Untapped Markets

*Warning twilight details will be revealed*

It all started over dinner with Jake and his latest flavor of the month. I always like meeting Jake's love interests.
Sophie was studding to get her librarian license, and aspired to develop a middle school program that ran against the grain of disconnect that takes place between childhood and adulthood when it comes to use of libraries. Foster an adolescent appreciation for literature, reading and of course the dewy decimal. Apparently books written to target the middle school years was a virtually untapped market until Harry Potter arrived on the scene. Stephanie Meyer would soon follow suit and create the vampire romance series Twilight. Sophie is convinced that H.P. and Twilight are solid lit. I kind of think they are just one of a kind. If your the first then you set the bar good or bad you mark the measure. Like John Lennon would sing "No one is with me in my tree. That means it must be high or low."

Not too fond of wizards and booger flavored jelly beans, and with the enormous buzz Edward Cullen was getting as the standard by which all the women in my Relationships course were measuring their boy toys by I opted for Twilight. Its important to make sure that entertainment is filtered with the youth. Who can really live up to an immortal being with decades of schooling and wisdom encapsulate in fair skin, golden eyes, wavy dark hair and a porcelain six pack. Not to mention the ability to sprint to Canada and back in a few hours, and to read minds is a tad unrealistic.

After dragging through the first novel I quickly became immersed in the rest once the character Jacob became a central figure. Jacob the good natured protective type stood in contrast to the perfect Cullen, and tried his damnedest to win the damsels affections, but she consistently chooses the vampire crushing my underdogs heart. Jake eventually settles for being her best friend.

I couldn't help but feel that the main character was a bit selfish to consistently cause her Buddie so much pain. I never actually liked her she kind of came off as a self loathing, self absorbed, snotty, manipulative, boar actually. You know the type sassy, wishy washie, inconsistent, demanding of their way until you give in, and then they back peddle. Obnoxious really. It would have been far more interesting if both men had dumped her.

The finale was kind of disappointing as well. I mean come on Meyer even Rowlings killed off at least one central character. Grow a set.

The sad reality about Bella is that middle school aged women identify with her. Much like Jane in Watchmen she is by no special talent of her own desirable, but because of some genetic factor or force she has no control of or over able to earn the attention / affection of her love interest. It is problematic to lead young women to believe that, and much of this self depreciation I feel is addressed in the book Reviving Ophelia. I can not suggest enough that any person raising a daughter read and apply the principals presented in that book. Or even teachers or any individual who connects with and influences adolescent girls.

Then perhaps authors will begin to write female leads worth identifying with. Individuals that dare I suggest even a fella might say dam why can't I just be a bit more like Wonder Woman. :)