Letter to the Author

Dear Stephenie Meyer:

A couple of weeks ago I picked up your Twilight Saga books. I had heard of them, but didn’t think of reading them until I realized something. Some day, and probably soon, my third graders would ask to take them out of the library. I needed to read them, whether I wanted to or not, just to see if and when the books would be appropriate reading material for the girls.

Well, I have to admit a couple of things, and I hope you are not offended by the first few. To be honest, I was hoping for better writing. I read somewhere that you sent the manuscript to about 15 places before it was picked up. After having read the first book, I can understand why that happened. When I sit down to read a book, I expect a certain level of good grammar, great dialogue, character development, etc. Good writing, in my opinion, comes to mind when I think of other books that I truly enjoy: A Wrinkle in Time, Bridge to Terabithia, and To Kill A Mockingbird, to name a few. I found the level of writing to be somewhat lacking, but at the same time, I haven’t published a novel, let alone a series of them. Kudos to you, Stephenie!

The second thing that really bothered me (and you must realize here that I am a physiologist by training) was the scientific impossibility of vampires existing amongst us. I have never had trouble before with disbelief (Hogwarts, anyone?) but this time, I did. I had to constantly remind myself that despite Edward’s lack of heart and blood coursing through his arteries and veins, by the fourth book, he somehow manages to father a child. Inconceivable! Pun intended. I am not going to go into the intricacies of the reproductive system here, but even if you only have a rudimentary understanding of the male, you know how this just can’t work!

But Stephenie, the real reason I am writing this letter is that I want to thank you. When I picked up your books, I was transported back to my high school self. I read the books, not as a closing-in-on-forty mom of four, but as the 17-year-old, newcomer to Forks, WA, that was Bella Swan. I remember coming to a new school and not quite fitting in. I remember being stared at and befriended by a small, select few. I remember, quite well even, sitting in my room, complete with Steve Yzerman and Def Leppard posters, studying for Calculus and not wanting to go to prom (unlike Bella, I managed to “not go” to that lovely event with some evasive answer to a guy I really didn’t like). My younger self could identify with Bella in many ways, and that, as I am sure you are aware, is the answer to the series' success.

What high school girl doesn’t pine for the young (or not so young, in this case) hottie to actually acknowledge her? How many young girls sat in their rooms, and thought of Edward Cullen and his amazing eyes long after they finished reading the books? I am sure that more than a few young ladies thought to themselves: Bella considered herself ordinary, and if that is the case -- if she really was just ordinary -- then who is to say that something just as extraordinary couldn’t happen to someone like me? Stephenie, you wrote a love story, pure and simple (and actually quite clean compared to many racy books these days) that targeted the right audience. Again, kudos to you!

My kids won’t be reading these until they are in high school. The first book, Twilight, really is okay, but as the series goes on, more topics come up that just aren’t right for third graders. When the time comes, the girls will pull these off the library shelves and most likely, devour them easily. They will likely understand why the names Edward, Jacob, and Cullen are popping up everywhere these days, and they might just sit in their room, comparing themselves to Bella Swan, and imagining who their Edward is.

I should tell you, Stephenie, that I do not have a vampire in my life, but if anyone is close to Edward Cullen, it would be my husband: selfless, concerned, fiercely protective, pretty much good at most anything, and amazing to look at. He even has green eyes, and I bet he’ll love me “as long as we both shall live.”

Again, thanks.

Sincerely,

Chris