Twilight: Just say NO

(Twilight is a teenage vampire romance novel that's spreading through the female population like wildfire)

I mean it... Just say NO.

I am a self professed expert at the technique of understanding others. In an honest self evaluation I feel that I'm pretty good at putting myself in others shoes to attempt to understand what they feel and why they may feel the way they do. This is only one of my many super powers ;) This skill even extends in to the female species. I've always scoffed at the old cliche that men don't understand women and felt that I was high above the average in this regard. I can even appreciate a decent chick flick every once in while if it develops realistic characters that you can relate too... okay... I'll admit it... I even enjoyed all 6 hours of Pride and Prejudice.

Well... I've been stumped.

A few months ago Jen started reading this new teenage book series known as Twilight (written by an LDS author but not necessarily to an LDS only audience). She raved and raved about how good this love story is between a teenage girl and a vampire.

... that's right... a vampire.

She finally convince me that I should listen to the book on CD. She placed it on hold for me at the library and rushed to pick it up when it arrived. I have to admit I was interested to listen to it if not just to understand what it was that Jen liked so much about this book.

I've usually enjoyed Jen's recommendations in the past, and began listening to this one with an open mind, trying the best I could to listen to it from Jen's perspective to perhaps learn more about my wonderful wife.

I didn't hate the book... It was mediocre. The action/adventure portion of the plot was perhaps enjoyable, but I simply cannot understand what everyone sees in this love story! I thought I understood girls to some extent, but this just throws me for a loop. I don't understand why all the girls that read this book just go goo goo eyed for this fictional vampire character.

My biggest complaint about this love story is this... there isn't any... It's just *poof* we're in love! Where is the human emotion in that... Where is the development of true devotion to each other... come on! I thought girls out grew the valiant knight sweeping me off my feet and carrying me off into the sunset fantasy at about age 15. I expected they traded that in for a true perspective on love, one that includes serving, giving, understanding, as well as attraction and passion. You know... like Clint Black says, "Love isn't some place that we fall, it's something that we do". Love is something that is layered through the experiences you share together, which is what makes it grow over time. This teenage infatuation fantasy is so shallow compared to what really can exist between a husband and a wife.

So as the wildfire continues to spread rapidly through ranks of our wonderful wives, sisters, daughters, and friends. I stand as one lone voice against the fury calling husbands everywhere to stand with me and warn their wives when they are pressured into reading Twilight to just say NO.

PS. To Stephenie Meyer I mean you no disrespect. Your book is much better then anything I could ever produce. My satirical remarks here are not so much a critique of your book as a desire to understand what it is about teenage infatuation that makes even grown women weak in the knees.