Totally Random Tuesday: Sparkle Party

I have mentioned this before, so don't act all shocked...

I really liked the Twilight books.

I know, I know, they're full of histrionics and angst and glittering, fang-less vampires, but they're also fun and light and really addictive, like a box of candy that you know will rot your teeth, but that you eat one-by-one anyway.

I also agree that they don't exactly send a... well... *progressive* message to teen girls (one of which I personally have in my very own home), however I can tell you that the vast majority of those girls really don't see these as words to live by, but rather see them for the fluff they are. They're like Gothic Mormon Bodice-Rippers!

Naturally, being contained of as much angst as they are, they're also really mock-able. For example, for every "Mrs. Cullen" tshirt, there have been two faux motivational posters, and for every Forks, WA tour (although good for them... why shouldn't they cash in a little?) there have been 3 skewerings online.

One of my favorites (click!) is not only hilarious (Bjork as Alice and Sparkle-Vision... what's not to love?) but also interesting in that it draws parallels between Stephenie Meyers' faith as a Mormon and the books. I don't know much about Mormonism so I can't vouch for the absolute truth of what the author of the piece says, but he does seem to have grown up LDS himself and doesn't seem to have the best opinion of its mythology.

I would imagine that most writers work their personal belief systems (faith-based or otherwise) into their writing, so it's not shocking that Meyers would subconsciously work her Mormon faith into her writing, and similarly it's not surprising that the author of this would work his disdain for the same thing into his, and maybe even be more sensitive to the parallels than someone with no history with Mormonism might be. We saw that with the Dan Brown books/movies and the Catholic Church... outsiders just found his mythology interesting, whereas the Church was having kittens.

Anyway, if you've read the books and aren't a "Twihard" (seriously), you'll appreciate it, and if you haven't then breakdowns like this (and this) will save you the trouble.

I, for one, will probably read them again just because they make my daily ride to nowhere on my exercise bike go that much faster!