A VERY HARSH REVIEW OF THE TWILIGHT SERIES
The McGill Tribune has posted a pretty harsh review of the Twilight series entitled “Fresh Hell: Abusive vampires are not model boyfriends.”
It’s good to see young people-and girls in particular-enjoying books, but it’s a shame when the books’ protagonist is a Seventeen filler story heroine brought to life.Twilight is a “first love” story based on lies, dependence, and mortal danger. Edward constantly rescues Bella because he is faster, stronger, and smarter than she is (as well as intensely protective). Edward is also constantly fighting the urge to kill Bella, which should alarm more than a few parents. Minus the vampirism, Edward is a beautiful, possessive, and dangerous boy who constantly snarls veiled threats at Bella. He’s an abusive boyfriend who gets off the hook because he’s a mythical creature.
WARNING: FOUL LANGUAGE (IN THE ARTICLE)
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This is more or less the same argument we’ve seen from Twilight detractors for quite some time, so it doesn’t surprise me to see it yet again. The fact the author cannot write a simple book review without the use of expletives renders her “literary critique” fairly useless in my eyes; any critic worth their salt can certainly express themselves very clearly without stepping on that landmine. Furthermore: “Minus the vampirism…” Well alright then, let’s just take out the entire premise of the books, shall we? Minus the vampirism (or supernatural elements completely), were a guy to be creeping into my bedroom at night to watch me sleep, disabling my car so I couldn’t see my friends, having his family kidnap me so he could keep tabs on me…would any woman put up with that? I’d hope not! However, vampirism–and werewolves, and what have you–is an essential part of this world, it walks hand-in-hand, and you can’t separate the two then complain about what bothers you.
Or I guess you can…a lot of people most definitely have. Where is the entertainment value in breaking books apart into their base pieces and picking them to bits? I’m not sure I understand that at all. Then again, I read for fun, not to find fault. Apparently I’m backward that way.
We had one of those reviews in Sweden as well, some librarian who didn’t like the type of stile and languish that Twilight was written in/with. To bad for them that they cant enjoy something that we so truly love. I bet they have favourite books they love that we wouldn’t read even if someone but a gun to our head. It is just a pity that some people, in this case, jealous people, always try to destroy the thing they cant be a part of.
No. He’s retarded. Edward’s not freakin abusive. SERJIOUSLY! I’m so tired of that! No one shuts up about it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He care for Bella therefor makes sure she doesn’t want her to get hurt. But he’s not FREWAKIN ABUSIVE
Dear god.
Gosh, I hope you don’t hate me for saying this because I truly enjoyed reading the Twilight series and I happen to love Edward Cullen, but I must admit that there is some truth to what this article is saying!! I’m much older than a YA so I think this enables me to put most of the things in the Twilight stories into perspective. I think perhaps the article writer’s concern are for young, impressionable readers who may lack discernment and are eating it all up without careful analysis of some of the more serious, deeper implications of the story, not to mention some of the alarmingly erroneous behaviors of the characters. That said, if you can take the Twilight series for what it is–light, fun, intriguing entertainment (Fritos, if you will)–then you won’t be disappointed or angered…
The whole thing is just ridiculous. I’m still stunned that a newspaper would print the f*** word!
It is fiction, not a how-to book. It doesn’t purport to be the model for finding true love, so why the animosity? And why the insult to the fans? We’re not all stupid, either. It sounds like the ‘critic’ is just another young person trying to prove their individuality by rebelling against the popular opinion on something…anything. I didn’t see any namecalling, physical violence or belittling in Edward’s behavior toward Bella, so the claim of abuse is a little silly.
I totally agree with all of you. AND EDWARD IS NOT NOT NOT ABUSIVE!!!!!
OMG NO HES SO NOT ABUSIVE . like are they arguing just to argue LIKE REALLY
Who is he and why the heck would we listen to him?! What book was he reading? Edward is not abusive! He would never hurt Bella!!! This guy who wrote this is a low-life loser if he thinks Twilight is cheesy then he really needs a life other than crushing a fanatic book. Ugh. I just hate stupid people.
I find it slightly ironic that the name of this newspaper is also the name of my most hated teacher (life management in 7th grade).
The McGill Tribune.
Ew.
No one cares what that guy thinks anyway.
THIS is why Stephanie Meyer should release Midnight Sun… This is ridiculous and reading the story from Edward’s perspective is a completely different experience.
NO ONE LIKES THIS GUY!! I mean, do you honestly think WE, us loyal fans, care about what these dumb people think of our beloved series? I don’t get where this guy gets off! I mean, he has a reason for being the way he is. Because if he doesn’t, HE WILL KILL HER, and he loves her enought NOT to do that, which makes him act harsh and mean sometimes. Does Bella think that he is, NO, JUST OVER PROTECTIVE! Gosh, I can’t belive some people think this crap.
Hey I dont know who JM is but we have a lot of older women on this site who see nothing wrong with the series. So age should not affect you matter of opinion. I loved the series!
Okay, I didn’t actually read the article only b/c I can already tell what it’s going to say based on the description and everyone’s responses, and I know if I read it I would become VERY VERY angry (I have anger problems) and I am in a good mood right now and I don’t want to ruin that. But I’ve read similar articles plenty of times and my response is the same:EDWARD IS NOT ABUSIVE- HE’S A VAMPIRE! If Edward was not a vampire, then maybe his actions could be considered abusive- but then there would be no story and plus, Bella would not be in danger so much and he would not feel the need to protect her. Not only is Edward not a normal human(and if you take that fact away then the entire premise disappears and the situation is altered beyond comparison- like comparing apples to oranges), Bella is not a normal girl- she’s a danger magnet, as Edward says (truthfully) so it takes an abnormal amount of protectiveness to keep her safe. Again, ppl are trying to compare apples to oranges- taking an entirely unrealistic, unique situation and placing it in a realistic, normal situation- naturally this will make almost everyone’s actions in the books seem ridiculous and/or unhealthy- but that is defeating the entire purpose of the story! ugggggghhhhhhh! I could go on sooooo much longer (this is kind of one of my soap boxes), but this post is already too long, and I think everyone gets the main idea, as stated previously, that Edward is just a vampire and as such has certain characteristics which perhaps would seem crazy, etc. in a human, but he’s NOT A HUMAN, and therefore he is NOT ABUSIVE!
Wow…did this idiot actually read the books or skim through the parts where Edward was flippin out over Bella’s saftey? This person is a moron and has no clue what an exciting character Edward is. Thats what makes him so wonderful, he’s so different from the reality of Jacobs character. Hello, thats why Stephanie wrote them so polar opposite! Jacob is rude, thoughtless, funny and typical…boring in every aspect. Then you have Edward who is this beautiful creature with old world manners, to me he’s a poet, a lover that any girl would die to get! Literally!
I read the article and posted a comment, it’s under the same comment name as this comment…agree or disagree? (go read it and tell me.) Zoe Daniels is just one of those people out there who have noticed the sudden obsession every teenage girl has with Twilight. And she’s also one of those people is so rudely tempted to destory the world that we hold dear.
I’ve always been a reader, I absolutely love reading, but Twilight made me realize why I love reading so much, it’s the power, romance, and suspense that pulls me in. It’s Edward’s good looks and compelling behavior that have permanantly sucked me into the world of reading, and I thank S.M. for making my reading experience wonderful.
Lots of us go to our world of Twilight to escape the traumas of every day life. It’s a place of refuge a place of solace, a place where everything turns out all right. Meyer has created a place we all love and cherish and Zoe Daniels is just trying to ruin that for people. I think it’s rude.
Well said Melissa! You are SO right about everything you said, and I agree with your comment!
this is what I commented.
Ok. Interesting opinion.
Remember back in the day when we read Harry Potter and the extremist relgious groups and extremist anti-fiction retards told us we were Satan worshipping wizard lovers.
Am I to understand that we are to be called “**CENSORED** stupid” because we really like a story. Oh my goodness people who like stories. (Story telling is vital to human existence, incase nobody ever taught you that.)
So somebody wrote some controversial characters we related with that we adored that we empathized with. We could all be apathetic if we wanted. Read a book, feel nothing. What would be the point?
Alot of people have enjoyed this series, and alot of people haven’t. I don’t go around calling people who don’t have the same opinion as my self “**CENSORED** stupid” for over reacting and over analysing a fictitious novel.
If you need to sit around over analyzing a fictitious story, I suggest curling up on a pew in a local church and over analysing the “Good Book” for some hidden meaning.
Maybe you can find a map to hidden treasure buried on Uranus.
As an adult reader of the Twilight series, part of me agrees with the writer of the article. Stephenie Meyer is NOT the best author, but she is a good story teller. (Though, she has improved a lot, and The Host was very well written.) And Edward is not the ideal boyfriend, and Bella is not the ideal role model. She has an obsessive love towards Edward, and he is also obsessive towards her. In an attempt to protect her, he tells her whom she can and cannot hang out with, and what she can and cannot do. And Bella, so devoted and blinded by him, does as shes told. The only time I was proud of her is when she kept sneaking off to hang out with Jacob against his will.
When Edward leaves her in New Moon she shuts down. It’s like she is not strong enough, or independent enough to live without him. This is a horrible role model for teenage girls because the first boy you fall in love with is most likely NOT the man you will spend your life with. You can’t shut down and stop living because a man has left you. You need to be independent on your own. You need to make yourself happy.
Now I don’t want you to say I’m a Twilight Hater. I love the series. I do. I’ve re-read it a dozen times. But I am old enough to not see Bella as a role model or Edward as the ideal man.
Kelsey yo speak the hole truth and nothing but the truth that dude is just p***ing me off. Edward is kind and sweet and “dazzing”. How could someone write something like that and loves Bella and she is so much better then she would be if she’d never met Edward (because she’d be dead if she didn’t met him). This is enraging to no end! >:(
Response to the “harsh review”:
I understand that he is dangerous BUT he can’t help it. He didn’t chose to be like this. He tries to be more human than others. He tried to explain to Bella that it was better if they weren’t friends. But it’s just like reality: you can’t help who you fall in love with. Even if Edward had killed Bella(WHICH HE DIDN’T OF COURSE) she still would have loved him. Plus in Breaking Dawn he couldn’t stand the thought of losing her so he changed her so that she wouldn’t die. How is that horrible in any way?! Please someone clarify how that makes him horrible because I just don’t see it. And in any case as much as most of us love Edward. . . he is just a character in a book there’s no reason to get so shook up about someone’s opinion. Because that’s all it is is an opinion. Please be nice to everyone here and try to listen to all of the opinions wether you agree or not just hear everyone else’s opinions.
I posted a comment for Zoe on the website. That has to be the dumbest thing i have ever heard. I’m so upset! People are idiots.
Blah blah blah same discussion that everyone has and all the stuff that we been talking about before and we, Twilighters, agree that Edward is not an abusive boyfriend, we also can’t blame him that he’s a vampire either. I also agree with Megan that this is why SM should release Midnight Sun because maybe she can prove to every Anti-Twilighters that Edward is not a abusive guy.
Are we to assume that Twilight is the ONLY influence in girls lives? Come on!! There are worse things out there influencing girls and women today than Twilight. I think Twilight stands apart from a lot of what is out there for the different way it treats at least one real world topic - sex. That Meyer is brave enough to put a ROMANCE novel out there without any graphic sex scenes (or any at all really) is WONDERFUL!!! There is so much more to love and romance! Yet most everything else says that is not the case and young girls see that and think that they need to act that way.
And to have not one but 2 guys who’d do ANYTHING for you, who would die (in their own way) to keep you safe is not abusive! Edward’s actions may seem harsh but think about them from his point of view and they instantly seem the right thing to do to keep Bella from harm. How then is that abuse?
I too have not read the article because it is obvious from reactions what it says and I don’t care to have that in my head, thanks. Why is it that people just can’t leave fans of thngs alone? If this were about Star Wars, the world would be up in arms about these hateful people! If you don’t like something then don’t read it or look at it! Self-control! You’d make everyone’s lives alot better!
Okay, I think all I have to say has more or less been said before, but I felt compelled to throw in my 2 cents too. This is also more a general comment on all critiques saying Twilight sets a bad example.
Should every book that is published be a role model for how to live? Can’t one just like a book because one likes it, not because one finds important lessons in it? I’ve had it with reading books for literature class, trying to find the underlying motives and such. And let me tell you something, books that are considered to be great literature often express very bad points as well. In one of the books I read, the main character got so absorbed by his past and his strange obsession by his mother’s friend that he literally went back into time. How is that a positive message? Now these books are written for adults, but think of this. People who read Twilight are either old enough to realize this is not what they should think of when thinking of real love, and people who don’t, probably won’t even look behind the love tale. I’ve read tons of fantasies when I was younger which present, looking back on them now, very wrong views of life and love and such. The point is, I just enjoyed the story when I read them. I never bothered to think of it as a lesson for my own life to take at heart.
Also, think of this - Twilight can also present positive lessons when you think about it. The Cullens fight what they are to be WHO they are - vampires who don’t want to drink human blood and reject the core of their being. They are strong enough to act against the odds, to not follow the negative points people would appoint to them if they’d know what they were. You could see that in a more realistic light by saying that, for example, even if you’re from a family of criminals and expected to be one yourself, you can still try to stay clean. It’s so much easier to do the negative if that’s what people expect you to do. You can also stand up against stereotyping. That’s a positive lesson you can draw from Twilight.
Stephenie Meyer herself has stated Twilight is a story she wanted to write. Not a story to express her personal opinions about relationships and what they should be like. So actually, this is a bit of overanalyzing. Sure, it might give off some wrong ideas, but it can also give off good ideas, depending on how you look at it. And if it weren’t for articles like these, I really doubt many people would have looked at Twilight as giving a bad example. Because really, most people just read books to enjoy a story. The people who want to think themes through, are also the people who can pick out the bad lessons and reject them. Sure, there will always be people being influenced in one way or another, but if that’s the criteria for all books to come, nothing should be published anymore.
Mizumi, I REALLY liked what you said…b/c I totally agree and you made a lot of really good points. Like, for instance, the thing about books HAVING to set a good example- how many books would we have if every book was supposed to be warm and fuzzy and teach us a good lesson on how to live our lives? very few. And we would have even fewer masterpieces or really thought-provoking works. Look at almost anything- even Shakespeare. Is Hamlet trying to teach us to pretend we’re crazy so we can get revenge? Is Macbeth telling us to murder people so we can get what we want? According to the author of this article, apparently- since that’s what the main characters in the story do- that’s exactly what these plays teach us. I don’t understand- since when do books have to be good role models? that must be a new development I missed somewhere. Huh, if that’s the case, I don’t think I want to be an author anymore…. and also, as you said, Mizumi, if you want to read between the lines and overanalyze the book, you can get just as many (if not more) positive messages from it as negative ones- and when it comes down to it, EVERYONE is going to see the book in their own way and get their own message from it, no matter what it says. ANYTHING can be twisted (and I don’t necessarily mean “twisted” in a bad way) to mean anything when it comes right down to it, for the good or the bad. Well I could go on (I’m on my soap box yet again) but no one wants a novel-length comment, so I’ll stop.
Alright I’m aware of the fact that many people said that Edward isn’t abusive but it CANNOT be stressed enough. I just don’t understand how this person could’ve wrote an honest review about this amazing series and have facts so off base that it boggles my mind! AHHH oh my gosh I’m so disappointed with this interview that I don’t know what to say. If the article had reasonable points that were backed up by details then sure it would’ve been an okay article out of the negative Twilight reviews (though I hate all of the negative ones) but it didn’t have logical argument to it which made me EVEN MORE MAD!!! UGGHHH! TWO THUMBS DOWN ON THIS REVIEW… GRRR!!!! okay now I’m going to go scream into a pillow because I’m soo freaking UPSET and maybe I am overreacting but I just can’t stand anything anyone has to say thats negative about Twilight. byyy the waaay totally irrelevant but… (I love Robert Pattinson
)
That review = epic win.
OMG!
edward isnt bad!
shouldnt it be a good thing that he is fighting the urg to kill Bella? and so what its a VAMPIRE book, of course its gonna contain blood! wow, if parents are that afraid for there kids then they are pritty stricked parents
My biggest problem with the review is that the author took Edward’s actions out of context. Yes, he disabled her vehicle & had Alice “kidnap” her, but not to control her, he did it to keep her from harm. If the reviewer didn’t like the series thats fine. Everyone’s taste is different, BUT to try and say that the series is filled will an abusive relationship really bothers me.
EDWARD IS NOT ABUSIVE!!!
How can people say these things!!
They really need to find something else to bicker about.
I agree with all of you.
He was just trying to keep her from harms way. He was trying to protect her. Yes, over protective. Abusive, no. He can’t help the fact that he is immortal and Bella isn’t. Sheesh, Edward is scared to death, that Bella might die, of get hurt. That terrifies him, knowing that she can die so much easier than he can.
I am just sick of people putting Stephenie Meyer down. It makes me sick, seriously, to hear people say these things. They are probably jealous because she has a bunch of fans who are loyal to her, and they will do anything they can, to destroy her repution.
That is what I thnk, personally.
Wow! Are we reading the same book? Edward in the series is not abusive, matter of fact, he is overly protective of Bella. His goal in life is to make Bella happy. I heard many people didn’t like BD, however, I enjoyed. I guess the public didn’t like Bella getting pregnant by a vampire, that was an interesting part of the story. Bella’s journey through her entire pregnancy was a struggle. As a mother-to-be she put her unborn child first as any mother would do. No matter how this book was written by SM, there would always be some kind of criticizm.
Ok this comment is very late, heh. Didnt bother reading the entire review, as it will probably spoil my peaceful mood right now. I just find it amusing how people like to thrash fiction/fantasy/supernatural stuff with reasonings like “Its unrealistic”. I mean, come on! We’re able to differentiate between reality and fantasy obviously. And the abusive part, sheesh. Its fiction (from dictionary.com-the class of literature comprising works of IMAGINATIVE narration, esp. in prose form.) If its non fiction, which would be ‘Minus the vampirism’, I doubt Edward would do that. Which wouldn’t really be very interesting.
the reason the reviewer says what they said is there are young girls who read twilight that have said they want a real boyfriend like edward. seeing as there’s no vampires in the real world a real boy that acts like him would be a bad thing
i agree with the review new moon stinks