Review Detail

Reader reviewed by designsbymikayla

Recently, I read Stephenie Meyer's book "Twilight." I didn't think I would like it by the description but bought it anyway due to a friends persistance. I was, truthfully, surprised when I realized I couldn't but the book down.

The storyline details the development of a relationship between a dangerous vampire and a teenage girl, Bella (short for Isabella, 17). The first "sceen," so to speak, is a frightening situation of Bella about to be killed. Then begins the history: Bella's parents are divorced and she has decided to move from Pheonix with her mother,and new husband, to Forks, Washington with her police cheif father. Neither parent understands the change but must learn to accept it. On her first day of school she is quickly accepted by the locals and beegins to feel good in a new setting. But, on that very same day, she discovers that she is drawn to a certain boy, Edward Cullen, at her high school, and that, for no apparent reason, he seems to despise her. She learns from her classmates that Edward and his family are all adopted and are the school misfits, never appearing to fit in. Still, she has some attraction to Edward and is excited when she finds herself paired with him in biology and yet dismayed when he avoids her. She begins noticing him and his strange behavior (he doesn't come to school on the rare sunny days, he avoids her, clenches his jaw when he's around her, and many other little and big things). Others boys try to catch her attention but she turns them down. She beigins developing theories about his strange behavior such as, he is a super hero or has been infected by something. Eventually she comes up with the theory that he is a vampire. During this time, Edward begins talking to her, picking her up, and hanging out. It is eventually revealed, when Edward has just rescued her from peril, that he is a vampire and can read everyones mind except her's. He also reveals that he cannot read her, is attracted to the sent of her blood and has a hard time resisting killing her, is in love with her, his whole adopted family are vampires, vampires don't eat food, but eat animals and people, and he has been missing school on sunny days because he sparkles in the sunlight. Amazingly, to Edward and Bella's surprise, Bella is not scared of him and that puts them in a dangerous situation. The remaining part of the story details the relationship as it grows and a dangerous and almost deadly situation Bella is caught in with some other vampires. Edward loves her and protects her and everything turns out well, except for quite a few injuries. The other turn off, for Edward, is that Bella wants to become a vampire like him, so they may be together. With this the story ends in, Edward escorting Bella to the Prom and explaining that he wants their relationship to be as human as possible. The relationship will continue in the next book in the series, New Moon.

I found this book to be extremely romantic and yet easy to relate to, as a teenager. The tension between Edward and Bella as they struggle against nature is magnetic. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and feel that it reveals a lot about the teenage psyche. I will most certainly read the next book in this series.