Author: Stephenie Meyers
Publisher: Little, Brown and Company
Copyright: 2005
Pages: 498
For Ages: 13 to Adult
Rating: ****
Public Service Announcement for the Zombie Queen Only: Greetings! Do not read this review. It will drive you mad. Instead I offer you the brain of this delicious looking writer. [Rowena drags out an unnamed writer, loosens her grip, and lets the writer flee.] Quick! Go eat that brain. You’ll like it much better.
Book Review For Everyone Else:
When her mom remarries, 17-year-old Bella sacrifices her sunny home in Arizona to give the new couple space and moves in with her dad in the small rainy town of Forks, Washington. The story starts off like a regular YA novel with Bella adjusting to small town life. Here in Forks boys can’t seem to resist her, they certainly could in Arizona. Then she notices the beautiful pale Cullen family, especially gorgeous bronze-haired Edward Cullen. Edward’s odd inexplicable actions toward Bella pull her in. He seems to almost be repelled by her and Bella has no idea why. Edward’s never even met Bella or said to words to her. By the time Bella figures out Edward’s a vampire, it’s too late, Bella’s already drawn in.
This book was like an addictive drug. I read the first 100 pages in two days. By the third day I couldn’t stop and stayed up almost all night to read the last 400 pages. The story easily blends teen drama with suspense, romance, and action-adventure in unique way. I wanted to reread it again as soon as I finished. Satisfying Guilty Pleasure.
Sequels:
New Moon ***
Eclipse **1/2
My advice is to enjoy Twilight and skip the sequels. They aren’t horrible but they’re not half as enjoyable as Twilight. They’re both over 400 pages each and the last one is chock full of over-the-top drivel. You can use the time to read 800 pages of something better.
Rowena Eureka 
Eclipse was actually better
Well, I usually would agree that book one in a series is better than book two and surely than books further on in a series, but I have to disagree this time about book three in the Twilight series. Book two, I’ll give you, could be skipped and isn’t nearly the book Twilight is (although I am finding that my teen readers love it anyway), but Eclipse is the best of the three from my viewpoint. Perhaps it was because I, like you, devoured book one, and I had a bit more leisurely read of book three (but just a bit), but I felt that I was much more connected to the characters in book three than I had been even in book one. How Bella could pick between those boys is beyond me. Have you seen Stephenie’s re-write of chapter 1 of Twilight told from Edward’s point of view? It’s on her website.
Cheers!
Re: Eclipse was actually better
Thanks for commenting! I love when people make me think about my reviews. Your blog looks interesting. I’ve put it on my regular reading list now.
I liked Twilight more than the other two books because it had tension and mystery. In the first 100 or so pages I didn’t know why Edward acted strangely around Bella. I feared for Bella and was intrigued by Edward’s mystery. Finding out Edward’s story made me see the first 100 pages in a new light. I love books that do that.
The next two books in the series didn’t have that mystery, for me. In book two, I knew that Edward still cared for Bella. In book three, I knew Edward would be okay and Bella would choose him. I could see liking the third book more than the second. Reactions to stories vary from person to person. For me, Bella’s relationships with both Edward and Jacob got increasingly stereotypical, with Bella being the helpless girl and the boys protecting her and guiding her in how to live her life. She also seemed to have little interest beyond being a girlfriend and cooking and caring for others. Some people like that but I found it tiresome. That’s probably why I liked book 2 slightly better. Bella actually did things like motorcycle riding or going to Italy to save Edward. Again, just a personal preference. I can totally see why someone else would like book 3 better.
Good to hear from you!