neh
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"I live in two worlds; one is a world of books"
Posts: 943
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Post by neh on Aug 23, 2008 19:39:51 GMT -5
*pops out of hidey hole fo a sec* I have nothing against them having sex as an idea - although yes, in my mind the logistics and details of it defy practically every rule Meyer had previously set for herslef in terms of vamp law - but i too found it odd.... almost irresponsible?!... that Ed and Bella were just so dam eager to head on home and sex it up whever the baby was sleeping. Horny little buggers!!!
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jobean
First novel published
Posts: 2,479
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Post by jobean on Aug 24, 2008 1:54:29 GMT -5
lol reading all your comments is making me smile! A week and a half ago I started reading the Twilight series from the beginning, and just finished Breaking Dawn and I agree that it is just pure entertainment. It's not offering any commentary in my opinion. And I agree with what someone said earlier, that it's Meyer's story and this was how she wanted it. I thought Breaking Dawn was a little anti-climactic though. I was really hoping for a fight scene and the end of Jane The name Renesmee Carlie was a little cliche, but not as bad as JK Rowling's Albus Severus Potter in my opinion. I thought that was just laaaaaaaame. Also, I found Jacob imprinting on Renesmee was hilarious!! (I should add that by the end of Eclipse I was really torn between Jacob and Edward. I would have been happy if Bella ended up with either) The sex stuff or the birthing scene didn't really phase me much! hahah it could have been a whole lot worse.
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zeldafitzgerald
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
ancora imparo
Posts: 1,948
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Post by zeldafitzgerald on Aug 28, 2008 7:26:22 GMT -5
I had a similar reading experience as Dom and Jobean - I read all four books in the series this month, and I just finished Breaking Dawn last night. I had absolutely no expectations about any of them, and read for the interesting plot and characters. Bella did annoy me sometimes, but not too much. I find her very unrealistic - I don't see how she can face her own death time after time without feeling afraid. I understand that she feels she is sacrificing herself for her loved ones, but come on - she was not nearly as terrified as most people, especially teenagers, would be! That's what I found the most unrealistic. My favorite character is Jacob, I love him and I was so happy he imprinted with Nessie! I thought that was hilarious, and about the only thing I could be satisfied with besides him being with Bella himself. For a while I was really worried that he would imprint with Leah, which I would not have liked. I don't know why she spent so much time developing Leah's character and then didn't really do anything with it. I like Edward too, I wish he had a larger role in the book. I think Midnight Sun could be really interesting. I can see the point of the complaints about the message the series sends to teenagers, but I don't really agree, or worry about it. I was reading this series for me only, and I'm past the age of being too influenced by it. It was an excellent guilty pleasure - the plot is excellent and I loved reading all of the books. I don't think this would have influenced me at all if I had read it as a teenager. Maybe because I read so much, but I always lived my own life and what happened in the books I enjoyed was entertainment - the same with certain movies and TV shows that might have been a bit mature for me. And hey - it's got to be a better message than most of the other Teen series books that are popular right now - Gossip Girl, The Clique Series, It Girl, etc. At least Bella isn't concerned with being popular, having the right clothes, and stabbing friends in the back. One thing I find hilarious is the competition between Twilight Fans and Harry Potter fans. (Maybe it's not really between them so much as just Twilight fans being snarky and HP fans not really noticing or caring.) I'm not talking about anyone here, I think most of us have read and enjoyed both series. But there's a whole "movement" out there of Twilight fans being competitive against the Harry Potter books! It's hilarious. They are so different, and most importantly - it's not a contest! They both can exist and be enjoyed, thank goodness. Twilight fans got an ego trip when the Harry Potter movie was delayed and Twilight took its spot. I see it happening some places online (most noticeably on the Pieces of Flair facebook app ), but people act really snobby about the Twilight series and how it's "better" than Harry Potter. Suddenly, it's wizards against vampires! It makes me laugh because Harry Potter is on a whole separate level. To me, it's 100 times better, 100 times better written, and 100 times more developed and intricate. It's funny that they get so defensive of the Twilight Saga as if it were the end all be all of series and all others must be insulted. Do not mess with teen girls! That reminds me of one last comment I wanted to make - I didn't really have a problem with the plot or message, but I wasn't that impressed with Stephenie Meyer's writing. Maybe she just needed a better editor, but there were some descriptions that literally made me groan. And thanks to this series, I now absolutely cannot stand the word "chuckled." If I encounter another character that chuckles, I may throw the book in exasperation.
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Post by greengirlpenguin on Aug 28, 2008 18:29:01 GMT -5
i think zelda is right about the whole message thing. I am just a teenager myself and I didn't feel that Meyer was giving me any messages. I have read worst books then that, and i know what to do and what not to do. I feel the Twilight saga wasn't sending messages to the teenagers reading, Meyer could have, but she didn't. I think zelda is right that these book are more like guilty pleasures then anything that you should base your life on. Every person has a right to complain, don't get me wrong, but I feel that when people keep saying Twilight is sending a wrong message to teen, I think they don't really know what is going threw that teens head.
I feel that Twilight is just a fun series, and I actually have to thank Meyer for all the books because she really turned me on to reading. I feel that some of the things she did where bad ideas, but some where unforgetable.
I too thought the name Renesmee was a strange name for a kid, i kno i wouldn't want it, but I thought it was great when Jacob imprinted on her. So i think that this book was bittersweet for most people, myself included. But hey what's done is done. And look at it this was, Meyer gave us something to talk about!
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Post by whitegold on Nov 9, 2008 9:52:50 GMT -5
I thought Breaking Dawn was good. Definitely not the best in the series. My only complaint, being as this series is read a lot by young teens, the sex was a little overwhelming. Bella was so persistent about it, couldn't live without it. Then once they started (aside from the time she got pregnant to when she gave birth) sex was all they did..well, until the Volturi decided to pay a visit. I think she could have focused on other things. Im not saying that all young readers will go out and start having sex because Bella did, but there are a few that are easily impressionable..
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 9, 2008 15:17:59 GMT -5
I finished this book in mid-October and now I'm posting to say that I loved the book. Perhaps it was because I was expecting bad things because so many people were not liking it--my attitude about it helped me to like it even more since I expected it to be bad. Personally I think it was much better than Deathly Hallows as an ending to a great series.
To address the point that whitegold made about the sex, I was pleased with the way Meyers approached it. So many other YA books would go into more details about the sex that would make it seem like a romance novel, but Meyers--while having sex happen many times--didn't get too graphic. I don't mind reading it graphic or not, but for the target audience I thought that was more appropriate than other YA books I've read.
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Kristie
Novel turned into BBC miniseries
"If a book is well written, I always find it too short."
Posts: 7,214
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Post by Kristie on Nov 9, 2008 15:21:50 GMT -5
One thing I find hilarious is the competition between Twilight Fans and Harry Potter fans. (Maybe it's not really between them so much as just Twilight fans being snarky and HP fans not really noticing or caring.) I'm not talking about anyone here, I think most of us have read and enjoyed both series. But there's a whole "movement" out there of Twilight fans being competitive against the Harry Potter books! It's hilarious. They are so different, and most importantly - it's not a contest! They both can exist and be enjoyed, thank goodness. Twilight fans got an ego trip when the Harry Potter movie was delayed and Twilight took its spot. I see it happening some places online (most noticeably on the Pieces of Flair facebook app ), but people act really snobby about the Twilight series and how it's "better" than Harry Potter. Suddenly, it's wizards against vampires! It makes me laugh because Harry Potter is on a whole separate level. To me, it's 100 times better, 100 times better written, and 100 times more developed and intricate. It's funny that they get so defensive of the Twilight Saga as if it were the end all be all of series and all others must be insulted. Do not mess with teen girls! Haha, I have compared the last 2 books in these series and decided I like Breaking Dawn much more than Deathly Hallows. I didn't really like Deathly Hallows to begin with though lol
I have to admit, if I was forced to choose, I would pick the Twilight series. But I still love Harry Potter too!
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sagedautumn
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
You Might Need This!
Posts: 1,509
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Post by sagedautumn on Nov 15, 2008 12:05:19 GMT -5
I think Harry Potter has had a greater effect than Twilight will ever have. I don't think you could really compare the two series...
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Halie
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
Posts: 982
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Post by Halie on Nov 15, 2008 17:00:47 GMT -5
I think Harry Potter has had a greater effect than Twilight will ever have. I don't think you could really compare the two series... I agree (I carma'd you for that . The Harry Potters are so dynamic and reveal so much about man and society. They're riveting to read and I love that they're made up so many different layers, and that they're interesting while still having literary worth. Twilight's cute, but I can't forgive bad writing. Rowling finds a way to make the reader believe that Harry's world is alive and altogether possible, but Meyers doesn't do that. Also, with the exception of Jacob, her characters are either good or evil. Rowling's are both good and evil.
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sagedautumn
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
You Might Need This!
Posts: 1,509
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Post by sagedautumn on Nov 15, 2008 17:19:23 GMT -5
Here Here! I always enjoyed the many layers of Rowling's characters as well as her plots. One meaningless center in a previous book would play such a pivotal role in a consequent book. It was ridiculous how she was able to manage the wizarding world. Also, I have to give props to Rowling for creating such a dynamic fictional role in the first place. She had everything figured out, even the currency!!! Meyer's books were generally in the present day and those concepts that were "otherworldly" she didn't completely commit to in the 4th book. Like the whole vampires can't reproduce thing...
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rorybooks
First poem written for Mother’s Day
Posts: 49
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Post by rorybooks on Nov 17, 2008 20:10:44 GMT -5
i just started it ..lol
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sagedautumn
Collection of short stories bought by Random House
You Might Need This!
Posts: 1,509
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Post by sagedautumn on Nov 18, 2008 16:39:33 GMT -5
HAHA!!! I want to read the 7th book again so I will be all ready for The Tales of Beedle and the Bard!
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neh
Collection of short stories published by an independent editor
"I live in two worlds; one is a world of books"
Posts: 943
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Post by neh on Nov 19, 2008 5:24:49 GMT -5
I agree that the competiton (when and where it exists) between Twilighters and Potterheads really is foolish and unjustified. It's nice when you can see those who can appreciate each series on it's own merits and not immediately bring up baseless attempts at comparissons. To be fair, i think the media is also partly to blame, because dam it, every year in which a HP film isnt released but another type of fantasy flick comes out, it is automatically dubbed "this year's Harry potter" - or "set to be bigger than Harry Potter" etc. etc. For jeepers sake peoples, HP has undoubtedly set a standard for the genre but linking every other work back to it - there's no need! Plus it tends to make fans on either side (or both) a little snarky! Let the work stand on it's own feet. To go back to BD - and don't worry, for once i'm not bitching! - Summit Films have acquired the filming rights to all 3 remaining Twi books. The big issue that many are wondering is a. will BD be split in two, as with Deathly Hallows b. how on earth will the birth scene be put to film? c. how on earth will Reneesme be cast?! Don't know if this was alreayd posted (mabye i even posted it, i'm so senile!) but here's Meyer's FAQ on BD: www.stepheniemeyer.com/bd_faq.html
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Isa
Administrator
Posts: 6,995
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Post by Isa on May 17, 2009 8:15:54 GMT -5
OK, so I just finished Breaking Dawn and I really enjoyed it. Like many of you I had no expectations whatsoever - I really like the Twilight series, but Stephenie Meyer is not the greatest author. The books are entertaining but stylistically there are some major flaws so I've always taken the books for what they are: sheer pleasure and entertainment.
I've never, ever seen Bella as a role model, nor do I understand why she should have to be one. I think she's written out to be a very average teenager, and I don't think we're meant to look up to her but rather relate to her. I thought it was funny to see how she was adjusting to not being "average" anymore once she turned into a vampire!
I was really happy about the Jacob/Nessie twist because the Bella/ Edward/ Jacob love triangle bothered me from the start. I never could understand how Bella could fall so deep for Edward and then develop feelings that were more than friendship towards Jacob. That's why I didn't like New Moon, and part of Eclipse. But some of my favorite scenes in the series are when Edward and Jacob have to interact, that's always so funny and I laughed out loud quite a few times when reading Breaking Dawn. Oh and I hate the name Renesmee too, I much prefer Nessie or Carlie, her second name.
The sex thing didn't really bother me as we'd been told early on that it was part of the vampire's character, especially in the beginning. I agree that Meyer handled those scenes really well, with just the right amount of details. And if you *really* want to read something into the Twilight series, I guess there's a healthy message for you: hold on to your virginity and your sex life after marriage will be wild!
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