“TWILIGHT” IS NOT BAD
We’ve been there before: hiding copies of New Moon before another person sees us, clearing search histories about vampire/werewolf lore, and lying to others about our (honest) opinions of the hit saga, Twilight.
It’s been nineteen years since the book was released in 2005, which means it’s time for us to come clean: Twilight isn’t bad. Of course it’s not great literature, not to mention racist and heavy on religious morals. Yet, there is something magical about the story which many people can’t ignore, even today. Society is quick to label the saga as ‘bad,’ yet I wonder if the Twilight haters have taken the time to read the books. Despite the obvious flaws, I believe Twilight is not bad.
Before I begin, I want to be clear I am defending the books and NOT the movies. Although I love the movies, they do not hold a candle to the books.
One thing Meyers does successfully in the saga is world building. Typically when I read/watch something from the fantasy genre, I am forced to Google details about its fictional world. These books do pretty well with explaining its lore. From the details of Rosalie’s past to Edward eating a piece of wedding cake, there are many minuscule details included about their world that makes it much more believable. Although some of the lore is strange (imprinting is so strange,) I understand why things happen, which is the most important aspect a story needs to succeed.
Even a mundane place such as Forks becomes electrified in the saga. Forks becomes this destination for all things mystical rather than a dreary small town, which is really cool. I never thought I would want to travel to Forks of all places, yet here I am. Personally, I give props to Meyers for revising a forgettable small town.
Her main character, however, is one of the only poorly-written character in the saga in my opinion. Bella being the least interesting character sucks since she is the main character, yet others personalities make up for her lack thereof. Edward, for example, are fleshed out pretty well, especially in Midnight Sun. This book in particular made Edward seem more like a living, breathing human (or vampire) in my opinion since readers learn about how much he wants Bella’s blood and how he learns to control it by the end of the saga. Jacob undergoes character development as well. When we meet him, he is this happy-go-lucky kid, but his life is turned upside down when he transitions. He finds his way on top by being the alpha member of the wolf pack and finding his true love (still gross.)
Yet, the best part about Twilight is how much fun it is. Twilight knows what it is: an awkward coming-of-age story embellished with a love triangle between a vampire and a werewolf. When the story is put that way, it sounds ridiculous. But that’s exactly what it is! The saga doesn’t try to be profound in any way because it knows it’s not. It is an enjoyable story that takes readers to a different world, which is something many people need in this world. It embraces what it truly is which is something I admire about the story.
In short, Twilight gets more hate than it deserves, but I hope this article tries to create awareness about the other side of the coin. So don’t be afraid to read New Moon in public. Instead of getting weird looks, you might make a Twi-hard friend which is totally worth being seen as strange.