Thursday, December 11, 2008

The Second Time Around

Sorry about my absence, if anybody missed me. I've been re-reading the Twilight books, and unfortunately they are sucking me in the second time around as much as they did the first time.

Also, last night when I went to get on the computer, Mr. Daddy was already there working on his geneaology stuff and by the time he was done, the urge to blog had passed.

I have some thoughts about the new Twilight books, if anybody's interested. I'm re-reading them after seeing the movie changed my perspective on the storyline in the book. I don't want to give away too much in case you haven't read/seen this "pop culture phenomenon" but just know that there are SPOILERS AHEAD. There, I've done my duty, as it were.

The first time around, I didn't want Bella to become a vampire. I can't articulate exactly why, but there was just something about her complete willingness to give up everything about being a human that just pissed me off. I mean, I know it's just a book, but good grief. Don't throw yourself so completely into your guy. I know it's true love and all that, but he's the first guy you've dated. We ALL felt like that about our first boyfriends.

Of course, all this is pretty ironic coming from me, the girl who always threw herself completely into every boyfriend, so all this overthinking of a fiction book was probably just me trying to give Bella the benefit of my experience.

After seeing the movie I did want Bella to become a vampire after all, but that probably had more to do with Robert Pattinson and his brooding eyes than it did anything else.

But in my re-reading I've had a surprising reaction. The first time around I didn't really like New Moon very much. I didn't like the way Bella was so spineless, so...so...blah. She just gave up. And then, she attached herself to Jacob in a way that was even less healthy than her attachment to Edward.

But this time as I was reading it, I enjoyed it more. Now don't get me wrong, I'm an Edward fan, but I kind of found myself rooting for Jacob, just a little bit. I think it was Bella's comparison of her story to the story of Romeo and Juliet that did it for me. If you remember, she tries to imagine what Juliet would have done if Romeo had left her. Would she have turned to Paris, if Paris had been her best friend?

When she thought that Edward wasn't coming back, Bella had begun to consider Jacob as a romantic possibility. He was her best friend. And I think that those kinds of relationships, the kind with friendship at it's core, are the best kind. I'm married to my best friend and I wouldn't have it any other way. Imagine what Bella's life would have been like if Edward hadn't returned. I don't know....it just seems like a healthier alternative to me, in a way.

Now don't everybody send me angry emails. I'm still on Team Edward. I guess.

And yes, I am 36 years old and just wrote an entire blog post about vampires and werewolves.

13 comments:

AndreAnna said...

I rooted for Jacob too!

This is why I can't re-read them. I'll start over-analyzing TEENAGE VAMPIRE BOOKS. LOL

calicobebop said...

I'm a Twilight fan too - you're not alone! I haven't re-read the books but I might do so over the holidays.

I have to say that I liked Bella much better after she "died." She seemed to have more self-confidence and I felt that was what was lacking in the first three and a half books.

My only beef with the story is the fact that Bella feels like her life is over when her boyfriend leaves. I just don't think that's a healthy message. But, as you say, it's fiction and I know that teenage hormones tend towards the melodramatic regardless of outside influence.

BTW, I'm still team Edward and it has everything to do with Robert Pattinson. No kidding.

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen the movie yet so I can't tell you if Robert will change my opinion but I'm on Team Jacob. I love that smart alek!

Fannie said...

I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, at how deeply I was sucked in by the series. Still have to go see the movie.

Burgh Baby said...

LA LA LA LA LA You can't make me read these books LA LA LA LA LA LA

Anonymous said...

I didn't like New Moon hardly at all. Bella was just so pathetic and I didn't care for the narrator shift either.

I haven't re-read them and don't plan on it anytime soon but maybe I'll feel differently the second time around too.

Robyn said...

I want to re-read them again, but I loaned my sister Twilight and she's moving so she PACKED it UP!!! The nerve.

I LOVE this series. I just started reading her other book, "The Host" and it is PHENOMENAL. It's not about vampires, it's a little more sci-fi, and it's awesome.

I'm so glad there are other over-30-year olds who are into this as much as I am! I now have to go tell my husband...

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that the last commenter liked The Host. I hated it. I've always been on Edward's side. And, I was dating my hubby when I was Bella's age, so that might have something to do with it. I never liked Jacob, because even if he was her "friend" he was never just wanting that friendship in a very When Harry Met Sally way. He was a boy who was her friend in order to get to be her boyfriend - if that makes sense. And, he made his move when she was vulnerable. I think that's slimy. I didn't like New Moon, but I think it will be an amazing film.

HalfAsstic.com said...

It's OK! NO, really! I won't tell anybody! hee hee hee... But I know what you mean about Bella throwing herself "body and soul" as it were, at Edward. I just wish I could meet ONE teenage girl that was not susceptible to teenage boys like that. I never have.

Dysd Housewife said...

I am looking forward to reading these books. At first, I just thought it was a movie, but they seem very fascinating.. I mean..a NICE vampire? who knew..By the way, don't know If I told you, but I added you to my blogroll. So..YES I missed you. :)

Unknown said...

New Moon was probably my least favorite of the series, but I wondered it that was because it felt like a little bit of a let down after Twilight. In that book, Edward tells Bella that she is his "brand of heroin." I think he's her brand, too. It's a bit of an obsessive relationship, but somehow it doesn't seem creepy to me in the book the way that it would in real life. And don't worry, I'm in my 40s and sucked in by the series and movie...

Michele R said...

Like Leslie I too am in my 40's....I just got on the bandwagon with Twilight. I heard of the series and wanted to take a look and then while in FL for Thanksgiving I saw it with my neice and other female relatives. Good times. I then dreamed about Edward that night. Seriously. Two days later I borrowed her Twilight and read thru it to pick up any scenes the movie left out. I then started her New Moon but still need to finish it. Maybe Santa will leave them for me. It's not the best reading, but who cares, but who cares, I don't have daughters to mold and I am pre-menopausal.
--Michele in Atlanta

Anonymous said...

My much (much) younger sister (who is still a teenager for a few more months) made me pinky swear to read the books before I knew what I was getting into. Then, when I had read the first two and she told me there were TEAMS - I thought she was exaggerating! But I agree - they're the books you hate to love.