Thursday, November 20, 2008

Oooooo Sparkly

I was going to go see Twilight on Tuesday. I had two of those little promotional sneak-preview passes that you can pick up around town. They always have more passes than seats available, so it's always a good idea to get to the theater early to get tickets. The movie started at 7. I got there around 4. The actual tickets had been sold out since 11:30. So I missed my chance. Darn.

Twilight is kind of a strange phenomenon. The books (I have read all of them) are mediocre at best, terrible at their worst. I'm not sure I understand why they are so popular. They are not well written at all. The story is kind of awful - the first book all of the action takes place in the very end. Edward is a creepy, possessive, moody, stalker, sparkly vampire. Jacob is better, but still not exactly a great romantic hero. Bella is kind of insipid.

I guess I can't expect too much from a YA novel. But there's really no reason why I shouldn't. The Book Thief, for example, is a YA book that was absolutely brilliant. But it's not nearly as popular as Twilight. I guess I shouldn't really be surprised. In a world where Dan Brown is a best selling author over and over again, it's no shock that another mediocre writer should be just as popular.

I have to say though, Dan Brown may have an atrocious writing style, but his stories are fun and he knows how to tell a story. Stephanie Meyer's vampire saga has a pretty weak story as well as poor execution. I don't get it.

On the other hand, I did read them. All four books. I guess I was suckered in just as much as anyone else. And the books were very engaging. I burned through them very quickly and was entertained the whole time. So I guess there is something to them. Of course, I am also going to see the movie (though I may wait until it hits the dollar theater) because, well, I read the books. Maybe it will actually work better as a movie. Probably not, judging by the trailer. We'll see.

4 comments:

veganaron said...

Damn that's a good picture thur.

Krug, Sh. said...

I have to say though, Dan Brown may have an atrocious writing style, but his stories are fun and he knows how to tell a story.

And I have to say WHAT? I only made it through the DaVinci Code by reading one subplot's ridiculously-short chapters in order to the end, then going back for the other's (Professor Langdon's? More like lamedon, ha ha.)

Of course, the more I hear from people who don't understand the books' appeal, the more I want to dig in to the mystery myself. (Of course, if it's just vampires + romance, I will take full responsibility for my own suffering.)

Anonymous said...

Dan Brown? Stephanie Meyer? Yikes!

I prescribe 'Moveable Feast' by Ernest Hemingway, 'Concierto Barroco' by Alejo Carpentier, and 'The Temple of the Golden Pavillion' by Yukio Mishima.

- Rusty

Cassie the Great said...

I read Dan Brown's shit novel something like 4 years ago... whenever it was that it came out. It's kind of my stock example of bad literature. But the story really did suck me in and didn't let go. Which is probably why I read the book in its entirety in a three hour binge read. I promise, I read very good stuff in between all the crap fiction.

My Amazon.com Wish List

2007 Banned Books Week: Ahoy! Treasure Your Freedom to Read and Get Hooked on a Banned Book