Age for twilight

[Newuser82]

I'm just wondering what peoples opinions are on the best age for reading the twilight books? My son is 10 and is desperate to read them. I haven't read them so I'm not sure if they would be suitable. He is a very good and keen reader.

A world of literature and you're wondering if a faintly abusive book about the sexual relationship between a teenage girl and an ancient undead sparkly twat of a vampire is suitable for a 10yr old child?

I think age 10-12 is fine. I think a lot of the sexual tension will go over his head at that age.

I would say it’s too young.

Oh dear, that's exceptionally rude! My son reads a massive, massive range of books, both fiction and non fiction. He asked if he could read them. Like I said I haven't read the books, I knew they were about vampires but that was it hence the question!

Thank you to the other answers!

They don't even marry until Breaking Dawn, then the sex is hardly explicit.

I'd say 12-13-14 is probably about right.

I think it would be ok but we read Stephen King, James Herbert and Richard Laymon (!) in year 7, at 10 I think we were reading flowers in the attic (books and tv were unscensored apart from ITV 😂)

Age wise he would be fine I'd imagine but I can't for a second believe he's going to enjoy them even if he does read them. The storyline isn't really that interesting from what I remember and there's a lot of focus on being in a relationship with a sparkly dead guy.

If he wants to read them because they are about vampires he will probably be sorely disappointed.

Oh his dad loves Stephen king and James Herbert! He hasn't touched those yet but something to look forward to in the future.

If he’s a good reader he’ll have no problem but content wise they’re problematic - lots of information online about the Bella / Edward relationship being a romanticised abusive relationship etc.

Thank you. I'll have a look.

Honestly, they're fine for a 10yo. My 8 year old was fine with the films. I've read the books and I agree they're a bit boring but I'd have probably liked them at 10!

I think I read the first one around 10, maybe 11. I don’t see an issue

I agree they wouldn't be something I'd want to give to a child still formulating their ideas about what a healthy relationship looks like. If you do steer him that way I'd suggest having a read yourself so you're ready to discuss why the multiple examples of stalking and violently jealous and possessive behaviour are really not ok despite the way the book romanticises them.

The Graveyard book is well worth a read though - it has some very dark moments but it's also full of humour and love and zest for life. One of the main characters is a vampire and most of the others are ghosts ("it will take more than one good hearted couple to raise a child - it will take a whole graveyard', says Silas.

Terry Pratchett has a vampire book in his Discworld series (Carpe jugulum) though it might make more sense to start earlier in the series.

And when he's older Robin McKinley's Sunshine is great, it's gory in parts and there are two brief but explicit sexual scenes he's too young for now but the heroine's relationship with her partner and her attitude to her own desire is infinitely less screwed up than Twilight.

I can't imagine he'd be interested but at ten if he wants to read them I'd let him!

They're probably ok for him in terms of content but I can't imagine a 10 year old boy liking them much. They're very relationship focused and he's probably a bit young to be caring about boyfriends and girlfriends and sexual tension. Most of the first book is about Edward trying to 'control' himself around Bella, and her worrying that Edward hates her.

Common Sense media says 13.

www.commonsensemedia.org/book-reviews/twilight-the-twilight-saga-book-1

Thank you for everyone's opinions

They are not the best written books
as others have said, ok for the reading level
but cannot imagine a 10 yo boy interested on a teen romance between a girl and a vampire - from the point of view of the girl
also, they are quite problematic, romanticising stalking and controlling behaviour
I would steer away into other vampire/ young adult books

Thank you. Would you have any recommendations?

Oh yes, the graveyard book is brilliant!

Victoria Schwab's City of Ghosts and the sequels might suit him? From memory they're aimed at age 10 to 12 or thereabouts, and follow a tween girl who can see ghosts and her best friend who's a ghost boy. The Lockwood and Co books are aimed at a similar bracket I believe, maybe getting a bit older as they go on (the Netflix series based on it is geared to a slightly older audience though, just FYI).

Try the Darren Shan series about a half- vampire that starts with Cirque Du Freak, if he hasn’t read them. Quite scary and dark, and there are loads of them. Also Derek Landy’s Skulduggery Pleasant series about a sort of undead detective. Would definitely second Jonathan Stroud’s Lockwood and Co series, mentioned above. Genuinely scary but also often funny. Start with The Screaming Staircase. I wouldn’t stop him reading Twilight , but as others have said they are really rather dreary.

Ooh I second PP. Darren Shan series was brilliant!