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The continued saga of attempting to bring up sensible daughters.
Miss M (12 in November), is currently reading two books: Jane Eyre and... Twilight. She found the former in her school library (SO MANY BOOKS! \o/) and - even though we of course have a copy - decided to borrow it. (The school one is, naturally, better.) She likes it very much and was telling me how exciting it was, since Jane liked Mr Rochester and Mr Rochester liked Jane, but neither of them was telling the other - and I realised that she's never really come across this trope before, and to have her first experience be Jane Eyre is pretty fabulous. :)
She also (since ALL her friends are into the series) decided to borrow Twilight off one of her friends, and I figured that if she read it alongside classical, romantic literature it might show itself up for what it is. And this has indeed been the case. Verdict so far? Terrible book, but she can't stop reading. Plus Bella focusses only on Edward and that got old pretty quickly. Also, of course, she's noticed how clumsy Bella is (which she finds pretty hilarious) and how she has all the other boys running after her (I explained how this was probably a reflection on SMeyer's desire to rewrite her own High School years...).
My girl has a well developed sense of snark, and I have a feeling it'll come out in force before long. Plus we can have lots of talks about what constitutes acceptable behaviour when it comes to relationships. (Not that she's there yet - boys are annoying and stupid and loud, mostly.)
Anyway, she's giving Jane Eyre a rest, since it's just become VERY SAD because Jane's left him, and Miss M is rather worried. ♥
She also (since ALL her friends are into the series) decided to borrow Twilight off one of her friends, and I figured that if she read it alongside classical, romantic literature it might show itself up for what it is. And this has indeed been the case. Verdict so far? Terrible book, but she can't stop reading. Plus Bella focusses only on Edward and that got old pretty quickly. Also, of course, she's noticed how clumsy Bella is (which she finds pretty hilarious) and how she has all the other boys running after her (I explained how this was probably a reflection on SMeyer's desire to rewrite her own High School years...).
My girl has a well developed sense of snark, and I have a feeling it'll come out in force before long. Plus we can have lots of talks about what constitutes acceptable behaviour when it comes to relationships. (Not that she's there yet - boys are annoying and stupid and loud, mostly.)
Anyway, she's giving Jane Eyre a rest, since it's just become VERY SAD because Jane's left him, and Miss M is rather worried. ♥
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I was nowhere near as smart when I was 12. I suspect it's equal parts her own brilliant self and her mother's influence. ;-)
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Indeed!
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Yay Jane Eyre!
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And I want to re-read Jane Eyre now!
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And judging from her reaction to Twilight, she's not got much patience for cheesy romances. \o/
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I read Jane Eyre at about that age, and remember feeling the same way. I feel so old! Glad to see she's reading something other than Twilight though. One of my cousins who's about the same age is obsessed with twilight. She's read the books literally dozens of times, and was very excited to go to a twilight convention the last time I talked to her. You sound like you guys have a much better attitude!
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And as for being obsessed then Miss M has read and re-read all the Harry Potters many times, but (although she likes them) she wants NEW things to read. *g*
Jane Eyre!
Oh yes, the snark will get more pronounced. Hopefully, there are no Heathcliff-esque werewolves hanging about.
Re: Jane Eyre!
She's a very, very good anti-Bella, that's for sure! I shall make a point of letting her compare the two. :) (Hurrah for snark!)
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You are raising a very discerning young woman, clearly.
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And I'm doing my best to help her think for herself and go for quality over populism. (She, and her younger sister, despise High School Musical. This makes me very, very happy!)
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Especially because, yes, 12 years old is around that age when girls start reading that series. Considering she's able to laugh at it I 'd say she's more perceptive than I was when I read it. I actually couldn't get myself to finish it, stopping at about chapter 13, and I could never figure out why.
Then again, I read it around when it just was beginning to be all the rage. When people stared analyzing it that was when it hit me why I didn't like it XD
Good for your daughter being well read. I don't read books nearly as much as I should because neither of my parents are fond of reading much (mom has no time, and dad said the only books he could ever get through reading were Jurassic Park and the Godfather) so I have to rely on other people to tell me good books.
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Aw.
Especially because, yes, 12 years old is around that age when girls start reading that series.
I think she's rather puzzled as to why people love it so much. She's on page 100-and-something at the moment, and has declared it 'repetitive'.
Considering she's able to laugh at it I 'd say she's more perceptive than I was when I read it. I actually couldn't get myself to finish it, stopping at about chapter 13, and I could never figure out why.
...because it's crap? (You should TOTALLY read
Good for your daughter being well read. I don't read books nearly as much as I should because neither of my parents are fond of reading much
Whereas I grew up in a house FULL of bookcases. Plus my mother goes to the library every week! I almost couldn't help becoming a bookworm, and now I'm passing it on. (The girls have A MILLION BOOKS! We don't know where to put them all...)
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Plus we can have lots of talks about what constitutes acceptable behaviour when it comes to relationships That's good . It's so lovely when communication is easy between us and our children, it's a thing that I always dearly appreciated with my sons , and still do.
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I was *very* happy when she brought it home! And she's already finished it. :)
Nothing to compare with Twilight as written works go indeed ! but I can understand the fascination of the story for many teens although Bella is a completely annoying character.
Someone (cleolinda?) talks about how it perfectly illustrates the way teenage boys are a completely strange and unknown species, from a girl's POV.
It's so lovely when communication is easy between us and our children, it's a thing that I always dearly appreciated with my sons , and still do.
I hope it'll continue. *crosses fingers*
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I remember reading Pride and Prejudice when I was twelve and having - for the first time, I think - that feeling of reading words but experiencing a story that was somehow not the words. Stories of things not said can be magical.
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Exactly! And Jane Eyre is no Bella> :)
I remember reading Pride and Prejudice when I was twelve and having - for the first time, I think - that feeling of reading words but experiencing a story that was somehow not the words. Stories of things not said can be magical.
Oh that's a wonderful description. Yes, very much so. (I hope you're doing well? Or are you writing a post all about how things are going that I should consult? ETA: Clearly that is the case! Ignore my questions!)
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