Guilty Pleasure of the Year

The Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer deserves some special attention. Even if it didn't make the 'Top 11' of 2008 cut, it certainly provided a great deal of enjoyment for me and millions of teenage girls around the globe.

I first heard about Twilight over a year ago from a female coworker gushing about this amazing series. She handed me a copy and I read the back:
(It has to be read in a melodramatic teenage girl voice for effect--at least that's what I heard when I read it. )

"About three things I was absolutely positive.

First, Edward was a vampire.

Second, there was a part of him--and I didn't know how dominant that part might be--that thirsted for my blood.

And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him."

I handed it back and didn't give it a second thought for some time (despite some striking similarities, I am not a teenage girl).

Months later my sister mentioned it to me and gave a glowing review: "The writing is terrible and I hate the main character but I read them all and can't wait for the last one to come out."

Wow, sounds great. (I must admit there was a slight interest in seeing what this book that was supposedly so bad and yet so addictive was about.)

Fast forward a few more months. I'm sitting quietly reading while selling books at an event. An usher for the event comes up and asks me if I've read Twilight.

"It's on my list!" (It really was, after hearing it was coming out in theaters soon I decided to see what all the hub-bub was about.)

She then launched into a 5 minute speech about the benefits of dating a vampire (hauntingly beautiful, etc.) which was, unfortunately, lost on me at the time, but convinced me that if it could make this woman wax philosophically about the undead to a complete stranger, it must be worth reading.

So I finally took the plunge. The ensuing days/weeks are mostly a blur, punctuated by moments of clarity in which I came up for a breath of air to eat or go to work. But, about three things I was absolutely positive...

First, this was not what could be considered 'good' or 'classic' literature. (The main character refers to her broken heart as full of holes like Swiss cheese. No joke.)

Second, there was a part of me--a large part of me--that wanted to tell Bella to grow up, shut up, and get over herself.

And third, I was uncontrollably and embarrassingly in love with a fictional teenage vampire.

Needless to say, I was hooked by the angsty teenage romance and utter perfection of Edward Cullen. I think one coworker put it best when she described the series as "emotional porn for teenagers."

In the ensuing weeks all I could talk about was the book that had me reading at red lights and praying for traffic. One friend remarked that it sounded like I was "dating a book." When I told another friend that I had to put the book down at times and take deep breaths she said I "needed to get out more."

Despite what critics may think of Twilight, there's something to be said for a book that can engross such a large audience, even if most of them are embarrassed to admit they enjoyed it to anyone who hasn't also read it.

My Recommendation:
Read this series if you're a teenage girl, if you ever were a teenage girl, if you ever want/wanted to be a teenage girl, or if you have a lot of angst (is that redundant?).

Note to Twilight fans:
In case you haven't heard, Stephanie Meyer began writing a new version of Twilight from Edward's perspective called Midnight Sun. Unfortunately, it was leaked onto the internet and Meyer has said that she won't be finishing it. Fortunately, she has posted the unfinished version on her web page for all to read. If you thought you loved Edward before, Midnight Sun will make you realize that love was incomplete. Check it out: http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/midnightsun.html

If you liked Twilight you might also try:
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
This is the first book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series, which the new HBO series True Blood is based on. It was described to me as a more *ahem* "adult" version of Twilight.