Twilight post!

[stoopbeck]

Roadie, were all your Agatha Christie expectations met? BECAUSE MINE TOTALLY WERE!! Best episode, EVER.

I finished reading Twilight. It took me for freaking ever. Mostly because I kept having to take breaks from reading to rant to anyone who would listen to me about the characters, much to the annoyance of my family.



I really really tried to keep an open mind about this book. I really did. But the fact of the matter is that I found it to be kind of awful. And stupid. And misogynistic. Honestly, the only reason I was able to force myself to the ending was that I really really wanted to make an LJ post about it, and I couldn't do that until I'd finished the book.

I had a lot of issues with Twilight. Seriously, are there no other girls in Forks? No, seriously? It's like she's Gwen Cooper or something. I get that people are fascinated by the new kid, but dude, chill out, guys.

Also. Edward skeeves me out. Like, big time. And I know that people who loved the book are going to be upset with me, but it's kind of like the arguments Mom and I have about Rochester from Jane Eyre, where I think he's a skeevy skeeveball skeevehead, and Mom thinks he's terribly romantic, and there's no way to compromise between the two, but dude. Edward = skeeve.

His need to "take care of" Bella squicks me. What is this, Victorian England? She's so inept and clumsy and female that she needs a big strong man to protect her? I was a klutz, you know, back in the day. I took some martial arts classes, and they helped me be able to walk without falling down. I didn't become completely reliant on a vampire to carry me around.

Also, apparently the best way to flirt with a girl is to tell her that you could easily kill her, and that she could do nothing to defend herself. Having been on the receiving end of that kind of "flirting," allow me to disagree strenuously. That kind of flirting only proves that you're crazy crazypants.

Okay, so, brief detour into Criminal Minds. I swear this is on-topic. Seriously. So, on a couple of episodes of CM, there's this serial killer, Frank. He's well-spoken, charismatic, highly intelligent, and likes to immobilize people and cut them up while they're still awake. He falls for this one girl he's nabbed (because she's different from all of the other girls and isn't afraid of him) and he decides he's not going to cut her up, and they have this Epic Love where he leaves her secret presents in the night that are made of human rib bones and she thinks he's an alien because she's crazypants and she's totally captivated by him. Okay? And when they finally get together, he tells her that because of their Epic Love he's not going to kill any more people and they'll be together forever and it'll be sunshine and puppies and of course the thing is he'll eventually get the urge to kill, maybe not the next day, maybe not the next week or month, but it's what does, because it's what he is, and sooner or later he's going to kill this girl, the love of his life. Not because he's going to stop loving her, because he won't, but because that is what he is.

I really don't see how their Epic Love is any different from Bella and Edward's Epic Love. Bella really has no say in whether or not she loves Edward. No, really, she doesn't, because OMG HIS BREATH IS LIKE AN ADDICTIVE DRUG. He's a predator, designed to lure in prey by being pretty and seductive, and can make Bella's heart stop with a kiss, and exudes a scent that makes him irresistible to women. And yes, he's made a lifestyle decision that he's not going to prey on humans, but dude. All it takes is the right trigger, and then GOODBYE BELLA.

This post is way too long already, so I'm not going to get into how horribly unequal their relationship is, or how crazy it is that he's still in high school, or that OMG HE STALKED HER FOR REAL-REAL NOT FOR PLAY-PLAY, or that whenever Bella shows any sign of initiating contact or, you know, even responding slightly to Edward's kisses he's all OMG BELLA YOU'RE PLAYING WITH YOUR LIFE HOW COULD YOU?!!! thus enforcing the whole boy-having-sex = stud, girl-having-sex = slut-with-deathwish thing, and OMG.

I really don't think I'll be able to read the next one.

If you liked it, feel free to point out the error of my ways to me; I really enjoy book discussion. :D

Comments

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

My expectations were ore than met. I loved the ep. I also love the fact that people will still love her books in millions of years. :D

Also two eps in a row that I really liked. Maybe I won't end up ignoring this season after all. Which is YAY! cause I love Donna. :D

I couldn't bring myself to get the second book of the Twilight series yet either. I read the first one a few weeks - or is it even months by now? - ago and haven't really felt the desire to pick up the next.

While I didn't hate the first one as much as you and scifigirl do, I was not all over it like everyone else seems to be.

Pretty much for the reasons you mentioned there and because the only characters I liked are side characters. I liked Jasper most and then Alice. So I needed a few breaks between reading myself to make up stories for them in my head and get over stupid things Bella did.

I did forgive her her stupidity due to the fact that she is only 16 (or 17, I don't know) and the first time in love. I mean, every teenage girl thinks in the beginning of a new relationship that their first love is the one true love kind of thing and they stop thinking straight. Even if the object of their desire is not a dangerous vampire.

About Edward, I don't know. It is hard to place myself into a 100 something year old vampire, seeing as I have never been one. But I think they mention that it is also his first love? So I guess if you were walking the streets for 100 plus something years and suddenly get that love/lust feeling in a romantic/sexual way that you never knew before, this might be how one behaves. I have no clue.

Also, apparently there is something special with Bella's blood, which then later attracts that hunter vamp guy and if Edward really loved her so much from the first smell of her and he knows there are other evil creatures out there who will not restrain themselves like he does, I get how he wanted to protect her. Both from those and from wounding herself so the blood would be even more smellable and attract creatures from an even wider diameter.

I didn't see the stud/slut thing when I read it. Did you watch Moonlight?

Cause it was the same there kinda (only that Beth made a bit smarter choices than Bella, but she is also older and Mick is not her first love). I guess that is just the dynamic a male vampire/regular human relationship will have. Unless of course you are the slayer and can fuck every vampire in town.

Like you pointed out, Bella was the new girl, so I get why all the boys are interested in her. Especially since she really seems to be pretty and her "only" problem in Southern California was her clumsiness and the fact that she didn't tan well. So I get why the boys fall for her. I never liked any of the boys I grew up with here either and only fell for the new guys in class until I talked to them and they turned out to be just as boring and stupid as all the other boys I knew.

My life is hard. ;)

I like what you write about the serial killer. I have the same discussion with a friend right now who has a crush on Dexter and thinks he can be redeemed and even compares him to Angel and such, cause he wants to be good. *headdesk*

He wants to kill and tries not to get caught. That is why he kills bad people. Not because he is a good human being. *sigh*

[dyoselin.livejournal.com]

It was just like reading the first of a book series, e.g. Harry Potter, Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club, etc. I get too caught up and I fall head over heels in love with the story and the characters.

I truly loved Twilight and still think that it is the best book in the series. I read it in about a week or so, I read New Moon and Eclipse in one week. I actually turned the last page of Eclipse last night.

I see and agree with most of your points here. Bella is a new commodity in Forks so yeah, other kids would want to see what she is like, expect her to trip or make mistakes and will watch her like a hawk. I liked the fascination shown by Tyler and Mike but yeah it was just too fake. Jessica and Angela seemed like good girls despite the girliness of the former so what was so special about the transfer student from Phoenix? I suppose the fact that she is the only girl that Edward Cullen ever spoke to makes her stand out.

Edward's inexplicable attraction to Bella is explained further in New Moon and I wouldn't want to spoil it for you. Still, it's too archaic but it works for the myth that weaves through the story.

One thing that really eats me up is the fact that Bella (or anyone for that matter) never asked about the whole "vampires have to be invited first" issue because Edward was just suddenly able to cross barriers and jump up her window at night.

Bella's clumsiness was funny at first but it got old. I did like the moments when she discovered about Edward and his family and how they both acknowledged the truth during that chat in the cafeteria like they were just talking about their favourite band or something. Why was she not afraid? Even just a bit? Maybe coz she's crazypants.

And yes, even if Edward has been a 'vegetarian' for a few decades the scent of blood and the sound of heartbeats surely get to him. It seems as if there is no inner battle to subdue his instincts.

I hated New Moon but enjoyed Eclipse. I cannot really say anything why without spoiling it so I suppose you have to decide if you want to read them or not.

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

OMG YES. Agatha Christie, best selling author EVER! I approve of that. AND DONNA WAS AWESOME. I love Donna.

I really really liked the side characters, yeah. I thought Jacob was way more interesting than Bella or Edward, and I really wanted to get to know Edward's family better. That might happen in the next book, but I'm not entirely sure I want to expend the effort of finding it and reading it.

The whole teenager thing is a good point. Teenagers do do stupid things, especially when they are in love for the first time. I'm just not sure how I feel about a teenager in love for the first time with a guy that she's practically compelled to be in love with. If Edward were not a vampire, his watching her while she slept and stuff would have made him more of a stalker than the guy who thought Bella was going to prom with him.

I didn't watch Moonlight. Should I have?

Yeah, the slayer kind of breaks the rules. But it helps that there isn't a physical imbalance of power between herself and the vampires... ;)

Okay, I'll concede the new girl syndrome, to a point. I can understand the guys being all, "OMG, new girl, she's pretty and maybe I have a chance with her," but all the guys get completely obsessed with her, even after they've spent time with her for a while and have been given ample opportunity to see that she really doesn't care what they have to say, or whatever.

I have only watched one episode of Dexter, but I totally agree with you. It doesn't matter that Dexter's doing good things by getting rid of bad people, but it's his own personal moral compass that is guiding him, not, you know, the criminal justice system where everyone in theory has a fair and equal opportunity under the law. Also, he's killing 'bad people.' What happens when his definition of 'bad' changes, and he's killing people for doing things that seem bad to him, but aren't really bad? Hannibal Lecter killed people he thought were bad, and look where that led him.

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

Okay, maybe I'll try reading the other books. ;) Because I would like to know what makes Bella so super-special.

I heard that the author is currently writing a book that shows Twilight through Edward's perspective, so maybe there will be Edward inner battle in that one?

[dyoselin.livejournal.com]

Breaking Dawn is the conclusion to this Epic Love story and is due out on August 2nd. I hope it answers all the questions instead of raising new one (like HP did!).

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Yes, it means huminity won't turn brainless entirly. Woohoo. There is hope!

The first five eps Donna was all that kept me going. I wasn't really happy with this season. But now it seems to be back to old strengths and that is a good thing.

Yes, Jacob was also interesting, though he didn't really have much screentime. I didn't even get around to cast him for the movie in my head. So characters who are faceless until the end of a book mean they didn't really leave an impression. It might be nice to read more about him, but Sara already ranted about him turning into a complete idiot. Not sure if I want that. I think I'll wait until after the movie to decide whether or not I want the other parts.

There are no apples on the cover anyway. ;)

I agree that it would have made him creepier if he wouldn't have been a vampire (and how weird is that? ;)), but he is one. And I am not sure how much he used his powers on Bella to make her fall in love with him. He seemed to have tried to stay away from her. I really wish we could have read the book from his point of view. To know how much he really tried to stay away and which thoughts he had and all. Might have been more interesting.

No, you should not have watched Moonlight. It was a good show and I really like it and am sad that it got cancelled, but it is like only having season one of Buffy. While it would entertain a bit, the first season basically just sets up the later seasons which then got really good. I am sad Moonlight didn't get a second season to dig deeper and to resolve all the problems that started to surface during the first season. Networks are so dumb at times that they don't recognize a good quality show when it bites them in the necks, so to speak. Just because there wasn't tons of gore and blood doesn't mean it was a bad show. Besides, they are replacing it with a show about a girl who is looking for her ex because a medium told her to. That sounds kinda dumb to me.

And I wanted more Claudia Black as vampire, darn it. :(

Ah, I will get over it eventually.

Yeah, the slayer is stronger than vampires, still an imbalance. Plus, show me a relationship where there isn't an imbalance of powers. I don't know of one. Of course in this case it is rather extreme, but I don't think you can have a relationship were both partners are physically and intellectually equally strong. One will always be a bit stronger than the other. If you are lucky the difference will be small.

Well, guys. Even worse, teenage guys. They don't get the clue until they are beaten over the head with it. Or well, some don't. Those three probably were of that kind.

I don't even think Dexter's definition has to change for him to kill a not bad person. His desire must just be strong enough that he researches careless or maybe even so strong that he doesn't even have a victim to research at a given time and just has to pick a random person to satisfy his urges. Just because he lives by his father's rules as best he can and therefor kill bad people and is extemely nice to everyone else doesn't make him a good person. He doesn't do this from the goodness of his heart, but out of necessity to protect his dark secret.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Ha, that is a good idea of her. :D

I really would like to know what is going on inside him.

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

That is the problem with a book series... They get you sucked in, and leave you begging for more! :D

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

I think it would make me dislike him less if I knew what he was thinking, yeah...

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

I really wasn't expecting to fall madly in love with Donna, but I totally have. She's just amazing!

Yeah, I heard Jacob turns stupid later on...

CLAUDIA BLACK AS A VAMPIRE WHAT?!!

This is true, most relationships do have some kind of imbalance, but it just seemed to me that the imbalance was particularly bad with Bella and Edward. He's faster and stronger and more graceful and more experienced and much much older and tells her a couple of times that he's smarter than her, and I'm just not personally comfortable with a relationship with that much inequality.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that is what I thought and what bothered me about the original version. Why write the book from the perspective of the least interesting character? *sigh*

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

EXACTLY YES OH MY GOD. I love you.

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

Yeah, seeing as both Rose and Martha got on my nerves during the end of their seasons. So I knew I would definitely like Donna a bit, but I absolutely love her now. :D

Yeah. In the last ep they have a kind of meeting deciding about the future of vampire kind. How and if they should interact with humans and such things. And Claudia plays one of those vampires who make decisions like that. Her character (or well, some of the characters of her type, but I guess she would have been one of those) would have come back. And it would have been so awesome. But it was not meant to be. :(

Well, I got one ep with her.

I understand that you are not comfortable with this. But maybe it is not that bad. I hope she'll get into that when she writes from his point of view. Cause really, that annoyed me. Not knowing what is going on in the others. Gah!

[roadrunner1896.livejournal.com]

♥

[scifigirl.livejournal.com]

You know where I stand on this one. I finished Eclipse today and I'm still not entirely sure how I managed to do that. I think the world would be a better place if Bella, Jacob, and Edward just fell into a hole never to be heard from again. Or just Stephenie Meyer about 4 years ago.

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

You, me, a time machine, and a baseball bat. What do you think?

[scifigirl.livejournal.com]

I'm in. Can we pick up David on the way?

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

YES TOTALLY. And GDL. Because he'd be fun to have along.

[scifigirl.livejournal.com]

I WAS TOTALLY GOING TO SUGGEST GDL TOO. But then I couldn't come up with a good reason other than OMG GDL, which I guess is reason enough.

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

GDL, because... uh... we need him to read books out loud.

[scifigirl.livejournal.com]

Gay sex manuals even. *nods*

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

You know, if they just... happen to by lying around...

And Tennant can act out things from the manuals. You know, in case we need further instruction.

BEST TIME TRAVEL TRIP EVER.

[mei-chan1029.livejournal.com]

Ok, so I know this is totally random but I guess because of reading this post a few days ago, I had a dream about you last night where you were pretending to be a vampire and tried to bite me. It was kinda creepy...

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

Dude, that is random.

Next time, ward Vampire-me off with some Splenda. (I'd say garlic, but, you know, I love garlic. ;] )

[mei-chan1029.livejournal.com]

Haha, ok, I'll remember that, lol. It really was strange. I woke up thinking, "huh??" Hope things are going well!

[stoopbeck.livejournal.com]

They're going alright. :D How are things for you?