EEEEEEWWW!

So. Let me specify.

First of all, I have to say that Stephanie Meyers writes very well, and her character creation is very good. I admire that very much.

Now, on to why I did not like the book.

1. Good vampires

This is the thing that I knew I wouldn't like about the book even before I read it. In my family, we don't appreciate it when authors/movie makers/etc. take creatures or symbols that have been evil in the christian culture for centuries, and make them righteous.

Isaiah 5:20:
"Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil, who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!"

I believe that authors are very subtly doing just this, in the way they twist the symbolism in their stories. Vampires have always been evil. I searched them on Wikipedia, and skimmed the article. From their origins, hundreds of years ago, they have always been wicked monsters. In fact, in the christian culture, a vampire can be defended against with crosses, and, in Bram Stoker's Dracula, communion "wafers," among other things. Christian symbols.
Why is it that NOW, within the past few years, Vampires, Dragons (especially dragons, because in Revelation God calls Satan a dragon), Witches, Sorcerers, and even Goblins, have been portrayed as the good guys (as our culture shifts towards being less Christian)? I don't agree with this.

2. The Inappropriate Romance

At first, when I heard about the story, I thought Bella was going to be fourteen or fifteen, so I was relieved to find out that she was older. But still, even if I DID believe in having boyfriends or dating, I would still have a huge problem with Edward SPENDING THE NIGHT in her BED with her, not to mention other major physical contact throughout the book. Lots of kissing and really close stuff. Oh, and by the way, isn't it interesting that Edward says he doesn't think that getting married would work? There is something wrong with that picture. AND, all of this is done without parental guidance, which brings me to my next point.

3. Deceit

Throughout the whole book, Bella is majorly tricking her parents and lying to them. Her father doesn't even KNOW she's friends with Edward at the time of the *ahem* sleepover. And when he comes to check on her, Edward hides until he's gone. None of this is portrayed as bad--actually, it comes across as good! Because we all know that parents are just oblivious, stupid people. Um, not. Moving on...

4. Stupid Adults

That pretty much sums it up. I HATE HATE HATE books that make the kids the savvy, smart ones, and the adults (especially parents) the stupid, oblivious, clumsy ones who have no idea what's going on, and wouldn't be able to comprehend it it even if they were told. Either that or they are evil. This theme is EVERYWHERE today.
I'm not saying that adults are never stupid, and I'm not saying that children should never under any extreme rebel against their parents, because I know that is sometimes (if the parents are going AGAINST God's Word) unavoidable. Neither am I saying that children should not be portrayed as smart. But fictional parents in GENERAL nowadays are being shown as dumb, and despised by the all-knowing children, and that contradicts the fifth commandment. Adults are, in fact, usually much wiser than children, and are given to us to instruct us and guide us through our learning years. We should honor that, and Twilight doesn't.

5. Idolatry

Bella worships Edward. She idolizes him above everything and everyone else. In her eyes, he is perfection. In reality, God is the only perfection, and He is who we worship.

So there is my Twilight rant. Please tell me what you think.

God bless,
Hannah