I’ve been waiting for Meyer to address the criticisms of her fans while still struggling with my own disappointed hopes. The debates are still quite heated between those that loved Breaking Dawn and those that didn’t. I would say I’m a much more mellow dissenter. I will not be returning my copy of Breaking Dawn like some. I read the book, and for better or worse I owe the publisher that money. Now, I may avoid books done by Little Brown in the near future because I feel there were some unacceptable editorial mistakes made and it has affected my view of the company. Anyway, that’s a whole other issue for another day.
I was curious about this interview on MTV because there are still so many questions out there.
“There’s no way to make everybody happy. When I do one thing that a lot of people want, there’s always the opposite reaction. But how can you possibly meet up with the expectations that this book had?” she asked. “It just got so built up. There is no book in the world that could stand up to that. So I knew it was going to happen, but at the same time it hurts.” ~ Stephenie Meyer
Again, I’m disappointed and before you say it, yes I know I’ll probably never be satisfied. Regardless, I can still be upset with the way Breaking Dawn continues to be handled. To say that there is no hope that -any- book will ever survive the hype Meyer enjoyed is a rather bleak statement. Why write then? I feel as if this statement is almost passing judgement on all past and future bestselling authors. Because it didn’t work out for Meyer, that means it won’t ever work out for others?
With the conclusion of any series there will always be some people who are not entirely satisfied, I understand that, but the outcry against Breaking Dawn should send up a red flag. This was much larger than anyone expected. Maybe there is more to this than fans not getting the ending they wanted. I think the book may have been rushed through production and that Meyer tried too hard to please everyone. Instead though, it seems like the fandom is being blamed for the negative reactions because we were so attached and that there is an expectation out there that we’ll simply come around later, since some feel that teens are fickle consumers. I really feel we should give teens more credit. There are some really bright individuals out there whom are entirely capable of telling quality from poor writing and making a good argument to support those opinions. I doubt we’ll suddenly be seeing them change their minds.
I’m barely going to address her response to complaints that Bella got her happy ending without much sacrifice. Without loss and struggle how do you appreciate a happy ending? It is life’s greatest conflict.
But hey, at least she realizes that Renesmee is just….weird to the rest of us.
7 responses so far ↓
Matt’s Bookosphere: 8/12/08 « Enter the Octopus // August 13, 2008 at 3:55 am |
[...] Stephenie Meyer responds to outcry about some vampire book [...]
kirraleadatsme // June 23, 2009 at 7:34 pm |
‘There is no book in the world that could stand up to that.’ ??
Honestly, who does Meyer think she’s kidding? She had it coming, Breaking Dawn was ludacris, horribly cliche’d and a trainwreck from the very begining. This is EXACTLY why, if you write a vampire teen love novel, it should not stretch on through a whole, painfully dull saga.
I think, perhaps, what she SHOULD have said was ‘No book written in good taste could stand up to that.’
Rowling pulled Harry Potter through seven, Meyer couldn’t make it past four.
deltay // August 13, 2008 at 7:15 pm |
I agree, I suppose although I didn’t ‘love’ the book, I didn’t ‘hate’ it either, so I guess I also fall into that mellow category.
However, a good point is brought up here in your post, regarding the sterotypes of fickle consumers and whatnot. I definitely agree that there are also a large number of extremely bright and talented teens out there, and perhaps the way that the response to the outcry was handled was not, in fact, the optimal way to go about it.
” understand that, but the outcry against Breaking Dawn should send up a red flag. This was much larger than anyone expected. Maybe there is more to this than fans not getting the ending they wanted. I think the book may have been rushed through production and that Meyer tried too hard to please everyone. Instead though, it seems like the fandom is being blamed for the negative reactions because we were so attached and that there is an expectation out there that we’ll simply come around later,”
Excellent point. Personally, I was rather displeased how Mary Sue~ish the ending was as well.
Darcy // August 13, 2008 at 9:20 pm |
Why thank you very much!
Maria Luz // September 8, 2008 at 3:02 am |
It bothers me how some people don’t only critices, they ofend. For me the book was good, not the best maybe, but good. A freaking happy ending, GOOD they are so rare this days. Why some people hate it so much, is beyond me, really i cant get it, sorry. Is like a book is goin to change the future of humanity. I like when i read open minded people talking about what they like or dislike even if i dont share their opnion. But when people start making assumptions and belive they are facts or start insulting, i need to get out. I recomend the series, i recomend BD. Is about taste, is about how you are as a person, what each of us value in our lives. I like happy endings, i am not looking for a masterpiece in literature. I like to read stories and have a nice time reading, if i dont like some book i simply dont read again. Some people makes life seem so complicated lol. Anyway my dos chavos on this.
I apologice for my enghlis i know is not the best.
Darcy // September 8, 2008 at 6:34 pm |
You’re right though; it all comes down to opinion and personal values. I place a high value on good writing and good editing, as that is a large part of my chosen profession. When an author makes choices that detract from the emotional conflict and plot without purpose, I don’t like it. You’re entitled to your own opinion and to like Breaking Dawn, as I am to my complaints. I too like to have a nice time and read an enjoyable book, but there was not much of that -for me- in Breaking Dawn.
This post should also not be taken as a critique of Breaking Dawn. (I’ve done a more detailed one of that earlier.) It is in response to Stephenie Meyer’s interview which I found to be insulting towards other writers and aspiring superstars.
Samantha // April 4, 2009 at 3:09 pm |
I couldn’t agree more. I realize that the series is regarded to be extremely popular, but to compromise an appropriate ending to appease quickly wasn’t exactly the best thing to do. I was frustrated with several plot points from Jacob’s imprinting to Bella’s effortless transition into vampiredom. Sorry but no human is that insanely perfect and to bring that to an animalistic being is far stretch from fantasy-realism. *Shrugs* The ending is done and over with and frankly I’m just silently hoping the last installment will end up hella different from what I’ve endured of Breaking Dawn. Sorry Steph.