Over at Stephanie Meyer’s website are press releases aplenty about the movie version of TWILIGHT, the first novel in her acclaimed (and wildly popular) YA vampire romance trilogy. Most recent additions include cast pictures of the Cullen Clan (oo la la!). Scrolling down further we have the pix and announcement of Kristen Stewart as Bella, and Meyer’s comments:

For every actress that has been suggested as Bella in the past few years, there are always a slew of critics that cry, “But she doesn’t look like Bella!” (Which can often be translated thusly: “She doesn’t look like ME!”) To this I would like to say: “Of course she doesn’t!” Bella is a fictional character, and she looks different to everyone. As is the same with every actor who will be cast in the next few months, no one is going to match up with your mental picture exactly—or mine.

Interesting.

I read TWILIGHT when it came out a few years ago. I didn’t fall in love with it, but then again, my tombstone may eventually read: “Just not into vampires”. I did notice some storytelling stuff in it, as I often do, as I’m usually on high alert when I read.

Many of these have to do with the portrayal of Bella. And I maintain: one reason behind the insane popularity of this book is how effortlessly we readers glide into that role ourselves. I remember thinking and feeling that the whole thing had been deliberately set up to turn us into Bella as we read. There are lots of parts to this, but here’s one: there is no, or perhaps barely any, physical description of Bella in the book.

(Once I noticed it, I remember flipping back through the pages and checking. Someone correct me if I’m wrong. I also remember wanting to buy Meyer a drink for really nailing that.)

So, any of us could be on the receiving end of the attention and that delicious vampiric sexual tension. And who in the lion’s share of the audience for TWILIGHT wouldn’t want to be?

(I realize this may be a “well duh“. But as I don’t read tons of writer blogs and most of the folks in my day-to-day sphere are comics people, most of my writerly observations and education come from my reading and talking to comics artists. And I remember it really stuck out in TWILIGHT.)

I still think it’s very clever and effective.