Twilight Zone: New Moon Recap and Team Bella?

First off, if you haven't spent the $10.75 that I did to go and see New Moon in theaters (or if you have and are looking for a good laugh) check out New Moon in Fifteen Minutes*.

Second, there's been a bunch of talk lately about the lack of character development in Bella and also how her relationship with Edward is abusive. One blogger even analyzed Bella and Edward's relationship according to the National Domestic Violence Hotline's "signs you are in an abusive relationship" and came up with 15 signs that point to abuse. In response, someone (and of course I can't remember who at this point) questioned why it's always "Team Edward" or "Team Jacob" and why there doesn't seem to be anyone on "Team Bella." And I think that's because even Stephenie Meyer doesn't want you to be on her team. She wrote a purposefully vague character as a means for her readers to see themselves in Bella and get drawn into the story.

And I guess it worked.

* Thanks to Bookshelves of Doom for the link.

Twilight Zone: Mooning over New Moon

At this moment, across the country, millions of screaming theatre-goers are watching the opening credits of New Moon. And yes, most of them are female. But a lot of them are male. John Green knows what I'm talking about.

In anticipation of today's release, the Washington Post ran a piece about the shameful female obsession with Twilight. No news there, the Twilight obsession is growing more fast and furious every day. And as a librarian and reader of Twilight, I have no shame in saying that I have taken it upon myself to spread this obsession to my students*, friends and colleagues.

Whenever someone asks about Twilight, I tell them the truth: "It's not quality literature, but it's a good story. You'll get sucked in." They shake their heads, laugh disbelieving and go merrily on their way thinking "Yeah, right." Then they come back two days later, begging for the next book and confessing how they ignored their partner, children and other responsibilities because they were so absorbed in the story. Told you so.

My favorite quote from the article:

"Twilight" came for the tweens, then for the moms of tweens, then for the co-workers who started wearing those ridiculous Team Jacob shirts, and the resisters said nothing, because they thought "Twilight" could not come for them. They were too literary. They didn't do vampires. They were feminists.

So if you haven't already, go ahead. Buy the first one. While you're at it, better get the rest, or you'll be kicking yourself that you have to wait for their arrival.

Don't make me say "I told you so!"

* They didn't really need much help.

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Twilight Zone: Overheard on the DC Metro

A conversation between two late teens/early twenties males, one with dreads and the other with some cool facial hair, both kinda thuggish looking...

Guy #1: Oh man, you know what movie's coming out that I'm looking forward to?

Guy #2: What?

Guy #1: New Moon.

Guy #2: Yeah man, Twilight was awesome.

Guy #1: Yeah.

Guy #2: I liked how she [Stephenie Meyer] kinda changed the vampire lore.

Guy #1: Naw man, she got it all wrong. Her vampires were wrong.

Guy #2: The way she made her vampires makes more sense to me. Like how when they go out in the sun, they don't burn up and die, but you can tell they're different. Their skin is like crushed diamonds.

Really? I mean, I expect this from tween girls. But guys with facial hair who are trying to keep a tough image? On the Metro? Loud enough so that everyone can hear?

Wow!

Twilight Zone: New Moon Trailer

You've probably seen this elsewhere already, as it's been on the interwebs for at least a good 24 hours, which is like weeks in back in the 20th century, but...



The Acting: Still pretty bad (at least on RPatz and KStewart's behalves)
The Budget: Cleary improved, even from this short trailer
The Jacob: From cute to hot (and now shirtless)
The Verdict: I'm still going to see it opening weekend

Long Time, No Blog

So I've been travelling (first to Italy on my belated honeymoon and then to Denver for a friend's wedding) and haven't posted a new blog in about two weeks. I'm back in the world of interweb connections, and it turns out that life hasn't stopped while I was away.

And now it's time for a recap:

The Hunger Games wins! Theeeeeee Hunger Games wins...SLJ's Battle of the Books

YALSA contemplates the virtues of extending the definition of "young adult" to include actual young adults. LibrariYAn is intrigued (I've talked about this before). Librarilly Blonde disagrees.

Rutgers SCILS minted a batch of new librarians, including Librarian Boredom's Sara, Purple Polka's Kristi(e) (who also unveiled a saucy new blog look) and, of course, yours truly! Congratulations to all the new librarians!

Summit Entertainment releases the "official" New Moon posters, which actually feature Jacob! (Thanks to Best Week Ever for the link.)

In a case of "is it real or is it not?," a "teen" is running a banned book library (sans Twilight) from his/her locker. Cue librarians arguing over whether a possible fake teen with a fake banned book locker library helps or hurts the library profession and the cause of banned books. Really?

And coming up this week, Alicia goes to BEA with the sole intent and purpose of getting an ARC of Catching Fire. I'm sure I'll get a slew more ARCs that I'll love and devour, and yes, I'm meeting up with several friends, and that's great and all, but let's be honest: Katniss is my real reason for attending.

Twilight Zone: Dakota Fanning to Star in New Moon?

She's been offered the role of Jane, but the meeting to discuss hasn't happened yet. Mock me for my interest, but this is one casting decision that I can get behind. Plus, she's already got deathly pale skin, so no need for make-up!

Thanks to bookshelves of doom for the link (even if she's one of the mockers).

Twilight Zone: New Moon, Old Jacob

Teens, tweens and adults who live vicariously through Young Adult Fiction* will be pleased to learn that Taylor Lautner will be reprising his role as Jacob Black in the New Moon sequel to Twilight movie. The news was reported on Stephenie Meyer's website on Wednesday. My sincerest apologies (as a member of Team Jacob) for the delay in posting the good news.

Director Chris Weitz was originally unsure if Taylor would have the heft to pull off the role, (since New Moon sees Jacob grow to over 6 feet of strapping muscle man/wolf), and Twi-hards were sent into a panicked frenzy. Happily, he decided to keep him on, and peace has returned to the land. I'm guessing Taylor's going to need to hit the gym as part of his contract and can only hope he'll bring skinny scrawny Robert Pattinson along with him.

*With small amounts of personal shame I count myself among these folks, noting that I fully recognize the absence of literary value and lack of editing evident in the Twilight series. I am not obsessed. Rather, I have a healthy appreciation for the appeal of the series. And yes, there was that one time that I said I'd leave my husband for Edward Cullen, but I was confused and awash in overly long gushy descriptions of his fabulousness.