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Twilight

by Stephenie Meyer · 2005

Twilight begins when seventeen-year-old Bella Swan moves to the perpetually overcast town of Forks, Washington, to live with her father. There she becomes captivated by Edward Cullen, a pale, brilliant classmate who turns… more

First published 2005 · 498 pages · The Twilight Saga, Book 1 · English

24 quotes ★ 3.68 (7,447,110) Fiction

Quotes from the Book

I like the night. Without the dark, we'd never see the stars.
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb…" he murmured. I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word. "What a stupid lamb," I sighed. "What a sick, masochistic lion.
I decided as long as I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.
About three things I was absolutely positive. First, Edward was a vampire. Second, there was a part of him-and I didn’t know how potent that part might be-that thirsted for my blood. And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.
Even more, I had never meant to love him. One thing I truly knew - knew it in the pit of my stomach, in the center of my bones, knew it from the crown of my head to the soles of my feet, knew it deep in my empty chest - was how love gave someone the power to break you
Twilight, again. Another ending. No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end.
Don't be self-conscious, if I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I'm not ashamed of it.
When life offers you a dream so far beyond any of your expectations, it’s not reasonable to grieve when it comes to an end.
I said it would be better if we weren’t friends, not that I didn’t want to be.
What if I'm not a superhero. What if I'm the bad guy?
You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever.
The right thing isn't always real obvious. Sometimes the right thing for one person is the wrong thing for someone else. So...good luck figuring that out.
You’re still waiting for the running and the screaming, aren’t you?
I am not really breaking any rules. Charlie said I could never take another step through the door again... I came in through the window... Still, the intent was clear," said Edward.
And so the lion fell in love with the lamb.
So, did you stab Edward Cullen with a pencil or what? I've never seen him act like that.
It's twilight. It’s the safest time of day for us. The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way...the end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don’t you think?
I know love and lust don't always keep the same company.
So what you're saying is, I'm your brand of heroin?" I teased, trying to lighten the mood. He smiled swiftly, seeming to appreciate my effort. "Yes, you are exactly my brand of heroin.
I can feel what you’re feeling now — and you are worth it.
No matter how perfect the day is, it always has to end.
And you're worried, not because you're headed to meet a houseful of vampires, but because you think those vampires won't approve of you, correct?” “That's right,” I answered immediately, hiding my surprise at his casual use of the word. He shook his head. “You're incredible.
You're intoxicated by my very presence.
What is she to me? Except a menace — a danger you’ve chosen to inflict on all of us.

Did you know?

  • Meyer says the central meadow scene came to her in a vivid dream.
  • She wrote the first draft in roughly three months while raising young children.
  • Twilight launched a franchise of five blockbuster films.

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About Stephenie Meyer

Stephenie Meyer is an American author who had never intended to publish when she began Twilight. The saga ignited a global wave of paranormal romance.

More about the author →

About the book

Twilight begins when seventeen-year-old Bella Swan moves to the perpetually overcast town of Forks, Washington, to live with her father. There she becomes captivated by Edward Cullen, a pale, brilliant classmate who turns out to be a vampire struggling against his own nature. Stephenie Meyer's novel charts the dangerous, all-consuming romance that develops between a mortal girl and an immortal who could destroy her.

At its heart the book is about desire, restraint, and the intensity of first love, told in a breathless first-person voice that pulled millions of readers into Bella's world. It explores the pull between safety and danger, the wish to be chosen, and the question of what a person would sacrifice to stay with someone they love. Meyer's atmosphere of rain, longing, and barely contained passion became the template for a wave of paranormal romance.

Published in 2005, Twilight grew into a publishing sensation and a franchise that defined a moment in popular culture, complete with a devoted global fandom and a series of hit films. Its swooning declarations of love are among its most-quoted lines, repeated by readers who found in them the language of obsession and devotion. That emotional directness is exactly why the book's words continue to be shared.

Key characters

  • Bella SwanThe narrator, who moves to rainy Forks and falls for a vampire.
  • Edward CullenA brooding, century-old vampire who fights his thirst for Bella.
  • Jacob BlackBella's childhood friend with secrets of his own.
  • Charlie SwanBella's quiet, well-meaning father, the chief of police.

Book details

First published
2005
Length
498 pages
Series
The Twilight Saga, Book 1
Reading time
~9 hours
Genre
Fiction
Goodreads rating
3.68 (7.4M ratings)
First line
“I'd never given much thought to how I would die — though I'd had reason enough in the last few months — but even if I had, I would not have imagined it like this.”

Critical reception

  • A blockbuster saga that defined a wave of paranormal romance.
  • Inspired a five-film franchise and a vast, devoted global fandom.

Series & reading order

  1. 1 Twilight
  2. 2 New Moon
  3. 3 Eclipse
  4. 4 Breaking Dawn
  5. Midnight Sun (Edward's retelling)

Movie & TV adaptations

  • Twilight 20085.4/10529k votes

    Film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson.

    View on IMDb →

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  3. 3
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