Reviewed by Amy Sheehan
Twilight is a captivating love story with a twist. Seventeen year old Bella Swan has to go and live with her dad in the small northern town of Forks, and needless to say she’s not exactly thrilled. But her view of the place quickly changes when she meets the beautiful and mysterious Edward Cullen.
Bella soon finds herself swept up in a thrilling mystery as she begins to uncover Edward’s incredible secret: he and his family are vampires! But not just any vampires - good vampires, who try to ignore their overwhelming urge to drink human blood and don’t hunt people. Only snag is, Bella is exactly Edward’s taste in, uhm, blood, and he faces a constant inner battle between wanting to protect her, and his overwhelming desire to sink his teeth into her neck. The plot thickens as Bella soon realises that she has fallen in love with him. But can it ever be safe to love a vampire?
I found myself utterly engrossed in this gorgeously romantic read; it’s a fine mix of romance and adventure, and actually reminded me a bit of the film Titanic, because what starts out as a beautifully tender story of forbidden love becomes, by the end, an exciting race for survival.
Edward is the most swoon-worthy hero I’ve encountered in a long time, and I was just as much in love with him as Bella was. Well, he is the perfect man - what with his supernatural looks, strength, speed and powers - but that all just adds to the fun. Other characters that fascinated me included most of Edward’s family - who all have their own individual histories and personalities - but especially Alice, who can see the future, and Rosalie, although we don’t see much of her.
Though technically a young adult book, this one’s not just for the teenage girls. Anyone with any romance in them will love it; it may be slightly mushy in places, but I personally loved it and finished the novel with a big soppy grin on my face. It’s romantic, surprisingly well-written, and what’s more, a page-turner: I was up late reading, dying to know what would happen.
Twilight is excellent as a stand-alone book (I was very satisfied with the ending), but readers like me who are desperate for more will be happy to know that the story continues in New Moon and Eclipse. If they’re this good, I for one can’t wait to read them.
Rating: 5/5
Like this? Try The Accidental Vampire by Lynsay Sands
