Twilight Parents Examiner has an interesting article pondering how old should your daughter be before reading Twilight, and how different parents dealt with some of the mature themes (Twilight = Abstinence Porn, anyone?) in Twilight.My biggest concern over my theoretical, non-existent daughter reading the Twilight Saga is not actually over the schmexy undertones or pillow-ripping, headboard-breaking hints of what sounds like it was a very good night -- TV is far more raunchy, and when you're 10 years old, you probably can't really fill in the smutty blanks that us corrupted adults did when we interpreted what happened on that honeymoon night, or how Edward was really feeling when he hitched Bella's leg up on page 168 of Eclipse (Hello David Slade -- Please read about my Schmexy Leg Hitch in Eclipse Campaign).
My greatest worry is actually over the implications of Bella's decision to prioritize a guy over going to college. Yeah, yeah, he's her hot, soulmate vampire. But most 17 y.o. high school senior boys are not. Here is what I shared with the Miami Books Examiner:
Matriculate! Matriculate!As big of a fan as I am of the series, I might have mixed feelings about my own daughter reading Twilight at a young age without the context of the real world. You know that I'm the ultimate TwiCrack Addict, but sometimes I don't always agree with the decisions that Bella makes.Am I the only one who had a beef with Bella's lack of interest in her education? You can read others opinions at Twilight Parent Examiner.
While it's great that Bella finds a guy who respects her and doesn't want to get in her pants, she gives up going to freakin' Dartmouth and plans to forsake her life and her family for a man. Perhaps I'm simplifying Bella's decision, but giving up a college education for a dude is not what I'd want my daughter to accept for herself. So, I think it's important for the youngest Twilight fans to balance their absorption of Twilight with other experiences and exposure to many different types of heroines.
TCA
