*Note to the readers of this post: This post is not intended to single out any one fan of the Twilight series, but rather to vent my own frustrations about the matter. If you don't agree with the post don't read it or curse my name for eternity if you do chose to read it!
Okay, here's the deal, I have never read any books in the Twilight series. So, technically I can't make any kind of judgement call on whether they are good or bad. What I can say is that I am not planning on reading them in the near future. Before you decide to egg my car (not that I would really care, considering the condition my car is currently in!) or write mean comments containing curse words and insults, here's my reasoning. You know when everyone you know sees a movie and tells you how great it is, but then you decide to wait to see it in the theatre later or just watch it on DVD? Then, when you finally do watch it you feel quite underwhelmed by it and don't think it's all that great? That's what I think would happen to me if I read these books. So many people have told me in person or via a post on their blog how great the books are, that I feel like I have come to a point of no return. I can't read them now, because I am certain that they would not live up to the high expectations everyone has set for them. I know, I know many of you are thinking, "Melissa you would love them and should give them a chance." What many of you don't know about me is that I am very stubborn and would decline the offer. I don't have such a problem with nearly everyone on the face of planet earth being completely smitten by these books, because I too have been very smitten with certain books. However, I just can't bring myself to read them. That is all I have to say on the matter and hopefully no one has plans to disown me as their friend as a result of reading this.
25 comments:
Yes, ugh. You see, I did read them all because all my little neices and YW forced me, and I was certainly entertained enough, fun story, but no, it is not great literature, and as I think you were pointing at in your post, the very fact that people were so obsessed with them made me feel slightly annoyed to even be reading them . . . who knows, perhpas I would have enjoyed them more had there not been all the hype.
Oh my goodness, the secret code letters I just had to punch in were something like trisea . . . and hello, you are 3 (tri) by the sea!!! Creepy!
I second the motion... I think I just like to be an odd ball, don't need another time addiction on top of reading blogs and think vampires sounds a bit strange. Amen sista!
haha you finally did it! i was thinking about putting up my very own anti-twilight post lately.
I refused to read the books for a long time as well due to the fact that EVERYONE and their Mom was reading them. Then I did. I can say I'm not an extremely obsessed fan of the books, or Edward for that matter. Gag. They were a good read, but I'm sure I won't be reading them over, and over, and over, and over....you get the idea.
I too, fell to the YW pressure and read the books. I too, was as you said underwhelmed. It was an entertaining idea, but not at all as enthralling as other books and certainly not something I would suggest to other people. Believe me Melissa, you have made the right choice. There are just so many better books out there, and with such little time that I have I could have read something that actually took me out of my crazy world, and made me believe I was actually living along side the characters.
We need to start our own book club!
If we lived closer I would totally egg your car :) I really enjoyed reading them. A lot of times when I hear a lot about a good movie I will go in with the attitude that I am going to hate it because everyone loved it and then I am pleasantly surprised that I do like it. Maybe you should go at it with that approach. You already think you are not going to like it so why not try it and be pleasantly surprised.
k-I am so glad that you feel the same way. I just couldn't even finish the first one. I stopped half way though, because I couldn't bare is any longer, AND harry potter (7th book) just came out. What other choice did I have? I am reading her "the host" book, and I am really liking it. It took me acouple of chapters to get into it, but now it is a nice read.
also, I dont' think I would let my teenage daughter read them! HA, how do you like that for being the mean mom!
You know,I was one of the lucky ones who got to read at least the first and second before it became this incredibly psycho phenomenon (or at least before I knew it was), and I really liked the first one. After that, I was bugged that it had become such a big deal and honestly didn't like the last two that much.
However, I do have a lot of respect for Stephenie Meyer (check out my personal blog) because I think she's making a "good" difference as a role model in the YA literary world for once.
Then again, I do have mixed feelings about any book that can hold this kind of power over so many people.
I love the books....and I will read them again and again. It was easy, fun, entertaining and I can't wait to see the movie, and I will buy it and probably see it several times. I love the story, it's creative and I happen to have a nice crush on Edward. So there.
DONT READ ANY OF THEM. i read the first book and it was heinous! it is about the clumsy/whiny/self obsessed/negative little girl and this vampire that she is in love with. and it all ends with vampires playing vampire baseball. i am not kidding. i want my four hours back from reading that thing. so there. dont even give it a second thought! :)
Hummm well you know i love the books and john is reading them and really likes them as well. Is it on the level of the many greats, not necessarily but it is entertaining and I will read them again. I get the whole hype and how irritating it can be, i have had many movies ruined because they were soooo talked up and I was left thinking...thats it? books and movies and all entertainment are tricky because everyones tastes are so different. You cant say it was a bad book just because you didn't like it, obviously there are alot of people who do like it...and quite a few who like it a little too much :) But if your wanting a quick and easy read and a fun story at a HS reading level she is a good story teller. in my opinion
wow, people definitely have opinions on this huh? the comments are pretty entertaining.
I have read all the Twilight books. It drives me crazy that there is such a huge following among Mormon women and you can take surveys to find out if you married a 'Jacob' or an 'Edward' and all this other crap.
They are FICTIONAL CHARACTERS people! Get a grip.
Evaluating literature and novels is an individual thing. That is a part of the joy of reading. Just because someone else thinks its the best book they have ever read doesn't mean you can't think it's the worst book ever written. Reading is a personal experience and people shouldn't feel like their opinions about books they like are any less valid because you refuse to read them and think they sound stupid.
I read the wiki-summary and was really glad I didn't put the time and effort into reading them. So good for you!
The final straw of the chaos surrounding Melissa’s "Twilight blog” came late at night. She heard something outside her condo and peeked out the front window into the parking lot. Deep in the night, by the light of the bright full moon, a small elderly woman crouched beside Melissa’s car, carefully smashing the white eggs against the window. The yellow oozing yolk slowly streamed down the side of the car. The woman’s white shirt shone in the moonlight and Melissa strained to read the words printed there. “Mike is really best for Bella” the printing said. What?, Melissa thought! (Not having read the books, she had no idea what that meant.) She again peered carefully at the woman and saw to her horror, that the face was that of her mother-in-law, previously thought to be the kindest woman ever.
hahaha Mardel you crack me up! your a good story teller too!
I have read them because I wanted to have an opinion...and I can tell you that you aren't missing much. While entertaining...they aren't literary masterpieces or even well written. Don't bother.
Gasp! You know I love the books. I jumped on the teenage-geared (something I think is forgotten, it's a book for young adults) Twilight band wagon and rode with joy! I even picked up a few people along the way. I enjoy the dream world of Edward, a nice escape from reality...aren't most books like that?
But as I read this very popular post, and heartfelt comments, I have to laugh at what has turned into yet another free bit of advertisement for them. Stephenie Meyer did something right...something we all fell into, anti or not.
Good post, Melissa! Glad you put it up here! And Mom, egging cars again? I thought you were over that! Sheesh!
I found this through Jenny M. I just want to say that I could agree with every sentence in this post. I have not read them, and have no desire to either. I just don't want to - I wish people would stop telling me how sexy Edward is. First of all - gross, you are 30 something and he is like 16, second of all - he is a vampire, gross.
Sometimes I wish Carla was a Vampire
this is such an awkward silence...
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