HeidiTown takes on “Twilight,” Chapter 20 to the end or What I learned from reading “Twilight”

Synopsis: Bella has gained the unwanted attention of a hungry vampire “tracker,” and has to go on the run with two of Edward’s “siblings.” Alice and Emmett take Bella to Phoenix, Arizona, while the other Cullens try to throw the tracker off track. It doesn’t work. The tracker outwits the clever Cullens and the witless Bella, who ditches her chaperones when the tracker claims he is holding her mother hostage. Bella is almost killed, but just in the nick of time Edward and the rest of the Cullens swoop in to save her from becoming a delicious meal for the tracker. Bella ends up in the hospital with multiple injuries and a burning desire to become a vampire. The book then fast-forwards through Bella’s healing process and ends with Edward taking a Bella, despite her protests to the prom, where she can’t stop asking for him to make her a vampire.

 What I learned from reading “Twilight” –  

  1. Vampires are good looking and have great breath.
  2. 17-year-olds are ridiculous (and I include my 17-year-old self in that analysis).
  3. I need to sit down and start writing fiction again.

I started this quest, for several reasons. First, I wanted to understand how this story had become so popular with thirty and forty-year-olds. Secondly, I wanted to be able to speak intelligently about “Twilight” whilst discussing its strengths and weaknesses with my Twi-fanatic friends.

I believe one of my readers hit on one reason the books, while targeting a teen audience, have been so successful among older women. Her remarks centered on Edward’s age. Even though he is in the body of a 17-year-old, he isn’t actually 17, therefore older women can lust after him without feeling like Mary Kay Letourneau. It’s doubtful the book would have made such  an impact with middle-age women if Edward was actually a teenager character.

Whether Stephenie Meyer actually thought about this while writing the book is up for debate, but regardless, it worked out brilliantly for her and the publisher.

After reading the first book in the series, I stick by my earlier assertion about Meyer’s poor writing. However, this book did inspire me to get back to fiction writing. If Meyer, with all the smirking, smoldering, chuckling and heart pounding, can write a bestseller, why couldn’t I? And I’m not the only one who walked away from “Twilight” with the inspiration to write.

As some of you may know, “Twilight” has inspired a lot of fan fiction and some of this writing is getting rave reviews. These fan fiction authors probably sat down and started writing for thousands of different reasons – the mind runs wild, and because Meyer’s books are tame, it leaves the door open for all sorts of R-rated adaptations. Whatever the reasons, if a book inspires writing, I can’t be too down on it.  

While the book didn’t inspire me to buy a life-size cardboard cutout of Robert Pattinson, I am watching the movie this weekend, but somehow I still don’t think that particular item will be on my Christmas list.

New Moon book coverStay tuned!

Review of “Twilight” the movie, coming this weekend.

HeidiTown takes on “New Moon” starting next week.

 

To read the entire saga of HeidiTown’s trip through “Twilight” (in chronological order), click on this underlined sentence.

3 Comments


  1. First of all, I hate bringing this up because I think you’re wonderful for diving in to this series, in part for the sake of your crazy friends. However, witless Bella went to Phoenix with Alice and Jasper – not Emmett. Rosalie would be none too pleased to have her man alone in a hotel room with Alice and Bella.
    Secondly, I am also chomping at the fic writing bit and we need to do something about that soon. If you couldn’t tell, I love that you have chosen to visit my coven even if you don’t completely join. New Moon is probably my favorite of the series so I’ll be curious to see what you think.

    Reply

  2. Ooops! I get all those vampires mixed up!
    Looking forward to watching the movie this weekend. With so many ppl writing about how bad it was, I’m guessing it will probably be better than I expect.

    Reply

  3. It has moments of brilliance (okay maybe I’m blinded by HIS brilliance) or I wouldn’t watch it repeatedly. It’s just the cringe-worthy moments that you have to watch out for. You’ll know.

    Reply

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