Readers Question the Popularity of Stephenie Meyer

There have been many debates about Stephenie Meyer and her writing style since she shot to fame just a few short years ago.  Many people believe that the Twilight Saga is not worth the incredible amount of attention (and money) that it has received, and that Stephenie Meyer does not deserve the out-of-control sales in both books, films and merchandising that her books have generated. With claims that range from that she is a bad writer to claims that her stories have dangerous themes, readers and fellow authors have been very vocal in expressing their discomfort with the exalted status of the Twilight Saga and its author, Stephenie Meyer.

With the claims of juvenile writing aside, Stephenie Meyer must face accusations of supporting unacceptable behavior from the teen devotees of her two main star-crossed characters Edward and Bella.  Many critics of the Twilight Saga point out that Stephenie Meyer seems to encourage obsessive behavior, weak-willed and stereotyped heroines, and unbalanced love affairs. The hero of the Twilight Saga, a young male vampire named Edward, exhibits stalker characteristics, while the heroine shows low self-esteem, bows down to the wills and whims of her helplessly dependent father and deliberately endangers her own life due to her obsession with Edward – for instance, choosing to walk down a dark street where she knows there are bad guys, collapsing in the woods and staying out all night when the relationship ends, and diving off a high cliff into dangerous icy waters after having what she believes is a ‘vision’ of Edward saving her. Not exactly role-model behavior!

While some of these claims about the Twilight Saga and Stephenie Meyer may have a good point, readers cannot set the book apart from all other books that have been written throughout history just because times are a little more politically correct these days. The Twilight Saga is certainly not the first book that has featured danger, unhealthy relationships, bad-boy heroes, or a weak heroine. The merit of the writing of Stephenie Meyer should not be decided by its critics, but by the immense and mainly teenage audience that the Twilight Saga has garnered.  Stephenie Meyer has made it clear that the Twilight Saga was written to entertain, and the books certainly live up to that purpose, although they may never win any awards for literary excellence. If it’s escapism you’re looking for, Stephanie Mayer is the author for you!