a blog so angry?