Please forgive me, but I would just like to step in on your conversation for a moment. I don' disagree that the series may not be up to the same standards as some of the literary classics that we have all come to love and respect over the last few centuries, but I really think that critics should really relax a little. First of, there criticism "I could have written it better myself" doesn't stand, because if you could have or can--then why don't you? If published, I'll read it and offer you the same respect I would any author Nabokov or Meyer. BTW Nabokov--a revered author-irritates me and I can read him perfectly well in his native tongue, but each time I do (English or Russian), I feel like his "language rolls dislexic on my tongue (Nicholas Samaras quote). Anyway, just remind yourselves sometimes that even a badly written piece of fiction can be great fiction because of not necessarily how it is written, but how it makes the reader feel. Many young women have fallen in love with plenty of literary characters that were popularly taught in their time--Onegin being one great example. Even while is was an atrocity of a man for how he treats poor Tatyana and how condescending he is to her declaration of love and to the risk she takes to bravely declare it--young women were in love with him. You're more than entitled to you freedom to pick apart Meyer's novel and her characters, but don't be condescending to the readers who love the work. We have all fallen in love with absurd things here and there throughout our lives, just be careful to remind yourselves of that every once in a while. Oh, and give credit to our young women and men--they're not as dense and gullible as you make them out to be. :)
i'm very sorry - i never meant to condescend! i'm sorry if that's how you took my comment. the truth is that i didn't like the books and i don't like stephanie meyer's writing or her characters - but that is my completely subjective view, and i understand that not everyone will share it. i don't understand the hype surrounding these books at all - but i have no problem with the fans, as long as they don't try to convince me to like it or abuse me for not agreeing with them. i have my opinion, they have theirs, and you have yours. i'm very sorry for any misunderstanding, and that you i'll definately be more careful with how i phrase my arguments in the future =)
Sweet merciful crap...
anonymous
May 11 2009, 06:54:17 UTC
We'll start with a mini bio. I'm a dad. My daughter is 13. Totally in love with these books, the film. All things Twilight. My friend who is in her 20's is also awe struck by all things Twilight... I've been published a few times myself. I DO NOT strive to be a writer, but some things just get written. Now.... my daughter is into the WORST tripe I've ever read or watched. My friend is now someone whose opinion I can no longer respect on literary or cinematic content. I can write better. I have written better, and yeah.. when I was 12. I wish for the purpose of letting girls mature without the enforcing of obsession over pretty dudes.. that this series of "books" never saw the light of day. To add. Nobokov..kinda sucked. Rawling... over rated but passable for the demographic with no negative enforcement. Tolkien...not that great either. Though to defend on the comment of not being original, please tell me when the last original main stream book was written. I'd love to think it happened after 1802... though I have my doubts. There is NO SUCH thing as an original story anymore, just tell a good one. That'll do pig. That'll do.
Re: Sweet merciful crap...
anonymous
June 23 2009, 21:04:09 UTC
"I wish for the purpose of letting girls mature without the enforcing of obsession over pretty dudes.. that this series of "books" never saw the light of day." I'd be interested in your criticisms of pornography, because I was under the impression that it didn't let boys mature without enforcing obsession over pretty women. Girls were going to obsess over pretty dudes with or without this series, so that isn't much of a criticism.
Two things with which to respond: just because something is popular doesn't mean it is good. There are probably authors who write better things than Twilight, but just because they are better doesn't mean they are popular. If people here say they can write better than Stephenie Meyer, I wouldn't doubt it; maybe they can. But I would not judge how much better they write by how popular their works are.
Secondly, I do know of a few original series. Try Discworld and His Dark Materials. I'd say they're pretty sophisticated reads--but then I guess maybe that's why they're not nearly so popular.
You're more than entitled to you freedom to pick apart Meyer's novel and her characters, but don't be condescending to the readers who love the work. We have all fallen in love with absurd things here and there throughout our lives, just be careful to remind yourselves of that every once in a while. Oh, and give credit to our young women and men--they're not as dense and gullible as you make them out to be. :)
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I'd be interested in your criticisms of pornography, because I was under the impression that it didn't let boys mature without enforcing obsession over pretty women.
Girls were going to obsess over pretty dudes with or without this series, so that isn't much of a criticism.
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Secondly, I do know of a few original series. Try Discworld and His Dark Materials. I'd say they're pretty sophisticated reads--but then I guess maybe that's why they're not nearly so popular.
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