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`Is it the forbidden fantasy? The werewolf versus vampire rivalry?
Many of you may be wondering—what kind of story has both young adults and forty-something’s going crazy over fictitious characters and plots?
The answer? The Twilight series by Stephenie Myers.
The Mormon author published the first novel, Twilight in October of 2005, and its popularity has been on the rise ever since.
Fans everywhere display the vampire paraphernalia.
From Facebook bumper stickers to cotton t-shirts, Myers has definitely capitalized on her modern day twist of the Romeo & Juliet love story.
When Summit Entertainment put Myers’ first book onto the big screen in November 2008, the hype intensified.
At this point, I was laughing at my college friends who lined up for the midnight showing of what I thought would be the most ridiculous book turned movie.
A human falls in love with a vampire.
That was all I needed to know to keep me from picking up one of the books. Nonetheless, Twilight was everywhere.
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson, who portrayed the main characters of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, were on magazine covers across the country. And they still are.
New Moon, the second book in the series, has also been turned into a major motion picture and will be released November 20, 2009.
The first film was criticized by some of Myers’ readers, who claimed that the movie did not meet the expectations from the book.
Twilight fans were anxiously waiting to see which actor would live up to the written description of Edward Cullen, and when they found out it was Robert Pattinson, some thought the portrayal fell short.
However, most young girls, and even older women too, have grown fond of this newly successful actor.
If you have not read the book or seen the film, you better jump on the bandwagon.
Men and women both seem to be in awe with the love story that Myers has concocted. For some readers, it is the way the author describes each character with the utmost intricacy.
For others, it is the complicated relationship that exists between the human (Bella Swan) and the town vampire (Edward Cullen).
Others are fascinated by the love triangle that exists between Bella, Edward, and the werewolf, Jacob Black, who happens to be Bella’s best friend.
No matter what your preferred genre, there is enough mystery, love, suspense, and action in this series to appeal to anyone.
First of all the author’s name is Stephenie Meyer. Secondly the books are well written and engrossing. They contain no premarital sex, drinking or smoking, and no gratuitous violence which makes them extremely appropriate for young teens. The Twilight movie followed the storyline, gave faces to the characters and greatly increased Meyers’ fan base. Not only is the story a retelling of Romeo and Juliet, but Edward Cullin, the vampire lead, is ethical, moral, gentle and courteous. Bella, the human is “every girl”, average, clumsy, self doubting and good hearted. People of all ages can relate to these characters and that is why they are so popular. It doesn’t hurt that Robert Pattinson’s Edward is extrordinarily handsome and Kristen Stewart’s Bella is very pretty. It also made household names of Pattinson and Stewart and the third lead, Taylor Lautner (who plays Jacob a werewolf), and promoted them to star status. It is expected that the movie of the second book, New Moon, due to debut in the United States on Nov. 20th, 2009, will outgross Twilight. With 2 more movies from the series to follow, the well deserved Twilight craze seems likely to continue for some time.
I think the story appeals to all ages and stages of life as the hope for love and acceptance lives in us all. We all at some time feel we don’t quite fit in and I think Stephenie Meyer found that place within each of us and taught it doesn’t have to be. And for those who already have found their own Bella or Edward, they see their own love in the great love this couple has and how they overcome the obstacles in the way of keeping their love. Love knows no age limits, neither does hope or dreaming of a better future and lasting happiness. I am well beyond the ages you mentioned, but I love this saga and in fact plan to travel to Forks this weekend to celebrate Bella’s birthday aka Stephenie Meyer Day and I live in FL so it is no small journey.