A little book by the name of "Twilight"

I'm sure by now you've heard of the phenomenon that is Twilight. You are probably more familiar with the film than the book -- chances are, you've seen the film but haven't read the book.

Since I'm a high school English teacher, I was bound to hear about the book sooner or later. I first saw it in a sophomore remedial reading class last school year. One of my female students kept lugging around this big fat black book everywhere she went. I remember repeatedly having to ask her to put it away during class-time. I was curious as to what a remedial reading student was doing reading such a lengthy book, so I asked her about it.

"It's about vampires," she replied. "You probably won't like it."

Little did she know her teacher was a secret Anne Rice freak. I've read all of Rice's vampire novels. (My personal favorite is Queen of the Damned. I refuse to see the film because I don't want to sully my mental image of that book.) I have always been intrigued by the mythology surrounding vampires. How they exist in seemingly every culture. Their historical significance. Their impact on literature, primarily Gothic Lit.

So yeah, I thought to myself in that moment, I probably would like it. I resolved to check it out.

It wasn't until months later, while I was hunting in Barnes & Noble for some good books to take with me on the long flight to Tokyo last March (trip of a lifetime!), that I encountered Twilight for the second time. It filled an entire table in the center of the store, books upon books, a whole tower of Twilight . Must be good, I thought.

Well, Twilight traveled with me all the way to and from Tokyo, Japan. I will be honest -- I didn't so much as crack open the front cover the whole trip.

It wasn't until at least a month after I'd returned from my trip that I first picked up the book. It was on a night that I had insomnia. The book caught my eye. So I started reading, thinking it would help lull me to sleep.

I stayed up the entire night, feverishly reading it all the way through.

Flash forward almost an entire year. I've read all four books in the series. I discuss the merits of the book with my students (female and male!). And oh yeah, in case you didn't know, I run another blog, one entirely devoted to Twilight. It's called The Danger Magnet after the main character, Bella's dangerous attraction to perilous situations. I started it just as a way to work out my questions and thoughts on the book and it became what it is today: a time-sucking monster that drains me of all productivity. ;-) (Don't tell my boyf -- or my boss, for that matter!)

(You can read my full book review of Twilight on my Examiner page.)

**********************************************


Creative Commons License

All content on this site is the sole property of Ana Cristina Simon, unless otherwise stated, and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

11 comment(s):

Ann Marie said...

It's so fun to read Twilight 'conversion' stories! LOL!

Mine was in my drawer for a whole year of people "begging" me to read it. I just hated to read.. so it took me down in bed recovering from Surgery last July for me to open it... And once I did I read the 3 books in a week.
~Amazing thing for me!~

You deserve to be up there! I'm glad you were nominated! I voted for you and Lauren! :)

kimmy said...

What is this Twilight? I've never heard of it or read the books or seen the movie. I better do some research.

Unknown said...

@ Ann: Aw, thanks! xoxo

@ Kim: Funny girl... :p

TLC said...

Your story sounds a little like mine. December of 07 I just kept hearing this buzz on other blogs about this fantastic love story But had no clue which was the first because different blogs were reading different ones. I just new it must all be connected and so During Christmas shopping, I finally asked about it at my local book store in the mall.

Truth be told the moment the sales lady told me it was a story about vampires I put it back on the shelf immediately and was a little sad that this book I had heard so much about would surely NOT be for me.

Then speed to January on a cold cold Saturday shopping outing with my aunt and books a million had this huge display of the same book just staring at me as I entered the store.

I just couldn’t believe some book about vampires would be that thrilling. So I bought it, with muttering under my breath {I’ll never forget this part LOL} that if I didn’t like it I would just be really careful with the binding and bring it back. Ha-ha what a joke!

So there it stayed in my home for a few weeks and I did some small research online to learn more about the story. Finally made myself sit down and begin to read. By chapter 7...HOOKED line and sinker!

Unknown said...

Chapter 7, huh? I'll have to take another look at that particular chapter because I'm curious as to why it hooked you, link, sinker and all. :D

Indyeah said...

LOL@youand your twilight craze :P
I am not a big fan of twilight and even I could have nominated you eyes closed and all:D:D

who else but you could be the biggest fan?:D

going over to vote now:))

Unknown said...

Thanks, Indyeah! :)

Busy Bee Lauren said...

I voted for you! Love you long time!

Nancy Face said...

I love how you were first introduced to Twilight! :)

Hannahkin said...

aaah, Ana! sorry i have been so absent of late. Twilight is the shizz. i am thinking warm fuzzy thoughts now...

hey, i can't remember if you'd said that you've read The Host. didja? and if you did, what did you think? :)

plus, i totally voted for you in the Dazzle Awards thing. and Lauren too, of course. and then it stopped letting me vote... *shrugs* i kept trying though :)

Anonymous said...

Roswell VS Twilight

http://www.tvsquad.com/2008/12/02/twilight-vs-roswell-are-aliens-more-romantic-than-vampires/

In my opinion Twilight is a Roswell Rip off just with Vamps instead of Aliens. Nothing can top the chemistry that Max & Liz had in Roswell.

Roswell fan 4 Life