Day 22

Question: Harry Potter or Twilight?

...Why??

Obviously Team Potter for several reasons:

1. Quality of writing -- which feeds into everything -- character development, symbolism/theology, plot, story arcs, etc.
2. Connection to the characters -- I identify with Harry and Professor Snape while Twilight has a cast of either incredibly too-perfect vampires or stupid humans or hot-blooded werewolves.  While I used to identify with Bella (being a normal, plain human being dreaming of someone who'd love me for who I am), I don't anymore.  :)
3. Spiritual (and emotional/mental) help vs. emotional rollercoaster -- I can't abide love triangles and I was so helped in every way by reading Potter.  It changed my life.
4. The movies were FAR superior
5. Harry Potter has changed the lives of millions -- getting people to read, imagine, write, create art (and musicals!), music, contribute to charity, etc., along with Rowling 'baptizing the imagination'.
6. Harry Potter is about death (and so much more) -- the story is bigger than the characters.  Twilight is a love story, *only* about the characters.
7. The dialogue.  The dialogue, the dialogue, the dialogue.  You have *got* to have good dialogue and the HP characters are *funny* (and British), and real.

This isn't to say I think Twilight is complete crap.  Stephanie herself says she dreamed part of it and wrote the story down for herself and wasn't contemplating publication.  I think with a better editor she would have had a stronger series, because The Host was, frankly, awesome.  So much better than the Twilight saga.  And the Cullens' history is interesting.  I want to read Alice and Jasper's story.  Bella and Edward are not sympathetic so if the story was focused elsewhere it would have been much more intriguing.

That's my two cents.  What are your thoughts?