On Musings of Twilight...
Ok, so I've got a confession to make.
I've been addicted to the Twilight Saga lately. I've read all four books in the space of about three or four days, and if that wasn't bad enough, I've also rented (and then purchased) the movie and read my favorite parts of the books four or five times. It's actually been driving ainyan crazy, because I actually get absorbed in my reading, and (accidentally) start ignoring her. (To be fair, whenever I DO get absorbed in my reading, I tune everything else out. I've done it for years. Ask my mom.)
When I told nitelyfe about it, I believe her exact words were: "I don't know you any more." I had to laugh.
I started thinking about it the other day, and I realized something. I'm a grown man, 31 years old. I'm really not supposed to like books and stories like this. So I got to thinking about WHY I've been so absorbed in the saga of Edward and Bella, and discussing it with my wife. (Who is, in fact, annoyed that I've become somewhat obsessed with the series.)
To start with, I think part of it is my...desire for happy endings. My need to know the whole story. It is difficult for me to pick up a story, especially one with the depth of emotion that Twilight carries with it, (sappy and emo and melodramatic that story may be) and not know how the story ends. I yearn for the happy ending, for the ending of the tale. Because there are four books, I had to read them all. (The Harry Potter series was the same way - it's why I had to buy the last three books of the series the DAY they hit the stores.)
I won't lie, part of it is a fascination with vampires that I've always had. It's why I've enjoyed the Dark Hunters books (the few I've read), the Anita Blake books, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and why I buy books about Genevieve Dieudonne, the day-walking vampiress from the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It's why I enjoy gothic music and architecture. I mean, I may be a really optimistic person, and, in fact, enjoy the sun, warmth, and joy, happiness, etc...but I do really love stories about vampires.
Another part of it might be...the Cullen family themselves. I got to thinking about what I would want to do with immortality, even immortality accompanied by a thirst for blood. Later in the series, when Edward talks about why he's the best musician, and why he's read the most books, I realized that the...version of immortality presented by Stephanie Meyer is probably the version of immortality I'd want. Even my wife agreed with this about me. I do have a thing for learning, for studying.
I realize that part of it too might actually be the writing style of the author. It worked on me, at least, drawing me in so that I began to care about the characters, to hope that at the end of the story, that final chapter, was the happily ever after that I enjoy in the books I read. When I think about her writing style, it honestly reminds me of stories I haven't picked up in forever. The Dragonriders of Pern. (Bella's depth of emotion reminds me a little of Menolly's song about Brekke and Canth's trip to the Red Star.) And something about her stories, reminds me of The Dragonlance Novels....I'm not sure why, but...something about the Twilight Saga reminds me of one of my favorite sections from any story I've ever read:
"Michael, cleric of Mishakal, and Nikol, daughter of a knight, left the city of Palanthas, never to return. They traveled south into the plains of Abanasinia. Here they joined a tribe of the nomadic Plainsmen."
"A child of a child of a child of a child of Michael and Nikol would come to be called Wanderer - a man whose ancestors, so it was said, never lost faith in the true gods."
"And Wanderer would have a grandson named Riverwind."
- Margarat Weis and Tracy Hickman: "True Knight" from the book, The Cataclysm: Tales Volume V
I swear, that passage makes me shiver every time I read it. Similarly, Jacob's thoughts when he sees Reneesme for the first time..and the sound that reaches his ears...it makes me shiver too.
So that's my thoughts. I know I'm gonna get laughed at. :P
I've been addicted to the Twilight Saga lately. I've read all four books in the space of about three or four days, and if that wasn't bad enough, I've also rented (and then purchased) the movie and read my favorite parts of the books four or five times. It's actually been driving ainyan crazy, because I actually get absorbed in my reading, and (accidentally) start ignoring her. (To be fair, whenever I DO get absorbed in my reading, I tune everything else out. I've done it for years. Ask my mom.)
When I told nitelyfe about it, I believe her exact words were: "I don't know you any more." I had to laugh.
I started thinking about it the other day, and I realized something. I'm a grown man, 31 years old. I'm really not supposed to like books and stories like this. So I got to thinking about WHY I've been so absorbed in the saga of Edward and Bella, and discussing it with my wife. (Who is, in fact, annoyed that I've become somewhat obsessed with the series.)
To start with, I think part of it is my...desire for happy endings. My need to know the whole story. It is difficult for me to pick up a story, especially one with the depth of emotion that Twilight carries with it, (sappy and emo and melodramatic that story may be) and not know how the story ends. I yearn for the happy ending, for the ending of the tale. Because there are four books, I had to read them all. (The Harry Potter series was the same way - it's why I had to buy the last three books of the series the DAY they hit the stores.)
I won't lie, part of it is a fascination with vampires that I've always had. It's why I've enjoyed the Dark Hunters books (the few I've read), the Anita Blake books, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and why I buy books about Genevieve Dieudonne, the day-walking vampiress from the Warhammer Fantasy universe. It's why I enjoy gothic music and architecture. I mean, I may be a really optimistic person, and, in fact, enjoy the sun, warmth, and joy, happiness, etc...but I do really love stories about vampires.
Another part of it might be...the Cullen family themselves. I got to thinking about what I would want to do with immortality, even immortality accompanied by a thirst for blood. Later in the series, when Edward talks about why he's the best musician, and why he's read the most books, I realized that the...version of immortality presented by Stephanie Meyer is probably the version of immortality I'd want. Even my wife agreed with this about me. I do have a thing for learning, for studying.
I realize that part of it too might actually be the writing style of the author. It worked on me, at least, drawing me in so that I began to care about the characters, to hope that at the end of the story, that final chapter, was the happily ever after that I enjoy in the books I read. When I think about her writing style, it honestly reminds me of stories I haven't picked up in forever. The Dragonriders of Pern. (Bella's depth of emotion reminds me a little of Menolly's song about Brekke and Canth's trip to the Red Star.) And something about her stories, reminds me of The Dragonlance Novels....I'm not sure why, but...something about the Twilight Saga reminds me of one of my favorite sections from any story I've ever read:
"Michael, cleric of Mishakal, and Nikol, daughter of a knight, left the city of Palanthas, never to return. They traveled south into the plains of Abanasinia. Here they joined a tribe of the nomadic Plainsmen."
"A child of a child of a child of a child of Michael and Nikol would come to be called Wanderer - a man whose ancestors, so it was said, never lost faith in the true gods."
"And Wanderer would have a grandson named Riverwind."
- Margarat Weis and Tracy Hickman: "True Knight" from the book, The Cataclysm: Tales Volume V
I swear, that passage makes me shiver every time I read it. Similarly, Jacob's thoughts when he sees Reneesme for the first time..and the sound that reaches his ears...it makes me shiver too.
So that's my thoughts. I know I'm gonna get laughed at. :P