Midnight Sun
by Stephenie Meyer
Blurb:
When Edward Cullen and Bella Swan met in Twilight, an iconic love story was born. But until now, fans have heard only Bella's side of the story. At last, readers can experience Edward's version in the long-awaited companion novel, Midnight Sun.
This unforgettable tale as told through Edward's eyes takes on a new and decidedly dark twist. Meeting Bella is both the most unnerving and intriguing event he has experienced in all his years as a vampire. As we learn more fascinating details about Edward's past and the complexity of his inner thoughts, we understand why this is the defining struggle of his life. How can he justify following his heart if it means leading Bella into danger?
My Reaction:
This was a shared read with Donald, for the 372-Pages podcast/book club. It completely slipped my mind to write a review right after we finished it, so these aren't my freshest reactions...
It's been a long time since I listened to the audiobook of Twilight. (I don't believe I ever read it, just listened to the audiobook.) I remember finding it entertaining for what it was-- a young adult paranormal romance, part of the vampire-and-zombie-obsession / cultural phenomenon that I'll cheerfully admit I enjoyed.
So yes, I thought Twilight was fine. I'm not sure what my opinion would be if I read it today, but I suspect I'd still think it was at least "okay". This, on the other hand, drags. It's unnecessarily lengthy, painfully repetitious on some points, and generally-speaking, it lacks charm. A super-fan might enjoy reading the same story less skillfully told from Edward's point of view, but the casual reader won't enjoy the experience. Edward doesn't come across well, the plot is thin and slow-moving, and there are even a few instances where you may have trouble following the story if you aren't already familiar with Twilight.
It's more or less what I expected. No real surprises.
Reading Midnight Sun reminded me of why I'm not a fan of "reunion shows" or new seasons of old TV shows. There's a reason why I still haven't watched the "new" episodes of Gilmore Girls. You can't go back, and if you try, the results are almost always depressing. Everyone looks so much older. Some of the actors have died. That makes me feel older and sadder, too. That ineffable something that you loved about the original is missing, never to return. You can't bring it back, and no attempt to recapture the past can ever truly succeed. It's really better not to try.
But hey, at least we got some laughs out of it with the 372-Pages podcast!
