I'm waving wildly from the figurative bandwagon with my fake fangs and a “BITE ME” button amid a gaggle of shrieking teenage girls ADDICTED to the literary crack that is the Twilight series. This is as big as American Idol. Or boy bands back in the day. Or maybe even Britney Spears(!).
THE OBSESSION started simply for me. I picked up a copy of Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight to read on the plane. I casually chose the book because, 1) I wanted in on all the fuss and, 2) I figured I'd support a book that takes place in Washington (even though the author has never been to Forks).
The series is made up of four books: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. I knew I was obsessed when Chris sarcastically added "Crescent" to the list, and I pounced on his insider knowledge of a fifth book, (which existed only in his playful mocking). I just recently finished all four books and am salivating for the fifth.
The story begins with an average Jane named Bella Swan, who moves to the dreary, small town of Forks, where she almost immediately falls in love with a vampire named Edward Cullen, whose eternal fate lies in the cruel irony that he loves her too, but thirsts for her blood more than anyone else's. He loves most dearly what he craves to kill. This is a classic tale about requited, but forbidden love.
The story meanders through predictable, romantic cliches – all-nighter conversations, the build-up to first kisses, and jealous rivals; but, it is interlaid with a fun, feverish twist – bloodsuckers. First kisses are venomously nerve-wracking; all-nighter conversations dive deep into topics like favorite color and preferred prey – bears or lions? The story is addicting and thrilling in that swirly, girlish way that makes me join the collective squeal sweeping the world.
If books were like food, Twilight would be like a Hot Pocket - fast, easy, melty and oozing with cheese, but also delightfully and undeniably satisfying. I’ve given in this to this smut craving, and even recruited friends, but I still can’t explain the obsession.
Maybe we all just want to be devoured.
Nothing says cheesy and WONDERFUL like the following excerpts from Twilight:
“His face startled me — his expression was torn, almost pained, and so fiercely beautiful that the ache to touch him flared as strong as before. My goodbye stuck in my throat. He raised his hand, hesitant, conflict raging in his eyes, and then swiftly brushed the length of my cheekbone with his fingertips. His skin was as icy as ever, but the trail his fingers left on my skin was alarmingly warm — like I’d been burned, but didn’t feel the pain of it yet.”
- Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 11, p.220
“Edward in the sunlight was shocking. I couldn’t get used to it, though I’d been staring at him all afternoon. His skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday’s hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface.”
- Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 13, p.260
“I sat without moving, more frightened of him than I had ever been. I’d never seen him so completely freed of that carefully cultivated facade. He’d never been less human… or more beautiful.”
- Bella Swan, Twilight, Chapter 13, p.264
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His beauty enthralled me, enticed me, forever changed me. My being ached with anticipation; yet, the boundaries were set and I was trapped within them.
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