The Twilight Saga

So I finally got my hands on the rest of the Twilight saga (thanks to Sara Melow, who rocks!) and have finished them.  I think it took me four days to read the four books.  It would have taken less time, but I couldn’t neglect all my day to day things to read (even though I really really wanted to).  

I am torn between feeling foolish for being so addicted to the series (it’s not the normal spin on vampires (Anne Rice fan here), they are geared toward the young adult, and they are way too “in” right now), and not caring because I enjoyed them so much. I absolutely loved these books in a way that makes me feel equally foolish.  I shouldn’t be as into these books as I am, but I can’t get them out of my head.

What did I like about it?  I don’t even know if I can put it into words.  I found myself sucked into each character so quickly; drawn to the mysterious Cullen family and anxious to find out what Bella would face next.  It was torture finishing the first book and not knowing when I would be able to get my hands on the next (it didn’t help that I read the teaser chapter at the end for the next book and was left with a worse cliff hanger than if I had just put the damn thing down).  The best we to describe my experience reading the series would be to compare it with a Jane Austen novel.  You have these characters that you come to care about and you want them to end up happy, but you have to suffer through the heartache and confusion with them while they work up to the point where things happen they way they should, and you get that wave of relief and immense joy when you get to the end.  The Twilight series is a modern day sci-fi/fantasy similar to the Jane Austen love story, and I fell for it hook, line and sinker.  The author, Stephenie Meyer, lets you intimately know her characters.  She lets you into their lives, minds, fears and desires.  You know what each one is going through, and you get to have the insight and knowledge of what needs to be said to make things work, but you also get to see why things have to play out the way they do.  You get sucked into the story by your own knowledge and you become emotionally invested.  It was a bit of an emotional roller-coaster.  Now that I’ve finished the saga, I want to read them all again and see what new little tidbits I can catch.  I guess it’s my way of not wanting to let go yet.  I think these books are going to be in my “read over and over again” pile.  If you have not read them, I recommend it.  If you have silly reasons like I did for not buying the series, get over them.  But that’s just my opinion, read them and then tell me I’m wrong. :)

~Emily