Twilight...
Anyone reading the Twilight Saga? Guess I'll have to get started, as so many of my students will know the series well. My daughter (a sophomore in college) read the whole series this summer. Her brother and his friends (juniors in HS, and notably, BOYS) call the series "Vampire Smut."
I got a kick out of the review in The Week Magazine:
"Summer crush: Is a teen vampire the new Potter?
Teenage girls and like-minded women have turned a series of vampire novels into the biggest thing in publishing since Harry Potter, said Carol Memmott in USA Today. At midnight last Friday, 1,500 bookstores around the country hosted parties to celebrate the release of Stephenie Meyer’s 754-page Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final book in the “Twilight” vampire romance series that the 34-year-old mother of three quietly launched three years ago. First-day sales of the new book didn’t quite approach Potter numbers: The seventh book about the boy wizard sold a U.S. record 8.3 million copies in 24 hours last summer. But Breaking Dawn reportedly moved an impressive 1.3 million copies on Aug. 2 alone—and the first movie based on the series isn’t due until late this year.
The series has an undeserved reputation for being unusually tame, said Lev Grossman in Time. Its protagonist is Bella Swann, a shy high school newcomer who falls hard for Edward, a 'ridiculously good-looking' classmate who happens to be a vampire. Meyer’s twist on the old vampire myth is that Edward and his family 'have renounced human blood on moral grounds.' So while Edward yearns for Bella, he insists on not taking their romance beyond kissing and hand-holding. The series thus becomes a study in 'the erotics of abstinence,' its considerable tension arising 'from prolonged, superhuman acts of self-restraint.' Under the squeaky-clean surface of the romance burns a sexual ardor that’s 'absolutely, deliciously filthy.' And good-girl teenagers can’t seem to get enough of it.
Young readers aren’t the only ones turned on by the heat between Bella and Edward, said Laura Miller in Salon.com. Some of the series’ fiercest devotees are 'grown women, many with families of their own.' There are apparently countless moms out there who have never gotten over the hierarchies of high school, or the “shy girl’s dream” that some gorgeous boy from the cool clique will find her average-ness irresistible. It’s a fantasy that’s as 'nonsensical as its masculine counterpart, pornography, and every bit as habit-forming.' The Twilight phenomenon just proves that a wooden stake to the heart may be needed if it’s ever going to be put to rest."
Don't know what to make of the comment about "the masculine counterpart..." but did get to hear some good discussions between my daughter and the guys around her. You should have heard the chanting and jibing about the review saying the series is "absolutely deliciously filthy." My daughter agrees, and warns me that I'd better catch up because the young girls are reading it too, and may wish to have some discussions. Whew... good to be warned!
I got a kick out of the review in The Week Magazine:
"Summer crush: Is a teen vampire the new Potter?
Teenage girls and like-minded women have turned a series of vampire novels into the biggest thing in publishing since Harry Potter, said Carol Memmott in USA Today. At midnight last Friday, 1,500 bookstores around the country hosted parties to celebrate the release of Stephenie Meyer’s 754-page Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final book in the “Twilight” vampire romance series that the 34-year-old mother of three quietly launched three years ago. First-day sales of the new book didn’t quite approach Potter numbers: The seventh book about the boy wizard sold a U.S. record 8.3 million copies in 24 hours last summer. But Breaking Dawn reportedly moved an impressive 1.3 million copies on Aug. 2 alone—and the first movie based on the series isn’t due until late this year.
The series has an undeserved reputation for being unusually tame, said Lev Grossman in Time. Its protagonist is Bella Swann, a shy high school newcomer who falls hard for Edward, a 'ridiculously good-looking' classmate who happens to be a vampire. Meyer’s twist on the old vampire myth is that Edward and his family 'have renounced human blood on moral grounds.' So while Edward yearns for Bella, he insists on not taking their romance beyond kissing and hand-holding. The series thus becomes a study in 'the erotics of abstinence,' its considerable tension arising 'from prolonged, superhuman acts of self-restraint.' Under the squeaky-clean surface of the romance burns a sexual ardor that’s 'absolutely, deliciously filthy.' And good-girl teenagers can’t seem to get enough of it.
Young readers aren’t the only ones turned on by the heat between Bella and Edward, said Laura Miller in Salon.com. Some of the series’ fiercest devotees are 'grown women, many with families of their own.' There are apparently countless moms out there who have never gotten over the hierarchies of high school, or the “shy girl’s dream” that some gorgeous boy from the cool clique will find her average-ness irresistible. It’s a fantasy that’s as 'nonsensical as its masculine counterpart, pornography, and every bit as habit-forming.' The Twilight phenomenon just proves that a wooden stake to the heart may be needed if it’s ever going to be put to rest."
Don't know what to make of the comment about "the masculine counterpart..." but did get to hear some good discussions between my daughter and the guys around her. You should have heard the chanting and jibing about the review saying the series is "absolutely deliciously filthy." My daughter agrees, and warns me that I'd better catch up because the young girls are reading it too, and may wish to have some discussions. Whew... good to be warned!
Tags: meyer, twilight, young+adult+literature
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Tracy D on -
I know you posted this quite a while ago, but I'm just now seeing it, so sorry for a delayed response. I have only read the first book of the Twilight series, and I really enjoyed it. I don't think I would go as far as to compare it to Harry Potter, but then again I am a true Harry Potter geek, so I may be a little bias. :) I do think the Twilight story line is compelling. I agree with the article, I do think there is a part of us girls that secretly wishes we were Bella. I know I did when I was reading. I don't know if I would quite consider it to be the "masculine counterpart"...that comment literally made me laugh out loud. I think it's a fun read, and definitely deserving of a glance (if you already haven't...I know this was posted 3 or 4 months ago by now).
I bought the second installment, New Moon, months ago but I haven't had the time this semester to read it with Teacher Assisting and whatnot. I am very eager to see how the rest of the series unfolds. I think I may finally get around to it over Christmas Break.
As for the movie... I think this is one I may avoid. From what I've seen of the trailers it looks like I would be disappointed.
About
Fireside Council
Questions, problems, comments? Here is the "Fireside Council" of folks who help Connie with the administration of this site: Anna, Ian, Mike, and Or-Tal. Click on their names to visit their Profile Pages and leave comments for them with your inquiries and ideas! Meanwhile, if you have technical questions or suggestions, Laura will be glad to help.
Roll The Dice
Roll the dice... and visit a random Fireside member production online!
Roll The Dice
Roll the dice... and visit a random Fireside member production online!
(It's easy to make your own Delicious dice if you want!)
Delicious Firesidelearning
© 2009 Created by Connie Weber on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
