[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

Anyone read this?  I just got it.  I'm not particularly into vampire books, but I really enjoyed this.   The pacing was quick, the characterization was strong, and the voice was great.  The post-climax ending could have been a bit shorter, I think, but I hear there are a couple sequels in the works, so maybe it was meant as a bridge to the next book.  What did you all think of it?

Oh yeah, I might add that this is the first book Meyer has ever written.

[Inspired Posts: 456 Status: Offline WWW]

Wow!  Someone else spells their first name exactly like I do?  Cool! 

Stephenie (not Meyer)

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

Don't you wish your name spelling wasn't the only thing you had in common?  Little, Brown paid the most they ever have to a first-time author for Twilight plus two sequels (at least $500,000, I read).   I've been analyzing this book to see why it's so hot.  The vampires are definitely a good sell.  Love with Obstacles is also a great theme.  The pace is quick, even though it's 500 pages.  And, there are two more books, if you haven't gotten enough of Bella and Edward and their challenges after the first one. And since Meyer can write a lot in a short amount of time (I'd love to know the secret!), things can only get better for her from here.   Mostly, though, she brought alive some characters that the reader can't help caring about.  I really enjoyed this book!

[GreenFrog]

Ah - HA! An editor at the SCBWI conference the August before this one mentioned this book, but i don't think gave a title. I just knew it was a first book about vampires that got a massive advance. So, i'd been perusing every knew vampire book to see if it was "the one". And just when i pretty much had given up, here it is. Now i'll have to read it.

[Audiate]

Ok, finally got the book and am halfway through, so I can join in now.

You both thought it was fast-paced? I'm really surprised. I found the first third to be SLOWWWWWW. Like, really slow. A lot of telling about the mc's feelings, but I wasn't really feeling her feelings, if that makes sense.
It seems to pick up about halfway through. Still, I'm surprised by the huge buzz around this book. I mean, it's okay, but nothing I'd recommend to anyone; nothing that really lifts it out of the ordinary, for me.  ??? Ah well!

Anyone else read it recently?

[Pam Posts: 1,296 Status: Offline Brianna Bright, Ballerina Knight, 6-5-18 WWW]

I loved it soooo much, I emailed Stephenie about it!!! She said it was optioned by Paramount and MTV video. It would make an AWESOME movie. And her agent was Jodie Reamer, for those who want to know...

The writing was flawless and should win awards. I fell in love with the vampire. (Me, who HATES macabre!)

[JacksonPearce Posts: 424 Status: Offline All up in your internets. WWW]

I've been wanting to read this because (hangs head in shame) the cover is pretty!

I've actually been wanting to read some YA literary fiction, because I have an idea for a novel in the genre and am mostly familiar with classics and YA fantasy. Guess I'm not straying too far though if it involves a vampire!

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

Audiate, some books are like that for me, too.  Everyone loves them, and they just fall flat to me.  The beginning is of course slower than the ending, but I felt like it was time well invested in the characterization.  I wasn't reading to to find anything new in the vampire genre, since I'm not into horror (as opposed to fantasy, which I do like), but as a story, it worked very well for me.  I'm really looking forward to how she resolves Edward and Bella's little problem, although the next book doesn't come out for another year.  Even though I'm not trying to write anything like this, this was one of those books I wished I had written.  I really, really liked it.

[Robin Posts: 416 Status: Offline WWW]

Ooh!  I just finished this book today and I think I'm love with Edward too!  (Sigh)  I took the book to work last night and had to stay up this morning and finish it.

My coworkers:  Robin, don't you ever read grownup books?
Me: Umm, no. 

I went to the author's website, too.  I wish I could write as prolifically as she does.  My YA rough draft is only 42k words right now.

Robin :

[Audiate]

I think what fell the most flat for me is that the author kept telling me (the reader) about the chemistry the MC feels from/to Edward, but this didn't ring true for me until well into the book. I didn't really FEEL the mc's feelings until I was already rather tired of HEARING ABOUT her feelings.
Anyway, just my two cents.

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

My coworkers:  Robin, don't you ever read grownup books?
Me: Umm, no. 

LOLOL.  I NEVER read grownup books.  Kids' books are so much better written.  Why should I waste my time on an inferior product?

The chemistry in Twilight worked for me, definitely.  But not every writing style hits everyone the same way.  So many people say that the sixth Harry Potter book is their favorite, but I had the same experience with that one--I felt like Rowling was telling me things that I never really saw.  And I LOVE Harry Potter, so it was sad.  And if the chemistry didn't work for you in Twilight, then the rest of the story won't work, either.

Robin, 130K in 3 months is fast, but think about it: if you write 1000 words a day and know just where you're going, you'll get there in a short amount of time, too.  I really liked the outtakes section of Stephenie's website.  I love reading scenes that were cut from novels; it's like a window into the novel writing process that I don't see often (except for my own, which doesn't count, since I don't know what I'm doing.)  The book is so much better without those scenes, in my opinion, although I liked reading them.

[almarrone]

What's her website address? 

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

www.stepheniemeyer.com  (The spelling is funny)

[almarrone]

Thanks--I googled her but it didn't come up.

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

Yes, her name is spelled funny, so if you try to spell it "right," you won't find anything on her.  Almarrone, didn't you just have a vampire novel accepted?  Must be the season!

[almarrone]

I put an "A" in her name!  Yup, I've got a vampire story coming out in 2008 but it isn't a traditional vamp story--it's more of a YA that happens to have a vampire in it if that makes any sense. 

[Robin Posts: 416 Status: Offline WWW]

2008, Amanda?! ??? (Sigh.) I was hoping I'd get to read yours while waiting for her sequels.

And I haven't read any vampire books since Interview with a Vampire in 11th grade.

Robin :

[almarrone]

2008, Amanda?! ??? (Sigh.) I was hoping I'd get to read yours while waiting for her sequels.

Tell me about it!  Sigh.

[HB]

I read this one on the weekend. Delicious! The chemistry worked for me. Fascinating take on vampires.

As I was reading the book, I was expecting certain intriguing questions to be answered. They weren’t answered. I also expected a specific thing to happen at the end. It didn’t happen. I reached the last page and went “Nooooo! There’s going to be a sequel!”

On one hand, I get to read another wonderful 1000 pages of these characters. (Was it really a 500 page book? It didn’t seem that long.) On the other hand, I have to wait for the answers. Harumph!

[Athena529]

I finished reading this book last night. I really liked it, although I sometimes found myself annoyed at the Bella/Edward relationship. He fell in love with her so quickly based on her smell? I needed something more. But I thought the pacing was good and the characters and plot were interesting (although I would have liked a little more development of James earlier on- there was a threat with no warning and it seemed too sudden). I began reading the book on Saturday and couldn't put it down; I, too, was surprised that it did not feel like 498 pages!

I'm not surprised about the advance or the planned sequels. An adult vampire book, The Historian, earned its first-time author a record advance based on just a few chapters! Vampire books have always been hot.

Did you notice that for a book with so much sensuality, there was no cussing?

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

I have to say, though, that the series has only started. Meyer has to leave room for her MC to grow. I'm personally hoping Bella gets a healthier view on life, but darn it, I want her to get to be with Edward, too!

[Athena529]

I agree, olmue. I think (hope) the character will grow. Perhaps in the next book, Bella will save Edward instead of it being the other way around!

[kellyr]

My 13-year old devoured this one.  She stayed up very late, and reached for it to continue before breakfast the next day.  And then was sad when the book was done because she loved it so much.  And she particularly liked the ambiguity of the ending.  At least, I'm assuming there was ambiguity, based on what she said.  I have to go find it from where she's hidden it to read it myself.

[C.K. Posts: 907 Status: Offline WWW]

At least, I'm assuming there was ambiguity, based on what she said.  I have to go find it from where she's hidden it to read it myself.

Stephenie Meyer discusses this ambiguity on her webpage. It seems there was some editorial influence there.

I talked about liking this book in another thread so I won't go into it again except to say that people don't want to just read/write about role models all the time. If characters always reacted logically to situations there wouldn't be much drama.

[whbeck Posts: 62 Status: Offline WWW]

Stephenie Meyer has the first chapter rewritten from Edward's point of view posted on her Web site now. http://http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/otherprojects_midnightsun.html

(Not sure if I did the link thingy right...)

[C.K. Posts: 907 Status: Offline WWW]

Cool. I'll check that out.

[dave r Posts: 103 Status: Offline I love kids' books! WWW]

My daughter wore out the advanced reading copy of Twilight and has read and re-read her own hardcover copy until the binding has loosened. It's no wonder I became the "greatest dad in the whole world" when I brought home the ARC of NEW MOON this past week.  In four days, she's read the book three times and keeps saying, "I want more."

Needlesss to say, I think Stephanie Meyer's next book will be a smash hit too.

keep writing and reading,
dave r

[Jennifer Rush Posts: 404 Status: Offline WWW]

Stephenie Meyer has the first chapter rewritten from Edward's point of view posted on her Web site now. http://http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/otherprojects_midnightsun.html

Awww, man, I can't read it. For some reason I get "an internal error". Maybe I'll have to go to the library. I heard it's really really good and it's driving me nuts not reading it!

[olmue Posts: 3,513 Status: Offline WWW]

Check to make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat on your computer. I got a similar error until I updated my program.

[Jennifer Rush Posts: 404 Status: Offline WWW]

Check to make sure you have the latest version of Adobe Acrobat on your computer. I got a similar error until I updated my program.

Oh geez, why didn't I think of that?  :cuccoan:

It worked and I was able to read it. It was awesome and now I'm really crazy about wanting to read more. Can't wait for New Moon!

Thanks!
Jen