"Twilight"
by Stephenie Meyer
reviewed by Josh Meares
The Story
"Twilight" by Stephenie Meyer topped the "New York Times" bestseller list. Production is underway on a major movie adaptation due in November. The book is on "Teen People's" Hot List, and it made the "Publishers Weekly" Best Book of the Year. It also the first in a four-book series. So what is all the fuss about?
"Twilight" is the story of Bella, a junior from sunny, urban Phoenix, Arizona, who has never really fit in anywhere. She is pale, clumsy, and smart. But she is leaving everything -- including her mom and her boyfriend Phil -- to move in with her dad in rainy, depressing, small town Forks, Washington. Imagine her surprise when she immediately falls head over heels in love with a boy named Edward.
Edward is smart, rich, and he is good at everything he does. He's also, we're told repeatedly, breathtakingly beautiful. Oh, and one more thing. Edward is a vampire with a craving for human blood, especially the blood of sweet young Bella. How's that for a storyline?
The Verdict
Stephenie Meyer has great writing style. This book is definitely a page turner. Meyer handles the suspense at the end of the book very well. It is quite suspenseful. On the other hand, I will admit that if Bella would have commented ONE MORE time on how beautiful Edward was, I might have thrown up.
Other than that, and the consistent cliches, this book is a fun read. "Twilight" would qualify for a PG rating, with very little swearing and a bit of kissing. The blood, while copious, is never disturbing. [NOTE: I'm told that the amount of darkness, sex and bloody violence increases in the following three books.]
Most people can relate to a lot of what goes on in this book. Bella is a character that doesn't quite fit in; she's not too graceful socially; she doesn't think she's very pretty; and she is terribly clumsy. It's fun watching her character grow up.
Worldview
Two major biblical worldview issues come out of Bella's story. The first has to do with her preoccupation with looks. I wish I had a nickel for every time Bella thinks something like, "His hair was dripping wet, disheveled -- even so, he looked like he'd just finished shooting a commercial for hair gel."
Come ON! The Bible is clear. Looks aren't important. "Beauty is fleeting," you know, unless you are a vampire. Then I guess you can be beautiful forever.
But a deeper issue has to do with Bella's idea of love. Bella says she doesn't have a choice about who she loves. To her, it doesn't matter that Edward is a vampire and that he might kill her. In her mind, she has NO CHOICE in the matter. And she's not the only one. I can't tell you how many conversations I have had, both with students and adults, that go something like this:
"I love so-and-so. I know he doesn't love me; he is just using me for sex. But I can't stop loving him."
"I love so-and-so. I know that he is the same gender as I am, but I can't help the way I feel."
"I love so-and-so. I know he's not a Christian, but I can't change how I feel."
"I love so-and-so. My parents don't approve, but it would hurt too much to leave her."
All the kids in those situations are in chains. They are hurting and tired, and they want to give up. But they don't see any way out. Why? Because they started off with the assumption that you can't help who you love.
Is that true? Well, in one sense, yes. You can't really help who you are attracted to. Neither can a former alcoholic keep from being attracted to liquor or a recovering junkie keep from being attracted to drugs. But they, and you, can make the choice not to act on those attractions, can't they? Or are we all slaves to the things we desire?
We've all felt the electricity of sitting close to someone we really like. But is that electricity our master. Paul makes a great statement in 1 Corinthians 6. He says, "Everything is permissible for me, but I will not be mastered by anything." Do you see how that applies to love?
Let's look at what the Bible says about love, especially the intimate love of a romantic relationship.
"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" (2 Corinthians 6:14)
"Do not be yoked together" means not to be intimately involved with. It means not to date and and/or marry an unbeliever. Note that Paul doesn't say: "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers UNLESS you are SO IN LOVE that you just can't help yourself."
But isn't that the way that a lot of people view love? Isn't it something that they think they have no control over? The truth is that what Bella is feeling in this novel is not love at all; it is a kind of animal attraction that begins to shade into lust. Love is not just a feeling; it is just as much a choice we make about how we will (or won't) commit ourselves to other people. (Read the Love Chapter to drive a wooden stake through the idea that true love is something you can't control.)
Questions
- Are you in a relationship now that you shouldn't be in?
- Have you ever felt like you just couldn't get over someone?
- Are any of your friends in destructive relationships? Have you ever heard them say that they can't really help who they love?
- Do you think you control your emotions or that your emotions control you? Or is it a balance?
- Did you like this book?
- What other spiritual issues did this book bring up for you?
- Did it kind of freak you out that Edward and Bella stayed the night in the same room? Would your parents let you do that? Why or why not?
Comments
Tracy Jette on Oct 27, 2009 said...
My daughter Catherine is almost 13 years old and she has read the first two Twilight books. She is begging to read the third. I would like your opinion on the appropriateness of books 3 and 4. Thank you. Tracy Jette
Andy Burton on Nov 05, 2009 said...
I loved the first book, it had no sex, swearing or blasphemy and I would have been very happy to let my Daughter read it, however the second book about half way through, used a slang form of Jesus’ Name so I abandoned it immediatly. It is so difficult to watch a movie, tv or read a book without blasphemy. I no longer tolerate it and feel much better for it. It is so unecessary especially with such a rich lanuage as english.
Eldarwen on Nov 05, 2009 said...
1. I have never been in a relationship with a boy and I never will be until I’m ready to be married. At present time, I’m 15, so that will be a few years down the road.
2. Yes, I have had a crush before, but I did not let it get the best of me. I treated him like my brother in Christ and nothing more. It soon passed over.
3. None of my current friends have boyfriends, but one of them is always telling me that she wishes she could. I’ve tried to explain to her why I don’t have boyfriends (when she asks), but she still doesn’t understand. I have made a promise to stay pure until marriage and she doesn’t understand why I think that’s so important.
4. You can control your emotions. Maybe sometimes you feel like you can’t, but if you get to that point, cry out to God for help and He WILL help you!
5. Do I like the Twilight books? No.
6. You named ‘em all. 
7. Well, I’ve never read the books, but one of my friends that does read them told me about Edward and Bella sharing a room, and “yes” it did freak me out. That is totally and completely wrong! Even though they didn’t actually have sex (or so my friend told me), it’s still wrong. And Stephenie Meyers is filling the pages of her books with sexual content and girls all around the world are reading them. No wonder we have so many young ladies that get pregnant these days. It’s because people like Stephenie are teaching them that it’s okay to have sex before marriage. It’s not that my parent’s wouldn’t ever let me sleep with a boy before marriage, it’s that I never will and have no desire to do that. Of course my parents would be upset with me if I did sleep with a boy before marriage, but what I mean is, I don’t do the things I do or don’t the the things I don’t do just because my parent’s say not to. They’re my personal beliefs.
I have NEVER liked these books. They seem like they’re taking over the minds of teenage girls all around the world and even some older woman. It’s just not Biblical and I find nothing Godly about the books, therefore I, personally, will have not part in them. Though I will not/do not judge people who think/believe differently than me. Like I said, my friend reads these books and I still love her and treat her kindly, and she’s still my friend and sister in Christ. These are just my beliefs and I’m not asking anyone to believe them along with me.
~Eldarwen Failariel~
Allie on Oct 09, 2009 said...
I’m not in a relationship nor ever have been. I’ve always gotten over my crushes. I’ve known people in relatioships and have heard others say things like ‘I can’t help who I fall for’. My emotions are usually balanced every now and then it gets crazy though. The books are actually pretty decent and I was very happy that they covered ‘no sex till marrage.’ Spiritually, I don’t like thinking about this book or any in the series that way. Stephenie Meyer is not a Christian. It was weird that they stayed in each others rooms throughout the books, but they weren’t doing anything wrong so I let it go. Personally though, my parents would not allow it, and neither would I. I think that in the real world something as simple as letting a member of the opposite sex in your room can lead to temptation and other things.
All in all the books are mostly clean and good. There is nothing spiritual about them though. They are simply a nice read that capture your attention.