question for the literati

[verbicide]

Have any of you read the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer? Thoughts? Opinions?

Also, I can't believe I don't have a book icon. Something's got to be wrong with my keywords, because I can't find an image of Belle reading a book. Weird, non?

Comments

[archaica.livejournal.com]

I only recently learned of them .... from my completely uninformed point of view, it looks like a mashup of V.C. Andrews and the Underworld/White Wolf Games mythos. But that's just me snarking.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Your uninformed opinion is nonetheless appreciated :D

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Good God, no. They're really quite good and well-done. Of course, they're YA so they're not high fiction, but they're no way like Andrews or WW. Ugh.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I love that you love YA fiction, too.

And I am really glad to hear they're not like VC Andrews!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

YA fiction is the best. It's fast, fun, and usually fairly well-written!

[archaica.livejournal.com]

OK, perhaps I shall retract the specificity of "VC Andrews" and say "romance novel." :)

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Still no, except insofar as every book which has a romantic entanglement of any kind qualifies for that label. :)

For me personally, a "romance novel" is a somewhat overheated treatment of a relationship in which romance is the single most defining factor of the plot. (And I've read what I'd call "vampire/werewolf/fantasy romance novels," so I don't deny they exist.) In this case, it's... not. I don't want to get into spoilers, but although a relationship is involved, it's more about the context of that relationship and the emotional side effects than it is about The Romance.

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Well put!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

They're aimed at roughly 9th-12th grade level. It's probably unfair to expect complete originality. :)

With that said, GOD no it's not Andrews; her stuff is prurient, incestuous, pointless-romance-novel crap. I have in fact read some of her books (hey, *I* was young at the time!) and I see no resemblance at all. Don't know from Underworld, but there are very few completely unique takes on werewolves and vampires, so I can live with it. This series' got some different touches, and that's enough.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I read VC Andrews as a teen, too (the Flowers in the Attic and Heaven series). (But in my defense, I was young, too!)

When I recently unearthed my teen-books, I tried re-reading one. Ugh. So, so dreadful. Totally unreadable. No idea how I got through 'em.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

I bet... Youngness. And the sex. ;) At least our tastes have improved with age!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Oh, totally. Any book with anything 'forbidden' was solid gold.

And yes, happily!!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

I did, and I enjoyed them. They are not High Literature - they are not even adult (=for adults, not =pornographic) literature, but within the confines of that they are well-written, interesting, entertaining, and generally fun.

That *is* weird, because I swear I remember that one! And yet i don't see it in your collection.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I was just reading about them at Defamer, and I have a soft spot for YA lit, and haven't read any in ages.

They seem like they'd be fun :)

And I have a daydream-y Belle, but only because I couldn't find the one of her reading a book surrounded by sheep. It's inconceivable!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Yes! That's the scene I keep seeing, and I so can
t find a pic either! What the heck?!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

So, so, so weird!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Hey, for someone who likes YA lit to begin with, they're excellent in the genre. (I am not such a person. I like some YA lit individually, and have found that Roly's taste is a very good guide for what I *will* like, but I neither seek it out nor enjoy it as a class. And I still liked these a lot.)

There's some teen angst, but it's nicely handled and believable.

It is inconceivable!! Maybe this?

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y78/DisneylandResort/DisneyGallery-5-13/bellelumiere.jpg

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I am so going to go pick these up tonight. I haven't read YA lit in ages (except for picking up a book or two from my teen years recently).

Oh that's a good one, but still not the sheep/book image. I can't believe it's so hard to find!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

I do hope you enjoy it! Despite my frenzied response to Archaica, I promise, it won't hurt my feelings if you don't. :)

I know, I tried to find that one specifically and couldn't! At least, not in two minutes before I went back to eating lunch.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

I bet I will! And I know you wouldn't mind if I didn't --book love is so crazy subjective at times.

And you are so sweet for looking --it's just sort of bizarre. When I first went looking for them, I figured they'd be everywhere!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's why I even went looking, because I thought "it's so utterly iconic, there MUST be tons of that picture out there." And... nope. I can't believe it!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

It's funny how totally indignant I get when I can't find what I want on the net, immediately.

But still..!!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

What is the internet FOR if not this sort of thing?!!

Well, that, and porn.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

*grin* Totally.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

OMG--just noticed your icon. LOVE LOVE LOVE.

I don't know where you stand on the whole lolcats thing, but I struggle, because I don't believe cats would ever talk that way. They would be total grammar nazis!

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Hee. Well, as is clear from *this* icon, I can find them amusing in moderation. :) I agree, though, in reality cats would be very very proper and correct everyone else!

Mostly, I watch the various LOLcats sites because I love pictures of kitties... with or without captions.

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

My boss has a series of them on her wall and she obviously has good taste, because they are all totally off-the-chart hilarious.

Sometimes I can't help myself and laugh, but other times I just mentally rebel.

[lietya.livejournal.com]

Awwww!! That's a good sign for this job - your boss sounds great.

Maybe if we think of it as what would happen if cats tried to render the complexity of their native language in English, which is clearly not up to the task? ;)

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

My boss is pretty cool.

And yes--I like your suggestion! :)

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Yes! And I just started listening to the last on audiobook too! I love them - read them!!! Yes yes!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Awesome--I was hoping to get some feedback from you and lietya. I'll pick 'em up tonight.

Thanks!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Man, and I can't either. I only find this:

http://www.sunkissvillas.com/assets/wallpaper/BB/beauty_and_beast1024x768.jpg

Which I don't remember at all from the movie, and certainly isn't the scene I'm picturing!!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

That is way better even than anything I've been able to find lately! So crazy!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

I found this one too. Still no damn sheep!!

http://thecia.com.au/reviews/b/images/beauty-and-the-beast-1.jpg

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Ooooooooh, that's a great one!!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Argh!! Here is it, but SO SMALL!!

http://www.leechvideo.com/pic/1422/290821058065675.jpg

Okay, now I must stop! Sorry for all the posts!!

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Roly--you are a freakin rockstar. How on earth did you find that?!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

I have no clue! I kept trying all sorts of weird word combos! That one might have been belle, song, and 'beauty and the beast'!

[rolypolypony.livejournal.com]

Oh this one is closer, but kinda odd:

http://a.movies.com/images/movies/b/beautyandthebeast_1991.jpg

[verbicide.livejournal.com]

Oh, but I love that scene! When she's off crescendo-ing by the cliffs!

[(Anonymous)]

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/images/d-f/disprinsas3-10.jpg

Is this it?

love ya!
mlmGod_S
*stiletto flash*