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HIGH-SCHOOL BLOODINESS
After the Twilight craze, it’s time for the Vampire Diaries craze to seep into the college. Quite suddenly, everyone’s watching the series, so I thought I’d be different and… read the book.
Elena Gilbert is a popular high-school girl at Fell’s Church, but she is lonely after the death of her parents. She is intrigued by the new boy at school, Stefan Salvatore, and pursues him with some ardor, but he avoids her as much as he can. Elena is disappointed, but Stefan can’t help it; he is a vampire, and he cannot bear to hurt Elena, as she reminds him sharply of one he loved and lost.
I had a better experience reading this as compared to Twilight. The plot is alarmingly similar at first: pretty girl falls for mysterious hot guy who runs away from her. But Elena is smarter and spunkier than Bella. Honestly, I didn’t like her; I did find her quite selfish and self-absorbed, but no more than you expect a high-school queen bee to be. The romance is there, but none of the dopey, mopey, “oh, he is like perfectly chiseled marble and I’m like a sea slug” cribbing. The writing is a little amateurish, but brings out the don’t-care high-schooler’s attitude well. In this book, you get to see both sides: the hunter as well as the hunted, something Twilight sorely lacked (I kept wondering, WHAT does Edward see in Bella?). It also sets the stage for what I hope is a promising series, and takes time to introduce all the characters, without boring you with lengthy scenes. The Awakening has a nice mix of mystery and romance, and doesn’t drag much. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m interested in seeing how it is resolved.
After the Twilight craze, it’s time for the Vampire Diaries craze to seep into the college. Quite suddenly, everyone’s watching the series, so I thought I’d be different and… read the book.
Elena Gilbert is a popular high-school girl at Fell’s Church, but she is lonely after the death of her parents. She is intrigued by the new boy at school, Stefan Salvatore, and pursues him with some ardor, but he avoids her as much as he can. Elena is disappointed, but Stefan can’t help it; he is a vampire, and he cannot bear to hurt Elena, as she reminds him sharply of one he loved and lost.
I had a better experience reading this as compared to Twilight. The plot is alarmingly similar at first: pretty girl falls for mysterious hot guy who runs away from her. But Elena is smarter and spunkier than Bella. Honestly, I didn’t like her; I did find her quite selfish and self-absorbed, but no more than you expect a high-school queen bee to be. The romance is there, but none of the dopey, mopey, “oh, he is like perfectly chiseled marble and I’m like a sea slug” cribbing. The writing is a little amateurish, but brings out the don’t-care high-schooler’s attitude well. In this book, you get to see both sides: the hunter as well as the hunted, something Twilight sorely lacked (I kept wondering, WHAT does Edward see in Bella?). It also sets the stage for what I hope is a promising series, and takes time to introduce all the characters, without boring you with lengthy scenes. The Awakening has a nice mix of mystery and romance, and doesn’t drag much. It ends on a cliffhanger, and I’m interested in seeing how it is resolved.
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I hope you like the rest of the series - I read them, and my daughter just finished the 3rd one... ;) We love the show LOL
I have the first couple of Vampire Diaries here. I really, really need to read them!
On my wish list - I've heard so many things about this book, I'm going to have to read it for myself.
I have kind of tried to stay away from the Twilight books, but this one sounds like something I might enjoy. I like that it sets up everything for future installments and that it's not boring about doing it. Great review, I am putting this one on my Christmas wish list. Thanks!
I just finished the fourth book in the Vampire Diaries series - overall I enjoyed the whole series very much. The show is completely different - character names are the same and that's about it. I like the show too but it took about three episodes before I really got into it.
I'm definetly going to give the Vampire Diaries a whirl, after being fairly dissapointed with the Twilight series (I think Bella would have been munched in the first book just for being annoying) I am interested in hearing both sides of the story. Great Review!
This isn't my style book, but I'm glad some of the other vampire YA heroines are stronger women than Bella! She's such an awful role model, lol