Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Bella is an average girl who has an extraordinary encounter with a vampire.  But this not the vampire she has heard about in myths and legends.  He is as beautiful as an angel, strong, fast, sparkles in the sun and only drinks animal blood.  When the two fall in love, Bella is swept into a world beyond belief.  And one of danger, when she discovers that she is not only the object of Edward's eye, but also something a little more dangerous. 

Twilight has a great deal of talk and popularity surrounding it.  Although I had not previous taken part in the "Twilight-mania," I was excited to read the book.  The first few pages in where okay and I continued to read thinking it would get to be more interesting.  However, around page 180, I discovered that the book continued to be more painful as I continued.  I found that often times throughout the book the story would become very dull, there were continuity errors, detailed descriptions of people and places were limited and had a very "serial killer" feel to it.  I found several things out of key with the plot.  Such as asking Bella to shop "tonight" but not really going until the next day.  Or the fact that James was an excellent tracker, but didn't smell Bella until the wind blew her hair, but Alice could smell her across the field.  Or is it logical to send Jasper, someone who struggles with not eating humans, to a school full of them when he could have easily been kept at home.  Or have him not attack Bella when she was bleeding in the dance hall?  I also struggled with the lack of details about how people looked.  Very few people had enough details to visualize the character.  But other descriptions sounded vague, such as they were beautiful, but nothing more.  I also am aware of the fact that it is meant to be a love story to entice teens.  However, I felt as though Edward was a serial killer at times, talk about wanting to kill her one minute and then telling her he loved her the next.  And they talk about being love after only really speaking a few times.  The book really seems promotes stalking and obsession.  Edward often follows her and often watches her.  Bella states that can't live without Edward and would do anything to be with him.  In all honesty, the depiction is more of an unhealthy fixation rather than love.  Yet, teens desire that kind of passion and love which is why so many enjoy the book.  I will say that I did happen to enjoy the movie more so than the book.  Had the story not contained it's "obsessive" component, I think that it would have actually been a good story.  I also think that the protagonist, James was introduced a little late in the game.