Book Review: Midnight Sun
Okay, so this may not be the most intellectually stimulating book I have read… and yes, its part of the twilight universe. Judge me all you want but 16-year-old me is rejoicing and when all the books you’ve recently read are about war crimes? You too would want to dip your toes back into the small town of Forks with Bella and Edward. This book came out two years ago because, our authoress, Stephanie Meyer decided that it was finally time to release the much-anticipated Midnight Sun which tells the story of Twilight from the perspective of Edward. Why did it take so long to release? Well, the first 12 chapters had unfortunately been leaked online much to Meyer’s dismay. But Twilight fans rejoice! For she released Midnight Sun and the fans could finally see into the mind of Edward Cullen.
We learn a lot about Edward and his adopted family, and in much more detail too. He’s a tortured soul, obviously. But, we hear about his growing fascination, infatuation, and eventual love for Bella Swan. It interesting from a psychological standpoint. Edward is from a different time, different century for that matter. But aside from the old-fashioned values we get into the mind of a vampire. One who recognises the monstrosity of what he is, a hunter, a killer. He was once human but is unsure of his humanity over a hundred years after the fact. Ultimately the introduction of Bella into Edwards life is a test to his humanity, does he have it? Or will he cave to the insidious monster and feed? We understand the value of humanity not necessarily from Edward but from Rosalie. Rosalie who lost so much and would trade anything and everything in the world to be human again. For Rosalie its not about having babies and growing old. Its understanding that life is precious when hers was so violently taken away from her. She missed out on a whole future and is now frozen; she did not ask to be saved, she did not ask to be a vampire. She wanted a beginning a middle and an end. Not forever, literally.
Now I’m not saying that there aren’t some issues with this book, or Edward for that matter. I mean creeping into someone’s bedroom and watching them sleep is a pretty big no no in my opinion. And the fact that he follows others thought to watch Bella constantly is incredibly unhealthy. Let alone invasive. Sure, Edward can’t help the fact that he can read minds in the same way Alice Cullen can’t help seeing multiple futures. These gifts give them a supernatural advantage over other supernatural beings. I’ll let you decide if these gifts are a blessing or a curse, but it definitely makes it easy for Edward to play the role of peeping tom. But, I guess it’s fine in the end, right? Bella loves him too. Doesn’t make it okay. But then again, there’s a lot wrong with Romeo and Juliet and its been cited as the greatest love story of all time. So, I guess time will tell. Maybe in 100 years we’ll look differently at Twilight.
So go on! Let your teenage self rejoice that there is another instalment in the Twilight Saga. It has been a long time coming. It’s escapism and honestly kind of understated in its take on humanity and the psychology of a moral vampire. Life and death take on new meanings when you can live forever and a whole set of problems.