Stephenie Meyer Breaks The U.K

Being from England, as I so often say it annoys myself sometimes, I am exposed to some of the same things as people from across the Atlantic or a little bit further a field, such as Australia and even places like Spain, but being a small country, there are certain things that we keep very to ourselves and appear to only just be reaching everyone else.

One of them, obviously, is our literature. People such as J K Rowling, Agatha Christie and Tolkien are household names all over the world but there is something strange about visiting places that are actually in the books. For example, I have visited the universities in Oxford where Harry Potter is filmed and my sister is going to the university that is said to have influenced how J K Rowling imagined Hogwarts. Or take Tolkien. On one of my sisters more recent cheer leading excursions that I was forced to go on, we stopped to look around the place that supposedly the Hobbit houses are based on. Everywhere we go here is integrated in literature and I can almost guarantee that some kind of author has written about it at some point.

Also, take our music. Stephenie Meyer dedicated some of her books to Muse, who are believe it or not, Brits themselves. Music is something that defines my country. Almost every single weekend, in every single small village, town or city, up and coming bands play music in clubs, at youth centres or on street corners. It is actually in the air in London.

Okay, the point of my rather weird ramblings is that Stephenie Meyer has broken the UK. It's official. As much as it pains me to admit this, Twilight is mainstream. Ahhhh. I feel like such a sheep. BUT back on topic, when I first read the book, I felt like I was reading part of some forgein world that was so distant from my own, but looking back over the books, I now understand why I, personally, related to them so much.

Take the weather. I think I would be right in saying that it probably rained in Forks today, and guess what it rained here. I totally get the whole WTF do I wear to school now that the sky has decided to drop a bucket of water. Also, the music behind the novel is exactly what is in my top 25 most played. There is some kind of teenage quality about S Meyer that means that she totally relates to almost every single teenager out there 100%, weather they want to or not.

So, I congratulate Stephenie Meyer once again. Well done.

P.S.- I refuse to tell anyone that I fan girl on Twilight. I refuse to be mainstream in public :)

Literature

We have indulged ourselves into the world of fanfiction, but I think we need to recognize how we got there. We need to keep reading real literature. Yes, it does still exist.

Teen:
I am always on the lookout for new books in this area. A good book from this section and a bar of chocolate (bound to leave stains on your pages) can cure anything from a broken heart to a bad number on the scale. I am in love with Forever by Judy Blume. Although it may be pushing the teen boundries a little it is a great read. You travel with Katherine through her relationship with Micheal. It's a great book for girls and really portrays first love.

Sarah Dessen is one of my favorite authors. She is a great writter and really gets through to the teenage girl. Some of my favorites by her are Just Listen, this lullaby, and the truth about forever. In each of her books we embrace a girl and her struggles. Sarah Dessen has written many books to satisfy the hearts of many teenage books. Her works include Dreamland, Someone Like You, Keeping the Moon, that summer, and lock and key. They are not a series, so you can indulge in whichever suits your fancy. Find her quick because her newest piece (along for the ride) is coming in June.

Classics: There are many classics out there. And many writers of classics. Along with classics in many different areas of literature (american, russian, etc.). My bookshelf contains many of them. I won't even touch on Shakespear because that just wouldn't be fair. And besides who hasn't read Shakespear? Although I would like to mention five must read classics. the CATCHER in the RYE is about a teenage boy named Holden and his journey through New York city. You either love him or you hate him. The book doesn't cover a very long period of time, but you feel like you've know Holden for a long time.

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee also earns a spot on my bookshelf (I have thrown out books before because there wasn't enough room). I am sure we have all seen this book at one time or another. I highly reccomend it! P.S - To all the idiots, who like me, don't pay enough attention sometimes, Scout is a girl! I had to read the book twice before I figured that out!

Great Expectations is a fabulous book by Charles Dickens. I read this in 6th grade along with one of my friends Hannah. We had a two person book club while reading this thing! It was insane! We couldn't put it down! I personally think that it's Dickens best piece of work although I do love A Christmas Carol. Because I love the summary:

In the marshy mists of a village churchyard, a tiny orphan boy named Pip is suddenly terrified by a shivering, limping convict on the run. Years later, a supremely arrogant young Pip boards the coach to London, where, by the grace of a mysterious benefactor he will join the ranks of the idle rich and "become a gentleman." Finally, in the luminous mists of the village at evening, Pip the man meets Estella, his dazzlingly beautiful tormentor, in a ruined garden -- and lays to rest all the heartaches and illusions that his "great expectations" have brought upon him.

Now onto Jane Austen. If you're younger you may not understand it, as it was written in the early ninteenth century. Anyways, I love two of her books to death. Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility are both amazing books. Although she has written many others these are my favorites. I won't go on any longer about her because a) my words couldn't do her justice b) you should already know about her and c) this post is long and I still have more I want to say.

A book every girl must read: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. This author has written other books, but none of them come close to this one. It is my NUMBER ONE favorite book of all time. I will be greatly suprised if a piece of literature can surpass this one on my favorites list. It tells Lily's story as she runs away and meets three women who change her life. She finds out the truth about her mother, who has long passed away. It truly is a book that every girl must read at least once.

What I am currently reading: The Chocolate Lovers' Club. This book is definetly more adult. Four women (Natia, Autumn, Lucy, and Chantal) making up the club. They each have their own problems in life and each share an addiction to chocolate. I am about half way through and love every word. Each character has a unique personality and they each have their own problems, but their one sanctuary is Chocolate Heaven, where they meet and spill all of their secrets. Come and read about each and every Chocolate Emergency.

What I have bought and is waiting to be read: The Knitting Circle and The Friday Night Knitting Club. It seems that books about people who knit has struck my attention while at the bookstore. The Knitting Cirle is about Mary Baxter and how she joins a knitting cirle to join her lonely days. They all share their stories of love, loss, and hope. The Friday Night Knitting Club is about 6 women who exchange jokes, knitting tips, and their deepest secrets. It's not just a club, it's a sisterhood.

As you can see by the end of the post I had a popular theme while at the bookstore today. Groups of women. Well.....what can I say. They all sounded so interesting! I could spend the rest of my life in a bookstore!

Well that was my post on literature! I hope you found something in this post that sparked some interest!