Isabella 'Bella' Swan is a self-sacrificing teenaged girl who, once she realises she is standing in the way of her mother's happiness, moves to a town she hates to live with her father. There, she is confronted with being the new girl, as well as the Chief of Police's daughter. She struggles to make friends and is captivated by a group of adopted siblings that look as out of place in Forks High School as she feels. 17-year-old Edward Cullen both scares and intrigues her, and his strange behaviour towards her only increases her feelings. Things come to a head when Edward saves her life under impossible circumstances, and is forced into the role of her hero over and over again. A reluctant romance blooms between them, and Bella is taken in by Edward's dark secret.

 

I really enjoyed this book. I have many friends who have read and loved it, and while I thought it was an excellent tale, I'm not sure yet it lived up to all the hype. It was funny and captivating, and very cleverly written. The characters are likeable, and the story is woven with tension and mystery. I think reading the whole series will help me like it even more, but for now it fell flat in some parts and Bella, while certainly likeable and sympathetic, was slightly annoying to me in her martyrdom. It does make for compulsive reading.