tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post334872164003574946..comments2023-11-03T09:07:11.559-06:00Comments on Depressed (but not unhappy) Mormon Mommy: 3 books in 3 days (thanks, Stephenie Meyer)Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08214008384316494193noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-20442117096211916182008-07-29T22:41:00.000-06:002008-07-29T22:41:00.000-06:00Laura you are awesome! I don't read your posts all...Laura you are awesome! I don't read your posts all the time, but I caught this one and LOVED it! You totally captured the book, and you really summed up what I felt reading the books so well. I couldn't have put it into better words!<BR/>Thanks, and by the way, hello and I hope you and your family are well!Cambriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14939312024163697000noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-90645775425267876022008-07-29T08:53:00.000-06:002008-07-29T08:53:00.000-06:00Good review. I classify them as brain candy and n...Good review. I classify them as brain candy and nothing more. 900 pages of teenage angst is a little much for me. I read all three of them, but I'm not sure I'll go out of my way to read the new one - my reading time is very limited these days and I'd rather read something with substance. Like you, I dislike that she associates her religion with these books...not exactly what I want popping into peoples' heads first when they think of mormons!Nurse Heidihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05701919857269926765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-49511022100251003792008-07-25T12:14:00.000-06:002008-07-25T12:14:00.000-06:00Good point, Maryam. If you want to be a great auth...Good point, Maryam. If you want to be a great author, it doesn't necessarily have to be dripping with Mormonism. But there are authors who want to use their writing to explore and tell the Mormon story. Those writers would claim the title "Mormon Author" as opposed to author, who happens to be Mormon. <BR/><BR/>This happens in the music world too. There are plenty of composers, performers, musicians, who are LDS. Nobody cares about the religion of these musicians until they start writing unabashedly LDS works. Then they become a "Mormon Composer." Mack Wilberg is the epitome of this -- he is the most visible, name-able Mormon musician out there right now. The fact that he is an amazing composer, pianist, conductor, choral arranger, etc. is less significant than that he writes works that have "MORMON" stamped all over them.<BR/><BR/>Consider Orson Scott Card -- he is an author, and arguably a pretty good one. Mormons are proud of him, but he didn't go out there trying to be a great Mormon author -- just an author. And because most of his works don't have "MORMON" stamped all over them, so to speak, he is not considered by the LDS literary elite (if there really is such a thing) to be a Mormon author.<BR/><BR/>So Meyers will have to think through that for herself. Is she an author, or a Mormon author? That will change her goals, the way she writes, her subject matter, etc.<BR/><BR/>And while I would love to see exceptional Mormon works out there, I would rather see exceptional works that happen to have been created by a Mormon.Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09350680422969568303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-87490883287094366982008-07-24T12:36:00.000-06:002008-07-24T12:36:00.000-06:00It has been mind-blowing that my literary buddy La...It has been mind-blowing that my literary buddy Laura took like 2 years to finally set time aside for these books...turns out she just needed a buddy to put them in her hot little hands. I found these books supremely entertaining. I found the story line to be fresh and exciting. Archetypal images are so impossible to avoid...yet as I read all three books, I never felt that "this is so cliche" feeling.<BR/><BR/>I vote for Jacob of course. At the end of book three there is definite passion between the two of them. If Bella wants a fulfilling life (as opposed to a damned one) she will trot off with Jacob and his pack. She'll be able to mother little pups and age gracefully. At some point she'll take her great granddaughter's face into her hands and share all her experiences with love/obsession.<BR/><BR/>Now, I just thought of this...but if she were to end up with Edward, an ending that shall be revealed in 8 days when the final book is released, the only way this could be possible, in my opinion, is if he is transformed through the power of love from an immortal damned blood sucker to a "real boy." This would be very "Beauty and the Beast" but it could totally happen. Super cliche. I'll puke allover the place if this does happens. Meyers needs to just be super daring and just let Edward transform Bella into a vampire and they can live in the underworld forever. The end.<BR/><BR/>Oh, one last thing. I can think of absolutely no reason why a very successful writer would have any reason to incorporate her Mormon faith into her craft. I mean, keep it clean and maintain some personal integrity, but I don't see any other professionals do their job with a Mormon flair. Do Mormon nurses do their job any different from any other registered nurse? Probably not...mhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15059442814532931094noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-47471733130670555712008-07-23T21:50:00.000-06:002008-07-23T21:50:00.000-06:00Gypsy--thanks for your concern! I'll try to answer...Gypsy--thanks for your concern! I'll try to answer your questions in a post--because, of course, I can't give a short answer :)Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08214008384316494193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-80699744318530348202008-07-23T01:06:00.000-06:002008-07-23T01:06:00.000-06:00I'm sorry but this comment is completely off subje...I'm sorry but this comment is completely off subject, eventhough I have read all of Stephanie Meyer's books including "The Host". I have to say that she needs to stick with YA lit. Her books jut read that way. <BR/><BR/>Anyway back to the reason I decided to comment. Laura, I have read some of your posts about your depression. I am happy that your are writing about this subject because many LDS women are afraid about not looking perfect and admitting to themselves that they can't live up to the precieved expectations. I personally have struggled with a mental disorder for the passed 10 years. But I have struggled with emotional issues for a good part of my life. But this post isn't about me. I wanted to ask you about the measures you are taking to combate the disorder. How long do you think you have had this depression? What drugs have you taken. The reason I am asking you these questions is not because I am nosey, but because in my personal situation it took my from 1998-2004 to find the right combination of drugs to keep me stable. It may have been because I have Bi-Polar disorder( the deep depression plus parania,social anxiety).I may be able to help you in your quest to find the right drug. I have taken almost all of them. YAYA!Gypsyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09589242284230987066noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-86732715388411917742008-07-18T20:05:00.000-06:002008-07-18T20:05:00.000-06:00You guys are too nice to me. Anyone else would run...You guys are too nice to me. Anyone else would run be out of town! It's a sickness, this over- analyzing of books. . . Anyway, that's one for Edward and one for Jacob (who is the one I'd pick for myself, but not necessarily for Bella. Weird, huh?)Laurahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08214008384316494193noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-65903168499533690722008-07-18T16:16:00.000-06:002008-07-18T16:16:00.000-06:00I also really enjoyed your review of the books. Yo...I also really enjoyed your review of the books. You do read into them much more deeply than I ever have, but I can see where you're coming from and enjoy the insight you provide.<BR/><BR/>I'm definitely a Jacob lover. I can't imagine how on earth he could actually come out winner in the end, but it's his imperfections and humanity that draw me to him. I like Edward a lot, but there is such a thing as being too perfect.Laceyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04435218066530970886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-30676013930732359642008-07-17T12:58:00.000-06:002008-07-17T12:58:00.000-06:00hmmm. I fall into that tiny crack of "American's w...hmmm. I fall into that tiny crack of "American's who know nothing of these books." I love your book reviews, though.Heathiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17217039046182434495noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1336931173750264195.post-25612981611042026232008-07-17T10:38:00.000-06:002008-07-17T10:38:00.000-06:00At last, an intelligent review of these books!! (...At last, an intelligent review of these books!! (I'm sure there are more out there, I just haven't stumbled on any myself.) I loved hearing what you had to say about the books, I've been waiting to hear what you think for a long time, and I find I agree with what you've said. It is interesting to look at it from a cultural standpoint, that's for sure!<BR/><BR/>So, will we be reading these for book club next year? (Just kidding.)<BR/><BR/>Oh, and Edward, definitely. I'm in the masochistic camp. Oh, and because he's so hot, I just wish my husband could be exactly like him! ;)Jerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04342634184794224082noreply@blogger.com