Chapter 1 ~ First Impressions

[dazzel21]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
No, I cannot relate to her the first time around. First of all I'm not a teenager when I first read the Twilight series I'm on my early twenties at that time so I had to reminisce and go back to how do I felt when I'm 17. What am I doing when I was 17 to be more precise? I was already in my freshman year of college when I'm 17 (we have shorter school years from where I live) so I had to go back 2 more years down (which makes me 15) to be a junior.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
At first I thought Renee was the happy go lucky mom. Cool. Those kind of moms that doesn't see their children as 'their children' but rather as friends or buddy. Charlie is the exact opposite of Renee, quiet and aloof.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
I thought Jessica would be the 'good' friend. Mike was funny from the beginning, I like the way SM described him when he first met Bella. Angela was just nice, no doubt about that.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
Definitely intrigued!!! I was so excited when SM is describing how he look, of course through Bella's POV.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
Odd!!! But I can understand what he was going through its just not the reaction I was hoping for Edward to feel towards Bella.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
Not actually hooked. When I first decided to read Twilight I have no idea what to expect but I'm really really curious about it. They say it's a bestseller book but its still not enough for me to get hooked after reading only 1 chapter but I would say that it got me more interested to find out what happened next.

[caellach]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
Not right away. I love living in Washington and the rain and cold. I could never live in Arizona in the dry heat. Ugh. But after I saw how she was a private person, shy, reserved, a bit sarcastic, then yes I could identify.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
Honestly, I thought Renee was a lousy mother for being willing to let her daughter go so she could be with her new husband. Charlie seemed like the ideal dad to me. Leaves her alone, got her a truck, stays out of the way. Perfect.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
Typical teens. I knew Jessica would not be her best friend. I think every school has each one of those friends.. or a close version.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
I was so intrigued by him, from the start. He hypnotized her, she couldn't take her eyes off him. I knew there had to be more to him. I couldn't wait to find out more.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
I didn't get it. I mean, you could tell from the context that it had something to do with her scent, but I couldn't have guessed why. It was a great way to involve the reader and then when he leaves for several weeks, we are left saying Hey, we want more of him!

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
You had me at Forks.

[Kate]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?

Yes, I related with her since the fist page. The way she have her internal dialogue is just like me. I easily understand what she was living, her self imposed exile, her melancholic, shy and sarcastic attitude. And… I’m 5”4, brown hair with skin white as snow…

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?

They both seem to be nice. At this point, we already know that Bella is attached to her mother even if she’s featherbrain. Charlie seems to be able to listen to Bella need (like the truck) and wish for her happiness even if he don’t know how express himself.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?

They all seems nice to this point… Jessica seems to like gossip…

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?

Technically, as it was writing on the cover that he was a vampire, I was more intrigued by him.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?

At this point, I was surprised. I already know that book will talk about the romance on a vampire and Bella. So, I was surprised to saw that the first impression he got from her was… disgust?

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?

I was already hook!

[Total Twilight Fan]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
I don't think that I could identify with her right away, as I have never moved school like she did. She's also a couple years older than me, and being in the UK we don't have schools like that. I thought she was a little odd too, as if she never quite fit in with people- and im guessing that she never quite fit in in Pheonix.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
I thought that they seemed like caring parents- it was just a shame that they were not together. Renee seemed fun, like she would need taking care of- nice and a little kooky. Although Charlie did not seem what you would call a 'natural parent.' he seemed like that at heart he was happy to be back with Bella.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
I thought they would be nice for her, its a shame she doesnt really like having friends. I liked Jess at first, but Angela more than anyone. Mike reminds me of someone of the same name and description at my school. I could relate to that.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
I wanted to know more! He hooked me in with his mysteriousness- and coldness to everyone but Bella.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
Odd, but somehow, I knew that it was nessasary to distance himself from the other students for some reasons.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
I liked this chapter and wanted to read alot more!

[Brienna]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
Yes, I did, the way it is written immediately make me understand what she felt.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
Renee someone who can't take very good care of herself.
Charlie a bit of an awkward person, someone who doesn't talk much.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
They seem nice.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
Intrigued.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
I found it weird. Off course I knew he was a vampire, but I didn´t know yet why he would react so strange against Bella.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
The writing immediately hooked me on the book.

[AyaDiefair]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
Well, we are both shy (I take it to the extreme sometimes), hate being the center of attention with new people, and well we both have natural pale skin. I knew exactly how she felt being at a new school, I went to a public school for the first time in 6th grade and felt so out of place having all these people I didn't know just randomly come up and talk to you. Haha. We are also both pretty mature for our age.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
Charlie reminded me of my dad. My dad has always been the man of few words and reserved. Renee well, she acted more like a child then a parent should.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
Kind of annoying, only cause I felt annoyed being "The shiny new toy" as Jessica puts it (in the movie anyway). Angela would probably have been the person I would've considered my 'friend' if I was in Bella's shoes.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
I wasn't scared, or intrigued really. He was more interesting to me.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
If I was in Bella's shoes, I would have thought the same thing as she did. "What's his problem?" And probably be worried that I smelt bad or something.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
Well, when I started reading the books, I didn't know there was any 'fuss' about the series. I lived under a rock. I kept reading because I liked Steph's writing style, and continued to read more because it was about Vampires and Werewolves, my 2 favourite fictional spices. .

[Idril]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
Since I am older and have to go back to that young age, I would say the only thing I have in common with Bella is that I was shy in school. I was not popular nor did I have a lot of friends. I was kinda picky (or secluded) from most people.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
Renee was a little wrong as she was never happy unless she had a man in her life. Making her daughter be so grown up too soon taking care of her ... Where was Bella's childhood? Didn't sound to me like she had one.
Charlie was like my dad! He was quiet yet strong and said what he needed to say when it needed to be said!

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
I was apprehensive since she seemed shy and out of place. They seemed to work out ok as time past I know it wouldn't have been my choice.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
Intrigued. I think if I would become afraid of him at all it would have been much later while watching him rip into James but that's another chapter.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
I liked the way it was portrayed and written as I would have thought that a vampire would do many of the things that Edward did under the circumstances. He would have been driven almost insane with blood lust, possibly NOT knowing why or what was happening to him. Not to mention that Bella was looking at him, talking about him yet he couldn't hear her thoughts like he could everyone else's. Let me see ... yep he would have gone insane for sure. Then she sits NEXT to him in Biology! Amazing he could control himself at that point!

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
In some ways it hooked me. I believe that it was the way Stephanie Meyer wrote this series that hooked me. The way it flowed, her usage of the 1st person to write from was such an awe inspiring way to tell a story. Cudo's to Stephanie for her skills!

She is so awesome ...

[GoldenLeaf]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?
Yes. I related to her having grown up from infancy with separated parents, spending childhood holidays in another city with my Dad. I related to having grown up an only child. I relate to being someone who is not talkative, I'm not a "small talker". I relate to being a bit clumsy and klutzy. I'm pale skinned. This line cemented my empathy with Bella: "Sometimes I wondered if I was seeing the same things through my eyes that the rest of the world was seeing through theirs. Maybe there was a glitch in my brain." I've felt pretty much like that since I was just a bit younger than Bella.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?
Renee: sweet and loving but a little ditzy. Young-at-heart and has taken a long time to settle down and mature, not that that's always a bad thing.
Charlie: the strong silent type. Loyal. "Still waters run deep".

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?
That they are a representation of typical, everyday, normal teenage humans. The contrast to Bella and to the Cullens.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?
Definitely intrigued.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?
I figured [already knowing he was a vampire thanks to being very late to reading the novel (late 2008) and the blurb on the back of the book] that it must have had something to do with Bella's scent, but didn't think any more deeply than that on my first reading of the chapter.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?
Hooked from the moment she first lay eyes on Edward.

[desire4vampires]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?

I could sort of relate to Bella's shyness because I am really shy and reservated around people I don't know, but I am also talkative when I am around people I do know. I could also relate to the fact that she seemed like she wants to be friends with down to earth people.

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?

Renee seemed like an irresponsible mother and she seemed like she needed to be dependent on someone in like. Charlie seemed like he is a lot like Bella, except he isn't as observent as she is.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?

Angela was the only one who I really liked because she seemed to actually care about people instead of gossip. Jessica seemed faked and only concerned about her own popularity. Eric and Mike seemed like they are friendly people, but they just don't realize that how uncomfortable they make Bella feel.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?

Both. I was more intrigued than scared tho. I wanted to know why Edward was acting the way he did.


5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?

I knew he was reacting towards Bella's blood somehow....

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?

I wouldn't say I was hooked on the book because I didn't like how Bella was complaining about everything. I was, however, interested on why Edward was acting wierd so thats why I kept reading.. and yes I was trying to see what the fuss is about.

[Gochiruzeru]

1. Did you relate to Bella right away? If so, what part of her did you identify with?

I definitely identified with her negative feelings towards a new school; having "exiled" myself in a similar fashion, I found that her reaction was pretty understandable. When you're shy, and you're somewhere completely new, it's pretty normal to feel like it's the end of the world...

2. What were your first impressions of Renee and Charlie?

They both seemed like well-meaning, if a little absentminded, parents. I liked how relaxed Charlie was, and Renee seemed pretty cool too.

3. What were your first impressions of the friends Bella meets?

They were trying to be nice, but they were a bit overbearing, too. I can understand how Bella was so annoyed with them, haha.

4. Were you scared or intrigued by Edward?

Well, I already knew who he was, so I was mostly intrigued by him. I definitely wanted to see more of his character.

5. What did you think of Edward's odd behavior?

I knew about it from before, but I was still interested in his character.

6. Did this chapter hook you on the book or were you still trying to see what the fuss was?

I wasn't really hooked yet, but I kept reading. :3