Putting Twilight to bed....for now.

After video chatting with Mara last night and discussing the end of Breaking Dawn, the fourth and final book of the Twilight series, I finished it myself last night for the second time and feel confident that I can finally put these books to rest for awhile.

I have put a lot of time and thought into why these books riveted me so much and essentially became like crack to my buried (or not-so-buried) teenage alter ego. I would wager to guess that my own insecurities as a adolescent and teenager reflect what most girls at that age go through, and the heroine of these books is very much that girl. Yet, she has attracted the attention and affection of a man that she deems to be far superior to her in all ways....she's undeterred by the fact that he's a vampire (read= "bad boy" that's a bit dangerous) and she sees the good inside of him. What female hasn't encountered a bad boy that they thought they could be the one to change? The one to see "the real him"?

Also- the books have a ton of sexual tension but [SPOILER ALERT] only really give in to it in the fourth book when Bella and Edward are married. Even then, the books are kept pretty clean for its teen audience and by doing so, it invites in the imagination of all the horny women reading and lusting after their own perfect love. Plus, there's an element of violence and danger throughout all of it....including all the sexual stuff. And let's be really honest....there's always something exciting and weirdly intriguing about mixing sex and violence in entertainment. Whether it's books or movies, a hint of danger to further increase the electricity of a situation makes it way more thrilling.

Plus, giving credit where credit is due, Stephanie Meyer may not be the best writer in the history of novels by any stretch, but she's created a world that can really hold your attention. The way in which she succeeds the most as a writer, for me at least, is drawing you in so completely to Bella's world. You care for her and for her and Edward far more than you care about logic, plot or even the repetitive nature of her prose.

Anyway, I am pretty sure that I will not pick up one of these books again until after I see the movie. Hopefully even then, I'll have had enough. I've read them all (at least) twice, read the unfinished manuscript of Midnight Sun twice, and now I've read two versions of the movie script. Obsession complete....I hope.
Chris gets to have his wife back now. Sorry honey! I promise, I'm done!!