NOTES/REACTIONS/THOUGHTS:
The chapter opens with Bella, Jessica, and Angela driving to Port Angeles. Apparently Jessica speeds too. I love how everyone in this book doesn't obey traffic laws. Remember kiddies, traffic laws are for losers. Speed to your hearts content. Don't pay any attention to those silly reports about people getting into accidents because others don't follow the rules of the road.
Anyway, the girls gossip of course, about boys. Cause you know that's all we talk about. Boys and clothes. Or at least that's all we seem to talk about in this book. We never talk about movies, music, books, or current events. That's just silly. Just so you know, this is another sexist thing in this book.
Apparently the girls don't know what semiformal means, even though it's pretty obvious to me, but whatever. Both Jessica and Angela are surprised to learn that Bella has never been to a dance. I'm surprised too. Okay, she never had a date. She never heard of going to the dance on her own? Lots of girls do that nowadays. Just because you don't have a date doesn't mean you can't enjoy yourself at a dance or party.
Then Jessica goes, but you get asked out here all the time. Once again, Meyer points out the ridiculousness of her own story without meaning too. Cause it really makes no sense that a girl who had no boys drooling over her in a past school, suddenly gains millions of admirers in a new school. The small town excuse doesn't fly either, Meyer. But Meyer ignores the Mary-Sueness of course, and then we learn that Tyler has been saying he's going to the prom with Bella which pisses her off of course. I personally don't see why she's surprised and have no sympathy for her situation. Because you know what? It's her own damn fault.
She should have let Tyler make amends right away and had been very clear that she didn't want to go to prom with him. Yes, I know he walked away before she could say no earlier. But she could have pulled him aside the next time she saw him and firmly said no, she didn't want to go and that she'd just accept him buying her lunch or something. So yeah, it's her own fault. Therefore this bit is totally out of line:
I ground my teeth. "Do you think that if I ran him over with my truck he
would stop feeling guilty about the accident? That he might give up on making
amends and call it even?"
From Twilight, page 154
First, there should probably be a comma after truck. Second, what a bitch! There is no reason to say that about anyone, I don't care how much they are annoying you. A roll of your eyes is one thing, but this is out of line. Also, again, this is your own damn fault Bella. It also really pissed me off that Jessica snickered instead of chastizing her and Angela didn't even say anything. My friends would have told me when I was being a bitch. Also, when did Bella start calling Jessica Jess? All of a sudden, she's got a nickname for these people that she basically ignores? I also hate that of course, Lauren's problem with Bella is because she's jealous and it has to do with a man.
Nothing to do with how Bella acts like she's better then them and treats the people around her, it's because of a man. Ever notice how when someone doesn't like Bella it always boils down to jealousy? Also that the people who don't like her are almost always women? Nice portrayel of females Meyer. Again, I scoff at the idea that this book is empowering to women. I also give another sexist point for this book.
Anyway, we move on to the riveting dress shopping with her friends. Bella asks Angela about the Cullens missing school and learns that they miss school when the weather is nice. Angela thinks it's because they're outdoorsy. Um, where did she get that conclusion? They drive pricey cars and look like fashion plates! I never saw any indication that they were outdoorsy people. God, Meyer, use some logic.
The riveting dress shopping ends with Bella splitting from her friends to go look for a bookstore. She apparently can look up vampires on the internet, but apparently can't search for a bookstore in Port Angeles online. Nope, that would be logic again, so instead she goes wandering. In a place she's never been too. Once again, I point out how STUPID this girl is. She somehow winds up downtown from the boardwalk. Wow, walked far, didn't she? She spots a volvo and somehow for some reason that makes her angry at Edward. Calling him stupid and unreliable. Um, where is this coming from? Am I missing something again?
She then runs into guys who clearly the sort who are up to no good. Cause you know, rapists make themselves clearly visible. Or would be rapists anyway. Somehow she got from the boardwalk, to downtown, to the warehouse area. I'm sorry, this is a city? She did all of this in like an hour? Most cities have these parts seperated and well spread out. So how the hell did she get this far into town on foot? No one walks that fast or gets that lost. But then, I'm using logic, I keep forgetting that has no place in this book.
Of course, since it's Bella, the guys start chasing her through the warehouses until she's surrounded. Now at this point I'm actually intrigued, thinking something exciting is finally going to happen here. Maybe she gets raped and we have to see her and Edward deal with the consequences? Or she magically knows tai kwon doe (hey, she IS a Mary Sue) and kicks their butt long enough to get away and grows more confident in herself?
But no, Meyer kills any sort of conflict by having Edward rush in with his volvo, get Bella in the car, and speeds away. My excitement just burst like a balloon. This brings me to reason eight for disliking this series.
REASON EIGHT FOR DISLIKING TWILIGHT: NO conflict.
All good books have conflict, be it internal or external. Conflict is usually part of the story and coming to the resolution is what helps drive a plot. Really good books have several conflicts and manage to solve all of them (if they don't, then there's probably going to be a sequel). Twilight however, has no conflict. Oh it tries, don't get me wrong, but it's like Meyer can't bear putting her characters in any sort of danger and so makes sure that any conflict that pops up is solved almost immediately and of course, satisfactorily for all the main characters.
This moment here is just one example of how she immediately kllls coflict. Later in the book we get the big bad vamp after Bella who is easily killed by the Cullens, making you wonder why it was dragged out over those chapters. All conflicts later in the series are easily solved and end happily for everyone too. The Edward/Bella/Jacob love triangle is magically solved by having Jacob fall for Bella's baby. Therefore, he's no longer in love with Bella and gets a true love and Bella gets to keep her friend, and Edward no longer has to worry about a rival. No word yet on how the baby herself feels about this, but chances are, she falls for Jacob.
The series is just full of magical solutions like that and while there is nothing neccessarily WRONG with it (well, I think the baby thing is messed up but that's another rant for when I get to Breaking Dawn) it does make the world out to be black and white. Also, it tends to kill any interest I may have had in this series. I would maybe have been more interested if Bella and Edward had to fight more for their relationship and actually WORK at it. But they don't. It also makes this series even more unrealistic. I know it's about vampires and werewolves so it won't be completely realistic, but come on. You're still dealing with people and characters and relationships. In real life, Jacob would have moved on from Bella and their relationship would probably never be what it was again. She would have had to deal with it too. But no, Meyer just can't bear to have her characters go through pain so she makes everything magically work out and it makes this story very boring and predictable.
Back to this chapter, Bella and Edward talk in his car as he drives, trying to calm himself down. I love how she asks him if he's okay first, when really it should be the other way around. Fans like to point to this as another example of her being selfless. Yeah, I might give you that if the premise wasn't ridiculous.
She starts babbling to distract him and they have a good laugh over poor Tyler who has done nothing but try to make amends for almost killing Bella. Yeah, what an idiot. They meet up with Jesica and Angela at an italian restaurant that is on a boardwalk. Um...okay. Have any of you been to boardwalks? Yeah, I have too and I never saw any restaurants that were described like this one. I saw diners, hot dog stands, fast food places, kid friendly places and places that could be politely described as dives (but with awesome food, I miss my crab shack...). Never saw a posh italian restaurant. They must be at a really fancy boardwalk or this is another case of Meyer failing to use logic.
Jessica and Angela are dazzled by Edward and I have to barf as they immediately agree to letting him take Bella home. Yeesh girls, have some dignity for crying out loud. I hate how all the females are described as turning to mush around him. Like we just can't help ourselves around a totally hot guy. Another sexist point for Meyer.
In the restaurant Edward does the same thing with the hostess and Bella naturally is disgusted, even though she is pretty much the same whenever Edward so much as looks at her. Hypocrite much, Bella? She gets over impressed by how he asks for a more private table and they sit. Then we get the lame line that launched over a million t-shirts:
That noise you heard was me groaning. Seriously, if I didn't know this book was overly cliche before, I do now. Anyway, the server comes and she too turns into mush over Edward, and they order drinks. Edward asks how she is and then says she should be in shock right now. Um, excuse me, those guys didn't even lay a hand on her. Startled, yes. Maybe a little shaken. But going into shock? Are you kidding me? Were I Bella I would have been insulted by his opinion of my nerves but she is too busy being dazzled by his smile. Grow a backbone girl."Do I dazzle you?"
From Twilight, page 168
Waitress returns and they order food. Bella realizes she left her jacket in Jessica's car and we get the cliche of Edward offering his coat. She realizes she's never noted what he was wearing, being too obsessed with his face to care. So now we get the pointless description of his clothes and how of course, it makes him look even more gorgeous.
The waitress brings the food and then a fun question/answer game begins. Bella asks him questions about his abilities. Then we have this stupid remark by Edward:
"I was wrong-you're much more observant than I gave you credit for."
From Twilight, page 173
Yeah, she's observant all right. She's just now figured you're a vamp when the clue bus was basically hitting her for like a month. Another desperate attempt by Meyer to make her Mary-Sue look smart and special. We're basically told that Edward kept track of her through other people. Somehow Jessica has a picture of the bookstore in her head even though she probably hasn't been there but whatever, that was a tip off to Edward that something was wrong and we know the rest.
They finish and leave the restaurant and Meyer's idea of a thrilling ending of a chapter is Edward saying now it's his turn to ask questions.
WORDS THAT A TEENAGER WOULD NEVER NORMALLY SAY/DON'T BELONG: southerly, raucously, instantaneously, silken, perpetual, ordinariness
MARY-SUE/GARY-STUISMS: I'm asked out all the time here even though before I wasn't and I didn't even change about myself
I dazzle people by just looking at them
WHINE LIST: How dare Tyler assume he's taking me to prom when I never told him no properly!
MEYER CONTRIDICTIONS: Bella/Meyer tries to make all the females who turn to mush around Edward out to be shallow harpies only interested in appearance, but Bella basically acts the same way as they do so she is not much better then they are.
No comments:
Post a Comment