Anyone else tired of romantic vampires in young adult fiction?

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by Bittybye

Literally there is a scene from Midnight Sun (Twilight from Edward's POV) where he plots to kill every student in the room, then Bella then he plans to bury her in the woods. There's true love, kids!

That scene had me rolling on the floor! Obviously I have a warped sense of humor, but that was just so funny...

[Bittybye]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

That scene had me rolling on the floor! Obviously I have a warped sense of humor, but that was just so funny...

It was funny, I mean this is Meyer's idea of love?

Love is: Burying the body in the woods in a respectful manner.

[ShortNCuddlyAm]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

That scene had me rolling on the floor! Obviously I have a warped sense of humor, but that was just so funny...

Originally Posted by Bittybye

It was funny, I mean this is Meyer's idea of love?

Love is: Burying the body in the woods in a respectful manner.

I think it's just as well I haven't read them - I'd get odd looks laughing at Twilight on the daily commute!

[C.I.Bond]

Originally Posted by Bittybye

Oh and he can't read her thoughts. Don't worry there Eddiekins, I've read them, you're not missing much.

Oh yeah. Not much going on there at all.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by ShortNCuddlyAm

I think it's just as well I haven't read them - I'd get odd looks laughing at Twilight on the daily commute!

Actually that scene was meant to be funny. I think Stephenie Meyer has a pretty warped sense of humor too...

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Penforhire

But I can see the viewpoint of people who do and, from that perspective, Meyers provides poor role models.

But that is one of the things I really don't get. Where in the contract does it say that fiction, even "young adult" (jeez I hate that term), has to provide good role models? When Meyer started she cannot have known that her books would get so popular. If she had known she may have tried harder to provide good role models (and so lost much of the fun).

I remember being forced to study "Romeo and Juliet" in high school. If you want some lousy role models there's a couple for you! And studying it at high school no less, with rampant hormones everywhere. I'm not trying to compare Meyer's writing to Shakespeare's (in this particular instance Meyer is much more entertaining) but let's get a bit of perspective people. This is fiction and Meyer's writing never pretends to be more than it is.

I find the whole "role model" argument very strange. I liked the Twilight series, all of it, but I can understand it's not everyone's cup-of-tea. There are lots of books (and movies etc) that I don't like, but I don't automatically try and blame their creators for not living up to my own personal standards.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by gmw

I find the whole "role model" argument very strange. I liked the Twilight series, all of it, but I can understand it's not everyone's cup-of-tea. There are lots of books (and movies etc) that I don't like, but I don't automatically try and blame their creators for not living up to my own personal standards.

Exactly!

Welcome to MR!

[Worldwalker]

Originally Posted by Bittybye

Well he loves her because she smells so darned edible.

What that says about the author and her lunch is ... disturbing.

I still can't get past the hundred-year-old man part. Seriously, your great-great-grandfather hitting on a teenager is bad ... unless he's posing as a teenager, then it's okay? That just creeps me out.

[gmw]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

I still can't get past the hundred-year-old man part. Seriously, your great-great-grandfather hitting on a teenager is bad ... unless he's posing as a teenager, then it's okay? That just creeps me out.

Curious. I imagine others think she's a money-grubber hunting after the older man (although it could be a long wait for him to die and leave her his riches). This is far from the first book about a couple with a big difference in their ages, but with the added convenience of him not looking old ... and dare I say it? Curmudgeonly? As long as both involved are adults I don't find an age difference to be much of problem. (17 seemed close-enough in this context - in the books in particular Bella is a very mature seeming 17yo.)

As a contrast I have found some of Piers Anthony's work a little creepy in this regard, even though I like some of what he has done otherwise. Robert Heinlein is another one.

[Bittybye]

Originally Posted by Worldwalker

What that says about the author and her lunch is ... disturbing.

I still can't get past the hundred-year-old man part. Seriously, your great-great-grandfather hitting on a teenager is bad ... unless he's posing as a teenager, then it's okay? That just creeps me out.

It creeps me out too. Don't get me wrong, I've read books that are worse. 4000 year old vamp with a 30 year old woman. But somehow Twilight is worse.

[DiapDealer]

I don't have a problem with Meyers' sparkly vamps, horrible role models, or the potential to corrupt young minds. I just think her writing is atrocious. But, I certainly wouldn't want to discourage anyone from reading it if that's what they're into.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I don't have a problem with Meyers' sparkly vamps, horrible role models, or the potential to corrupt young minds. I just think her writing is atrocious. But, I certainly wouldn't want to discourage anyone from reading it if that's what they're into.

BINGO!!!

[C.I.Bond]

Originally Posted by gmw

As a contrast I have found some of Piers Anthony's work a little creepy in this regard

Err… yes, he rides the line between ah… willing and consensual and non-so-willing, it can be a bit of a surprise. Ultimately, I had to give up his books because I found his handling of women too offensive in general. Maybe if I was a teenage boy at the time instead of a girl it wouldn't have bothered me as much.

Let me clarify ... it isn't the unwilling that bothers me, this happens in stories a lot it is the idea that when woman say "no" they really are saying "yes" and well... all that implies about our mental abilities and our communication skills... etc.

[gmw]

Re: Piers Anthony

Originally Posted by C.I.Bond

Err… yes, he rides the line between ah… willing and consensual and non-so-willing, it can be a bit of a surprise. Ultimately, I had to give up his books because I found his handling of women too offensive in general. Maybe if I was a teenage boy at the time instead of a girl it wouldn't have bothered me as much.

And in some cases supposedly willing, but as a mature adult reader you may wonder whether the willingness is well informed due to age.

I don't recall being offended by him as a teenage boy - but whether that was because I was a teenage boy or whether it was just a matter of which books of his I read at the time, I cannot really say. I think what offends me most (now that I am most definitely not a teenager) about some of his work is that it feels more like it is done for it's shock value than for any very good reason with regard to the story - as if by being controversial he may draw more attention. I added Heinlein to my example because I feel much the same about much of his work (incest etc).

To draw this line of thought back to the Twilight series: I never got the impression, while reading these books, that there was anything morally shocking, or in any way tawdry, about the relationship portrayed (aside from the human vs vampire thing I mean). To say "a one hundred year old falls in love with a teenager" may be a strictly correct statement but it misses so much of the premise behind the story as to be essentially irrelevant. (Whether the premise behind the story works for you the reader is quite another matter ... and I suppose if the premise didn't work then perhaps you do fall back on the age thing.)

[NVash]

Read about four pages and noticed a few things I know about that I had to comment on.

Anne Rice
The Vampire Chronicles has bored me to tears on more than one occasion. Maybe its because I really dont like Lestat.

Terry Pratchett
I remember he created a vampire in his book 'The Truth'. Im not sure if that was Igor or not but that was a very clever vampire. Any scene he was in he stole and oh how I wished he was in that book more often.

Laurell K Hamilton
Ah, Anita Blake. Where in the World did you go wrong? First few books you were so good. I look back fondly on how I read some of your books back to back and for me thats saying something. Now here I am at book five and I can already see the world crumbling apart into what will later become cheap horribly written porn. Whats worse I read alot of the reviews on Amazon, I know it only gets worse but for some reason I decided to skip ahead and read some of the newest book. Why in the World is the book spending most of the first few chapters describing how sexy men look? Why are there so many of them? Why are they all so content with being with her in bed? Doesnt one of them want to settle down and have her for themselves? Hey Laurell, theres a plot. One of her men goes rogue, starts fighting the others and demands that she choose between them. Oh wait, youll never write it, no sex in there. Or youll spend about fifty pages tormenting everyone with describing how sexy the men look before the fights break out. I dont even read this series anymore.

Charlaine Harris
I read the first Sookie Stackhouse. I wasnt impressed at all. I kind of liked Bill but I guess I didnt much like Sookie. One thing I think of in stories as a writer and reader, if you dont have a lovable main character you dont have much at all. Sure you might be able to pick up the slack with some other characters but they better be pretty darn good. Bill wasnt good enough. I might go back to the series some time when I get really bored but I have a huge To Read list, I hope that isnt for quite some time.

Joss Whedon
I am a huge Buffy fan. That is all.

Stephenie Meyer
Im so sick of Twilight. Ive read the first two books and seen the first two movies. I dont get why people equate Edward and Bella with love. I see more love in the relationship with Jacob, before Stephenie did him so dirty with that 'imprinting' trash. Edward was crazy and a stalker. Pure and simple. Thats love? Bella was codependent. Wasnt most of the second book and movie about her various attempts to almost kill herself just so she could hear Edward tell her to stop acting stupid? Thats love? Sounds like someone needs some serious mental help. And the more Edward and Jacob fight over her the more I wonder what they and the rest of Forks sees in Bella. There is not one redeeming quality to this woman at all! Shes not in the least bit attractive, she has the personality of a brick, she isnt nice or caring at all, what is there to like about her? Im glad this series is over honestly.

Think thats all the ones I know of, or at least the ones I can think of at the moment. Im sick of the vampire genre as well but I figure if youre going to do it, do it well. Wheres the crazy vampires with the blood lust they can barely control? Where are the ones that strike fear in peoples hearts? I read once that in Anita Blake some vampire could kill people from miles away with a thought. Where are those? On vacation? Tanning, excuse me, sparkling in the Barbados sun? Maybe theyll get back to good vampire stories again someday.