A lot of us are transitioning to the "new normal" and adapting to our circumstances. This transition might feel similar to experiences we faced on our first day of school or when we were faced with challenges like moving to a new city, town or country.
The book that helped me in my adolescence through those challenges was "Twilight," by Stephenie Meyer.
Many are familiar with the story and the multi-million dollar franchise the Twilight book series birthed; however, on 4 August 2020, we are finally getting to know Edward Cullen’s perspective in a new novel, "Midnight Sun."
Twilight is often referred to as the pinnacle of coming-of-age novels. First released in 2005, it tells the story of Isabella Swan, the child of divorced parents who moves to Forks, Washington, and falls in love with Edward Cullen — a vampire.
In contrast to its companion, "Midnight Sun" is told from the viewpoint of 104-year-old vampire Edward, frozen in time in the 17-year-old body he died in. Readers are given a front-row seat to the struggle faced by Edward as he battles his overwhelming desire for Bella, and her blood.
Those familiar with the works of Anne Rice, particularly "Interview with a Vampire," and even as far back as Bram Stoker's "Dracula," understand the metaphor of blood lust as attraction and "Midnight Sun" is set to be no different. This is alluded to most prominently in the cover art of an open-faced pomegranate.
The pomegranate is often associated as a symbol of Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love, but what I found most interesting in my research was that many say in the biblical story of Adam and Eve, the forbidden fruit in the bible was not an apple, but a pomegranate.
"Midnight Sun" will be the only book of the Twilight saga that will be written from Edward’s perspective, and is definitely not one to miss.
"Midnight Sun" by Stephenie Meyer can be ordered at Books & Books in Camana Bay.
This article first appeared in the August 2020 print edition of Camana Bay Times with the headline “Twilight leads to Midnight Sun.”
About the author
Alanna Warwick-Smith is a Marketing Coordinator supporting the business development and real estate marketing team for Dart. Alanna has worked in Dart’s flagship development of Camana Bay for the past eight years, when she began her career working at the town’s bookstore, Books & Books. A lover of the written word, Alanna reads and writes poetry in her spare time, and has written content for a range of platforms in the past, including her own blog and Camana Bay Times.