Even if you have never read the “Twilight” series or watched the movies, you still may be able to describe the basic premise: a supernatural love story with vampires, wolves, and of course, a human (and there may or may not be a love triangle between them). Messy, right? And entertaining, I would say.
“Twilight” has been called its fair share of names throughout the years. When it came out in late 2005, however, it was a big deal. In fact, many claim that the “Twilight” series has been extremely important to the evolution of young adult novels. This is not to say it doesn’t have the flaws that people have drawn attention to, but that it is still vital to recognize the significance that the series has in the YA genre.
My first official introduction to the world of “Twilight,” was when I watched the first movie with my dad before I had ever read the books. Although the movie occasionally made me laugh at a few dramatic moments, it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. Soon after, I checked out “Twilight” from the library and began the series. I happened to finish the last book in the series only a few months after “Midnight Sun,” the first book written in another character’s perspective, was released.
Just minutes after finishing “Breaking Dawn,” the last book, I watched both parts of the movie adaptation with my dad. It was only after watching the last two movies that something occurred to me about my enjoyment of the series. Usually after making such a big commitment to a story and watching it come to a close, I would be thinking about it constantly. What was interesting, though, was that I got over the romance in “Twilight” very quickly. It was instead the world that I could not get out of my head. Maybe it was because I had never read another book with a focus on vampires before, but there was something about it that kept my interest even when I was through with the story. In my personal opinion, the author, Stephenie Meyer, did a wonderful job of creating an interesting and captivating world with some creative twists on the stereotypical vampire. Overall, I think that it was executed very well.
Something else to consider is the fact that there are few things I do not like, which could hinder me from thinking more critically about the series. However, I am more than willing to acknowledge the flaws within the story that others have already pointed out. I would recommend the “Twilight” series if you have an interest in seeing a potentially unique interpretation of two commonly known supernatural creatures, or if you just want to see the love triangle unfold. It might be what you expect, but in the most unexpected way.
With Meyer’s official release of the new “Twilight” book, I suppose I am not done with the story after all, and I fully intend on reading it as soon as I can. “Midnight Sun,” here I come!