Twilight

Written by Stephenie Meyer

Narrated by Ilyana Kadushin

About three things I was absolutely positive:
First, Edward was a vampire.
Second, there was a part of him–and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be–that thirsted for my blood.
And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

“I’D NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW I WOULD DIE– I’d had reason enough in the last few months –but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this. . . . Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of something else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.”
When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.
What Bella doesn’t realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back. . . .
Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight will have readers riveted right until the very last page is turned.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Penguin Random House Audio Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 27, 2005
• ISBN: 9780307280916

Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer se licenció en Literatura Inglesa en la Brigham Young University. Es autora de la serie best seller «Crepúsculo», de la que se han vendido 155 millones de libros en todo el mundo. En 2008 publicó The Host, su primera novela para adultos, que entró directamente en el número uno de las listas de más vendidos de The New York Times y The Wall Street Journal y fue llevada al cine en 2013. Meyer vive con su marido y sus tres hijos en Arizona.

Reviews for Twilight

[colie77 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Twilight isn't a literary masterpiece and there are some problematic issues throughout the series, but if you are looking for a cheesy teen romance with supernatural elements then this book is for you.

[artemisa-191823 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

For me this book is just a teen romance with a vampire as main character.

I like the way she describes the vampires, they are more beliveable than the classic ones, maybe even more than may dear Anne Rice's Vampires.

But than it is just a teen love story from begining to end...

Not a bad book but not nearly as good as I expected after all the hype it has...

[crsyshfr21 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Not well written, but I literally could not put it down. The 14 year old in me loved this book.

[yarncatsnbooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Intense feelings, draws you in and keeps you seeking what is going to happen next. Suspensful.

[rhilton15 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I think from a nostalgia standpoint, this book is really good. But 30 year old me v. 14 year old me, still cannot get enough of this series and this book started that obsession.

As a whole, the story actually kind of stands. I remember reading this as a teenager and the story is actually perfect for that age demographic purely because it is written and targeted it that age. But it's cute, weird and strangely addictive.

[jodiebc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved this series. It is not complex, but well developed and clearly told. It keeps you wanting more, but is an easy to read book.

[angelreadsthings · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Although Twilight was addicting, it was not an amazing read. The plot was rife with potential, yet the author's writing just could not fully capitalize on that. A lot of Bella's interactions with guys were unrealistic for a high school transfer student who was never noticeable before. Bella's clingy, extremely dependent nature toward Edward also came off as annoying and improper to display for preteen girls especially. There were several grammatical sections that could have been edited better, and there seemed to be some unnecessary redundancy and lengthening of the story at points. All in all, although I liked the book, I could never love the book because, honestly, nothing about it truly grabbed me.{That's right, I'm not in love Edward--at all.}

[dkflynn33-152943 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

With all the hoopla around Twilight over the years, I guess I expected more. Or maybe it is because I read the Morganville Vampires first but this just didn't live up to my expectations. When I read Glass Houses (Morganville Vampires #1), I liked it so much that I chain read the entire series (and yes there a lot of books in that series). Twilight is okay in comparison. Edward just seemed too perfect and Bella too head over heels in love right away. Will I read the other books? Probably as this was not a bad book. I just hope the other ones hold my attention better. This one didn't really catch it until I was over 60% into the book (which is why it took so long to read it).

[nclithing · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

It's very possible to see the appeal of this book to young teenage girls. When Edward and Bella fall in love, it's incredible, amazing, forever. Naturally all he can think about is her, and all she can think about is him. The extra sense of danger added by the fact that he's a vampire that wants to eat her just adds heat and suspense, a common tool by romance and young adult writers. In the film, Hardwicke certainly brings in all the elements that made Meyer's book successful, and though she tones down some of the more disturbing bits, (such as Edward sneaking into her bedroom to watch her while she sleeps, or him reading the thoughts of the people around her to see what she was doing) they're still present, and any distanced adult would be seriously concerned at watching a similar relationship take place. Surprisingly, Bella's father Charlie brings a sense of humor and maturity to the film, probably because he's the best actor to cross the screen in two hours. I was thoroughly disappointed at his idiotic, oblivious behavior in the book. I feel like stamping "NOT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP BEHAVIOR" on the cover of the book. But I won't. Because I'm a librarian, and I'm the type that hopes you can figure that out for yourself.

[moodlezu · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Probably one of the stupidest books I've ever read.

[paulneocube · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent. Books are always better than the movies!

[dominiquemarie-1 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

One of the worst books I've ever read in my life. Edward is incredibly hot (and a stalker). Bella is adorably clumsy (and so co-dependent it is sickening).

[nogomu · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Best teen romance I have ever read. Also, very original take on a vampire story. I'm obsessed with the sequel now.

[lschiff-742783 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Despite the atrocious writing (a character should only be described as "beautiful" once if that and definitely not on every other page), the plot is compelling and the author provides and a new and interesting take on vampires. As someone who likes vampire mythology, I'm enjoying this book despite the writing and am also looking forward to talking about it with my daughter who is a devoted fan of the whole series. However, for fantastic writing and very detailed depictions of vampire life and history, nothing beats Anne Rice's Interview With a Vampire, which I may just have to reread after Twilight.

[fancypengy · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I'M SO CONFUSED RIGHT NOW. I WAS EXPECTING TO CRINGE A LOT MORE THAN I DID AND HAPPILY FANBOY A LOT LESS THAN I DID. I will be reading the rest of the books ASAP. AHHHH.

[myfathersdragon · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is not the sort of book I would typically read. It was recommended by a coworker who said she and her daughter loved it. After reading it, I didn't think it was that great. I wasn’t going to read more in the series because of that. My coworker suggested I read the second one, like then I would appreciate the series. I ended up reading the first four books, simply so I would know what people were raving about, but I regret the time I spent on it. I should have hunted for a plot summary instead - which still probably wouldn’t not have explained why I constantly heard about how amazing the story was. I learned my lesson:
1. Never take book recommendations from that coworker.
2. Find detailed plot summaries for books that are not my usual genres or sub genres.

[regoodrich · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I'll admit, I was somewhat appalled by Bella's easy decision to forsake safety and possibly her very life in pursuit of unproven, young love. It seemed an irrational choice. But then again, look at Romeo and Juliet, the world's undeniable ensign for pure, passionate love! Twilight was certainly a well-written book; a quick read that flowed easily. For the hopeless romantic, the story was entirely satiating.

[Jasmiau.cl · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It brought me many memories of adolescence, perfect for times of nostalgia ❤️ (Translated from Spanish)

[funstm · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I debated over adding this review. But I feel it's necessary to warn others about the series as a whole.

I LOVED Twilight. The first book was brilliant - I fell in love. And then she wrote the next one. And that was good. Decent. Not quite what I wanted but it was okay. The third one was pretty average. I struggled to get through it. The last one? What the hell was she thinking? It was like she jumped off a cliff. She threw every crazy idea you could possibly have and honestly left it looking like little more than a parody fanfiction.

Read at your own risk.

[wanderlustlover_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

'Sparkle Family Reunion Tour 2020' Reread

Yeaaaahh. My feelings about this series, twinkies, loving the Cullens, the writing playlist, and side-eying a whole lot of SM have pretty much not changed in the past decade.

--------------------
(2008 Reviews / Continued Across all four books / all read in less than 53 hours
Just going to copy these over from the lolarious mass-review I did in 2018)

Let me start this out with saying, I'm sure if I tried I could take these books seriously and in doing so I would abhor Stephenie Meyers with the utter damnation burning hate in ground into me by five years of being an English major, but honestly, I'm not sure how anyone could go into these books expecting (or wanting to expect) more than fanfic-esque fourteen-year-old-wish-fulfillment. Which is what I did and likely why I was willing to roll with it, because lets just start with the bare minimum that I knew before I started reading.

We have a protagonist girl, who comes from a broken home, who's paler than anyone else who's human and blushes as often as the wind blows, who's never been interested in a boy seriously before, with extremely low self esteem, who is the worlds biggest cultz, who attracts danger like she's got a beacon on her head saying come and get it, who is all helplessly weak and who can not be touched, read, or effected by any type of mental magic.

She is paralleled by the boy protagonist, who just happens to be a one hundred and eight year old vampire with the most well adjusted family of Brandy-style vampires, who doesn't drink human blood, with the one-way power to listen to other people's thoughts, who looks like a runway model or God, has never considered any other woman seriously before in his life and unlife, and has to be broody/moody/strong enough to resist killing her every moment he's near her because she's the one thing in the world he'd best love to do that to out of no fault of their own but fate.
I mean, c'mon, Anita Blake wasn't even that flagrantly Mary Sue-Fan Fic-ish until she became the Whore of Babylon. Thus I went into it expecting fourteen-year-old-wish fulfillment and lo and behold I was not surprised or disappointed when I found it there.

I think Cleolinda said it best:

A lot of people are really passionate about these books. Some of them love and defend them passionately; others... well. I'm not going to defend them any more than I'm going to defend Twinkies--you go and get yourself a Twinkie when you have a very specific kind of craving. If you want a gourmet pastry or even a homemade cake, you know where to get that. If you're eating a Twinkie, you clearly know what you want and why you're eating it, and you know that it's not good to eat very many of them, but... you know... sometimes you just want one.

Twilight

Twilight is my favorite book out the set. It relies on nothing else and was born and written to be the end-all and be all of the Bella-Edward story before hype and popularity (and the fic bunnies of insanity we all know so well) convinced the writer that there would be a following interest if she wanted to write more in their world.

I like the way they first interact. I love that her innocuous presence drives him utterly bat shit crazy in the space of not even a second, and that while she's being all pity-party wounded about him being the biggest asshole in the world he's doing his damnedest not to kill a room full of twenty 'causalities' just to get to her. And that it's about two-thirds of the book away before Bella (and us through her) actually understand what has taken place. That by the time that takes places he's saved her from a van, without an explanation, and from a group of thugs in another city, where he's been stalkerishly following her, and told her to stay away even though he's given up trying to himself.

The realistic dynamic of having to take friendship on faith, without always getting answers, on both sides makes me deliriously pleased with it. On his side, he's spent eighty years knowing exactly how to manipulate and deconstruct the actions/thoughts/intentions of anyone in his presence and now there is this girl ('this child'), who is an utter mystery to him, who keeps compelling him to break all his rules (those set by his family, his species, and his moral code). On her side, she's dealing with a boy who first hates/reviles her, then saves her, then blows her off entirely right after saving her to the point where he won't talk or look at her, then who suddenly talks to her like its nothing, warning her that it's bad idea for her to let him, then saves her again, still without being willing to explain.

The changes in vampire mythos neither squick nor excite me. It's ground work that makes me happy, especially when you're willing to make and play by your own rules. I did like (forgive the hodge podge of my brain) whichever book had the hand crawling back to its body. That made me really love that she did keep to her mythos lines of only 'torn apart and burned' stopped a vampire. The sparkly thing just amuses the crap out of me. It's a weakness with a glittery side. Literally. Something amazing that can hardly be shared or ignored. I think the eye changing colors part is well thought out, how the color is effected by blood when feeding, when not feeding, when having fed on specific other things across time.

I love Alice's power, and how it changes every time the person in reference makes a new decision. I love that Edward is very specifically not a telepath but can only hear thoughts in his head the way we hear voices out loud. (And that we're given the grand difference of his not being able to project when compared with the werewolves community talk, and the fact Edward does not respond to anyone else with his thoughts.) I honestly laughed out loud at the sparkling thing, because its pricelessly shocking, unpredictable, and it would keep me from coming out in the sunlight too.

I've already rambled about the fact I love the plot (3/6ths, 2/6ths, 1/6ths) structure. I really, really do. In a large part because it's a coherent structure she sticks to, which is not the normal kind but works for her plot objectives. The romance, attraction, family feel good is not sacrificed on the altar of the scary tactics, but instead because it comes later it synchs all of those even tighter. I absolutely love the baseball game. I had no idea it was coming and had never conceivably thought in this direction (even with years as a Rice fan from my earliest teens).

Bella wanting to be a vampire in this book strikes me as no surprise, even if I can understand where people would go omg noes at it. Hello, we're talking about a conversation suddenly about age and life between a seventeen-year-old who looks seventeen and is seventeen years old and knows mortality is very starkly all over her and her beau, a 107-year-old man, who looks seventeen forever, and will never be. Of course, she doesn't want to age and he wants her to have what he never got to. They are both struggling with the same urge: to live the life the other has, even if vicariously through the other. This is so many relationships in the real world (with other reasons) it struck me interestingly to see.

[kslade-1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read this to see what the fuss was all about. OK, but geared for lovesick girls I think! I liked how he could run really fast.

[BryanBooks · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The story is interesting and unique. Immersing yourself in Forks as you turn the pages is a dream and a privilege for anyone able to appreciate the Cullens and their mysteries. Something important happens in every scene that contributes to the plot; I would have liked Bella to have more personality because she feels very dull in the book. (Translated from Spanish)

[sammelsurium-831072 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

As a novel, Twilight is very much occupied with the feelings and experiences of a teenage girl, and takes on the strengths and limitations of that perspective. For instance, it does a fantastic job of portraying how it feels to be the new kid at school, to be depressed, and to fall in love through the eyes of a teenager--all the complications and pains of those experiences are described sympathetically and with deep sincerity. Sometimes this goes too far: the total unselfconsciousness of Bella's youthful perspective gets rather tiresome at times. Most notably, the narrative is seemingly uninterested in exploring any aspects of the main couple's relationship beyond the raw emotionality of it, making it boring at best and predatory at worst. The book as a whole is so emotion-driven that the plot itself is rather thin, but I still enjoyed the action scenes at the end--and almost everything else except the romance. Unfortunate that that is the central focus of the book.

[Visol · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Nothing compared in my time, one of the most awaited sagas. Entering a different world with villains that are stronger than a mere human. I loved and will always love this saga. Edward Cullen and how Bella reflected that was the best I read at the time. (Translated from Spanish)

[Daphy · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

REVIEW

This first novel in the saga introduces the characters and lore in a very enjoyable way. The main plot (Edward and Bella) interested me, although there were moments when it felt long. However, I really liked the lore and the story of each character, and I want to discover more about the vampires and the Quiluetes.

COMMENT AND IMPRESSIONS OF TWILIGHT (spoilers)

I get the impression that past events between the vampires and the Quiluetes have caused the bad relationship they currently have. Another thing to comment on is that Bella is in mortal danger so many times that by the end, she seemed like the protagonist of a "Final Destination" movie. I'm sure the universe and Death have sent enough signals that it's Bella's time to die.
☠️

I give the book three stars because although it captured my interest, the plot felt slow to me, and the main characters (Bella and Edward) did not attract me in the sense that there was nothing about them that made me care for them (and I think in this case it was necessary). It also didn’t seem to me that their relationship had anything special, as I didn’t see them sharing interests; they just liked each other for their looks and smell. On the other hand, the myth of the vampire is very well reimagined, and the world-building and the secondary characters compensated for the novel and make me want to continue with the saga.
⭐⭐⭐

Opinion on the characters as people, regardless of what I thought of the novel:
?????‍♀️??‍♀️??‍?‍????‍?‍???

?Bella Swan is not a girl that caught my attention because she is quite boring. On the other hand, she knows what she wants and does everything possible to face adversities such as rejection from suitors or rape. She is not someone I would be interested in having a friendship or romance with. Charlie is a father who cares about his daughter's well-being, but he seems too distant; it would be nice if he tried to do some activity to bond with her, though I am sure Bella wouldn’t be interested. They both care for each other’s well-being, but it’s sad that they avoid having a relationship; they go about their lives too independently. ?

??Edward Cullen has moments of anger that are understandable due to his nature, like when he first sat next to Bella, but there are many moments when he gets furious very easily. The good thing about him is that it’s clear he protects Bella from dangers. As a boyfriend, I didn’t like him; I don’t see anything special about him. ??

??‍♀️The Cullen family is very nice except for Rosalie. Alice is the one I liked the most as a person and as a character. I’m very curious about how the relationship between Rosalie and Bella evolves. ??‍♀️

??‍?‍??The high school friends didn’t catch my attention, but it’s possible that’s because Bella doesn’t pay them any mind. Jessica seemed selfish to me, and Angela seems fine. Mike and Eric don’t seem bad. ??‍?‍??

?Jacob Black seemed very nice to me from the first moment, and if I knew him, I would like to have him as a friend. His father, despite having good intentions, is very prejudiced since the Cullens haven't done anything bad to them, at least from what is told in this first book. ?

I had been thinking for a while about reading this book since I wanted to form my opinion because the good reviews made me uninterested, and the bad reviews made me want to give it a chance. Finally, a friend got rid of the books, I took them, and it just happened to be the book voted to read in the book club. (Translated from Spanish)

[laura.moreno · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book will always hold a special place in my memories because it was what my teenage self needed to read to fall in love with reading ❤️ A story of love and fiction that made me want to read all the books of a saga for the first time. (Translated from Spanish)

[DebbieFab · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Rereading. The first time I read the book, I undoubtedly gave it a different rating; because at that moment I loved it, but well, more than fifteen years have passed since then - Please, how time flies! It's a book that is easy to read, despite having many pages, they fly by. I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit, but upon rereading, I realized there are many things that don't quite sit well with me.... The book itself doesn’t have major conflicts because it basically centers on the story of Bella and Edward, and frankly, the romance doesn’t have much to say either. In fact, at the time I overlooked several attitudes that it's impossible for me to overlook now…. Despite Edward being charismatic and having a sense of humor, all of that is overshadowed by his possessive and controlling nature, which is definitely not good, not to mention how submissive and obsessive Bella is with him. Definitely, I don’t think this book deserves all the hatred circulating on social media; obviously, it’s not a five-star read, but for a pleasant afternoon, it’s quite alright. (Translated from Spanish)

[CarlotaaliasAtenea · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I was a teenager, I read and enjoyed this saga so much. I consumed it entirely. For a teenager, it is addictive.

Bella Swan is a shy, insecure girl with few friends, but everything will change when she meets Edward. Then, she will enter a world of love but also of dangers, uncertainties, and sacrifices.

Edward is an extraordinary being; he has been waiting for Bella for hundreds of years. She fills his void. Their love is destined, but nothing is certain, and the obstacles will not cease.

A great story within the eternal struggle between humans and vampires, between good and evil.

You won't be able to put it down. Welcome to the Twilight saga. (Translated from Spanish)

[jennybeast · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Pretty good for teen vampire angst. I listened to it on cd, and it was entertaining. I think it's a really interesting take on the vampire idea, but I wish that Bella was a little less passive. However, it does take me back to the days of teen crushes, so I'd say it's well done.

[Sakura0309 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I read it about 10 years ago. The only thing I remember is that it was boring, absurd, and redundant. One of the few books that have caused me such dislike. I felt like asking for my money back. (Translated from Spanish)