Summer is in full swing and it’s a great time to pick up a fun read. Stephenie Meyer is not the first person you’d think of when you think of literature, but her vampire series has become a cultural phenomenon…
A stay-at-home mom, Meyer was not actively pursuing a career in writing when she came up with the story that would become her first novel, Twilight. She says that it all started with a dream that she had that took place in a meadow, where a vampire and a human girl were trying to figure out how to overcome the challenges of their relationship. Six months later, she finished Twilight and went on to write three more books in the series: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn.
Meyer’s career is a short and successful one, which has left many unpublished writers ridden with jealousy. Her literary style is simple, written in plain English. The story lines sometimes border on cliche, but it isn’t her use of language or plot that sets her apart. She’s been able to capture an intimate bond with her readers through the use of first-person perspective. Through the main character in the Twilight saga, Bella Swan, Meyer has been able to recreate the angst of teenage longing for love. Her success is not of achieving a beautiful work of literature, it is in grasping her readers and making a genuine connection.
Teenagers and adults alike all have one thing in common: we’ve all longed for love. The emotional evolution of the characters is what makes the world of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen a magical place visit. I would recommend the entire Twilight series for an easy, summer read. After all, if you’re going to escape into a book, it may as well be with a sparkly vampire.
Tags: Stephenie Meyer, Twilight
