The first installment of the Twilight series introduces us to Isabella (Bella) Marie Swan who has recently moved from Phoenix, Arizona, to Forks, Washington, to live with her father, Charlie (and she always refers to him as Charlie), who is the local chief of police (or is he the sheriff -- they author seems to switch his role back and forth.) She is doing this as a favor to her mother, Rene'e, so she can pursue her relationship with her current boyfriend, who is desperately trying to hang onto a dying baseball career with the minor leagues.
Bella doesn't have a close relationship with Charlie -- mostly because she hasn't seen him for several years. Once she got a bit older, she refused to spend summers with him but now she is going to live with him.
Charlie surprises her and has purchased an old pick up for her to drive to school. And, doesn't expect her to use her money to pay him back. Apparently, there aren't school buses in Forks and Bella needs her our vehicle to get to school everyday. (Now what will Bella do with all the money she'd saved to buy the car?)
Bella easily makes friends at her new school -- except for the strange Cullen family and most especially Edward, who sits next to her in biology and has an obvious dislike for her even though they've never spoken. She can't figure out why he doesn't like her, especially since she finds his pale skin and dark-circled eyes to be so beautiful.
Bella is a bit of a klutz -- well actually, it's a miracle the girl can walk -- and one day in the parking lost, Edward does an amazing tackle and saves her from being hit by a classmate's car in the school parking lot. After this, Edward and Bella start to see each other on a regular basis and Bella eventually learns his secret -- he and the rest of the Cullens are vampires.
While hanging out with the Cullen family one day, they entire a small group of vampires that are passing through -- James, Victoria and Laurent. The Cullen family has to protect Bella from an attack by the three of them. James and Victoria leave, but Laurent agrees to come peaceably with the Cullen family and eventually decides to go to Denali, Alaska, to live the with vampires there. But James and Victoria are still around and determined to capture Bella.
Can Bella make a relationship with someone who wants to eat her (she just smells so much better than all those other kids at school)? Especially when her klutziness causes her to constantly cut herself around Edward. I mean, really, how much temptation is a 70+ year old 17 year old supposed to be able to resist? Plus, there's the evil vampire who discovers Bella and wants to have her for himself. Can she escape the evil vampire? Will Edward be able to save her?
I understand the attraction teens have to the story and it's not worse than other young adult fiction. I find it more distressing that Bella doesn't really have any parents -- her mother is more interested in pursuing her own sex life (vis-a-vis her baseball playing boyfriend) and her father, although in law enforcement, doesn't seem to feel a need to enforce any discipline or rules on the daughter who is now living with him. That's not to say that Bella is any sort of a trouble maker. In fact, she's a very responsible kid -- she just never has to get permission to do anything or report in with her father as to her activities.
I like the book enough to say that I will read the rest of the series.
Bella doesn't have a close relationship with Charlie -- mostly because she hasn't seen him for several years. Once she got a bit older, she refused to spend summers with him but now she is going to live with him.
Charlie surprises her and has purchased an old pick up for her to drive to school. And, doesn't expect her to use her money to pay him back. Apparently, there aren't school buses in Forks and Bella needs her our vehicle to get to school everyday. (Now what will Bella do with all the money she'd saved to buy the car?)
Bella easily makes friends at her new school -- except for the strange Cullen family and most especially Edward, who sits next to her in biology and has an obvious dislike for her even though they've never spoken. She can't figure out why he doesn't like her, especially since she finds his pale skin and dark-circled eyes to be so beautiful.
Bella is a bit of a klutz -- well actually, it's a miracle the girl can walk -- and one day in the parking lost, Edward does an amazing tackle and saves her from being hit by a classmate's car in the school parking lot. After this, Edward and Bella start to see each other on a regular basis and Bella eventually learns his secret -- he and the rest of the Cullens are vampires.
While hanging out with the Cullen family one day, they entire a small group of vampires that are passing through -- James, Victoria and Laurent. The Cullen family has to protect Bella from an attack by the three of them. James and Victoria leave, but Laurent agrees to come peaceably with the Cullen family and eventually decides to go to Denali, Alaska, to live the with vampires there. But James and Victoria are still around and determined to capture Bella.
Can Bella make a relationship with someone who wants to eat her (she just smells so much better than all those other kids at school)? Especially when her klutziness causes her to constantly cut herself around Edward. I mean, really, how much temptation is a 70+ year old 17 year old supposed to be able to resist? Plus, there's the evil vampire who discovers Bella and wants to have her for himself. Can she escape the evil vampire? Will Edward be able to save her?
I understand the attraction teens have to the story and it's not worse than other young adult fiction. I find it more distressing that Bella doesn't really have any parents -- her mother is more interested in pursuing her own sex life (vis-a-vis her baseball playing boyfriend) and her father, although in law enforcement, doesn't seem to feel a need to enforce any discipline or rules on the daughter who is now living with him. That's not to say that Bella is any sort of a trouble maker. In fact, she's a very responsible kid -- she just never has to get permission to do anything or report in with her father as to her activities.
I like the book enough to say that I will read the rest of the series.
Back to all reviews by this member
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
Back to all reviews of this book
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details
