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| Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Category: Book
List Price: $10.99
Buy New: $5.00
You Save: $5.99 (55%)
New (65) Used (54) Collectible (1) from $5.00
Avg. Customer Rating:  2058 reviews
Sales Rank: 3
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 544
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.7
ISBN: 0316015849
EAN: 9780316015844
ASIN: 0316015849
Publication Date: September 6, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: **brand new, no NY, HI or AK**
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| Customer Reviews:
 I Loved It, Here's Why You May Not... August 20, 2008
This book is not a lot of things: linguistically complex, rich in description, full of well-developed characters. Lovers of vampire lore will find that it is not particularly dark or detailed - Meyer seems more interested in the way being a vampire might affect your relationships than any other aspect of the myth. On the other hand, it's very fun to read.
This book might not meet any definition of masterpiece: it would be fair to call the narrative simplistic and the style is meant for teenagers, and it's meant to entertain, not to challenge. The plot is not hard to follow or hard to predict. The characters are fairly one-dimensional, especially the minor characters such as the mother and father and the "ordinary" friends at school.
And yet, this is one of the literary confections I have most enjoyed in recent years. The metaphor for teenage love is apt: what teenager has not fallen recklessly for someone who clearly might hurt her? What teenager doesn't seem, at times, ravenous for destruction and a risk to himself and those he loves the most? As metaphors for different kinds of transformation, vampires and werewolves are very powerful.
It's light reading, to be sure, five hundred pages of Meyer's book fly by faster than fifty of a Jane Austen novel I recently read. More story could have been condensed into the pages, but to what end? I enjoyed how she lingered indulgently on moments that are meant to be satisfying and titillating.
Is this about inspiring young women? Does it need to be? The protagonist of this book is caught up in the events around her: rather than seeking adventure, she finds she has attracted it. She rises to the occasion in a believable way for a teenager, but she's not meant to be exceptionally gifted. She's good at biology and she's a loner, but she's not a hero figure. Her talent if any, is balancing two realities - something many children from divorced families know how to do well.
And that should be enough. There is something very pleasurable about the idea that you might be whisked away from ordinary life by coincidence or destiny. Having a heroine who is outspoken or remarkable shouldn't be a requirement for young adult reading. Some characters get to stumble into great lives, just like in adult fiction.
The character of Edward is more extraordinary and more noteworthy both - and for good reason - the revelation of his existence and the unraveling of his mystery are the real drivers of the plot. Full of self-restraint, he harkens back to characters in 19th-century novels. He is in control and represents the ideal of a man who can act for selfless reasons even while racked with selfish desires.
Is this an exaggeration? Of course. But it's a brilliant insight into a teenage (and adult) fantasy: to have a lover both young (seventeen) and mature (he's been alive for a lot longer); someone who is passionately in love with you and yet must express himself in the quaintest, most innocent ways. It may be ground well-covered, but it's ground that has been well-covered for a reason: it's a very appealing fantasy. Meyer picked an excellent and evocative premise when she chose the idea of a teenage vampire in love with a human girl, and she deserves credit for making the most of that premise.
With all this having been said, I feel obligated to note, I am a reader of romance novels and a lover of romantic comedies who enjoys stories that strike an emotional nerve and fulfill a fanstasy even if they do so at expense of realism, artistic vision, or meaningful depth. I know that it matters more, in some cases, how well a story meets my expectations for it than how well it is written. Great prose can also disappoint you with an usatisfying ending and still be worth reading. Really masterful prose can lack a beginning or ending and still be worth reading. But sometimes as readers, we'll trade a certain amount of quality for a happy ending.
As a fulfillment of a fantasy of being considered mysterious by someone mysterious, being drawn into a world that is unique and apart from the banal, being singled out as special - this book is magnificent.
Chill out and dream a little! Good book for people who LOVE details! August 20, 2008
When I first heard of the book Twilight, I read the plot and found myself not as interested so I let it go. Before long, I heard the movie was coming out and I knew I had to get myself to read the book before seeing the movie, knowing I would end up watching it.
So when my book finally came in the mail, it took me awhile to actually sit down and get myself to read it knowing that I mostly knew the outline of the story because it was a bit obvious with the movie coming out and all.
When I started it went pretty good, I read a few chapters without stopping and I was able to put the book down. When I decided I wanted to start again, I couldn't stop reading it.
I had to know what was going through Bella's mind as she fell in love with the vampire, Edward. I could imagine what they look looked like, every scene, and every detail. I loved how detail oriented she was, like myself I can't help, but explain every detail because it only added to the importance of the story! I was so intrigued with every word and scene, I found it very hard to put down the book, but I had to sleep being in college summer school and all, plus work! I was already half way through the book and decided to buy New Moon the second book to the saga, hoping it would come before i finished.
Then it hit me when I continued to read, I was going to finish this book today, in a short few hours. I wanted to stop so I would be able to continue with New Moon, but knowing myself, once intrigued by a book, there was NO stopping and that was exactly what happened, I couldn't believe it, I finished it all in approximately a day, a new recored for such a big book. I was upset, I had to wait for my next book to be shipped, so I canceled my book and got the ebook (reading it this way was hard because its not as easy to lounge around with a laptop on your lap and according to my friends it was harder for them to concentrate looking at a bright screen, but I was fine and brave through it) and I also found myself not being able to stop and I had to get Eclipse (3rd book) and Breaking Dawn (4th book) ebook style.
So in other words, I LOVED all four books, some a little less, but nonetheless extremely satisfied with Stephenie Meyer and her imagination. I was an immediate fan for LIFE for Bella and Edward! Also I could understand why some people found the last book disappointing because they had to wait and anticipated and assume what would happen, but because I read all 4 in four days ( I know, I'm crazy =]) I knew exactly where she was going at and know finding myself wanting to re-read every book, but maybe the old fashion way, on paper!
For people who felt she was giving young girls a wrong impression, I got none and I'm 20 years old, I knew this was fantasy and imagined myself within that fantasy and not relating to the real world about the ideas, except I wouldn't mine finding myself a vampire like Edward, but we all know this isn't true and just for fun. So live a little and just let yourself get lost in this world. (well try not to be like me, I'm sure it's not healthy to read all 4 books in short periods of time since they are long!) I never write book reviews, and I found it within myself, that I MUST back up Stephenie Meyer and all her fans, and I'm glad I did. Hate all you want (bad reviewers, 1 star? come on!), but I am utterly in LOVE with this WHOLE saga and world!
 Fell for the Fuss August 19, 2008
All the fuss over this book was really making me curious to read it for myself. Romance is not my thing, but my curiosity wouldn't let me ignore the buzz. Killing some time as I was waiting to be seated at Olive Garden, I walked to a Borders Books in the same shopping center. In front of the store was a table dedicated to Twilight and the sequels. I gave in to my curiosity and decided to buy it. As I waited in the car for the restaurants pager to go off I started reading. Turned out my pager was dead so I got about 100 pages in. I guess I read close to another 50 later on that night. At this point I was totally baffled why this book was so successful. My journal entry for that day read "She is far from being the best writer in the world as some people are claiming. The whole premise is kind of silly. I'm not sure how much longer the book can go on before it is ridiculous."
Having just finished the book I agree with myself. The book is very cliche and predictable. Bella's name should be Mary Sue. I definitely feel the authors self insertion. Why doesn't Bella have any aspirations or dreams for her future? She acts like a house wife in the making. For being the main character her development is rather shallow. Besides being infatuated with Edward the only hobby she has is reading. How many times do we need a stock character that can't see her own beauty, has a man think for her, in love at first sight, pursued a male who has a secret, or is a damsel in distress? Young girls are swooning over Edward. Is he really someone you want a young girl to swoon over? He stalks and breaks in to watch Bella sleep. What 100+ person would even want to be around a teenager let alone date one? Supposedly he has hunted and eaten people, but he is 100+ year old virgin because he wouldn't have sex with someone he didn't love. Not to mention that he claimed he could accidently crush the person. Wouldn't he rather crush someone he had a one night stand with then a loved one? He could have a snack after too.
One thing that stood out when I was only 150 pages in was how everyone was depicted as beautiful. Pretty much the only people who weren't, the old lady in the book store and Bella's almost rapist. By using the Amazon search inside feature I found that she refers to how beautiful everyone is 50 times. That's a lot considering how thin the plot is. In a nutshell the book is, I hate the rain and Edward is a hot vampire. Eyes are also over mentioned. The word appears 293 times. Most of the sentences in the book start with "I..." It's like reading a diary of ditsy teeny bopper.
Up to page 375 there is hardly any action. This action ends on page 451. With 498 pages you think there would be more the 47 pages of something happening. This book should not have gone over the 200 page mark. Even with trimming off 300 pages there would still be a lot of filler.
Fans tell those who aren't drooling over the books to not take the book so seriously or to not suspect much from a young adult book. Have these fans not heard of C.S Lewis? Why can only Twilighties write a serious review? People read reviews to learn the good and the bad points. Not to mention criticism helps a writer grow.
Even though this was definitely not my favorite book my curiosity will drive me to read the rest of the series. I don't think the book is worthy of the fuss it gets, but there is something about it that makes me want to see how the story will unfold.
 aromatic airhead meets vacuous vampire August 19, 2008
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
I wanted to like this book. For one thing, it came highly recommended by reputable reader-friends (sorry guys, nothing personal). It took me a good 200 pages to even realize that I didn't like it, but as the pages slipped by, so did this book's potential to tell a convincing, complex and emotionally-gripping story.
I didn't mind the slow start. Bella Swan's teenage over-reaction that "the world is going to end, or at least suck for a while" when she moves from Phoenix to Forks, WA was a familiar yet believable theme for a young adult book. I forgave her silly name and her paralyzing (literally) clumsiness. For a while.
Then Bella discovers the attractive, standoffish, teenage vampire clique. Don't get me wrong, I knew there would be vampires. I had hoped they would bring some intrigue, interesting character interaction, and a few creative supernatural twists to the mix. I was wrong: Edward, the main vampire/love interest must be the most blatant example of author-male fantasy insertion in a story I have ever read--the way his beauty is praised ad-nauseum, as is his ability to out-play/perform/karate/run etc. every mortal/immortal on the planet in any game/sport/musical instrument/hand-to-hand combat/race etc. certainly attests to that. Edward and his (almost) equally Hollywood Hot family are less creatures of the night, and more a blend of Greek god and barbie doll whose baseball games are confused for thunderstorms by us mortals. They are also apparently perpetual high school students, moving to schools every few years to keep anyone from catching on. Is this consistent with Meyer's view of noble "vegetarian" vampires who only want to alleviate the mortal misery of their weak human neighbors? With Dr. Carlisle the one notable exception, I can't quite suspend my disbelief that a hundred years would NOT be enough time to fake your age, get into law school, med school, the foreign service branch of the state department...(or at least use certain inherent skills to become pool boys or tennis instructors).
All this was mildly irritating, but what really brought the star-count down for me was that this book had so much potential to challenge my perception of the world, to make me think. I kept reading because I expected there to be a twist...not a "gotcha" moment, but one where the characters grow too big for the box they've been placed in, where they become bold and try to deal with their issues. I wanted to Bella to challenge the emotionally manipulative hold Edward has on her. I wanted Edward to fail at something and discover humility, and even have to rely on Bella for a change. I wanted Bella and Edward to discover that there are consequences for misinterpreting an attraction based scent/beauty for one based on communication, compromise, and time. I kept reading, sure that something complex and meaningful would happen...
I hope I don't spoil anything when I say that the characters start off in the shallow end, and end up in the pool parking lot. When the action finally started at around pg 400, all I could think of was what one of the robots on Mystery Science Theater 3000 sarcastically remarked during a B-movie that was being thoroughly panned: "And the reason this part works so well is that we care about the characters!" If a random "bad guy" is suddenly going to appear at the end of a book and try to kill one of the main characters for no apparent reason, I want to at least care about them!
Finally, a brief note on the writing itself. I thought some of the mood-setting description was pretty well done, and honestly didn't notice anything truly jarring until after the appearance of Edward. Suddenly, cliches like "a carved statue", "an Adonis", "his angel face" surface at least every page or so, as do numerous purple descriptions of eye color meant to substitute for character depth. Over-dramatic facial expressions abound, especially in the more intimate moments: grimaced, shuddered, gaped, glared. And finally, the awkward dialog tags. Characters "demand", "chuckle", "mutter bleakly", but never "say" anything unless they say it "harshly", "quietly" or "tenderly". The line '"Yes", she agreed' made me laugh out loud. All these "little" things, once I started noticing them, made the character's actions seem even more inconsequential and ridiculous.
Bottom line: obviously this isn't literature, but neither is it a thought-provoking or even "fun" frivolous read. There just isn't any substance there to care about, no challenge, just a pretty boy and a "good-smelling" girl who needs to be rescued half a dozen times. Some other reviews have compared this book to fan-fiction, and I think that's a fair assessment. I've written overwrought fan-fiction in my time, complete with the "seagreen eyes" and "nymphlike shoulders" but that doesn't mean everyone's wish-fullfillment fantasy needs to blow into a doorstop of a book.
For a more convincing and complex approach to the violence and passion inflicted by one man's uncanny sense of smell, try Patrick Suskind's book Perfume.
Please, save your money. August 19, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
Yes, I'm one of those people who got sucked into the hype. I love reading fantasy/cheesy romance books as much as the classics: vampires, werewolves, witches, aliens, whatever. I'll read them. However, in this case, I have never disliked a book as much as Twilight. Bella, the "heroine," has no hobbies, dreams, goals, or desires outside of Edward Cullen the vampire. She is extremely clumsy: she trips, falls, breaks bones, and bruises constantly. I don't find it endearing nor human as the author attempts to portray her; it's like she has some nerve problem where her brain doesn't know how to coordinate. However, she does have one like and it's to read. I'd suggest that she pick up "Jane Eyre" and really pay attention. Bella is the anti-independent woman. She doesn't want to do anything but be with Edward and become a vampire so they could live forever. At the wrinkly old age of 17 she is terrified of out-aging Edward, who is perpetually 17. Their relationship isn't romantic - it's unhealthy. They're obsessed with one another. Bella "falls in love" with a beautiful face and she's willing to give up her entire family, friends, life, and soul just to be with him for eternity. How selfless! Also, lover-boy Edward is the same way: he's only in love with her smell. Smell! Edward is just as bad of a character as Bella. He's perfect, gorgeous, uninteresting, perfect, boring, and perfect. All he talks about is how much he loves Bella, he'd do anything for her, and about how perfect he is. Did I mention he's perfect? These two are extremely immature and stupid. For someone who is 110 years old or so, Edward is pretty vapid. Actually, these two are perfect (!) for one another.
The author reuses words/adjectives as if there are only 100 words in the English vocabulary. Bella sighs, grimaces, cringes, and smiles; while Edward sighs, grimaces, cringes, gives a crooked smile, and growls. Meyers describes his smile as "crooked" just about once per page; the intense repetition almost sent me on a killing spree! And instead of burning and dying in the sun, vampires glitter. Yes, they glitter in the sunlight. Oh Nosferatu, if only you had glittered! Ellen would have let you live!
Furthermore, the first 400 pages (about 500 total) is nothing but slow moving dialogue with a pointless ending. Instead of immediately killing the vampire James who wants to kill Bella, it turns into a huge and pointless wild goose-chase. Of course, Edward and his family save Bella just in time before she dies and turns into a vampire, to her utter dismay. At the end, there was no character progression and they were all static. The argument that "THIS IS A FANTASY!!1!ONE! LEAVE MEYER ALONE!!111!" is not good enough. Genre does not transcend logical decisions and actions.
I should've stuck with Bram Stoker and Anne Rice if I wanted a good vampire story.
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