I picked up the book "Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer to check out what teens were reading these days and felt an urgency to do so since this story is due to hit the theaters in a couple of weeks. I expected to start reading it and get bored with it thinking, "Uh, vampires- how good could it possibly be?" However, as soon as I read the preface I could not put it down. Quite literally. I read the nearly 500 page text in two sittings. I began reading this text when I put my son down for a nap and I finished the remainder of the book when he went to bed that evening. If given the chance, I quite possibly could have read this book strait through to the end without stopping.
The book is exciting. There is always a constant possibility for human life to be tampered with or end entirely. However, there is also a supernatural element that gives way to boundless hope. Anything can happen. When you add the supernatural element to any story, it makes the narrative thrilling. Normal rules for dying, being saved from death, and sustaining in existence are thrown out the window. And thus lovers of the supernatural turn each page quickly to see how this well-articulated story might end.
Almost instantly, you fall in love with the main character "Bella.” She is vulnerable and humble. You see her weakness and love her for it... because she is just like all of us.
And if you cannot instantly fall in love with a century old yet perpetually 17 year old who is strong, fast, and a super hero, you were never a 17 year old girl yourself. He is charming, almost celestial, and although Edward is a vampire, he feeds off animals. He desires to be good, pure, and rise above who he is although Bella makes it very hard for him. He adores her, loves her, and saves her life seemingly every other page except being around Bella causes deep turmoil for him. Bella is the very essence of Edward’s desire for blood.
My favorite theme in this text is the message about temptation. Paul's message in Romans 7 that says, "I do not understand the things I do. I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate” seems to jump off every page of "Twilight" (NCV, verse 15).
This book’s plot revolves around the temptation to do the things we hate. There is temptation for Edward to harm Bella. There is temptation for Edward's adopted family (the Cullens who are all vampires, of course) to hurt people. There is a temptation for Bella to loathe herself. However, we also see continuous examples of people mastering their temptations. The Father (Carlisle) controls his temptations and becomes a surgeon. What greater story of overcoming temptation than a vampire who is around blood all day long in order to save the humans he craves?!
It seems the whole story revolves around keeping from doing the things we do not want to do (or the evil that dwells within). And the Cullens, together, are able to master and control the seemingly unquenchable desire to cause human suffering. They are able to keep from letting the temptation master them and instead master it (Romans 7-8). They find a way to shed who they really are to become someone greater than they should naturally be.
Almost as exciting as the theme of overcoming temptation was an element of resisting what you really want to give it up for another. Within the first few pages Bella goes to live with her Father and thus gives up the security of living with her mother in order to allow her mother to live and travel with her new husband. Bella is even willing to give up her own life, in the end, to save another person’s life. She seems to care more about those she loves than preserving herself.
Bella could be the character who most deeply understands the concept of “loving your neighbor” making her perhaps the real hero of the story… even if she is vulnerable, clumsy, and merely a human. One cannot help but wonder how her ability to love so deeply will develop (or if it has potential to develop into her own supernatural quality) in subsequent books.
I found the author, Stephenie Meyer, to not lack in her ability to give details. If you want to know exactly what Edward's house looks like, you can picture it almost in its entirety from her description. If you want to know exactly how Bella feels when Edward treats her like she is diseased, you will feel it for yourself. Details are not lacking in this book.
And one cannot help but be extremely impressed they are able to make it through a book with a permeating romantic element and not read anything about sex. It was doubted to be possible that one could read a romantic story about temptation without a temptation for sex. But since it seems Bella could easily die every time they kiss, perhaps sex may not be much of an issue; at least yet. We will see if this good quality lasts in the next few books.
And although I, obviously, enjoyed this book I am not sure what age I would not recommend one should be to read this book. There is blood involved (and of course, with a lot of detail), romance, and superheroes. So if you are a parent reading this review to see if you should allow your child to read this text, proceed with a little bit of caution. It may not be appropriate for the youngest of eyes.
I already have the second book, "New Moon" in hand. I am hoping to stretch reading this book out a tad more and enjoy it for a little longer. :) Although if this sequel is as good as the first, I have high doubts this is possible.
The book is exciting. There is always a constant possibility for human life to be tampered with or end entirely. However, there is also a supernatural element that gives way to boundless hope. Anything can happen. When you add the supernatural element to any story, it makes the narrative thrilling. Normal rules for dying, being saved from death, and sustaining in existence are thrown out the window. And thus lovers of the supernatural turn each page quickly to see how this well-articulated story might end.
Almost instantly, you fall in love with the main character "Bella.” She is vulnerable and humble. You see her weakness and love her for it... because she is just like all of us.
And if you cannot instantly fall in love with a century old yet perpetually 17 year old who is strong, fast, and a super hero, you were never a 17 year old girl yourself. He is charming, almost celestial, and although Edward is a vampire, he feeds off animals. He desires to be good, pure, and rise above who he is although Bella makes it very hard for him. He adores her, loves her, and saves her life seemingly every other page except being around Bella causes deep turmoil for him. Bella is the very essence of Edward’s desire for blood.
My favorite theme in this text is the message about temptation. Paul's message in Romans 7 that says, "I do not understand the things I do. I do not do what I want to do, and I do the things I hate” seems to jump off every page of "Twilight" (NCV, verse 15).
This book’s plot revolves around the temptation to do the things we hate. There is temptation for Edward to harm Bella. There is temptation for Edward's adopted family (the Cullens who are all vampires, of course) to hurt people. There is a temptation for Bella to loathe herself. However, we also see continuous examples of people mastering their temptations. The Father (Carlisle) controls his temptations and becomes a surgeon. What greater story of overcoming temptation than a vampire who is around blood all day long in order to save the humans he craves?!
It seems the whole story revolves around keeping from doing the things we do not want to do (or the evil that dwells within). And the Cullens, together, are able to master and control the seemingly unquenchable desire to cause human suffering. They are able to keep from letting the temptation master them and instead master it (Romans 7-8). They find a way to shed who they really are to become someone greater than they should naturally be.
Almost as exciting as the theme of overcoming temptation was an element of resisting what you really want to give it up for another. Within the first few pages Bella goes to live with her Father and thus gives up the security of living with her mother in order to allow her mother to live and travel with her new husband. Bella is even willing to give up her own life, in the end, to save another person’s life. She seems to care more about those she loves than preserving herself.
Bella could be the character who most deeply understands the concept of “loving your neighbor” making her perhaps the real hero of the story… even if she is vulnerable, clumsy, and merely a human. One cannot help but wonder how her ability to love so deeply will develop (or if it has potential to develop into her own supernatural quality) in subsequent books.
I found the author, Stephenie Meyer, to not lack in her ability to give details. If you want to know exactly what Edward's house looks like, you can picture it almost in its entirety from her description. If you want to know exactly how Bella feels when Edward treats her like she is diseased, you will feel it for yourself. Details are not lacking in this book.
And one cannot help but be extremely impressed they are able to make it through a book with a permeating romantic element and not read anything about sex. It was doubted to be possible that one could read a romantic story about temptation without a temptation for sex. But since it seems Bella could easily die every time they kiss, perhaps sex may not be much of an issue; at least yet. We will see if this good quality lasts in the next few books.
And although I, obviously, enjoyed this book I am not sure what age I would not recommend one should be to read this book. There is blood involved (and of course, with a lot of detail), romance, and superheroes. So if you are a parent reading this review to see if you should allow your child to read this text, proceed with a little bit of caution. It may not be appropriate for the youngest of eyes.
I already have the second book, "New Moon" in hand. I am hoping to stretch reading this book out a tad more and enjoy it for a little longer. :) Although if this sequel is as good as the first, I have high doubts this is possible.
1 comment:
I would add... after processing the book several months later, viewing the film, and reading the rest of the series (um, twice), I think she draws an analogy between the vamp's temptation for blood and sex.
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