BOOK CLUB FOR Twilight series - Page 10

[Labbemama]

I am currently reading New Moon, just having finished Twilight.

It was hard to get the copy I bought for dd back! I'm hooked.

I did have a hard time maintaining my attention reading Twilight because I saw the movie first. (not a criticism of the movie or the book) but just that it's personally hard for me to see the movie first and then fully enjoy the book because of the compare and contrast thing.

I'm sure I'll be able to read them all before New Moon comes out. LOL.

[KaraBoo]

how far back in this thread should I read before asking a question? LOL

[rockportmama]

Depends on the question!

[KaraBoo]

LOL Fair enough.

I read all the books and have seen the Twilight movie a few times. So this question doesn't just come from thin air.

Why does Edward love Bella? I know he thirsts for her blood. That somehow her blood is different and much more enticing. But that's just her blood...what about HER? I know he can't read her mind and therefore that might prove a challenge for him. But why does he love her? Meyer doesn't show us how or why. She only tells us he does.

For that matter, why does ANYONE like Bella? She doesn't have any input in her school friendships and is quite sullen and even disdainful. Yet they care for her and include her. Meyer doesn't give us any reason for anyone to like Bella at all.

[mom2snugbugs]

Originally Posted by KaraBoo

LOL Fair enough.

I read all the books and have seen the Twilight movie a few times. So this question doesn't just come from thin air.

Why does Edward love Bella? I know he thirsts for her blood. That somehow her blood is different and much more enticing. But that's just her blood...what about HER? I know he can't read her mind and therefore that might prove a challenge for him. But why does he love her? Meyer doesn't show us how or why. She only tells us he does.

For that matter, why does ANYONE like Bella? She doesn't have any input in her school friendships and is quite sullen and even disdainful. Yet they care for her and include her. Meyer doesn't give us any reason for anyone to like Bella at all.

Have you read Midnight Sun? It kind of goes into it on there.

[Picturesque]

I agree that Midnight Sun sheds more light on this question. I guess maybe it was hard for Meyers to give us too much insight into the reasons behind Edward's feelings for Bella in the books written from her perspective because part of Bella's nature is to be rather dismissive of her own positive qualities. However, in Midnight Sun, Edward closely observes Bella and discovers one quality after another that make Bella special to him.

[KYCat]

I just finished BD and was SOOOOO happy to see that someone had posted here recently! I agree that Midnight Sun explains the WHY of Edward loving Bella. Once I read it, I felt like I could see it everywhere, in all of the books, but since they are from Bella's point of view and she doesn't really get it, it's not there. I would fault Stephenie Meyer for this but I think that this is all too real. When something is obvious to us, we never give it voice, but of course, what is obvious to one, is not obvious to all!

[KaraBoo]

But don't you think a book should stand alone?

[annettemarie]

Is there more to MS than just one chapter? All I found online was the one chapter.

[the_lissa]

There are 12 chapters I believe. You can read it on her web site:
http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

[annettemarie]

For some reason, I'm only getting chapter one.

[Oriole]

Originally Posted by KaraBoo

LOL Fair enough.

I read all the books and have seen the Twilight movie a few times. So this question doesn't just come from thin air.

Why does Edward love Bella? I know he thirsts for her blood. That somehow her blood is different and much more enticing. But that's just her blood...what about HER? I know he can't read her mind and therefore that might prove a challenge for him. But why does he love her? Meyer doesn't show us how or why. She only tells us he does.

For that matter, why does ANYONE like Bella? She doesn't have any input in her school friendships and is quite sullen and even disdainful. Yet they care for her and include her. Meyer doesn't give us any reason for anyone to like Bella at all.

Ooh, I love this question because we talked about it in regards to love as a concept, unattached to any book discussion. And here is what I think about love...

I think if you love your partner for this or that reason - that's not love. Love knows no reason, and unites people not because someone is something, but on some other level we are connected and despite all our shortcomings are meant to love each other even when your partner doesn't do things your way.

At least that's what I think.

As far as the fact that Meyer doesn't give a reason for anyone to like her - I'd disagree with that. Maybe some dont' like Bella for this reason or another, but I like her because she takes care of her parents better than they take care of her, I like Bella because she reads books I enjoy, and because she is clumsy when playing sports. Those are just a few reasons why her character appeals to me.

[the_lissa]

If you click on Midnight SUn partial draft under August 08, you get all 12 chapters, at least I do when I click on it. If you click on the link at the very bottomo of the page, it is just chapter one.

[annettemarie]

Ah ha! That's it. You're brilliant.

[the_lissa]

:

[giftedwith2]

Edward does give a few reasons in the books about why he is attracted to/loves Bella. The scent of her blood drew him too her as much as it repulsed him for making him desire human blood but he does not think of it as a reason to love her. He mentions several times how difficult the scent makes it to be around her and in later books acknowledges he'll be glad when she's changed and doesn't carry that scent anymore. Edward finds her physically attractive and grows more attracted the deeper he falls in loves with her. More than once in the series he calls her beautiful.He calls her "warm and trusting and good" at the baseball field. He admires her bravery and is grateful for her trust and belief in him. In one of the books he tells her something like "you only have to risk your life every minute that your with me" when Bella wonders why he thinks she's brave. Bella is mature, a caregiver to her parents,is sensitive to others feelings and doesn't like to be fussed over. She likes reading, is familiar with the classics and enjoys the same music Edward does. Bella shows independence and wants to earn her way through college-at least before she wants to become a vampire. Like others have said the book is through her eyes so she can't realistically go gushing over her own positive qualities-in fact she's very down to earth and humble about her own positive traits. Sprinkled throughout the books though are comments from others or behaviors from Bella herself which show her admirable characteristics. I did think Breaking Dawn was a disapointment in many aspects and even before becoming a vampire bella didn't seem much like her character in the other books. She seemed to become tougher and "ruder" with each book. Edward never cursed-at least not in front of her and although possesive was very considerate with her while Bella started swearing and becoming more complaining and negative. I dunno, I love the books but have to admit I wish Bella had remained less moody.

[dogretro]

Edward explains not cussing by being raised in a different time. He does not feel comfortable using rude language in front of the ladies. Bella, however, has been raised in this time now, where we do whatever the heck we want. I do not think swearing or rudeness was out of place.

Considering the fact that, in every book, someone wanted to kill Bella, she held up pretty well! The longer you deal w/ that type of stress, the tougher you are going to become! Plus, she was dealing w/ wanting to sleep w/ Edward and not being able to. I could 100% relate to her impatience w/ this in Eclipse b/c it mirrored my own feelings while being engaged to my husband. I just wanted to get married already, to get to be w/ him all the time and get on w/ the adult activities I graduated from college shortly before our wedding and could not WAIT for school to be over. I did not care about the other ppl in my classes, parties, etc, etc. Eclipse was the most relatable book for me, in that aspect. I thought the way Bella treated the humans around her was realistic b/c she was just impatient to become a vampire & get to move on w/ life. Every time Bella pestered Edward to have sex, I smiled b/c that was so me!

Breaking Dawn was the only book that mattered to me. The other three are nothing but the prelude to that one. It was, far and away, my very most favourite of the series. The original was my least favourite. I actually don't even like it much. I was totally right there w/ Bella, everything before the wedding was nothing. Everything after was, well, everything. I loved that Meyers took her vampire novel in a different direction than every other vamp novel by giving us Renesmee and by leaving out vampire hunters (THANK YOU, Baby Jesus!). Loved loved loved it! I want a shirt that says "Breaking Dawn" not one that says "Twilight"!

[KYCat]

dogretro -- Thank you for putting together 6 words that I never expected to see together "vampire hunters (THANK YOU baby Jesus!)" That has made me happy ever since I read it and I had to come back to officially thank you. I too LOVE Breaking Dawn. It's just so HAPPY. A friend and I have been trying to understand our OBSESSION with the Twilight series and the best explanation that I can come up with is that they are pure emotion and we are emotion addicts (On the Meyers-Briggs test I'm an NF (Intuitive Feeling))
Twilight -- passion and longing and new love
New Moon -- bone crushing depression, true friendship and then the awarenss of true love
Eclipse -- love, jealousy confusion, fear, and sadness
BD -- happiness, overwhelming happiness and confidence. (For Edward and Jacob also fear of loss but not so much for Bella)
As an emotional junkie, I was much better at dealing with life through high school and college then dealing with the daily life of being a SAHM. These books take me to a place that is "my own personal brand of heroin". )
Why do you think that they are addictive to some?

[sapphos]

Originally Posted by KYCat

dogretro -- Thank you for putting together 6 words that I never expected to see together "vampire hunters (THANK YOU baby Jesus!)" That has made me happy ever since I read it and I had to come back to officially thank you. I too LOVE Breaking Dawn. It's just so HAPPY. A friend and I have been trying to understand our OBSESSION with the Twilight series and the best explanation that I can come up with is that they are pure emotion and we are emotion addicts (On the Meyers-Briggs test I'm an NF (Intuitive Feeling))
Twilight -- passion and longing and new love
New Moon -- bone crushing depression, true friendship and then the awarenss of true love
Eclipse -- love, jealousy confusion, fear, and sadness
BD -- happiness, overwhelming happiness and confidence. (For Edward and Jacob also fear of loss but not so much for Bella)
As an emotional junkie, I was much better at dealing with life through high school and college then dealing with the daily life of being a SAHM. These books take me to a place that is "my own personal brand of heroin". )
Why do you think that they are addictive to some?

I am awaiting my copy of BD from Amazon but I have managed to read the
first three in the last three days and am now almost finished with the manuscript about Edward. I agree with your breakdown of the books and so far that is what has been so addicting to me. Although I must admit I skipped all the stuff about Jacob and her depression in Eclipse - I just coudn't bear to see her without Edward (must be a personal thing ) but I will get back to it.

[Katrinawitch]

Swoon! Where do I start!? I had put off reading these books, even after my two teenage daughters insisted I'd love them, but finally did it, and I haven't looked back! I started Twilight about 2 weeks ago, and just finished Eclipse last night. I'm hesitating on starting Breaking Dawn, because I just don't want it to be over! Of course, I'll probably then start the series all over again anyway, but there's nothing like that first time reading a book that you know will become a favorite.

I'm totally Team Edward. Every time the book describes his cold lips going in for a kiss, I get tingles! What's with me!!?? I think what draws young adult women, and heck, most other adult women, into this series is that Edward and Bella's relationship epitomizes everything sweet, passionate, and romantic about the early stages of any relationship. With us humans, that part dies down eventually, and the relationship becomes comfortable. But with E and B, it's all about the kissing and the foreplay and the great conversations. It's like they "imprinted" on each other.

And yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to become a vampire if I had someone like Edward to spend eternity with!

Of course, my daughters said this series was better than Harry Potter, but I have to draw the line there. Harry is amazing and epic, and there's just no comparison.