Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 Is More Information, But Not Better, Than The Cinematic Twilight.

The Good: Character growth and development is great
The Bad: Mediocre artwork, Very unclear sense of movement through much of the book
The Basics: The Twilight graphic novel series continues with Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2, which seems to be more of a boon for those who are already fans than a comprehensive story on its own.


Not that long ago, I got my hands on Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 1 (reviewed here!) and I was, to be honest, somewhat unimpressed. I enjoyed how there was more to the book than there was in the film Twilight (reviewed here!), but I found the book problematic. The artwork was especially underwhelming to me, though I did like the few pages that were presented in color. So, I was admittedly biased somewhat against Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 when that crossed my desk. I have enjoyed the Twilight films more than most reviewers, but the graphic novels seem very much geared toward the fans. In other words, the lesson I am getting out of Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 is that it is not trying to get people into the Twilight Saga, it is attempting to retain the audience the books already had.

The Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 continues the story of Twilight where the first finished, so those who are just picking up this book independent of the other volume or of foreknowledge of the story are likely to be very, very lost. This graphic novel is dripping with exposition, but because most of it focuses on fleshing out the characters, it is fairly easy to forgive. Even so, the medium is not used in an extraordinary way in Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2.

Bella and Edward are now romantically together, so Edward decides that it is time Bella meets his family for real. After telling Edward the backstory of Carlisle, Rosalie and Alice (what he knows), and of his own history, Edward brings Bella to the Cullen home for a pleasant afternoon. As Bella backs Edward into a rhetorical corner over the issue of marriage, it seems their relationship has the potential to progress safely, despite Edward’s concerns.

One day, as a storm is on the horizon, the Cullens take Bella out to play baseball. While there, Alice has a vision of three vampires approaching and the Cullens try desperately to protect Bella. When the meeting between Laurent, James and Victoria initially goes fine, the wind shifts and the new vampires realize Bella is human. While Laurent is content with Carlisle’s explanations, James is a tracker and he has an innate need to hunt Bella as a result. The Cullens scramble to get Bella to safety while James hunts her from Forks to Phoenix.

Perhaps the biggest problem on the character front in Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 is that James makes almost no sense as a villain. For much of his portion of the book, he seems like a strangely monolithic villain, a villain for the sake of villainy. The explanation Edward and Alice give for why he is hunting Bella rings are terribly thin. Unfortunately, the problem is not solved when the “truth” about James is revealed at the end.

While the exposition on the Cullen family members is interesting, no one benefits from the graphic novel treatment more than Alice. The film version of Twilight eliminates the whole backstory of Alice and thus underwhelms the viewer on the motivation for James. In Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2, there is a mini-mystery which pertains to the origins of Alice. When James captures Bella, he actually reveals some of Alice’s backstory and that is interesting, if not reason enough to buy the graphic novel.

That leaves us with the artwork problems. And Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 is full of them. The graphic novel features characters who look more like anime characters than characters from a comic book series and as such, many of them look alike. Laurent, who stood out in the film version of Twilight is caucasian in Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2. That's fine, but he looks a lot like James and James, for his part, looks a lot like Jasper. With so many characters who look like one another, the lack of color makes much of Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 less comprehensible than it ought to be.

The other big artwork issue with Twilight: The Graphic Novel – Volume 2 is in the sense of movement. The book goes from being exceptionally clear - like Edward picking up Bella and running with her in his arms - to very opaque on the movement front. As a result, there are moments in the book where characters do not speak, do not appear to move and yet get reaction bubbles like "!" that leave the reader somewhat baffled as to why.

Ultimately, the second volume of Twilight in graphic novel form has elements that might intrigue those who fell in love with the films, but presented in a way that pretty much undoes the benefits of picking the book up.

For other graphic novels, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Flight – Volume 1
Wonder Woman: Land Of The Dead
Lost Girls

3/10

For other book reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

| | |

Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 Has Moments Of Charm, But Fizzles.

The Good: Enhances the story for a fan of the cinematic Twilight, Some imaginative panels, Moments of character.
The Bad: Poor sense of movement, Characters are melodramatic/contradictory, Inconsistent artwork.
The Basics: Not exactly inspiring me to read the novel Twilight, Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 enhances my appreciation of Twilight, but is not a great book.


As I, like many out there, prepare for the release of Breaking Dawn Part 1 in the theaters, I thought I would look back at the Saga. I've not read any of Stephanie Meyer's books from the Twilight Saga save The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner (reviewed here!). But, as my wife has pushed me to read Twilight, my docket has gotten quite full. So, I thought I would compromise and read Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1. It did not take long and the book by Stephanie Meyer and Young Kim was good, but not great. The book enhanced my appreciation of the cinematic Twilight (reviewed here!), but it still contained some of the serious issues both with writing and characterization that plagued the film. More than that, the artwork was erratic, which lowered my appreciation of the book as a graphic novel. There are truly great graphic novels, but alas, Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 is not one of them.

I'm not exactly sure what the difference between Manga and graphic novels are, but the artwork in Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 seems frequently more representational and Asian than truly representing American characters. As a simple example, Angela and Jessica look virtually identical in these pages, as do Michael and the other boy in Bella's class. The book has similar conceits that are not present in any of the many graphic novels I have read, so I suspect that this book is written in more the Manga tradition.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 tells the story of Bella Swan. Bella Swan is a sixteen year-old who moves from Phoenix, Arizona to Forks, Washington when her mother gets remarried. Set in the rainy and clouded over Forks, Bella feels isolated at her new school until she meets Edward Cullen. Edward is a strange boy who seems repulsed by Bella, which makes her more intrigued by him. Edward is part of a family of adopted children for the local doctor whose five adopted children seem to be in relationships with one another. Edward and the other Cullens disappear frequently. Edward tends to push Bella away, but that only makes her more intrigued by him.

Bella slowly becomes obsessed with Edward, despite him telling her he would be bad for her. After a visit to the beach in La Push, Bella gets a solid lead. Jacob Black, a Quileute Indian, tells Bella a legend about the Quileutes and the Cold Ones. He informs her that the Cullens made a pact with the Indians over a hundred years ago and Bella confronts Edward with her belief that he is a vampire. Unafraid, Bella goes off with Edward alone.

The fundamental problem with Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 in the characters is that they are not defined in reasonable or rational terms. So, for example, Bella begins the book by declaring both her need to leave her mother and how miserable she was going to be in Forks. If Bella is supposed to become more mature in the course of the book, it does not come across in the graphic novel. She is youthful and melodramatic at the outset, but then the reader is supposed to believe in the serious, mature love she comes to have by the end of the book. The problem here is that the character does not actually have a journey. Bella agonizes over why Edward doesn't like her, oddly ignoring the four peers of hers who actually like her, but she waits around for others to fill in the blanks for her. It is not her hard work, curiosity or determination that lead her to answers, it is Jacob suddenly appearing and telling her everything. The main protagonist, then, suffers from being utterly indistinct. Even her legendary clumsy quality is downplayed in Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1, with only two or three panels - usually her in gym class - showing her getting hurt. For a medium where it is easier to show than tell, the fact that no one comments on her being a klutz downplays the one actual character trait Bella Swan is supposed to have.

Edward is given a little more character, but no clear sense of motivation. Edward is explicitly trying to resist being around Bella. He saves her life when a fellow student almost runs into Bella but then declares several times that he is trying to stay away from her. An interesting detail not in the film, but in the graphic novel, is that Edward tried to leave Bella after their first meeting by running all the way to Alaska. It's an interesting detail, but it does not explain why Edward suddenly does a reversal on his stance. He says the two should be apart, but then decides that he is not going to play by the "old rules" any more. He is not going to avoid Bella, but instead test his feelings for her, but what turns him around on her is not made clear.

As I noted with the film, the fundamental character problem in Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 is that Edward does not have a clear, distinct reason for loving Bella. Sure, he cannot read her mind, but that is not a great reason to turn on his vow to keep his distance from potential prey.

As for the artwork, the best aspects come with Edward. His discomfort is made clear by panels that clearly illustrate him constantly clenching his fist when Bella is around. That is an interesting detail and makes his sense of conflict very real. That uses the medium quite well and Young Kim does a decent job with that.

But Young Kim's artwork is problematic in the coloring. Most of the book is in black and white. That's fine, but where there is color is awkward. The first use of color is for Edward's topaz eyes. That's a neat detail and brings to life Bella's fixation on Edward. The problem, then, is that the next time there are color panels is a dream sequence. Color, could have indicated emotions or imaginary moments, but then comes the third use of color. In that sequence, Edward exposes himself to Bella in the sunlight. This scene includes color to illustrate the intensity of the reality of the moment. And yet, as the two move toward a kiss, a moment that ought to be both emotional and hyper-real, the book is back in black and white. My point is, the book uses color poorly. If there is a reason for using color, it is not consistent. So, it seems like a pointless gimmick or just lazy.

Twilight: The Graphic Novel - Volume 1 sets up the romance between Edward and Bella. There is no menace other than Edward hinting at his nature, no real antagonist in this book. It leads into Volume 2 and were it not for the already loyal following Twilight already had, there would be little reason to look for that or continue beyond this book.

For other Twilight-related reviews, please be sure to visit my reviews of:
Twilight trading cards
2011 Bella, Edward And Jacob Hallmark Ornament
Tonner Bella Swan Doll

4.5/10

For other book reviews, please visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2011 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.

| | |

The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner Fails To Sell Me On The Twilight Novels.

The Good: Moments of perspective which are interesting
The Bad: Overpriced, Boring narrator, Dull story, Lack of empathy for protagonist.
The Basics: The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner is the latest novella in the Twilight Saga and a disappointment to those looking for a novel written from a vampire's perspective.


It might seem odd for one who has generally enjoyed the cinematic Twilight Saga that I have never read any of the books in the series. When I met the woman who would become my wife, she moved in with the complete collection, but I have a stack of books to read that I still wrestle with getting through. As well, I've found taking too much time to read contemporary literature distracts one when they are writing their own stuff. Still, on one of our days out, I found myself in a bookstore with my wife, reading The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner, which is a novella that tells a tangent story to Eclipse (the film is reviewed is available by clicking here!). Unfortunately, the novella did nothing for me and I felt cheated by the end and wished I had had the opportunity to spend the time reading . . . well, virtually anything else.

The truth is, part of the reason I have been on a graphic novel kick of late - besides my generic reason of having a Wonder Woman Year - is that the best graphic novels have the most interesting villains and they seem unafraid of perspective issues. What I mean by that is simple: the best graphic novels have villains who do whatever act gets them branded as villains for a reason that is remarkably close to what the heroes say they are fighting for. The best villains are empathetic and reading their perspective actually opens the reader's mind to an entirely different way of thinking.

I mention this as I consider The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner for the simple reason that Stephanie Meyer failed to do that in this book. Meyer has millions of fans worldwide and her Twilight Saga is going to be one of the international bestsellers of this decade without question. But whatever talent earned her those things, it is not evident in the writing of the first-person narrative The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner. This book is positively disappointing in that the protagonist never seems different enough or special enough to make one see why Meyer felt this story had to be told. That said, arguably my favorite part of the novella was Stephanie Meyer's foreword in which she discusses the energy and immediacy she had in wanting to tell Bree Tanner's story. Alas, that energy did not come out in the narrative.

Bree Tanner is a vampire in the Seattle area who try to avoid the chaos caused by other members of their brood, most notably the crazy Raoul. Raoul is reckless, playing in plain sight (throwing cars about and climbing up walls, flaunting his kills and the like) and Bree suspects that he is dangerous, so she goes off to hunt with Diego, a vampire turned a few months before her. They dine on the dregs of society as Riley has asked them to and they return to their nest to discover it has burned down. Bree, shaken by how Diego willingly shares kills with her and seems to like her, hides out with Diego and they share how they were turned. In the process, they discover they have been lied to about the things that can harm them, like sunlight.

Banding together, Bree and Diego find the rest of the nest and they begin to work together to unravel why Riley and their mysterious sire are raising an army of newborn vampires. This leads Bree to learn about Victoria and her plans to kill the Cullens, but before she can effectively flee, Riley begins to train the nest for combat. When Diego disappears, supposedly on a mission, Bree becomes suspicious and she tries to piece together what is truly going on before she has to do battle with the Cullens.

The plot of The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner is mediocre-at-best. There is a somewhat episodic feel to some of the scenes as they progress from one experience to the other, but by the time Diego falls out of the narrative, it is hard to care. As the title implies, Bree Tanner has a short life as a vampire, which readers of the novel Eclipse apparently know coming in. I felt cheated that the book did not start with Tanner being turned to give the reader a true sense of her full second life. Instead, she talks about being turned with Diego, but the immediacy and horror of becoming a vampire is not portrayed well in the book.

Indeed, reading the story of Bree Tanner is a weird study in how normal the vampires are. Bree was a street urchin, but even there her story is more tragic in a mundane, very human way than being a supernatural story. The elements that seem tragic all seem to come from before she was turned and are mentioned in a blase "these things happened" type way. She stole, ate garbage and traded for food with sex and her second life is far less explicit or troublesome to her. In this life, she "feeds," avoids others by sitting near Freaky Fred (who has the ability to repel others with his thoughts) and begins to develop a relationship with Diego.

And it's largely teen melodrama. There is no real sense of consequence to the life of Bree Tanner, so we don't truly care what happens to her when she begins training to kill the Cullens or when she considers running away. She had a tough life as a human and her life as a vampire is without zest or any real unique quality. Tanner is not repulsed by what she has become and she is not particularly thrilled by it either. The result is something of a waste of a life as a vampire.

That is the key element that Meyer fails to sell the reader on, at least those not so desperate for anything new in the Twilight Saga they will take whatever the author metes out. Because Tanner had a tough human life, why she has any sense of fear over the new life as a vampire is never presented in a convincing way. Tanner is afraid of Raoul and wants to avoid others, but why she doesn't up and leave Riley's den or even risk getting killed in the sunlight (when she believes it will kill her) is not explained or expressed. Instead, the three-month old vampire is part of the den and she's just going along with everything . . . like a teenager in a peer pressure situation.

Making a character into a vampire does not make them more interesting when they are not an interesting character to begin with.

That said, there's a somewhat pointless element to reviewing The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner: the fans of the Twilight Saga have already made it a bestseller and are unlikely to care about a laypersons view of this novella. But for serious readers who have not already invested in the universe of the Twilight Saga, The Short Second Life Of Bree Tanner is a painfully simply written book (the average fifth grader and above ought to be able to understand the diction, if not the content) that supposedly tells a story from an inhuman perspective. But it never reaches into the mind of the Other well enough to convince mature readers that it has a story truly worth telling.

For other Twilight Saga merchandise, please check out my reviews of:
"Twilight" (the film)
Edward And Bella Hallmark ornament.

4/10

For other book reviews, please check out my index page!

© 2010 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.


| | |