Twilight, the book by Mormon mom Stephanie Meyer, is that rare phenomena – an exciting book about virtue, conscience, and good, old-fashioned morals and manners. If you enjoy old Bronte sisters and Jane Austin novels about brooding, noble, self-sacrificing heroes, this book is for you.
Twilight’s Edward Cullen is an unexpected delight, a superhero who COULD easily be a demonic villain but makes a conscious decision to put aside his powerful drives and urges to be a better being. This is what makes Edward Cullen a hero in Twilight – his innate sense of right and wrong, his concern for the state of Bella’s soul and his own, and his willingness to pursue what is right, even if he suffers in doing so.
Edward has been around for over 100 years, but he is forever 17 (and played in the upcoming movie by 22-year-old Robert Pattinson). He falls in love with Bella while battling his overwhelming urge to kill her and drink her scintillating blood which calls to him in a powerful way.
Bella (played by Kristen Stewart) is “Everywoman” – an average girl coming into her own, discovering her strengths and inner beauty through the eyes of the man, er, I mean VAMPIRE who loves her.
In Twilight one could easily substitute the words “drink her blood” and “change her into a vampire” with “have sex with her” and the end result would be the same — Edward overcomes ALL his baser desires to protect Bella’s life, her virtue, and her soul. Edward has learned a lesson few humans “get” anymore — there are some things more precious than gratification. This book is truly about temptation and abstinence in all its forms.
Christian readers will find there is much to appreciate in the Twilight books and movie if they will compare them more to the Christian fantasy of writers like C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, and less like the other much darker vampire novels on the market today. It is also an action-packed thriller which should appeal to anyone who loves a good superhero as well as a ruthless villain.
Interesting note: According to www.whosdatedwho.com actor Pattinson lists his religion as Christian, and answers.yahoo.com/ indicates Pattinson once told an interviewer his favorite character in a book was Job. The website robertpattinson.org also reports Pattinson once told a reporter he wanted to play Job in a movie.
I would love to get your comments on a Christian perspective to Twilight in my Blog!
Read my Twilight movie review at Twilight at Midnight
