Bite Of Life In The Twilight Zone (Twilight - Stephenie Meyer)

Member Name: JayHall1991

Product:	Twilight - Stephenie Meyer
Date:	08/02/09 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Romantic, Exciting, Engaging, Characterisation

Disadvantages: May Have A Dangerous Message, A Little Detailed

Bella has moved to Forks and she isn't happy about it; she has moved from a sunny life in Arizona with her dippy mother to the rainy, dark lifestyle of her awkward sheriff father. She is instantly accepted in her new school, with many of the boys falling over her every word (despite her view that she is exceptionally ordinary and clumsy) but doesn't feel as if she fits in. That is until she sees the handsome Edward Cullen, an almost supernaturally (hint, hint) beautiful and graceful member of the student body whose articulate manner and intellect sets him apart. But when she tries to communicate with him, he is extremely rude and pushes her away, skipping school on days where they share a class. But through a series of events their lives crash together, sparking a dangerous, thrilling romance with a secret which could jeopardise everyone around them...

I always like to be in touch with the latest phenomena in the media world, but Twilight was one that I was more than happy to shy away from. As a pretty huge fan of Buffy The Vampire Slayer I had already discredited it as a pale imitation in my mind; I saw the displays all over Waterstone's and decided that it could never have the depth, humour, observation or passion of Buffy's various storylines so I successfully resisted. But as the buzz surrounding the Twilight saga grew to fever pitch with the release of the film adaptation, I succumbed to curiosity and delved into Stephanie Meyers mystical world of vampires, teenage angst, romantic entanglements and school-yard heartache. It was a mistake..... because I now have to admit that I am a fan - it is a moving, memorable and spellbinding novel that brilliantly fuses realism and escapism, builds a central romance that is ridiculously involving and follows a few plot twists which are edge-of-your-seat brilliant.

The first thing that hit me when reading Twilight was the weird quality of Meyer's writing; her style is dreamy, hypnotic and measured which works in startling contrast with the tension and immediacy of the storyline. It's an explosive mix of shocking and soothing; a blend which is instantly engaging and it is achieved remarkably fluidly here. The writing is almost pitch perfect and it hooks you in from the get go with its faintly sinister edge and lullaby-like prose that instantly hints at what is to come ahead. Meyers manages to make the ridiculous seem truly believable, it is a testament to her writing that you never stop to question some of the more dubious plot twists, and she writes romance perfectly; tender, passionate and involving. It not the most literary of works and there are a few moments that feel very forced, with elaborate and unnecessary descriptions of Edward splattered throughout - she constantly refers to his attractiveness, even if it means sacrificing the flow of the story - but it really is compulsive reading.

Meyers also does a great job of weaving rich character development into the plotline, she makes her characters feel like real people (despite the whole vampire aspect) which makes their journey all the more interesting. Bella, in particular, makes for an engaging lead - she's witty and funny, brave and clever whilst still believable as a typical teenage girl. The story is told from a first person perspective which gives the story an intimacy that really makes it pop and Edwards's arc from sullen teenage boy to compassionate vampire is crafted brilliantly. The mythology that surrounds the main plotline is meticulously created, amercing the reader in a whole other world filled with side plots and grand back stories. Meyers never resorts to easy answers just to tie up loose ends; especially the central romance which is fraught with problems and dangers and is handled with maturity and wit. Bella and Edward's relationship is immensely intriguing and is eventually very moving, they make up the beating heart of the story - their interactions are realistic, heart-breaking and heart-warming and as the book continues their love for each other grows more and more poignant (if a little bit dangerous/cruel when applied to the real world) .

The story could feel slow and rickety as the plot takes a fair while to instil itself; even though nothing much happens it is insanely gripping, it's really very exciting as even the most mundane of events seems ominous. Meyer's so perfectly sets the tone from the onset that it seems to zoom by, each moment is kind of lyrical and intimate. It's a novel were the small is as important as the big; and it flits from gentle romance to heart-pounding action in the space of two pages - whilst managing to pull the rug from under you on many occasions. One twist which occurs towards the conclusion is especially surprising; Twilight lulls you into a sense of security only to then hit you with a sharp jolt of horror or romance. Meyer's vivid descriptions of the town of Forks really sets the scene and plays an important role in creating the electric atmosphere of the book - like the characters it is dark, intense yet strangely mesmerising. As secrets are revealed and truths uncovered the 'bulk' of the action really kicks in, the stakes are raised and more is at stake so the pacing goes into hyper drive, with chases, fights and near death experiences galore... This was probably my favourite part of the book; it is truly exciting and follows some avenues that I really wasn't expecting.

The proses sometimes feel more like a blow by blow documentation; every move, every breathe is described, even sometimes to the point of repetition and tedium. The weary descriptions of Bella and Edward's early interactions are pretty slow going (but just cinematic enough to see it working on screen) and there are some moments where the writing seems strangely at odds with the story arch. Twilight has been criticised for portraying a negative image for young girls; Edward and Bella's relationship could be classed as strongly co-dependant and almost abusive, Edward treats Bella however he wants and she regularly relies almost solely on him. She is extremely wrapped up in him and he holds complete power, he has the strength and she is more than willing to hand him the influence. Infact, her personality seems to disappear into his and as her world grows darker and scarier she really loses all of her humour and spark, she is never the empowered party. I do agree to a certain extent that this is a potentially damaging message for young people because it does reinforce messages of male dominance and thus female submission; but it is strongly hidden beneath a magical world that is pretty charming and romantic.

In the end Twilight leaves on a heart warming and pleasant note and the story really gains its focus; love isn't always perfect, it can be messy and hard-work and the world won't always understand the ties that hold people close, but in the end it doesn't matter because sometimes when something is special it doesn't always make sense. Meyer's has truly uncovered something remarkable; she has created some moving and exciting and funny and very engaging - it isn't a perfect novel by any means, but it is a whole other world and one which is a lot of fun to delve into. I highly recommend it.

Summary: A brilliant piece of modern fiction