STEPHENIE MEYER was born on Christmas Eve in Hartford, Connecticut, but she has lived in Arizona since the age of four. She graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in English Literature, and lives with her husband and three young sons. Stephenie wrote TWILIGHT in just three months!
Isabella Swan, 17, narrates this riveting first novel, propelled by suspense and romance in equal parts. The story opens with a cryptic scene of the heroine "facing death," then flashes back to Bella's departure from Phoenix, where her mother lives with her new husband, as the teen heads off to live with her father, the police chief in Forks, Wash. From the first day at her new high school, she finds herself magnetically drawn to Edward Cullen, whose behavior towards her is erratic ("I'd just explained my dreary life to this bizarre, beautiful boy who may or may not despise me"). Then she finds out why his interest in her runs hot and cold: he is a vampire-but of an unusual variety. Edward, his siblings and their adoptive parents have disciplined themselves to feed on animals rather than humans; and Edward is obsessed with Bella. Other elements factor into the plot, including a rival group of vampires who are not as disciplined as the Cullens. This plot twist (which includes a subplot about one of the Cullens' past life) contributes to a rushed denouement (much of it takes place offstage) that is perhaps the novel's only weakness. The main draw here is Bella's infatuation with outsider Edward, the sense of danger inherent in their love, and Edward's inner struggle-a perfect metaphor for the sexual tension that accompanies adolescence. These will be familiar to nearly every teen, and will keep readers madly flipping the pages of Meyer's tantalizing debut. Ages 12-up. (Oct.) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Covering roughly half the first novel of Meyer's megahit paranormal romance, this first volume of the manga-ish version topped sales charts, and, yes, the sequel is coming. When her divorced mom wants to travel with husband No. 2, pretty Bella Swan retreats in a huff to the boonies of Forks, WA, to live with her father. As she eases into her new high school, she falls into an odd love-hate relationship with Edward Cullen, one of the mysterious-and gorgeous-Cullen kids. Romantic interest from other cute guys makes things more complicated, and one fellow knows a bit too much about the Cullens and the local vampire-werewolf turf wars. What's a girl to do? With a superhero vibe enhancing the romantic vampire mystique, the Meyer novel holds all the high seriousness and roiling emotional appeal of 19th-century gothic melodrama while incorporating plenty of action. VERDICT Kim's excellent art elevates a considerably simplified and rather jerky adaptation into a truly pleasurable visual experience: attractive page design, swoonworthy characters, and judicious use of color for special impact. Recommended for public and high school libraries.-M.C. Copyright 2010 Reed Business Information.
Gr 9 Up-Headstrong, sun-loving, 17-year-old Bella declines her mom's invitation to move to Florida, and instead reluctantly opts to move to her dad's cabin in the dreary, rainy town of Forks, WA. She becomes intrigued with Edward Cullen, a distant, stylish, and disarmingly handsome senior, who is also a vampire. When he reveals that his specific clan hunts wildlife instead of humans, Bella deduces that she is safe from his blood-sucking instincts and therefore free to fall hopelessly in love with him. The feeling is mutual, and the resulting volatile romance smolders as they attempt to hide Edward's identity from her family and the rest of the school. Meyer adds an eerie new twist to the mismatched, star-crossed lovers theme: predator falls for prey, human falls for vampire. This tension strips away any pretense readers may have about the everyday teen romance novel, and kissing, touching, and talking take on an entirely new meaning when one small mistake could be life-threatening. Bella and Edward's struggle to make their relationship work becomes a struggle for survival, especially when vampires from an outside clan infiltrate the Cullen territory and head straight for her. As a result, the novel's danger-factor skyrockets as the excitement of secret love and hushed affection morphs into a terrifying race to stay alive. Realistic, subtle, succinct, and easy to follow, Twilight will have readers dying to sink their teeth into it.-Hillias J. Martin, New York Public Library Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
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