About three things I was absolutely positive: First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him – and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be – that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
“I’D NEVER GIVEN MUCH THOUGHT TO HOW I WOULD DIE – I’d had reason enough in the last few months – but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this... Surely it was a good way to die, in the place of something else, someone I loved. Noble, even. That ought to count for something.”
When Isabella Swan moves to the gloomy town of Forks and meets the mysterious, alluring Edward Cullen, her life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. With his porcelain skin, golden eyes, mesmerizing voice, and supernatural gifts, Edward is both irresistible and impenetrable. Up until now, he has managed to keep his true identity hidden, but Bella is determined to uncover his dark secret.
What Bella doesn’t realize is the closer she gets to him, the more she is putting herself and those around her at risk. And, it might be too late to turn back...
Deeply seductive and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight will have readers riveted right until the very last page is turned.
In the overcast quiet of a sleepy Pacific Northwest town, something ancient stirs beneath the surface of ordinary life. A girl who longs to disappear finds herself seen by someone who’s spent a century trying to remain unseen—and in that collision, the world shifts. This is the haunting heartbeat of Twilight, a series that reshaped the landscape of young adult fantasy by pairing mortal vulnerability with immortal longing.
What sets this story apart isn’t just its brooding romance or supernatural tension—it’s the intimacy of its world. Fog-laced forests hum with hidden danger, and the ordinary ache of adolescence collides with timeless power. At its core is a girl learning to navigate love, identity, and sacrifice while caught between forces that could destroy her or transform her forever.
The saga’s emotional weight is carried not just by its central romance, but by a broader exploration of loyalty, choice, and what it means to belong. Vampires and werewolves become more than myth; they embody desire, fear, and the boundaries we’re willing to cross for those we love. The series lingers not because of spectacle, but because of how closely it holds the tension between longing and restraint.
For readers drawn to dark romance, supernatural drama, and immersive, character-driven storytelling, this tale still casts a long shadow. Even years after its debut, the legacy continues—its moody atmosphere and emotional stakes sparking adaptations, reimaginings, and a devoted following that keeps returning to Forks, Washington, where the eternal meets the ephemeral in the most human way.
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What Risingshadow readers think about this book
I liked the first book a lot, but I hated the movie. Overall, it was very well written and gripping. I stopped reading for a while before this book was released, but this kicked right back into reading again.
It's clear that Bella is the damsel in distress and that Edward is the proverbial knight in shining armor, but hey, nothings a hundred percent original anyway. What really matters is if an author can put new skin over old bones, and Meyer did that with the Twilight Saga.
Definitely for young readers. My husband and I always take books on CD for road trips and we thought that we would try this since we really enjoyed the Harry Potter series on CD. Was told that they would be just as good.
I wanted to shoot myself while listening to this book. I would have been better if I could have read it so I could have skipped through hours of torture of Edward and Bella in her bedroom and how he watched her sleep and so on and so forth.
And does it seem creepy to anyone else that Edward could be Bella's great great grandfather!
This book is mostly a decent read. The plot is serviceable and the pace isn't too bad. This could have easily been a 3-star book if not for the following three issues:
1) The author seems to be worried that we might forget just how dazzlingly beautiful and impossibly attractive Edward is. She can't go more than three sentences without reminding us.
2) Bella is one of the most annoying characters I have ever come across. I understand that some people have serious self-image issues. I was one of those people for many years. But no one wants to put up with incessant whining about it, even if you can sympathize. I did find myself agreeing with her on one point, though - I utterly fail to see what Edward sees in her.
3) SPOILER - One of the most important rules of writing is to never have major events occur "off stage." Readers feel cheated when you do that. The event that this author chose to have happen off stage was not just any old critical plot point - it was the entire climax of the book. Why even write a book if you're going to leave out the most critical part? This book is the novel-length equivalent of telling someone, "Wait for it... wait for it... oh, never mind."
One final note that is not part of the review: I have a theory about why this book is so popular despite its weaknesses, especially among young females. There is a scene where Edward and Bella are in a restaurant and the attractive waitress is obviously flirting with Edward. But Edward is so enamored of Bella that he doesn't even notice the waitress's advances. "I love you so much that I can't even SEE other women." What young female doesn't want a man like that?
It's a shame Twilight series has become so overly popular among young teenage population because this has lead to the fact that ever even admitting having read the book or discussing about it is something to classify being somewhat... well those of you who are not in love with Edward presumably understand.
What I'm saying is that the series has become a synonym for sugary teenage love story. This is shame because those people can't see the quite audible fantasy behind the scene of 'the love story of millennia'. Putting aside the romance and the very questionable horror (which I don't seem to find at all) Twilight series has good ingredients for good or at least passable low fantasy: It has quite enough required fantasy elements and epic battle and a whole lot of psychological analysis (more or less adequate) and philosophy of life.
And this is the point I enjoy most in the series - it's unbelievably fun to argue with the book concerning points in a view of life with what I disagree with.
Truly it shouldn't be that popular and I wish I had read it long before they made the mistake of making a movie of the book and thus ruining it completely.
It's easy to understand why Twilight Saga has created such a buzz and sold millions of copies.
On the other hand, it baffles me how Meyer got away with such horrible writing. I'm not a native English speaker but still some of the parts were just absolutely horrendous.
Maybe I'm too old but I didn't quite fall head over heels for Edward. His smoldering eyes left me totally cold, on the other hand I did like Bella's character.
In the end, the story is what counts. Drawing from the old classics, Twilight is hardly an original, but it had enough appeal to make finish it in a day and buy the next part.
When I had first read this, I loved it. Now that I see people everywhere who seem to be brainwashed with this series, I grimace when I hear the name.
Now, whenever someone mentions vampires the first thought is: "Oh my god, Edward!"
Twilight does NOT define what a vampire is. Never has and never will.
If I was 12 I might have liked it. Now - mostly having fun with the poor writing and bland characters! The only thing she got right is the feeling a girl haves for her first crush - but I had that at 10 or something, not at 16 or 17 :D I do understand WHY this sells - who didn't want a beautiful, mysterious boyfriend in their teens?
Stephenie Meyer's Twilight is a nice little book, which is written for young adults.
I didn't enjoy this book very much, but it was readable. It wasn't bad, but I've read much better horror and dark fantasy books.
If you want to read better and more interesting horror and dark fantasy books, I can highly recommend The Vampire Chronicles and The Lives of the Mayfair Witches by Anne Rice. They're excellent books.
