Review by John Hileman
Deuteronomy 12:23 “Only be sure that thou eat not the blood: for the blood is the life; and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh.”
People are weird, and they think weird things. Not you. I'm talking about them. You know, those people, the kind of people who can read a book they outright reject as truth, and find their own truth in it. Centuries ago someone probably read this passage from the Bible, or a passage like it, and decided to extrapolate that a “life force” exists in blood, and God (being mean like He is) didn't want us to have this awesome “life force” stuff. And the notion of vampires was born. It was a weird thought then, and it's a weird thought now—made even weirder by the hundreds of books and movies glamorizing the idea that humans can live forever, beautiful and with superpowers, and never have to stand before the judgment throne of God if they just partake of this special blood that has the “life force” in it.
Here is another weird thought: Twilight is a vampire book, and therefore, “of the devil.” Most of my dear brothers and sisters who have made this statement have never read the book. I would agree with them if this were an ordinary vampire book. God tells us to set our minds on things that are pure, true and lovely. Dark figures flying through the night, sucking blood out of human victims is hardly pure and lovely. Not to mention the fact that a story about vampires desensitizes readers to an important Biblical truth: don't drink blood. But Twilight is not your typical vampire story. It is the story of a young man named Edward who was bitten by a vampire many years ago yet chooses not to give in to the evil that now courses through his veins. Instead of following the blood lust like other vampires—hunting humans as prey—Edward chooses to do the best he can with the hand he has been dealt: he hunts animals rather than people.As the story unfolded for me, I found myself liking Edward more and more. Instead of giving in and saying, “This is just how I am,” he chose the harder path of moral integrity and restraint. We could all learn a thing from Edward. In a culture of, “Do what feels good,” and “Do what you think is right,” we need more heroes like Edward. We all have a monster just under the skin, but we don't have to obey it. Edward reminds us that we can resist our base nature and choose something higher.
When all is said and done, Twilight is the story of an immature teen girl, her vampire sweetheart, and a werewolf who wishes he had the girl. But I think readers will get much more from this book. It is a clean, solid story with thought provoking allegories on sin and eternal life. If you can get by the fact that Edward drinks the blood of animals, there is a rich love story here, unlike anything you've ever read.
I only recommend Twilight. I have not read the other books by Stephanie Meyer. Please leave a comment below, and let me know what you think of Twilight the book, the movie, the series, and other books by Stephanie Meyer.
Click on the cover of Twilight to read more about it at Amazon.
3 comments:
Thank you for the fair review. I love that you read it before you judged it as unfit or unlovely. This is admirable, and I wish people did that more with books - especially the wildly popular ones.
I found Twilight series to be really tame, and I read a lot of young adult literature,so I have something to compare it to. There is redeeming characteristics, and like you, I saw the whole restraint of Edward as a good character quality. Vampires are not real. They are fictional characters that we can either admire or dislike - and in this case there is much in those vegetarian vampires to like.
The other books in the series really complete the "story," and I wouldn't want to miss those. (That is if one has the freedom to read them). I could have done with less of the love triangle, but I suppose a good story has one of those from time to time. The Fourth book is my favorite and I will tell you that how Stephanie Myers treated the honeymoon scene gave me a great respect for her. Don't let the movie, which cheapened it as far as I was concerned, make you think badly of her. In her version it is was cut to black. Classy, Stephanie Meyers; very classy.
I like her science fiction option, The Host, better. She matured as a writer but it deals with more mature themes. It is not considered Young Adult, btw. Then again, I like science fiction so you have to take that into consideration.
One other thing about the series -Meyers pattern all four of her books after classics. The first is Pride and Prejudice, second, Romeo and Juliet, third, Wuthering Heights, and the fourth after two books, but to tell you would give away the ending. ;) She also wrote these books with her kids on her knees; now that I greatly admire.
The series isn't pristine and perfect but neither is life. All along, I would have loved to see parents reading this series with their young adults. There is much to discuss! I agree that there is much "thought provoking allegory on sin and eternal life." I loved how Edward was concerned about her eternal soul. There is more, and I could talk about it for a long time - but how long is this comment section anyway? ;)
When my husband and I read the series we had some great discussions. He still hasn't read Pride and Prejudice, though. Snort. :)
Thank you for the review. I had been wondering what to think of it. My son recently started to read the series. He likes it and it is good to know that there is a lot to recommend the book. I plan to read it also so I have something to contribute to conversation with him.
After remembering the last books in the series I just wanted to register one small caveat: The last book Breaking Dawn is more mature in subject matter than the rest, and does have a few things that might cause problems for certain readers.
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