Confession of a Band Wagoner: The Twilight Series

Hype is often vastly overrated and yet, the unconditional surrender in which I typically find myself when under its spell is unmatched by any known force in the universe. So far.

I admit that I follow a band wagon like a fly to garbage. I have rooted for both the Lakers and the Patriots for no other reason than everyone else was and I even wanted to see the Sex and the City movie a couple weeks ago (before some much needed friendly intervention) because that's where the band wagon was going. But I have admit, despite a few fleeting disappointments, the wagon has not led me astray and so far, has not caused any irrevocable damage.

So again, like a lemming to a sea cliff, I have taken up reading The Twilight Series penned by Stephenie Meyer. A series of (head hung low) teenage fiction centered around the dangerous and powerful romance between a girl and a vampire. Trust me, I know how ridiculous I seem typing this out. But honestly, if there is writing out there so good it makes you feel slightly woozy and cross-eyed when you finally resurface, no matter what the subject you have to give it some praise.

I think what surprised me most about the passionate descriptions of Bella and Edward, the central characters, is not just the level of intensity conveyed for a couple of 17 and "17," but that Meyer was actually able to use a first-person limited narrative that was wasn't irritating. Even the best of characters written in first person have been annoyingly boring so imagine my surprise when I wasn't bored with Bella by the end of the book.

Yes, there are moments when it flits into adolescent frippery. Oft' repeated pleadings and misunderstandings do wear a little thin but the intensity with which the two characters must fight their natural inclinations (do to supernatural obstructions) make the vampirism central to the novel an interesting metaphor for the uncontrollable urges of puberty. If your desire to be with someone literally drives you to the point of murder, but being without said person is akin to dying, what other choices are there to be made but to test the waters? Suddenly, the brush of a hand, and a stroke of the arm is thrilling and dangerous, and the electricity produced by the author is enough to make you forget what is ultimately a chaste and innocent love affair. And truth be told, I got a little swoon-y.

At first I was afraid that Twilight, the first in what is now four novels, was simply a piece of romantic exposition but there is a shockingly violent turn near the books' final third that finally lets the reader understand the dangers Edward is always ham-fisting to poor Bella who is only looking for a way into his intriguing world. The actually brutality is almost shocking since it happens so late, but ultimately it give me hope for the rest of the series. (I'm currently on Chapter 3 of New Moon, book two of the series).

If for nothing else, I have to give a great deal of credit to whoever designed the covers (above). Very simple design but unbelievably gorgeous.

And because I'm forced to see just about every book-to-film adaptation by default, Twilight's movie treatment arrives this coming December starring Kristen Stewart of Panic Room fame and Robert Pattinson of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Remember Cedric?). The trailer can be viewed below:

Books 1-3 of the series are available now with the newest installment arriving August 2, 2008. The film arrives in theatres December 12, 2008.