(Good thing I didn't hop on the blogging-all-November bandwagon. I'd have fallen off long ago. And been trampled. Repeatedly.)
Anyway, I'll organize this book-by-book and give the best review I can of each given my memory.
First up . . . New Moon.
This one was better than the first--I felt--though it still left a lot to be desired. Meyer still likes to use repetitive dialogue and take her time with plot developments, but this one at least had a bit of cohesive plot to hold it together (unlike the first book).
Biggest problem? She needs to work on why things happen. Edward leaves at the beginning of the book for next to no reason at all, and while this is necessary to introduce the Jacob plot, it doesn't really make sense. After everything he put her through in the first book, he really thinks he can just walk out of her life?
To Meyer's credit, though, the Volturi are pretty cool.
Next . . . Eclipse.
Easily the best book of the series. Less time is wasted in useless dialogue as the competition between Edward and Jacob heats up. The plot--culmination of the previous two books--flows well and the characters almost become round.
A big battle always makes things more interesting, too. Though Meyer did keep the bulk of the fighting part out of the book . . . which I guess can be justified considering the book is marketed towards girls (I'm reminded of a certain conversation on gender plot preferences we once had after seeing Master and Commander in the theatre, Amy P-Shaw).
And finally . . . Breaking Dawn.
I think this book could have not existed without harming the series at all.
Meyer resolves the Jacob plot in a perfectly ridiculous way (that was utterly predictable . . . you knew what would happen the second she made up that imprinting trash). She also reveals that Bella (up to this point the most annoying and obnoxious heroine on record) actually has a cool power and then resolves the big battle before they actually begin to fight and she gets a chance to use it.
All in all, a completely melancholy ending that undoes everything Eclipse does for the series. This book should have been condensed into an epilogue instead of lengthened into a capitalistic bid for more royalties.
For shame, Stephenie Meyer.
So . . . the Twilight Saga in sum . . .
Better than I expected, though by the time the writing actually improves to a decent standard most readers have probably been lost.
In my opinion, most of the popularity of the series is a result of the concept of the books more than from any intrinsic value the story has itself. The familiar "forbidden love" theme is the only justification I can come up with for how a series of four mediocre books without adequate plot can become so popular.
I'm also a little concerned about the possible cultural trends either caused or highlighted by the popularity of Edward Cullen . . . the angsty, controlling vampire who everyone seems to feel is perfect.
Maybe they were reading a different edition than I picked up.
In Brian's Gradebook the Twilight books receive a grade of C-. Not quite good, but decent enough not to fail.
And now for something completely different . . .
I could easily spend lots of time in this room. Greenhouse living could be fun.
