So today, Twilight turns 10! Or, at least, the films do. And now all of the films are available on Netflix! I've recently just finished reading the entire Saga (I know, I'm crazy late to the bandwagon) and thought I'd share my thoughts with you.
So the first thing that struck me as odd was the unhealthy relationship between Bella and Edward. I understand that she was drawn to him but she then came to depend on him. Edward's protectiveness of Bella can be perceived as either sweet or a little controlling, but I realised that this novel influenced so many young people. Does it teach them that this level of dependency and control is normal in a healthy relationship? I also found I felt a little sorry for Jacob throughout the series. I found him to be the most real character of them all, despite turning into a werewolf and all that. But his character had weaknesses and flaws that made him more relatable. I found that the Cullens in particular seemed to have few imperfections (excluding Rosalie, who I actually came to wish would be killed off). Should one of them have died, it would have made it almost impossible for readers to bare. For example, Carlisle is depicted as the perfect selfless vampire. As the head of the family, he acts only in their best interests with diplomacy, but above all, a fatherhood and commitment to be admired. Perhaps the Cullens were depicted as such perfect beings as the story was told from the perspective of Bella, who so desperately wishes to become one of them. In the short section narrated from Jacob in Breaking Dawn, we see a different perspective of the Cullens as he discusses his distaste for their kind. Having said all of that, I found the books impossible to put down. I was almost addicted. Obsessed, even. Despite the glaring characterisation flaws, I found I could relate to Bella quite a lot. She's a people-pleaser who just wants the best for everyone. Despite hurting Jacob, she does actually have a conscience about it and in the end, he does find his own happiness. I don't know how I felt about him not ending up with Bella though. I couldn't quite imagine him with anyone other than her, and so I suppose who he eventually will end up with is the closest thing to it. And the connection between Bella and Edward is undeniable. They are in awe of each other. So perhaps their relationship is a little unhealthy, but could it also be said that perhaps we as readers become a little jealous of their obsession? But is that jealousy healthy in itself? We should be teaching young people that people have flaws and that every relationship requires hard work and real commitment. I think my favourite of all of the novels in the Saga was actually The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner. I enjoyed the story of her growing relationship with fellow newborn Diego more than Bella and Edward, perhaps because their was an innocence and plausibility to it. I actually read this epilogue to the saga as a prequel to the others having already seen the films and it tied together a lot of the back story involving Victoria's army and gave a greater insight into the individuals she created. Reading that gave greater value to the eventual sacrificing of Bree's life by the Volturi, who I again have mixed feelings about. On the one hand, they are almost essential to the existence of vampires by regulating and enforcing the rules, but they are also slightly corrupt and twist the rules in order to obtain the outcome they desire. Kind of like MPs. I actually kind of liked Aro though. His eccentricity made him more interesting that Marcus the boring and Caius the angry. All in all, I suppose it is nice to be lost in the romance of it all just for a moment. And I think that's what drew me to it so obsessively. Something about Bella and Edward's story made me feel safe and confident with their abilities, even as they went into battle. I don't know. It's an odd one. On the one hand, I loved the read and became obsessed with the story, but on the other, does it portray a positive and plausible depiction of real-life romance? Probably not. But it was still a good read.
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