Y&R Discussion Group -- Has anyone here read the 'Twilight' books?

Y&R Discussion Group

Topic: Has anyone here read the 'Twilight' books?

Topic Posted by: Sierra
Date Posted: Thu Nov 20 13:07:40 2008
Additional Comments: This movie coming out sounds really good; I have heard of this series but did not pay much attention as I thought it was geared for teenagers and then I remembered how much I loved the Harry Potter series. I want to see this movie, but was wondering if anyone here has read any of the books and would they recommend them?

Posted by: OLDTIMER
Date posted: Fri Nov 21 2:29:21 2008
Message:
I listened to all 4 books on audio [CD] and enjoyed them for the most part. The first was a little hard to get into but I persisted and eventually did come to enjoy the story. I like the fact the author Stephanie Meyers created her own kind of Vampires. She said she knew nothing about the Vampires of legend. I seem to remember something about this starting with a dream???? However it started she has a very creative mind and did pretty good for her first attempt at writing. She's not a literary genuis by any stretch of the imagination but she knows how to spin a yarn. An entertaining read. IMO

Posted by: Brenda J
Date posted: Fri Nov 21 1:36:27 2008
Message:
My 13 year old daughter has read all of them. She loves them and they are the rage here. She's in the 8th grade, and I have heard that is who the books are geared for.

Posted by: cook
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 20:16:41 2008
Message:
I just started chapter 2. It is the selection of one of my book clubs.

Posted by: dbrv
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 19:32:32 2008
Message:

I've read the first three books. I like the series overall, but they can be a little challenging because Meyer does tend to spend a little too much time on mundane details. Her dialogue is kind of clunky (the characters sometimes sound like they are interviewing each other). So if you're looking for elegant prose, you won't find it in these books.

However, when the stories finally get going, they are really imaginative and exciting. I found some of the scenes truly memorable and am looking forward to seeing them dramatized in the movie.

Although they are categorized as YA novels, I would say they are novels that just happen to have young adults as main characters.

Posted by: Kalia
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 16:06:03 2008
Message:

My 13 year old LOVED the series and read it twice. She is going over the books again and of course seeing the movie with about 5 other kids tomorrow night. I even think her school is going as a huge group!

I haven't read them, but my cousin (who is a middle school teacher) has read them and can't wait for the movie either. In fact, everyone I know who has read the series absolutely adores them.

I think its going to be even bigger than the Harry Potter series here in the US. Not sure about anywhere else. People of all ages are enthralled!! Wish I would have come up with the idea!!

Posted by: Peridot
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 15:45:02 2008
Message:

I've read all the Twilight books and enjoyed them. The first one I just sort of happened upon as I was browsing the YA section of the library. I had no idea until some time after I'd finished it that the book was part of a series and that it was such a hit among teens. I've always enjoyed vampire stories and this one presents a different take on the vampire legend. The Cullens consider themselves a family rather than a coven and are committed to consuming animal blood rather than killing humans ("vegetarian" vampires, if you will). The love story is cute and I found all the teen characters more or less appealing. My main criticism of the last couple of books is that they are overlong. The characters tend to ramble and maybe the author feels that, if we've followed them this far we're probably pretty attached and won't mind.

I will probably rent the movie at some point but I already know from the trailer that Bella and Edward will be much different than I pictured them in the books. I remember the actor, who played Cedric in one of the Harry Potter films, so good for him for snagging this part.

Posted by: Cindy G
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 15:05:33 2008
Message:
I think these books are even more popular than the Harry Potter ones. My 12 year old daughter and 16 and 20 year old sons are all reading the first book. I got a great deal from Barnes and Noble online for a hardback set. Right now all 3 of them are trying to read the first book. It is like a race between my boys to see who gets the first one read first. I am glad they are ahead of my daughter with the book, because in school they say she is at a 5th grade reading level but she is in 7th grade. If she does not understand something, they can explain it to her.

I am even thinking about reading them. I love romance novels, but I have never been interested in vampires. I am taking my daughter to see the movie Saturday. I just hope it is close to the book. It may make it even easier for her to understand. It seems like every single one of her friends is reading it also.

Posted by: Editrix
Date posted: Thu Nov 20 13:45:44 2008
Message:
I read the first book and didn't like it. Somebody told me that the series gets better, so I tried the second book--and I liked that one even less! LOL

I didn't care for the Harry Potter books, either, but I can see their merit. (They just weren't my cup of tea, subject-wise.) These Twilight books are poorly written, and the main character is pathetic. I think the book conveys some questionable messages about what it means to be a teenage girl and what it means to be in love.

However, everybody else seems to love them! I have friends my age (35) who think they're the most romantic and interesting books ever, so I'm certainly in the minority. If you think you may like them, give them a shot!