I have to begin by saying that I can not believe that I have read 60 books this year and that the year isn't over. More amazingly than that, my life doesn't seem to have fallen apart because I spend so much time reading. My children are still fed and clothed and doing well in school, my job at school gets done, I still find time to spend with friends, and Rob and I still enjoy being married and doing things together. I guess the only part of my life that suffers due to this obsession with books is that I sleep less. But since I am getting older (sigh...) and require less sleep, I guess everything comes out in the wash.
OK...on to New Moon...
While I did not LOVE this book as much a Twilight, I did like it. In fact, the last 30 pages saved the book for me. My worst fears were realized as I was reading last night...I was, in fact, reading a book about vampires. The love story was gone, the vampires were out in full force, and I was not the least bit interested. Luckily, through the power of FB, three friends encouraged me to keep reading by admitting that New Moon was their least favorite of the four books and one friend shared with me that New Moon's ending was fantastic. So, I kept reading with the goal of finishing and being able to watch the movie, which has been DVRd for the last week. It remains to be seen if it will be my least favorite of the saga, and the ending was a good one. The best new of all...Edward came back. I think I still love Edward, vampire and all.
As I was reading New Moon, and reading about Bella being pulled in two very different directions throughout the course of this book, I kept thinking about my own high school experience, and high school drama in general. Bella is the girl stuck in the middle. And, I think we've all either known a "Bella" or have been a "Bella." In the book, Bella is caught between the world of vampires and the world of werewolves. Both are monsters, both are bad for her in so many ways, but there she is, loving one of each, and feeling the strain of this predicament every day. She likens herself and her story to Romeo and Juliet and finds evidence from Shakespeare to support her choices, or to caution herself against some, throughout the text. While I loved this connection, having loved both Shakespeare and R&J so much myself (I can still remember watching the video in Ms. Gardner's 9th grade AL/L class), I think that Bella provides an interesting story for current teenagers, too, who aren't so much stuck in between feuding families, athough I guess that's possible, but who could, perhaps, be stuck between two social classes in the high school cafeteria, or stuck between two friends who don't like each other. Beyond being caught in the middle of vampires and werewolves, Bella is the girl who has to choose between a boyfriend and a male friend. That is a tough choice to make. I was given that ultimatum once about 20 years ago and know how my story turned out. I wonder how Bella is going to reconcile hers. Bella's choice, Edward, has been made clear in New Moon. What has not been made clear is how she plans to reconcile choosing a boyfriend, a lover, over a friend. This is why I can't wait to start reading Eclipse. I am now compelled to find out how this saga ends.
I have been asked since beginning this Twilight journey if I will let Abigail read these books. After reading Twilight I felt certain that I would hand Abigail a copy of Twilight when she landed her first read boyfriend. If ever there was a book promoting abstinence and the dangers of a physical relationship, Twilight was it! After reading New Moon, I am sure I will let her read these books, Emily, too, when she is old enough. While they are books about vampires and werewolves, the underlying stories and struggles are the ones that are most relevant to young girls whether 20 years ago or today (hence why these books are actually yound adult books even though most people I know 30 and older are the ones flocking to the bookstore and the movie theatre over them): how will Bella decide between a friend and a boyfriend/husband? how will she deal with parents who don't approve of her choice in a mate? will she get married at age 18?
Meghan was SO right about the Twilight saga. She told me that they were, in fact, books about werewolves and vampires, but that they were so much more than that. She was right, and I am hooked. Oh, and so far...I am a member of TEAM EDWARD! (I just love him...a man with 100 years of life experience in the body of a 17 year old...um...sounds good to me!)
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