Addictions

I've been obsessed by a series of books lately. By "lately" I mean "the last four days." Not longer than that, because I get through them too quickly. The first in the series, "Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer, I had as an audio book, and I listened to it compulsively. I contemplated taking my iPod to the kids desk, and trying to listen while answering reference questions. Like the classic sitcom moment with the doofus dad trying to listen to some sporting event while in church. I talked myself out of it. The second book, "New Moon," I just read in book form. In a day. That was yesterday. I had to give myself a pretty strict talking to, so as to avoid launching right into the third (and I believe final) book. I have to have something to do while we fly to Hawaii.

Now, it's important that I be clear. These books aren't (strictly speaking) great literature. I don't think I'd even recommend them to any of you Teos reading this blog. I think you'd find them trite. And perhaps you'd be right to think so. But I seriously can't get them out of my head. At the moment, I can't imagine ever finding another new book (see what I did there, exempting old favorites) that I would enjoy more. I think I have an unhealthy relationship with these books.

These have been a sensation in the world of Young Adult literature, and they are, you'll probably be surprised to hear me write it, vampire stories. Yep. Addicted to a vampire story. But really, the "vampire" is just the gloss that surrounds a pair of star-crossed lovers. See, she's human, and he's a vampire. See the problem? I thought you would. And oohhhhhhh, every Santa Cruz Feminist would simply tear her hair out, if she saw how these books I was loving were setting back the cause of the sisters. It's really quite shocking. She's not only human, but in constant need of rescue and shockingly devoid of much self esteem. I can't help it!! These books are like Cheetos. On every level, I know they aren't good for me, and yet, I can't stop obsessing over them. Perhaps our heroine will kick butt in the third book. I can't say it matters to me if she does or doesn't.

On the plus side, I think we might like the author. She could come to one of our fictional dinner parties where we try and mix interesting musicians and authors just to see what they'd say to each other. I haven't worked out yet who else would come, but from the interviews I've read (see what I mean about obsessed, I've been tracking down interviews with her. I've been to her blog!) she has a good sense of humor and a fair sense of her place in the world. I mean, she did a fine job writing the books, they are clean and funny and age appropriate, I'd say, and aside from the wimpy heroine thing I'd say they were harmless.

Maybe it's the cover design that's altered my mind. All three volumes of the trilogy are as pretty as the one above, and I know how nice they look because I speedwalked to the bookstore (a chain bookstore even) on my lunch hour and bought the set (in HARDBACK!!)

I'm just saying, y'all may have to stage an intervention at some point. I'll keep you posted. (Get it? This is a blog, "posted?" Get it? It really wasn't worth getting was it?)