Succumbing to the Satisfaction of Kitsch...

Well...as many of you may know...I had previously committed myself to not reading the Twilight series...mostly through a series of not-go-great experiences along with my own resistance to diving in to Pop Culture whenever people tell me "You have to..." do whatever it is that they are raving about. I know, I know...probably a little arrogant...but whatever...at least I recognize it for what it is.

If I had come upon the books of my own volition, I probably would have read them much sooner, because they are pretty much up my alley, but they didn't and I didn't and when I was in the utter LUNACY that was the 4th book release, at the local Barnes & Noble...when all I was looking for was the 4th book in a Romance Novel Series about Magic and Dragons that are human and sexy...you know (LOL)...15-17 year-olds twitterpated over some book, along with the t-shirts for Team Edward and Team Jacob (my thoughts..."What...the...hell...???) not to mention the fact that I was almost run down on 2 separate occasions by manic mothers either dropping kids off or freaking out for a parking spot so they could get their copy...and almost having my car run into by a gaggle of girls dressed in strapless prom dresses over t-shirts, and two mini-vans with those same manic mothers in them...yeah...you could say it became an adamant point of pride not to give in to the mania.

But I digress...LOL

My point is that things finally quieted down...life returned to normal...and I felt that I might contemplate reading the series. Then...oh yes...then...I heard several scathing critiques of the books from a couple of different people who I do not deem to be trustworthy in recommendations for books, music or movies and I thought...well...if they hated it and don't recommend it...well...perhaps this bears looking into. LOL

So, for my birthday my husband bought me, by request, the hardback boxed set of all four books, with their accompanying limited edition cards...and I proceeded to DEVOUR all four books within one week's time...and the inner 17 year-old (I17YO) within me wept, and rejoiced and fell in love with every aspect of the books, but particularly with the concept of Edward the Brooding and Sensitive Vampire. The I17YO wished that these books had existed back in the day, when Wuthering Heights and the Oxford Book of English Ghost Stories were her staple for getting through any number of events. When dark, brooding, purple rain clouds, and deep green forests were the flavor of the day. When love was dramatic and all encompassing, when hearts broke so easily and emotions were wild, unchained and raw...when lyrics of favorite songs were exactly what you were feeling or going through...it's true...I recently read some old poetry that this 17 year-old wrote...and it is ripe with drama and emotion...and sometimes suspiciously...almost plagiaristically...close to the lyrics of favorite songs...LOL

I'll admit it... I LOVED the Twilight series. It's not Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, it's not Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, it's not Darwin's Origin of Species nor **gasp** Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra...but I don't think it was ever intended to be any of those things...thankfully...there are plenty of heavy handed things to read about the cosmos, life and the meaning of the universe and whether God really exists or not, that it is nice to leave those debates behind and lose yourself in the passion and memories of the moment. I enjoyed the complete and utter emotional ride that these books were. They were melodramatic, full of burgeoning feelings, insecurities, boundless joy and despair, growth and learning, pain, mistakes and good and bad...all things that you're dealing with when you're a young girl.

People complain that the books aren't "realistic"...seriously??? They are about vampires and humanity...last I checked there were no bats in the belfry...it is a work of fiction. I think mostly they have complained that there was no reality when it came to sex and the teenage population. My thoughts around that, yes, there is a lot of teenage sex, particularly in the world today, but I don't think all teenagers are doing it, and honestly, I think a lot of them approach it with trepidation and nervousness, and maybe some silent relief when it is not demanded of them. I think that is part of why these books were so popular. There was no push for advancing the physical relationship beyond what the character was ready for.

Don't you remember the rushing build up in your chest, when you thought you loved someone or at least were seriously "In-Like" with them? That every glancing touch, fingertips, brushing back of the hair, touch of the arm when joking, when all of those tiny, tiny things were monumental and meant for complete and utter evaluation on their meaning? When those things are so overwhelming, that it's nice not to have the immediate pursuit of the pounding of the flesh, quite figuratively putting the cart before the horse, taking place.

These books fit a very particular need that I didn't even realize was in there. I re-connected with someone that I use to be. I'm not that girl anymore, but I see signs of her here and there and know that she is still around, deep down in there. I love that girl that I use to be, she was young, fresh, funny, quirky, and so, so trusting and loving. She grabbed life with all her insecurities firmly wrapped around her and just jumped into it. Poor thing had no idea what was ahead...LOL...but that is life isn't it? Just taking that plunge and trying to swim the best you can.

Oh yeah...and BTW...definitely, definitely Team Edward...LOL