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Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) | 
 enlarge | Author: Stephenie Meyer
Publisher: Little, Brown Young Readers
Category: Book
List Price: $10.99
Buy New: $5.09
You Save: $5.90 (54%)
New (94) Used (81) Collectible (2) from $4.98
Rating:  3343 reviews
Sales Rank: 6
Media: Paperback
Reading Level: Young Adult
Pages: 544
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.5
ISBN: 0316015849
EAN: 9780316015844
ASIN: 0316015849
Publication Date: September 6, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Amazon.com Review
The book that started the phenomenon is now available in a deluxe collector's edition! Featuring a ribbon bookmark, cloth cover, ragged edges, new chapter opener designs, and a beautiful protective slipcase, this edition is perfect for fans and collectors alike.
Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.
Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.
Product Description
"Softly he brushed my cheek, then held my face between his marble hands. ''Be very still,'' he whispered, as if I wasn''t already frozen. Slowly, never moving his eyes from mine, he leaned toward me. Then abruptly, but very gently, he rested his cold cheek against the hollow at the base of my throat. " As Shakespeare knew, love burns high when thwarted by obstacles. In Twilight, an exquisite fantasy by Stephenie Meyer, readers discover a pair of lovers who are supremely star-crossed. Bella adores beautiful Edward, and he returns her love. But Edward is having a hard time controlling the blood lust she arouses in him, because--he''s a vampire. At any moment, the intensity of their passion could drive him to kill her, and he agonizes over the danger. But, Bella would rather be dead than part from Edward, so she risks her life to stay near him, and the novel burns with the erotic tension of their dangerous and necessarily chaste relationship.Meyer has achieved quite a feat by making this scenario completely human and believable. She begins with a familiar YA premise (the new kid in school), and lulls us into thinking this will be just another realistic young adult novel. Bella has come to the small town of Forks on the gloomy Olympic Peninsula to be with her father. At school, she wonders about a group of five remarkably beautiful teens, who sit together in the cafeteria but never eat. As she grows to know, and then love, Edward, she learns their secret. They are all rescued vampires, part of a family headed by saintly Carlisle, who has inspired them to renounce human prey. For Edward''s sake they welcome Bella, but when a roving group of tracker vampires fixates on her, the family is drawn into a desperate pursuit to protect the fragile human in their midst. The precision and delicacy of Meyer''s writing lifts this wonderful novel beyond the limitations of the horror genre to a place among the best of YA fiction. (Ages 12 and up)
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| Customer Reviews: Read 3338 more reviews...
 Lighten up December 7, 2008
Bookish grandma (Annapolis, MD)
16 out of 18 found this review helpful
Please, people, just lighten up. It's just a book-a chick book, of course, but it's just a book.I read everything, although I usually prefer non-fiction- current affairs and biographies mainly. When a good friend recommended Twilight to me, I grudgingly took it home thinking I'd read 10 pages, then quit out of boredom. Wrong, I was unable to put it down until I finished it 24 hours later, then promptly read the next 3. I was hooked on the story -I really wanted to know what happened to Bella and Edward. It was an intriguing story line, although I agree it should have been better edited. What's wrong with a little fantasy and romance once in a while? Isn't that what beach reads are for? (And by the way, I'm well-educated, a professional, and a grandmother of three.)
I'm surprised at all the anger some people have over this series... June 18, 2008
Courtney Parks (Santa Ana, CA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful
In Defense of the Book...
Alright, alright. Calm down. So, some of you didn't enjoy the book.
The biggest downfall to this series is not that it is jam-packed with cliches, or that Bella is completely hopeless. The biggest downfall has got to be the marketing--the fact that every one of you disappointed readers had gotten your hopes up for 'the next big thing,' only to find that it wasn't to your liking.
Let me point out that 1) this was written for teenagers. And not in the sense that Harry Potter was written for teenagers--because it wasn't--but this was made specifically catering to the girly longings most teenage girls have. Yes, it appeals to some of us adults. I found it a refreshing change from my complex, heavy-plotted novels that I've grown bored of as of late. 2) Yes, Bella is hopeless. She doesn't think there is an interesting speck to her. Honestly, do any of us think such things? Bella would HARDLY be interesting if she knew she was beautiful. If she had one talent to her, aside from the protection her mind has from any sort of assault, everyone would be griping about that. I remember reading a book about a woman who had a dozen talents. I hated her for it. and 3) Yes, of course the book is remarkably cheesy at times. Sometimes, it's what we want. The series only gets cheesier, mind you. And I loved every moment of it. Almost. (I found myself angry with a certain character in 'Eclipse.' But not angry with Meyer. Still, the anger lasted for quite some time.)
I'm a writer, too. It's made reading books a little less enjoyable, because I'm constantly picking at other novels. I barely finish them nowadays, and if I do, it takes me ages. Of course there were problems with Twilight. There are problems with every novel. And I can see why some people wouldn't enjoy the book just as I can see why so many girls adore it. If you take the book too seriously... if you expect something life-changing, of course you aren't going to like it. But the book was fun. I had fun. Amazingly, I finished all three books in less than a week. I couldn't put them down.
My Review
Despite some flaws in the novel... and I'm not talking about grammatical or spelling errors, I'm talking about odd glitches in the plot... I ADORED it, Stephenie Meyer. I'm amazingly picky about vampire novels, and I HATE romance novels right down to my core. But I loved this series. I loved Bella... she was human to me. She was selfish, and she struggled to be seen as good while all the while letting her desires win over. I loved her attitude, and her sarcasm. I love that she was very weird. And of course, I loved Edward, but that I won't get into. That's only because I'm a girl.
There was never a boring moment, to me, in the entire series. I devoured each book in record time... and quickly moved on to the next. Now, I'm left with a horrible ache as I wait for August to roll around. Maybe I'll try The Host next, to ease my longing. In fact, that has to be one of my complaints--where ARE the dull moments? Do you realize, I stayed up until four AM to finish Twilight, because there was no place I could easily stop reading and fall asleep? I'd be awake, too anxious to sleep... wanting to know what happened next. Now I'm all done with the books released right now... now, I have nothing to do. Some who are not Twilighters would tell me to go read other books. Ha. What a silly thought. :D
I wonder if Stephenie Meyer reads these reviews. If she does, I want her to know I liked the series more than Harry Potter. I could list my reasons why, but that'd take too long. Those comparing the book to Harry Potter also should get something in their heads... it's like comparing Underworld to 'My best Friend's Wedding'. Two completely different types of books, only brought together with the illusion that both series are made for young adults. *shakes head*
Oh well. I guess I'm a twilighter now. *shrugs*
Better than I ever expected August 5, 2008
K. Heldenbrand (Little Rock, AR)
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I'm not the average Stephenie Meyer reader. I'm a 36 year old mother of two. I stumbled across an interview of her and was intrigued. And then I remembered that several of my adult friends had tentatively recommended these books to me in the last year. I am an English major, with a strong penchant for the classics. So yes, I tend to be a bit of a literary snob. Not wanting to "waste" my money on a young adult book, I put the book on hold at the library. After waiting six weeks, I became irritated and bought it when I saw it at the grocery store.
The book was just....really interesting. Her writing isn't the best, there were problems with some grammar structure. But the characterization was really strong without giving too specific visuals. She left a lot to one's own imagination. But from the moment "the tracker" smelled Bella, I was sitting up ramrod-straight in my chair in absolute rapture. It was more exciting than any vampire movie I'd ever seen (and I've seen them all). The timing was impeccable, the introduction to the Cullen brothers and sisters was awesome...what a great ride.
As a bonus, for the first time in my life I think the vampire's frustrated sexuality was fully realized in a novel. We all know Bram Stoker's Dracula caused quite the frenzy back in the day with his pushing the boundaries of Victorian repressed sexuality. Well, Stephenie Meyer has managed to update that so very perfectly to suit our modern sensibilities. I found myself incredibly annoyed that Edward and Bella could barely kiss. When I finished the book, I just stared at the cover for a while and basked in the glow of "a good read".
I, like millions of teens before me, cannot wait to read the rest of the books! Thanks Stephenie Meyer!
I Loved It, Here's Why You May Not... August 20, 2008
A. Maldonado (LA)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful
This book is not a lot of things: linguistically complex, rich in description, full of well-developed characters. Lovers of vampire lore will find that it is not particularly dark or detailed - Meyer seems more interested in the way being a vampire might affect your relationships than any other aspect of the myth. On the other hand, it's very fun to read.
This book might not meet any definition of masterpiece: it would be fair to call the narrative simplistic and the style is meant for teenagers, and it's meant to entertain, not to challenge. The plot is not hard to follow or hard to predict. The characters are fairly one-dimensional, especially the minor characters such as the mother and father and the "ordinary" friends at school.
And yet, this is one of the literary confections I have most enjoyed in recent years. The metaphor for teenage love is apt: what teenager has not fallen recklessly for someone who clearly might hurt her? What teenager doesn't seem, at times, ravenous for destruction and a risk to himself and those he loves the most? As metaphors for different kinds of transformation, vampires and werewolves are very powerful.
It's light reading, to be sure, five hundred pages of Meyer's book fly by faster than fifty of a Jane Austen novel I recently read. More story could have been condensed into the pages, but to what end? I enjoyed how she lingered indulgently on moments that are meant to be satisfying and titillating.
Is this about inspiring young women? Does it need to be? The protagonist of this book is caught up in the events around her: rather than seeking adventure, she finds she has attracted it. She rises to the occasion in a believable way for a teenager, but she's not meant to be exceptionally gifted. She's good at biology and she's a loner, but she's not a hero figure. Her talent if any, is balancing two realities - something many children from divorced families know how to do well.
And that should be enough. There is something very pleasurable about the idea that you might be whisked away from ordinary life by coincidence or destiny. Having a heroine who is outspoken or remarkable shouldn't be a requirement for young adult reading. Some characters get to stumble into great lives, just like in adult fiction.
The character of Edward is more extraordinary and more noteworthy both - and for good reason - the revelation of his existence and the unraveling of his mystery are the real drivers of the plot. Full of self-restraint, he harkens back to characters in 19th-century novels. He is in control and represents the ideal of a man who can act for selfless reasons even while racked with selfish desires.
Is this an exaggeration? Of course. But it's a brilliant insight into a teenage (and adult) fantasy: to have a lover both young (seventeen) and mature (he's been alive for a lot longer); someone who is passionately in love with you and yet must express himself in the quaintest, most innocent ways. It may be ground well-covered, but it's ground that has been well-covered for a reason: it's a very appealing fantasy. Meyer picked an excellent and evocative premise when she chose the idea of a teenage vampire in love with a human girl, and she deserves credit for making the most of that premise.
With all this having been said, I feel obligated to note, I am a reader of romance novels and a lover of romantic comedies who enjoys stories that strike an emotional nerve and fulfill a fanstasy even if they do so at expense of realism, artistic vision, or meaningful depth. I know that it matters more, in some cases, how well a story meets my expectations for it than how well it is written. Great prose can also disappoint you with an usatisfying ending and still be worth reading. Really masterful prose can lack a beginning or ending and still be worth reading. But sometimes as readers, we'll trade a certain amount of quality for a happy ending.
As a fulfillment of a fantasy of being considered mysterious by someone mysterious, being drawn into a world that is unique and apart from the banal, being singled out as special - this book is magnificent.
An escape from reality...thats the whole point June 4, 2008
Megan Hawthorne
4 out of 4 found this review helpful
I just read all 3 (and am eagerly await #4) Stephenie Meyer books in one week. I am a 25 yr old Middle school art teacher and Ive read everything from Jane Austen to Janet Evanovich and back in the past few months. I love the feeling of not being able to put down a good book and this is the strongest Ive felt that emotion in YEARS...I have tons of end-of-the-year stuff to be doing for my job right now, but as soon as I picked up Twilight, nothing else could be done until the last page of Eclipse was turned. I just finished reading a few of the less positive reviews on amazon and I felt it necessary to point out that those reviewers bashing the "realism" of the characters (the way they speak, the way they relate to eachother etc.) are missing the point...this book is intended for young adults as an escape...I would be bored to read a book with tons of characters who are all recognizable in my own life, whats that point? These characters aren't normal (um, hello! Vampires??) the emotions they experience are the stuff of classic romance novels (though not as well written, of course, but if you're looking for that, go pick up Pride and Prejudice, a wonderful book that is not intended for a young adult audience)Its this emotion that the teens reading this book dream of! Its the innocence that these same teens very rarely experience on a day to day bases and its an escape. I dont believe this is a book that is meant to or should be analyzed and critiqued in order to truly enjoy it. It should be felt and enjoyed for the essence of what it is...a clever, beautiful, innocent drama/adventure/romance that offers all readers (not just for the young adults which they were intended) a chance to escape reality for a second. We are all so quick to critique everything and everyone around us these day, is it so hard to stop that for once and just enjoy a good story?
By the way...years ago when I actually was a young adult, I read another series that was just as contagious as the Twilight series and was so strongly reminded of them after reading Meyer's books that I have to suggest to Twilight fans...Read The Secret Circle trilogy by LJ Smith. Its a similar supernatural theme and every bit as addicting, though sadly much shorter. I actually think they are being re-released soon so Im assuming Im not the only one to make this connection.
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