Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Twilight - A New Book Obsession

Okay, for most people, reality TV is their guilty pleasure. Or maybe they indulge in a martini while wearing $200 shoes or flirt with the bartender just before they go home to their husband. But, I would like to confess to my guilty pleasure -- reading teen fiction.

And, my latest dip into the teen fiction realm has left me breathless. Twilight has been in the limelight a lot lately because of the movie coming out later this year and I was curious about all of the fuss. I wasn't disappointed. It is a romance book for teenage girls, but the writing is powerful...so much more so than the normal seam-ripper you find at the grocery store. The characters are intense. The narrator of the book, and main character, Bella, is real. She isn't perfect. She is insecure and prone to accidents. She is an awkward teenager; someone we can all relate to. And, well, she just happens to fall in love with a vampire.

Edward. The actor who plays this character is guaranteed to have thousands of teenage girls (and their mothers, older sisters, aunts and college friends) swooning and screaming for him. Edward is sexy and erotic (like any other vampire would be in fiction, right?). Any woman would have a crush on this sensitive-hearted monster who abstains from drinking human blood...oh, and having sex.

I am currently reading the third book in this series, Eclipse, so I can catch up and read Breaking Dawn when it comes out on August 2. And, last night I thought about the fact that Bella and Edward never have sex and how that doesn't seem to reduce the steaminess. In fact the tension is sexier by far. It is more upfront than the tension created by a pair of Jane Austen lovers, but the feeling for the reader is almost the same. You love that they have that tension and they don't hold back emotions -- yes, they tend to be dramatic, but it's a book. Why not have drama?

I am hooked on this series and I'm confident others will like the journey into a dreamy world of vampires...and other creatures (so i don't spoil it)...in the green and gray of Washington. I don't think I have been this excited about a vampire and his family since Anne Rice introduced the world to Lestat. Enjoy!

2 comments:

Bethany said...

Go teen vampire romance fiction!

rachelsaysso said...

I'm hesitant to read these because I read The Host, her adult novel, and was bored through most of it. I found myself praying that someone would die. She seriously needs an editor. But I know that eventually I'll come around to Twilight. I'll add you to the very long list of people who have recommended it.