Twilight on My Own Terms, Pt 3: Bella is Oddly Accepting

So I’ve been wild crazy busy lately, but I’ve found time to knock out the next five chapters of Twilight. This means that chapters 11-15 are getting the scrutiny this time.There were great things and terrible things in these chapters, as has become the trend.

1. The plotting in this book is really good. Despite all other faults, I am addicted to turning pages when I sit down to read. This is because I need to know what is going to happen. Her use of foreshadowing, tantalizing information, red herring, and more make her plot incredibly involving.

2. This is the section where the infamous “Oh, you watch me sleep? Cool.” exchange happens. I had heard about Bella’s flippancy with it before, but seriously, the creepiest plot device I’ve heard this side of a serial killer novel takes Bella less than a page to comprehend and normalize. Her only questions are “You spied on me?”, “How often?” and “Why?” I would have been significantly more freaked out. Even if it was a person I adored. There’s just something not natural about, you know, stalking a girl. But hey, he’s not natural in the first place, being a vampire and all. Free pass?

3. Ms. Meyer finally explains the backstory of her vampires; I find it to be the most engrossing part of this story so far. I wish, actually, that we had the story of the Cullens, pre-Forks. That sounds incredibly fascinating. Preying on murderers? Resisting humans? Tribes of vampires? Internal struggle? Creating Esme? This is incredibly interesting stuff. I wish there were more of it. I wouldn’t mind if that was the Twilight series.

4. Also in this section is the “Edward in the sunlight” section, which I had been looking forward to as well. Much more annoying than the actual fact that vampires became officially pansy-fied with that chapter (srsly, why? unnecessary.) was Bella’s reaction to the diamond-esque Edward. Seriously, how much fawning can a man stand? I think I would be concerned if I found a girl who fawned over me that much. “Do you have a personality, ma’am? No, I mean, your own personality. I know you think I’m great… No, you’re not understanding the question.”

5. Edward is incredibly punny. I enjoy few other aspects of his character, but the fact that he is flippant about his power is really funny to me. Also, the fact that he can play piano like a mad fool earned him some props in my book. Maybe even e-props. Xanga, anyone?