What's the deal with all the Twilight threads?

I'd never heard of Twilight until I saw that it was playing in my local theater. To which I said to myself "huh- who knew that so many young people would be interested in a Twilight Zone movie"

I mentioned this to a teen who told me she'd seen the movie, and she said it wasn't Twilight Zone, but something to do with vampires.

Is this supposed to be akin to the Harry Potter mania? (books, movies, merchandise, etc)

Are there any "grown-ups" that have read the books/seen the movie?

23 years old, read all 4 books in 2 weeks! We sell the books where I work and I've had discussions about them with 8 year old boys and 50 year old moms. It appeals to everyone.

I'm 24 and just saw the movie which I *loved.* I'm a sucker for romances I guess. Right after the movie I went out and bought the first book. Backwards order, probably should have read the books first, but this way I can picture Bella and Edward as how I saw them in the movie, rather than reading the books and imagining what they look like, only to be disappointed when I saw the movie.

I'm also in love with the soundtrack...

Original Post by r4eboxer:

Right now I'm reading World without End by John Follet, it's the sequel to Pillars of the Earth and is brilliantly written. If your looking for a page turner you should get Pillars and then read World without End. They are both over 900 pages but definitely worth your time.

heehee- you mean Ken? I've read Pillars, have yet to read the sequel. Just finished his novel The Third Twin last week- way different from Pillars but a great read nonetheless.

Original Post by qmwillcand:

I dunno, I guess the whole idea of witches/warlocks, spells and all. Surely there are other good fictional novels out there that don't deal with that stuff.

Mind you, the books I read when I was his age weren't great, like the Goosebump series. (he's not allowed to read those either)

Uh, why? I mean, if the criteria is "does not reflect reality," you can start knocking off authors with Austin and keep going down the list.

And, no, I haven't read Twilight. Moreover, any thing that I've heard about it leaves me utterly devoid of any desire to read it.

I never understood how the "vampires...who have lotsa sex!" thing sold so much, and I don't understand how the "vampires...who abstain from all sex!" thing sold so much.

Original Post by hkellick:

No. There are no grown-ups whatsoever that read Twilight. It's only a tween thing. ;p

you are completely wrong. Check out www. twilightmoms.com. For one im 22 and i love this book series. Yes it has become exactly like the HP mania. Only because of the movie. otherwise it was a smaller popular book series compared to HP.

Original Post by freedomfrom:

I never understood how the "vampires...who have lotsa sex!" thing sold so much, and I don't understand how the "vampires...who abstain from all sex!" thing sold so much.

 I guess you're not a gothic literature fan?

The Vampyre started the romantic attraction of vampires, and preceded the whole mythology propogated by numerous authors, including Stoker and Rice.

I think one Twilight thread is enough. There are like 5 floating around these days.

Original Post by freedomfrom:

Original Post by qmwillcand:

I dunno, I guess the whole idea of witches/warlocks, spells and all. Surely there are other good fictional novels out there that don't deal with that stuff.

Mind you, the books I read when I was his age weren't great, like the Goosebump series. (he's not allowed to read those either)

Uh, why? I mean, if the criteria is "does not reflect reality," you can start knocking off authors with Austin and keep going down the list.

No, it's not based on that criteria, just at his age I still have the responsibility to control what he reads and watches. I haven't read the books in question, so I can't rightly say that they aren't appropriate. If he expressed an interest in them (which he never has), I would read them first and then decide. In the meantime, if I err, it will continue to be on the side of caution.

My mom was (still is) wonderful, but I was reading books at a young age that I should not have been. She wasn't aware of the content because she didn't read them first.

Original Post by alibsam:

I think one Twilight thread is enough. There are like 5 floating around these days.

I know...when I was posting the thread, I was thinking

"umm, I'm asking why, yet I just added another to the lot"

ironic :D

Original Post by santonacci:

Original Post by freedomfrom:

I never understood how the "vampires...who have lotsa sex!" thing sold so much, and I don't understand how the "vampires...who abstain from all sex!" thing sold so much.

 I guess you're not a gothic literature fan?

The Vampyre started the romantic attraction of vampires, and preceded the whole mythology propogated by numerous authors, including Stoker and Rice.

Yeah, I know, it's like complaing about water being wet.

Northanger Abbey ruined me for Gothic in general and Laurel K. Hamiliton's opus ruined me for supernatural lovin' in specific (two authors I never suspect I'd reference in the same sentence). I am all about Southern Gothic though.

Still, with that as it is, it's one of those things that leaves Twilight...somewhat thematically incoherent.

Original Post by qmwillcand:

 If he expressed an interest in them (which he never has), I would read them first and then decide. 

Interesting.  It would have never occurred to me, as a kid or as a teen, to check with my parents on whether or not I could read a particular book.  I simply had free access to the public library (within biking distance) and a library card.  *wonders if they would have approved of my choices....*

I could tell you this my parents would have blown their lid if they new what I read, but then again I always took books off my mom's bookshelves and read them. She never cared, they were books as long as I was reading and not sitting in front of the tv it was fine. I read this one book Forever by Judy Bloome, question if you know this author, Isnt she childrens books or was she considered young adult. Im asking cause that book I read when I was 12 and whoa it was pretty much filled with sex. Maybe it seemed extreme when I was 12 but id probably read it now and there is minor details about sex in it.

Personally, I would never set *limitations* on what my kids could read. I'm not saying I'd go out and buy my kids horribly inappropriate reading material, but what they decide to read is their chioce. I'd encourage them to read whatever interests them. Reading is reading.

Original Post by gem86:

I could tell you this my parents would have blown their lid if they new what I read, but then again I always took books off my mom's bookshelves and read them. She never cared, they were books as long as I was reading and not sitting in front of the tv it was fine. I read this one book Forever by Judy Bloome, question if you know this author, Isnt she childrens books or was she considered young adult. Im asking cause that book I read when I was 12 and whoa it was pretty much filled with sex. Maybe it seemed extreme when I was 12 but id probably read it now and there is minor details about sex in it.

 Oh god....I remember Forever....I think I actually still have my copy somewhere. it is totally sex-filled. I mean, the guy even has a name for his....um....man parts. LOL it's very explicit...too much so, lets just say I got most of my sex-ed start from reading that book....LOL

I am 21 and have read all the Twilight books. I'm actually taking it upon myself to study the big boom in vampire lit in the teen world (I'm doing an independent project next semester with a faculty member), plus I work at a bookstore. That said, I despise the message they send out to the 10- and 11-year-old girls (and of course the older ones too) that are reading them. Bella is a character who, when you look closely at the whole thing, has no real defining characteristics she can call her own. She is defined by her relationship with Edward. In the second book he goes away, and she becomes something pretty close to a zombie. She cannot function without him, and I don't think that's a healthy thing to promote to girls who are just emerging into the dating and romance world. Plus, the fourth book has THE goriest birth scene I've ever come across and probably will ever come across (PS They pretty much have sex nonstop in that one). Also, her writing is terrible.

Original Post by seratuki:

Original Post by gem86:

I could tell you this my parents would have blown their lid if they new what I read, but then again I always took books off my mom's bookshelves and read them. She never cared, they were books as long as I was reading and not sitting in front of the tv it was fine. I read this one book Forever by Judy Bloome, question if you know this author, Isnt she childrens books or was she considered young adult. Im asking cause that book I read when I was 12 and whoa it was pretty much filled with sex. Maybe it seemed extreme when I was 12 but id probably read it now and there is minor details about sex in it.

 Oh god....I remember Forever....I think I actually still have my copy somewhere. it is totally sex-filled. I mean, the guy even has a name for his....um....man parts. LOL it's very explicit...too much so, lets just say I got most of my sex-ed start from reading that book....LOL

 ahaha yes! my friend read it first and asked me what perverted ment. I knew but wasnt sure how to explain the definition. but doesnt that author write childrens novels? Maybe im wrong I was never one to read her books besides that one.

Ok if you didnt like the twilight series or wasnt a big fan try reading Stephenie Meyers other book The Host. Its a lil better writting style but the storyline is much more interesting. I will warn though the first few chapters are really boring because its back back story and flashbacks.

26 read all of the Twilight books and saw the movie 5 times.  I just love the story so much, honestly if there was a huge following or not I'd still have read it and loved it. Although the amount of tshirts, posters, and the new Twilight perfume, that's just too much for me.

I'm 20.. I think that makes me an adult and I love the twilight books! It's not a boring read if you can understand the complex relationships between the characters and learn to empathize with them. If you have an imagination the books are wonderful. I think the writing style that allows for imagination is what made the HP books so popular also. I would recommend reading the HOST also, but I agree that the backstory part of it does get dry, and if you find books about complex relationships boring you won't like it.

Original Post by santonacci:

Original Post by qmwillcand:

If he expressed an interest in them (which he never has), I would read them first and then decide.

Interesting. It would have never occurred to me, as a kid or as a teen, to check with my parents on whether or not I could read a particular book. I simply had free access to the public library (within biking distance) and a library card. *wonders if they would have approved of my choices....*

Very fortunately for me, he's a great kid that way- he has library access and could read whatever he wants and I'd never know, but he brings them home to read.

It's funny how some of the things I do as a parent are different than how I had it growing up. I'd ask for loads of different books and get them for bdays, Christmas, etc. I got interested in Torey Haydens books, which were non fiction novels on the work she did as a Special Ed teacher. It talked a lot about molestation, and in vivid detail. I was very naive at 12 and it kinda shocked/scared me.

ok, i'm 31 and several of my fellow 30-something friends have read or are reading the Twilight series, as well as my 28 year old sister and my 55 year old mom.  and i keep seeing 40-something year old women at the gym carrying the books around and reading them on the machines.  sometimes you just need to absorb yourself into a teen romance, and there is no harm in doing that...to me these books are a bit more complex than that though...

twilight is a bit juvenile in that i wish they would just get it on instead of continuously pining for each other, but come on...it's basically a twisted Romeo and Juliet story and who doesn't love a good R&J story?? i'm a hopeless romantic and love the plot twists...ok, now i need to get back to eclipse. :)