Discussion: Why I Still Love Twilight

Intro:

Hating on Twilight is pretty popular – more popular these days than liking it. A lot of book bloggers have written about how they used to love Twilight but have since learned better or grown out of it. And that’s fine – your tastes change throughout your life. But while I may not be as obsessed as I was when I was younger, Twilight will always have a place in my heart – I still love it.

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The Problem With Twilight:

People hate on Twilight these days for a multitude of reasons.

Because it started a vampires and werewolf trend, because it got more popular than “more worthy” books, because its objectively not wonderfully written, because teenage girls liked it and people like hating on the things teenage girls like. Because it started the YA movie fad.

Pick your poison – I think people just like being crabby.

Twilight isn’t the objectively best written. There are cringe-y moments (Jacob’s imprint, Bella’s “helpless girl who needs a boy” portrayal etc.) but its hardly the worst written or most problematic book to reach this popularity, let alone one existence.

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My History with Twilight:

I read Twilight in the fourth grade – when I was 9 or 10 years old. I read the entire saga that year. My grandma bought me the first book for Christmas because my cousin, a year older than me, loved it. My grandma thought I might like it to.

(My grandma already had an established history of buying me books for Christmas. She bought me the full Harry Potter series when I was 7 (second grade) 0 I trusted her judgement. She bought me the full Ms. Peregrine’s trilogy for Christmas this past year.)

So because she bought me Twilight, I read it. I had no idea what it was about, but I loved it. Made me mom buy me the rest of the books. Read those too.

I got sent to the guidance counselor’s office at one point because they were concerned about a 9 year old reading such mature content, they called my mom and everything. But since my mom was cool with it they had to let me continue reading – even if I got my book taken away a few times for reading during class.

I made my dad rent the movies that were out so far – and made him watch them with me. He hated them – but watched all five. I had all the shirts, posters, and necklaces. I made all my friends read the books and started a shipping war among the fourth graders.

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The moment where I am Bella and Bella is me.

Twilight and Me – Now:

I’d thought my obsession had calmed down. I reread the books in 7th grade – in full for the first time since in 4th grade I skipped all the “weird” (read “sex”) parts – no matter how mild Twilight really is, I was 9 the first time through. The second time around I was firmly Team Edward – the first time I’m pretty sure my loyalty to Jacob was entirely based on the fact that Taylor Lautner was Sharkboy.

But cue the release of Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined and I had it in my hands and read within the week.

I haven’t read the whole series in years – but Twilight itself remains a comfort read for me. The movies are “I’m sick and want to be entertained without thinking” movies.

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Final Thoughts:

I don’t have it in me to hate on Twilight. Flaws and all.

Part of it might be history and rose-tinted glasses rather than objectiveness – but who cares? Enjoying things is nice, reading is meant to be fun. Something doesn’t have to be objectively good to be enjoyed or liked – why do you think people love lifetime movies?

I just don’t see the appeal of critiquing the flaws in every detail of something I once loved – so I just won’t.

Allow yourself the rose tinted glasses sometimes.

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What do you think?

Did you like Twilight?

Do you still like it?

Why or why not?

Let me know!