Twilight by Stephanie Meyer

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

Does this book/series live up to all the hype? Someone recommended it to me, since I like fantasy. I'm not really into fads though. So should I use up valuable free time & read it?

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8546

No, it's garbage. I've read them all because they're addictive but they're absolute trash. Interested in good teenage vampire stuff? Read Amelia Atwater Rhodes - obviously on a lower reading level, but mazing stuff (start at In the Forests of the Night and go in order). Or Phillip Pullman's Golden Compass trilogy - also a kid's fantasy book, but genius.

(I'm a middle school reading teacher Smile

)
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Posted: Wed, Aug 26 2009, 7:43 pm Post subject: re: Twilight by Stephanie Mayer

I have read philips pullmans books several times - excellent, but very strongly athiestic, especially if you read all the way to the end.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

I've never been able to finish a single book of Philip Pullman's. I find them dry and pretty uninteresting.

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8546

really? Well read Amelia Atwater Rhodes - all about vampires. They're fabulous and a bit less out there than Pullman's.

Posted: Wed, Aug 26 2009, 8:00 pm Post subject:

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

I've never read that series. But what did you mean about strongly atheistic. I don't mind if a book doesn't mention a person's belief system at all. I do get a little squirmy though if we start talking about some of the more strongly worded atheistic principles. (a couple of weeks ago, Yesha posted a link on facebook about this bar mitzvah age boy wanted to explore traditional observance, but his mother wasn't comfortable with it. you should have read all the staunch atheistic comments. I was really sorry I read it.)

Senior Member Joined: Jun 06 2004 Posts: 216 Location: USA

I have read twilight and enjoyed it very much. I found it to be a non-stop-wanna-read-it-in-one-shot kind of book. I finished it in one shabbos. thats how I judge how good it is.
if you like romance without the intimate garbage, then you will like this.
the first half is very romantic, and very clean too. which I liked. the second half was more action packed and suspenseful.

the video on the other hand is completely a waste of time. it was terrible.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

I hate videos of books. I want to picture the characters in my imagination. Not have someone decide what the character is supposed to look and sound like for me. I have never seen any of my favorite books on film. Not even Little Women (I heard they killed it). Ok, I'll be honest. I hate movies. I grew up with a TV and VCR in my house & I rarely watched anything. They have nothing over books.

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8546

Posted: Wed, Aug 26 2009, 8:22 pm Post subject: re: Twilight by Stephanie Mayer

I also just read it a few days ago! Addictive! I liked it but did not love it. It felt like dumb writing. I guess I am used to more literary novels, but twilight was not as eloquent as I thought it would be. You still can't put it down, though.
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Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 12 2005 Posts: 2715

Platinum Member Joined: May 06 2007 Posts: 8546

Sounds good to me - what's your taste? (I always taught in public schools so my tolerance is MUCH higher than others)

Diamond Member Joined: Nov 12 2005 Posts: 2715

I'm pretty open. Overly spooky or scary stuff is out because my oldest is the kind who ALREADY has wild imaginings that the tree outside his window is actually a shadow of a bad guy, etc ... I'm planning on giving him Harry Potter in a couple of years, at least the first book. So fantasy doesn't bother me, and nor do mature themes, by which I don't mean s-x but books that discuss death, loss, or dark periods of history.

I'm especially keen on fiction, because DS #1 (he's 8 but reads the Grade 6 books) isn't in to it on his own. The closest we've gotten him to that is the Magic Treehouse series, which I like, but it's more a way to get history and facts to kids than a real novel. He loved having Stuart Little read to him, and liked Geronimo Stilton lots. My husband wants him to read the Hardy Boys books, but so far no interest.
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Posted: Thu, Aug 27 2009, 5:22 am Post subject:

Posted: Thu, Aug 27 2009, 6:32 am Post subject: re: Twilight by Stephanie Mayer

I found Twilight easy to read, sweet, and unintentionally hilarious.

Whether or not you'll enjoy it will depend on your tolerance for teen romance and whether you can enjoy cheesy books, movies, etc. If you like sappy movies and can tolerate teen drama type stories, you'll probably like it.

Just reading the first 50 pages or so should give you a sense of whether you'll find it addictive or tedious.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

I am way too sappy for my own good. If real life doesn't always have happy endings, fiction should at least (right?). As for movies, if I watch one it will either be a kid/teen movie or a romantic comedy. Otherwise I have no patience. Thanks Ora!

Moderator Joined: Dec 26 2005 Age: 33 Posts: 11430

I happen to like a lot of YA Fiction, but didn't care for Twilight.

I started watching True Blood, and it's excellent, so I'm going to read the first book in the series and see if it's any good.

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 29 2007 Posts: 12058

Someone also recommended Vampire Academy. It sounds interesting: http://www.amazon.com/Vampire-.....amp;sr=1-2