Why I Won't Be Trashing Twilight Anytime Soon

Granted, you'll not see a review of Twilight, or any of the following titles in that series, here anytime soon, though there is a review of the first Harry Potter novel somewhere deep in the bowels of the EWN.  There's not enough time in the day to read all the books I want to get to, which frequently leaves titles that might be considered more genre on the outside.  To tell the truth, they're really not on my radar either.  For the most part, somewhere along the line, my own tastes skewed toward that difficult to define genre of literary.

However, there are a few mystery writers that set their series' up in the Detroit, or SE Michigan, area, and I'm more than happy to fall into their storytelling webs.  I've also read a few of Lauren Baratz-Logsted's titles and though the covers were pink, found them very entertaining.  Somewhere in the basement is a box of Frank Herbert books that I scoured used stores for in high school and college.

The important thing to me is that people are reading.  And while I don't know that it's been proven that marijuana is a gateway drug, I have at least one case of anecdotal evidence that getting caught up in the romance of Edward and Bella can lead to reading what I'll call meatier material.

A year ago if I pressed a book into my 11 year old daughter's hands she'd refuse to clamp them shut, allowing said title to hit the floor.  Then she heard about Twilight, and plowed through it.  Then came New Moon which was longer but plowed through even quicker.  Then books III and IV in the series, again both longer (a trend noticed, I believe this occured with J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter books as well) and ripped through with glee.  Between the beginning of the school year last August and December, I believe she read these four titles 13 times each.  That's some 2500 plus pages, 13 times, over the course of less than 5 months. 

Of course there were others at school reading the books, and talking with her about them, and then one of them was reading some other title, something her sister read and loved and, eventually, my daughter finally read something that didn't have Stephenie Meyer's name on the cover.  And then something else.  And it turned out that she'd fallen in love with reading, not just with Twilight and Edward and Bella and the whole gang that Meyer had created.

Her school had a reading contest for a month near the end of school and she ended up reading more pages than anybody during that time period - by a rather ridiculous total, ridiculous enough that the librarian questioned her on some of the books she'd "claimed" to have read.  During this little span, where she read just under 2700 pages, along with some YA titles, she also happened to read Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and Emily  Bronte's Wuthering Heights.  As summer has hit, the first thing on the list of purchases is an omnibus of Jane Austen's novels.

Would all of this have come to play had she not discovered Twilight and its counterparts?  I have no idea.  But this is one accused elitist reader that will not have any disparaging remarks for said series.

Comments

[Molly Gaudry]

This is a great post. And hooray for your daughter!

[Seana]

You're right, this is exactly how it works. As a bookseller, I hate scorn of reading--and by definition, scorn of readers--in all it's stripes. I just had a customer the other day confess, half grudgingly how much he was addicted to those Twilight books, and I admired him more than I can say.

[Katrina Denza]

What a great story, Dan.

[Erin O'Brien]

I lead discussions on the Twilight series and I must say, I've heard your story replay again and again and again--under my own roof as well with my 12-year-old.

No it's not Great Literature, but it's a great springboard into better literature. When I talk to kids about it, they really light up and what's not to love about that?

Nice post, got hear from an Ed Champion twitter link.

[Erin O'Brien]

oops. "here" not "hear"

[Gauthaman Ravindran]

Harry Potter and Twilight were social phenomena. Children read these books as quickly as they could so that they could get down to the serious business of talking about them with their friends. In other words, children understood the reason for reading, something that escaped many self-styled connaisseurs of "real" literature. Not every child who reads Twilight becomes a super-reader like your daughter. I suspect most of them don't. However, they've learned that a 500 page book is not a frightening thing; there might be something that they can share with those around them.

[Vanessa]

Hi, im 16 and i only read 2 books in my life, thats a million little pieces, and johny angel, i didnt like reading, then i fell in love with the twilight movie, and decided only to read the first book because i knew i wont finish the rest, but as it turns out i lived my self into that book, then read new moon, eclipse, and breaking dawn, i read all four books in 7 days. now i cant stop reading, but i cant find another book i cant put down, if any of you can help me with that please do, im a romantic, and like the darkness of the twilight saga, im a fan of supernatural things as well, so please any segestions are welcome.

[Dan Wickett]

Vanessa,

From my poor recall, there's nothing supernatural within Austen's Pride and Prejudice, but my daughter couldn't put it down, much the way she previously couldn't put down any of the Twilight titles.

[Ali]

Vanessa - I think you'll like Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials." It's a trilogy and one of my favorites. Beautiful language, great characters including witches, talking armored polar bears, and multiple worlds that characters can move through. Here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/Materials-Trilogy-Golden-Compass-Spyglass/dp/0440238609/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244557090&sr=8-2

Once you get into it, you won't put it down.

[Lauren Baratz-Logsted]

Vanessa,

In addition to the other great recs you've received, try Alyson Noel's EVERMORE - the sequel should be out soon - and Lisa McMann's WAKE and FADE.

Great post, Dan...not least because you mentioned me!

[Dan Wickett]

My daughter, the star of the above post, also suggests the Blue Blood series by Melissa de la Cruz. She seconds LBL's suggestion of Evermore and cannot wait for Blue Moon to come out this fall. And more Jane Austen!

[Jen Robinson]

This is a great article, Dan (I got here from a mention at Chasing Ray). I'm a big proponent of "let them read what they love, and other reading will (at least in some cases) follow." It's one of the reasons I'm such a fan of the Harry Potter books. It's nice to hear a real-world example like your daughter's story.

For Vanessa, another book that, while not supernatural, is of the "can't put it down" variety is The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (sequel due out in September). You might also like the Mortal Instruments trilogy by Cassandra Clare (love story with vampires, werewolves, etc.). Also the Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan (zombies, VERY suspenseful).

Thanks again for the post, Dan.

[Amblina Rosca]

Hey Venessa, my sister was in a similar position as you not long ago, also I work in a book dept and I read quite a few of the YA fiction titles because thats what I get asked about the most (especially be those exhibiting signs of post meyer depression :P ).

I'd definitely encourage you to read the 'His Dark Materials' trilogy thats got philosophy, romance and a darker edge to it.

If you're looking for a more supernatural rather than fantasy edge maybe you should try as Jen Robinson says, the 'Mortal Instruments' trilogy thats rather close to twilight in the modern romance/supernatural catagory.

I'd also recommend 'Mortal Engines' by Philip Reeve. Like the Harry Potter series the first book is written for a younger audience getting older through each sequal, my 20 year old boyfriend and my sister just finished the series and it really is epic. Its got romance, action and a very fast paced dialogue similar to Twilight. Its more steam punk than fantasy/supernatural but its a book spanning genres and definitely a book I whole heartedly recommend (on the verge of being a fangirl so will stop).

I definitely agree with the author on the subject of Twilight. Although I wasn't a fan of the last in the series they were enjoyable enough. As far as I'm concerned its more of a real book than some of the books I have to sell like Hannah Montana, its got over 300 pages for starters! Anything that get people reading is a ok by me ^^

[Lauren Baratz-Logsted]

Dan, I hope this is OK - feel free to delete my post! - but here's an essay I did on "Is Stephenie Meyer Bad for Girls?" over at Red Room back in December:

http://www.redroom.com/blog/lauren-lise-baratz-logsted/is-stephenie-meyer-bad-girls

[LindaSW]

TWILIGHT's not just for girls - my 10 year old son is reading it and gives me the blow-by-blow every 10 pages or so. All the kids in his elementary school are reading the series and my son's entering a summer reading contest to win a B and N gift certificate so he start in on the 2nd and 3rd Meyers books.

Super post. Long live reading. Even the back of cereal boxes... Peace, Linda