I Can't Believe I'm Defending Twilight

When I read Sasha's full prompt and realised I had to write a positive review of something I hated, there was only one thing that came to mind.

Just one thing.

Twilight.

Shudders.

One of my pet peeves is paranormal supernatural romance stories.

So, thanks Sasha, for making me write positive things about Stephenie Meyer's trashy YA paranormal romance involving a love triangle between a girl, a vampire and a werewolf. Necrophilia or bestiality? Which will it be, Bella?

Contrary to what I thought would be written entirely through gritted teeth, this has actually been a really interesting exercise. We spend so much time hyping up and pouring over the things we love while taking shots—and sometimes taking shits—at the things we hate.

Which is fine. We're allowed to have opinions. Lord knows I enjoy sharing mine.

But very few things are ever completely awful or completely perfect. So, with that in mind, let's look at some of the things Twilight genuinely got right and why, despite my feelings towards it, I'm actually glad it exists.

Having just spent over a thousand words complaining about my favourite anime, I suppose it's only fair that I now spend another thousand saying nice things about my least favourite vampire romance.

It Encouraged Reading

Anything—and I do mean anything—that encourages people to read, especially teenagers during the late 2000s and early 2010s, deserves at least a little respect.

It doesn't really matter whether I personally think it's good literature. Plenty of people rave about Dan Brown or Charles Dickens and I couldn't really give a toss about either. Taste is subjective.

What matters is that teenagers picked these books up and read them. Maybe they went on to discover other authors. Maybe they stayed firmly within young adult fiction. Either way, they were reading, and that's something I'll struggle to criticise.

Stephenie Meyer Knew Her Audience

Far be it from me to criticise another writer for giving their audience exactly what they wanted.

Stephenie Meyer knew who she was writing for and delivered precisely the kind of romance, fantasy and escapism her readers were looking for. Each new book delighted millions of fans and built anticipation for the next.

That's something every writer secretly hopes to achieve.

The subsequent film adaptations introduced the story to an even bigger audience, many of whom then went back and discovered the books. Whatever I think of the series itself, that's an impressive achievement.

It Became a Cultural Phenomenon

Another thing I simply can't argue with is the impact Twilight had on popular culture.

For a few years it was almost impossible to escape. People debated Team Edward versus Team Jacob as passionately as sports fans arguing over rival clubs. Midnight releases became events. The films dominated conversation.

As a writer, I'd love to create something that generated that level of excitement, discussion and emotional investment—even if some of those emotions were people arguing with each other.

It Launched Careers

Love them or hate them—and, admittedly, I'm not exactly the president of their fan club—there's no denying that Twilight catapulted Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson into worldwide fame.

Robert Pattinson has gone on to prove himself one of the most interesting actors of his generation, appearing in acclaimed independent films before pulling on the cape and cowl as Batman.

Kristen Stewart has consistently chosen bold, unconventional roles and even earned an Academy Award nomination.

Taylor Lautner also found success after the franchise, starring in Abduction and later showing a surprising flair for comedy in the British sitcom Cuckoo. While his career hasn't reached the same heights as Pattinson's or Stewart's, Twilight undeniably gave him opportunities that few actors ever receive.

Do I suddenly love Twilight?

Absolutely not.

Would I choose to watch it over almost anything else? Also no.

But that's the point of Sasha's challenge. Sometimes it's worth putting our own tastes aside and recognising that a work can have genuine strengths even if it leaves us completely cold.

I still don't like Twilight. I probably never will.

But I can finally admit that the world of books, films and popular culture is richer because it existed.

*

Thanks for reading

This is my second of two entries into Sasha's brand new and thought-provoking, "Geek Out! Upside Down" — Unofficial Challenge