It simultaneously feels like yesterday and a million years ago that everyone was obsessing over the whole Team Edward vs. Team Jacob debate. I remember all of my friends acting very adamantly about being Team Jacob because of how hot they thought he was. At the time, I didn’t really get into the craze. I sort of enjoyed my neutrality that came with not reading the books or watching the movies. Eventually, I read the first book, which I enjoyed to a certain extent. I found the second one absolutely awful, and couldn’t bring myself to finish the series after that one. It wasn’t even until the end of high school that I finally got around to watching the movies! If anyone asks, I have very strong opinions on ranking the movies, but I think most people are in agreement on which ones were great and which ones fell flat. Regardless, this series managed to captivate teenagers everywhere, and even though I almost always read the books before watching the movies, I decided I would give this series a shot.
Quite frankly what prompted me to even start reading this in the first place was that I wanted something fun to read. Economics is far from riveting, and I enjoy a good book with a silly plot. The high school romance between a teenage girl and a vampire that sparkles was exactly what I was in the mood for. While it may not be that intellectual when it comes to making conversation about what the last book I read was, it is still a culturally relevant story, and I genuinely liked it this second time around!
While I generally keep these book posts summed up in a book review, rather than a book report, for I do not want to spoil the plot for any readers who want to go out and enjoy the stories for themselves after seeing my post, I feel that the Twilight series has already had its heyday that I can be a little less ambiguous than I usually am. Upon reading this as a dating adult, I was surprised to find myself surprised with what a good boyfriend Edward was! No one is perfect, and the whole part about how he watches her sleep is just creepy on so many levels. However, her safety is his primary concern, and he keeps himself in check so that their relationship can really develop. I have to hand it to him how he really gives her attention and makes her feel special. In our ever-demanding world, I often times feel that the attention to detail can be lost. Too many times have I heard from girls how they just feel forgotten or unimportant to the guys they’re dating. They aren’t asking for constant attention. In fact, they enjoy the long leash. It’s just that a little acknowledgement that they aren’t completely invisible unless they’re right in front of their faces would be appreciated. For this, I do have to give Edward some points. While there may have been a million other reasons for them to break up, his lack of care (or overbearing care too. No one wants to the pendulum to swing too far in the opposite direction) was certainly not one of those. As far as teenage romances that young teens of the late 2000s/early 2010s were watching, this one was actually not that bad. I can think of plenty of others that were on television at the time that were extremely toxic.
One interesting character I could not help but find odd was Charlie, Bella’s dad. While the whole parenting thing was not his strong suit, because Renee had been Bella’s primary parent throughout her life, there were times that he felt so awkward in his position as a dad that it all just felt unrealistic. The most striking instance of this was when Bella stormed out of the house near the end of the story when she was running away from James. Did her dad say the right things to make her stop? Yes. Did he take more control over the situation to prevent his teenage daughter from driving in the rain to the airport in a fury? No. Most fathers I know would have probably said something along the lines of “I don’t care how distressed about this you are. You are going to sleep this off, and then I will drive you to the airport safely tomorrow.” I understand his actions technically align with his awkward demeanor and subdued personality, but it just feels unrealistic as a dad, regardless of how comfortable he was in that role.
While there are certainly bigger themes with this book that I could dive into, that was not the primary reason for reading this book. I read it just enjoy the story, which is important to do every now and then. It can be exhausting trying to find the deeper meaning in something. Not everything has to be a social commentary or some big lesson on the world. Sometimes, it is ok to take a story at face value and enjoy it. Personally, it can feel a little selfish when I do that, but I suppose that underlying guilt rests in how I am still very much immersed in academia. However, reading can be extremely fun when you approach it the same way you did when you were ten years old. Simply being on the hunt for a good book with engaging characters and a plot you enjoy is surprisingly good for your mental health, and I think everyone could use a breather in life to just read a good book. I am looking forward to my next big read and sharing it with all of you. I sincerely hope this next one won’t take quite as long either!
xx
Emily
