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Lake Woebegotten #2
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten
A small town...a plucky heroine, a shiny vampire, and a hunky Native American rival with a secret. But all is not as it seems in Lake Woebegotten. Let Harrison Geillor reveal what lies beneath the seemingly placid surface. You'll Laugh. We promise.
When Bonnie Grayduck relocates from sunny Santa Cruz California to the small town of Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota, to live with her estranged father, chief of the local two-man police department, she thinks she's leaving her troubles behind. But she soon becomes fascinated by another student - the brooding, beautiful Edwin Scullen, whose reclusive family hides a terrible secret. ( they're actually vampires. But they're the kind who don't eat people, so it's okay.) Once Bonnie realizes what her new lover really is, she isn't afraid. Instead, she sees potential. Because while Bonnie seems to her friends and family to be an ordinary, slightly clumsy, easily-distracted girl, she's really manipulative, calculating, and power hungry, and not above committing murder to get her way. Or even just to amuse herself.
This is a love story about monsters...but the vampire isn't the monster.
When Bonnie Grayduck relocates from sunny Santa Cruz California to the small town of Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota, to live with her estranged father, chief of the local two-man police department, she thinks she's leaving her troubles behind. But she soon becomes fascinated by another student - the brooding, beautiful Edwin Scullen, whose reclusive family hides a terrible secret. ( they're actually vampires. But they're the kind who don't eat people, so it's okay.) Once Bonnie realizes what her new lover really is, she isn't afraid. Instead, she sees potential. Because while Bonnie seems to her friends and family to be an ordinary, slightly clumsy, easily-distracted girl, she's really manipulative, calculating, and power hungry, and not above committing murder to get her way. Or even just to amuse herself.
This is a love story about monsters...but the vampire isn't the monster.
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First published October 1, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
September 8, 2011
After the complete and utter failure that was Nightlight, I was weary of another Twilight parody...until I read the last line of Woebegotten's summary: "This is a love story about monsters...but the vampire isn't the monster." How perfect is that? Maybe this book could actually get why Twilight is so fucking annoying. And I'm happy to say that not only did The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten meet my expectations as a parody, but it exceeded them in becoming its own sort of story, as well.
I wasn't initially sure what to thing of that second part though - Woebegotten takes many liberties with Twilight's core story, not just in characterization, but in plot content as well. But as a whole, I think it makes the book stronger, and certainly more interesting. One of my biggest problems with the original Twilight's plot was that, y'know, it didn't exist. Boy and girl fall in love...for like three-quarters of the book, and then all the sudden the author realizes "Hey, I've got no real external conflict here, maybe I should look into that," and POOF, evil vampires who want to eat Bella for absolutely no good reason show up and...well, try to eat Bella. For no goddamn good reason.
Woebegotten over-compensates a bit - not only do we get a character to fill James' role (although this one at least has more believable - if cliche - motivations), but we also get an antagonist to directly oppose Bonnie, and another conflicting group woven in to the overall narrative. Here, not only does the Native American tribe (the Oujibwe) have an anti-vampire force (werebears, thank you very much), but the humans do, too: the Interfaith Vampire Slayer League.
They're responsible for some of the funnier scenes in the book, being that the group includes two men of faith (a crazy priest who insists the vampires are "DEMONS!", and a timid ex-Pastor); the local militant conspiracy nut who was conned into joining by said priest, and believes the vampires are bat-human hybrids created by aliens; the mayor's hard-ass wife, who casually suggests wiping every member of the Scullen clan out while knitting; the weary young Sheriff's deputy who brought them all together; and the high school principal, a closeted serial killer who's in it for the sake of killing vampires.
Hilarity ensues.
Twilight would have been ten times better with a group like that in it.
The book's narrative follows the first Twilight's basic plot while bringing elements from New Moon, Eclipse, and a twist on Bella's change in Breaking Dawn into the storyline. The overall result is that the pacing and sequence of events are a bit uneven, but such is the fate of a series parody condensed into one book. Ultimately it didn't make much of a difference to me in terms of enjoy-ability, and that is all because of the twist on Woebegotten's heroine, Miss Bonnie Greyduck.
Yeah, okay, so the name might actually be worse than Belle Goose, but it's the characterization that's important. As a character, Bonnie Greyduck was about 100x more likable than Bella Swan, as counter-intuitive as that may seem. For me, at least, this is because, while Bonnie was quite literally a sociopath and a murderer, she wasn't a goddamn limp, helpless noodle.
Read more at You're Killing.Us.
I wasn't initially sure what to thing of that second part though - Woebegotten takes many liberties with Twilight's core story, not just in characterization, but in plot content as well. But as a whole, I think it makes the book stronger, and certainly more interesting. One of my biggest problems with the original Twilight's plot was that, y'know, it didn't exist. Boy and girl fall in love...for like three-quarters of the book, and then all the sudden the author realizes "Hey, I've got no real external conflict here, maybe I should look into that," and POOF, evil vampires who want to eat Bella for absolutely no good reason show up and...well, try to eat Bella. For no goddamn good reason.
Woebegotten over-compensates a bit - not only do we get a character to fill James' role (although this one at least has more believable - if cliche - motivations), but we also get an antagonist to directly oppose Bonnie, and another conflicting group woven in to the overall narrative. Here, not only does the Native American tribe (the Oujibwe) have an anti-vampire force (werebears, thank you very much), but the humans do, too: the Interfaith Vampire Slayer League.
They're responsible for some of the funnier scenes in the book, being that the group includes two men of faith (a crazy priest who insists the vampires are "DEMONS!", and a timid ex-Pastor); the local militant conspiracy nut who was conned into joining by said priest, and believes the vampires are bat-human hybrids created by aliens; the mayor's hard-ass wife, who casually suggests wiping every member of the Scullen clan out while knitting; the weary young Sheriff's deputy who brought them all together; and the high school principal, a closeted serial killer who's in it for the sake of killing vampires.
Hilarity ensues.
Twilight would have been ten times better with a group like that in it.
The book's narrative follows the first Twilight's basic plot while bringing elements from New Moon, Eclipse, and a twist on Bella's change in Breaking Dawn into the storyline. The overall result is that the pacing and sequence of events are a bit uneven, but such is the fate of a series parody condensed into one book. Ultimately it didn't make much of a difference to me in terms of enjoy-ability, and that is all because of the twist on Woebegotten's heroine, Miss Bonnie Greyduck.
Yeah, okay, so the name might actually be worse than Belle Goose, but it's the characterization that's important. As a character, Bonnie Greyduck was about 100x more likable than Bella Swan, as counter-intuitive as that may seem. For me, at least, this is because, while Bonnie was quite literally a sociopath and a murderer, she wasn't a goddamn limp, helpless noodle.
Read more at You're Killing.Us.
August 23, 2011
Full disclaimer – I like the Twilight books. How could I resist?
This is not your Bella of Twilight. This is Bonnie Grayduck, the heroine of The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten. Bonnie is the “anti-Bella.” Whereas Bella was sweet, innocent, clumsy, and bland, Bonnie is the total opposite. Bonnie is slutty, manipulative, scheming, and sociopathic. Don’t mess with her. Don’t get in her way. In some ways Bonnie reminds me of Showtime’s Dexter, only Dexter has a moral code.
Written in journal form from Bonnie’s point of view, The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten is a funny, twisted parody of the Twilight series. It was interested being in Bonnie’s mind as she carefully plans her next conquest or her next character assassination through Facebook. Since Bonnie’s point of view is a little skewed and prone to some digressions, an omniscient narrator fills in the gaps in the story. I enjoyed the narrator as he told us about the townspeople and their efforts to eradicate vampires.
Our story takes place in the small Central Minnesotan town of Lake Woebegotten. Bonnie leaves her sunny California home to live with her father Harry. She needs to put some distance between herself and her old school after some unfortunate events.
All of the Twilight characters appear in this book. Some have clever name changes: Argyle Scullen, Edwin Scullen, Joachim Noir, Willy Noir to name a few. Some characters are pretty close to their Twilight roots, others are just a bit off. The local native band get furry – but they’re were-bears.
The book follows the events in the Twilight books. Yes, the vampires do play a sport. No, it’s not baseball. Edwin does save someone from being squished by a truck, Bonnie shops with the girls at the local town, Edwin saves Bonnie from the frat boys, Bonnie has dinner with Edwin, etc.
This book is fun to read and the author’s take on the Twilight story is hilarious at times. While I did get a lot of laughs from this book, I did find it just a little bit too long.
If you liked the Twilight series and have a good sense of humor, you’ll like this book.
If you like to poke fun at Twilight and are familiar with the characters, you may enjoy this book.
If you hated Bella in Twilight, you’ll probably love Bonnie. She’s twisted.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book.
Check out my review on Badass Book Reviews
"First, Edwin was a vampire.
Second, he loved me – or at least thought my blood smelled delicious, which, for a vampire, was probably the next best thing.
And third, I would get him to turn me into a vampire too, no matter how much scheming, manipulating, or treachery it required."
This is not your Bella of Twilight. This is Bonnie Grayduck, the heroine of The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten. Bonnie is the “anti-Bella.” Whereas Bella was sweet, innocent, clumsy, and bland, Bonnie is the total opposite. Bonnie is slutty, manipulative, scheming, and sociopathic. Don’t mess with her. Don’t get in her way. In some ways Bonnie reminds me of Showtime’s Dexter, only Dexter has a moral code.
Written in journal form from Bonnie’s point of view, The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten is a funny, twisted parody of the Twilight series. It was interested being in Bonnie’s mind as she carefully plans her next conquest or her next character assassination through Facebook. Since Bonnie’s point of view is a little skewed and prone to some digressions, an omniscient narrator fills in the gaps in the story. I enjoyed the narrator as he told us about the townspeople and their efforts to eradicate vampires.
Our story takes place in the small Central Minnesotan town of Lake Woebegotten. Bonnie leaves her sunny California home to live with her father Harry. She needs to put some distance between herself and her old school after some unfortunate events.
All of the Twilight characters appear in this book. Some have clever name changes: Argyle Scullen, Edwin Scullen, Joachim Noir, Willy Noir to name a few. Some characters are pretty close to their Twilight roots, others are just a bit off. The local native band get furry – but they’re were-bears.
The book follows the events in the Twilight books. Yes, the vampires do play a sport. No, it’s not baseball. Edwin does save someone from being squished by a truck, Bonnie shops with the girls at the local town, Edwin saves Bonnie from the frat boys, Bonnie has dinner with Edwin, etc.
This book is fun to read and the author’s take on the Twilight story is hilarious at times. While I did get a lot of laughs from this book, I did find it just a little bit too long.
If you liked the Twilight series and have a good sense of humor, you’ll like this book.
If you like to poke fun at Twilight and are familiar with the characters, you may enjoy this book.
If you hated Bella in Twilight, you’ll probably love Bonnie. She’s twisted.
*Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book.
Check out my review on Badass Book Reviews
April 10, 2012
The premise if this book is fun: what if Bella from Twilight wasn't really a shy, awkward kid, but was actually a manipulative, psychotic murderer and all of her shy, bumbling ways were planned behaviors to mask her real intentions? The book very closely mirrors Twilight, very much like Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and that style of parody. If you like that kind of thing you'll likely get a chuckle out of this. I enjoyed the first hundred pages or so a lot. I thought that it wouldn't be as funny if I hadn't (a) read Twilight, (b) liked it, and (c) had a sense of humor about it. Diehard fans definitely won't appreciate it because it's obviously making fun of the book, although really it doesn't ridicule it that much at all, just presents a different angle and pokes gentle fun at it. But you know diehard fans won't be happy with any poking fun at their beloved characters or books. And people who hate the whole idea of Twilight will probably be annoyed by the it because it really closely matches the book. Too much, as it turns out.
By the middle of the book it got boring, it was just too close to Twilight. It wasn't quirky enough, there wasn't enough action or snark, and there definitely was not enough Lake Woebegotten. It was just too much a scene-for-scene retelling of Twilight with a few semi-snarky comments from Bonnie and changing of the pertinent names and such to make it a parody. So they didn't play baseball, they played hockey, that is hardly interesting.
As a fan of The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten, what would have really spiced it up was more interaction with the characters from the town. There were a few scenes throughout the book dealing with people from town, clearly leading up to something, but they really weren't utilized extensively until the end. It was also confusing as to whether this was a prequel or what. It turns out that it's really an alternate history, kind of like James Lovegrove with his Greek, Egyptian, Norse and now Astec versions of Earth. There are several people who die in both Woebegotten books, people who have different jobs, and a lot of fun parallels as well, so there are things that will satisfy fans of Zombies. But not as much as I'd hoped for, and not as much as the book needed to make it more interesting and original. By page 200 things finally picked up again, but it was quite a dry spell in between.
Overall, Zombies was just wittier. It kept me constantly amused. Maybe because I hadn't read the book it was based on? Was Zombies as faithful to the book it was based on as this one was? I have no way to compare at this point. This book just wasn't as biting and clever as I wanted it to be, but it's a fun idea pretty-well executed.
By the middle of the book it got boring, it was just too close to Twilight. It wasn't quirky enough, there wasn't enough action or snark, and there definitely was not enough Lake Woebegotten. It was just too much a scene-for-scene retelling of Twilight with a few semi-snarky comments from Bonnie and changing of the pertinent names and such to make it a parody. So they didn't play baseball, they played hockey, that is hardly interesting.
As a fan of The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten, what would have really spiced it up was more interaction with the characters from the town. There were a few scenes throughout the book dealing with people from town, clearly leading up to something, but they really weren't utilized extensively until the end. It was also confusing as to whether this was a prequel or what. It turns out that it's really an alternate history, kind of like James Lovegrove with his Greek, Egyptian, Norse and now Astec versions of Earth. There are several people who die in both Woebegotten books, people who have different jobs, and a lot of fun parallels as well, so there are things that will satisfy fans of Zombies. But not as much as I'd hoped for, and not as much as the book needed to make it more interesting and original. By page 200 things finally picked up again, but it was quite a dry spell in between.
Overall, Zombies was just wittier. It kept me constantly amused. Maybe because I hadn't read the book it was based on? Was Zombies as faithful to the book it was based on as this one was? I have no way to compare at this point. This book just wasn't as biting and clever as I wanted it to be, but it's a fun idea pretty-well executed.
July 21, 2011
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten is the funniest book I’ve read all year. As the title suggests, The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten is a crossover parody of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight (and New Moon) and Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegon Days. I would have never thought that pairing those three books together would be so funny, but hats off to the author, Harrison Geillor, for seeing the wonderful comedic potential in this idea and bringing it to life.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten has some particularly hilarious moments. Any scene involving the not-technically-town drunk Gunther Montcrief is sure to be hilarious. After witnessing a vampire stalk and kill a deer in the woods, Gunther (drunkenly) relates the tale to his fellow bar-patrons thusly:
Yesterday, ’round about twilight, out near my place. Don’t know who. Some fella, maybe seventeen, eighteen. He didn’t look like anything special, but he moved fast as a greased pig with a lightning bolt up his ass.
I prefer to believe that it’s not my own childishness that makes such lines worthy of laughing out loud for five minutes straight–Geillor is just that funny.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten follows the basic plot line of Twilight: Bonnie Grayduck (Bella) moves from her mother’s house in Santa Cruz, California to live with her father in Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota–a nod to the fictional Lake Wobegon of Keillor’s novels. There Bonnie meets with vampires and shape-shifting Ojibwe, and boy-meets-girl is on. Geillor adds elements from New Moon later in the plot, including a sudden breakup after a birthday party gone wrong, and a shapeshifter-human-vampire love triangle.
The twist? Bonnie has Antisocial Personality Disorder, a trait that makes her unique as a narrator and makes the reader wonder whose life she’s going to ruin next. I enjoyed the manipulative, dangerous parody of Meyer’s shy, submissive Bella Swan. Also satisfying was Geillor’s portrayal of the vampire love interest, Edwin, as less-than-perfect. He’s geeky, emo, too precise and has a crazy ex-girlfriend. Geillor’s Edwin is much more three-dimensional than the Twilight template and left me feeling content, even if the ending was (perfectly) less than happily-ever-after. It just wouldn’t be right to cap a story like this with mushiness and easy love after all the psychopathy, mayhem, and gore.
If you love Twilight, Lake Wobegon Days, or just love a good laugh. you need to read this book. Entertainment this good doesn’t come along every day.
*I received this ebook free from NetGalley.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten has some particularly hilarious moments. Any scene involving the not-technically-town drunk Gunther Montcrief is sure to be hilarious. After witnessing a vampire stalk and kill a deer in the woods, Gunther (drunkenly) relates the tale to his fellow bar-patrons thusly:
Yesterday, ’round about twilight, out near my place. Don’t know who. Some fella, maybe seventeen, eighteen. He didn’t look like anything special, but he moved fast as a greased pig with a lightning bolt up his ass.
I prefer to believe that it’s not my own childishness that makes such lines worthy of laughing out loud for five minutes straight–Geillor is just that funny.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten follows the basic plot line of Twilight: Bonnie Grayduck (Bella) moves from her mother’s house in Santa Cruz, California to live with her father in Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota–a nod to the fictional Lake Wobegon of Keillor’s novels. There Bonnie meets with vampires and shape-shifting Ojibwe, and boy-meets-girl is on. Geillor adds elements from New Moon later in the plot, including a sudden breakup after a birthday party gone wrong, and a shapeshifter-human-vampire love triangle.
The twist? Bonnie has Antisocial Personality Disorder, a trait that makes her unique as a narrator and makes the reader wonder whose life she’s going to ruin next. I enjoyed the manipulative, dangerous parody of Meyer’s shy, submissive Bella Swan. Also satisfying was Geillor’s portrayal of the vampire love interest, Edwin, as less-than-perfect. He’s geeky, emo, too precise and has a crazy ex-girlfriend. Geillor’s Edwin is much more three-dimensional than the Twilight template and left me feeling content, even if the ending was (perfectly) less than happily-ever-after. It just wouldn’t be right to cap a story like this with mushiness and easy love after all the psychopathy, mayhem, and gore.
If you love Twilight, Lake Wobegon Days, or just love a good laugh. you need to read this book. Entertainment this good doesn’t come along every day.
*I received this ebook free from NetGalley.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2011
If you are a fan of parodies, satire or spoofs. If you loved Twilight, if you hated Twilight OR if you just like to read intriguing, humorous, lovingly weird books. On the other hand, perhaps Garrison Keillor and his Lake Woebegone Novels intrigue you. No matter what piques your curiosity, just get the darn book and have fun readin’!
I'm so surprised that this book was so freakishly enjoyable, since I’m not big on reading parodies. Even if you don't have any knowledge firsthand about "Twilight" you will most likely enjoy this book, especially if you read any sort of speculative fiction.
This book has it all: parody, comedy, sarcasm, Love sociopathic heroines, handsome vampires, and a ton of secrets.
When Bonnie Greyduck (think Bella Swann) has to leave her hometown in sunny California and her mother due to rather unfortunate and bloody circumstances, she moves in with her rather clueless father, who is Police Chief in Lake Woebegotten,Minnesota. There she meets the very handsome and aloof Edwin Scullen who is hiding a secret…yep he’s a vamp, but the good kind that don’t eat people! Moreover, Bonnie just falls all over herself to become Edwin’s girlfriend once she knows his secret. I mean, just think what sort of mayhem a sociopath can wreak if she can become immortal?
Oh I did so love this book, though I admit to having read the original Twilight series, I just don’t think it is necessary for you to have done so in order to find this a funny and satisfying read.
July 17, 2011
Fans of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer who have a sense of humor will get a real kick out of this spoof. The character names are different as is the location, but much of the story is the same until nearly the end of the book. Well with the exception that Bella Swan—named Bonnie Grayduck in this story—isn’t quite the same person we’d gotten to know. She still presents the same shy, somewhat klutzy persona, but underneath she has Antisocial Personality Disorder and her goals are quite a bit different. Seeing the heroine in a different light was somewhat shocking and added a lot of humor to the story. The ending of the book is quite different.
Those who haven’t read Twilight or seen the movie won’t have the same appreciation for this story as those seeing the differences in the Bella/Bonnie character, but I believe they’d still enjoy what this author has published.
Reviewed for NetGalley
Those who haven’t read Twilight or seen the movie won’t have the same appreciation for this story as those seeing the differences in the Bella/Bonnie character, but I believe they’d still enjoy what this author has published.
Reviewed for NetGalley
July 21, 2011
This book is everything Twilight is not. Bonnie have more characteristics I would have liked to see in Bella, and Edwin is well portrayed as more virginal in comparison.
More on this later, it is late, this book was great!
More on this later, it is late, this book was great!
September 28, 2012
I freaking LOVED this book. Thousand times better than Twilight. This a spoof of that book and is far far better, witty, funny and the way Twilight should have been. No way to better explain it then that, you would just have to read it.
October 9, 2019
I thought this book would be funnier that it was. It was a little boring even though the premise was intriguing.
September 15, 2011
If Bella were actually Faith (of the Buffy fame), and she had gone fully psycho, this is the story you would get. And I don't mean that in a bad way. This book is awesome.
"First, Edwin was a vampire.
Second, he loved me--or at least thought my blood smelled delicious, which, for a vampire, was probably the next best thing.
And third, I would get him to turn me into a vampire too, no matter how much scheming, manipulation, or treachery it required."
-Harrison Geillor, The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten (uncorrected proof)
From the hilarious lines, to the outrageous personalities, I loved every page. I loved the scheming and manipulating Bonnie, and the utterly clueless Edwin. The twists and turns were extreme at times, and expected at others. And the ending blew me away by its unforeseen, but subtle warning of what would happen next.
The only downside is that this is a book I would probably only recommend to adults, or at least mature teens. Being inside Bonnie's head is an experience all on its own; she has no censor and gets a bit crude at times. Her thoughts are sometimes dark, and the story doesn't hold back on the murder and bad deeds. I would have liked to have seen a little less of this, but in all honesty, that wouldn't have been true to Bonnie's character. Instead, I cringed in a few places and had to skim over some parts to avoid the full impact.
Speaking of Bonnie, she's one of those characters who I just love to hate. She is a complete sociopath! It was both horrifying and amusing to read her thoughts about the people and situations she encountered. I really shouldn't have thought her so funny--there was a certain dark meaning behind every thought--but her complete inability to censor her thoughts was pretty hilarious. She has a knack for seeing the truth in situations, and using it to her advantage. I hated what she was doing, but was fascinated by her at the same time. She is a true sociopath--in name and actions. And yes, you can consider that a warning.
What I loved most is that even with all the humor about Twilight, it is never viscous. Yes, the story isn't exactly the same as the one we all know (and how could it be, with Psycho-Faith taking the reigns?), but I was afraid it would openly condemn all things Twilight, and I was glad to find none of that. In fact, it is a parody of the author's own book, The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten, as much as it is a parody of Twilight.
All-in-all, whether you are a fan or not, this is a Twilight parody you can enjoy. There are some added characters who make things very interesting and change the story just a bit, but we still see the characters we are all familiar with--only now we see them through Bonnie's eyes. And with the twisted, tongue-in-cheek humor, you'll find yourself laughing out loud just as I did.
This review was originally published on my blog, The Reading Fever.
*I received a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 19, 2011
You don't have to be a Twilight fan to like this book, although I do recommend that you have a rudimentary knowledge of the series. This is a lot of fun to read, especially for the nice little twists that the author throws on the various characters. If you're worried about someone poking fun at the Twilight series, then relax. There's nothing particularly horrible in this that you or a friend haven't already poked fun at yourselves.
I have to admit that what really drew me to this book was that the author was parodying two separate groups: Harrison Keillor and Twilight. It's a pretty unusual mixture, which is probably why this book works so well as a parody. It's not the typical Twilight parody that's out there & I also liked that this wasn't as mean spirited as some of the other parodies out there can be. (Although in fairness I'm referring more to the various parodies out there in the fanfic-verse, so they weren't polished up like this book was.)
It really was a great idea to make Bonnie into a sociopath, which made a lot of sense in this story. It explains a lot of her actions as well as providing just enough entertainment value to keep me interested. I also liked how the book tries very hard to follow the storyline of the Twilight saga. It's just close enough to where you can spot when the shifts to the plots of each different book happens, but not to the point where it's overly awkward or jarring.
It's not all sunshine & puppies, though. While I did enjoy the book I also found that it just got a little old after a while. I would get into the book, only to find my attention wandering every once in a while. I'd enjoy the bits and pieces I read, but this really is something that I'd recommend more in small doses. It's the type of book that you read along with another book & flip through when you need a little something to clear your mind. It's more of an aperitif than a main course.
This is sort of par for the course, though. It's very difficult to find a parody novel that you'd want to read the entire way through. The problem with novel-length parodies is that it's pretty hard to keep the same level of entertainment & humor throughout the book. Geillor does an admirable job of this, but falls short of being something that held my attention non-stop throughout the entire book. I can't really see this as a major flaw since most parody books aren't really meant to be the attention grabbers that their more serious bretheren are.
For what this is, it's pretty good. Fans of Twilight will enjoy the spoof & the anti-fans will love seeing the sendups of the various characters. It's not a "ZOMG! BUY IT NOW!1!" type of read, but it's the type of book that will undoubtedly get a lot of readers through word of mouth. It's something that you absolutely must get if you see it at the library & a possible buy if you see it at the bookstore & like what you see.
3/5
(ARC provided by Netgalley)
I have to admit that what really drew me to this book was that the author was parodying two separate groups: Harrison Keillor and Twilight. It's a pretty unusual mixture, which is probably why this book works so well as a parody. It's not the typical Twilight parody that's out there & I also liked that this wasn't as mean spirited as some of the other parodies out there can be. (Although in fairness I'm referring more to the various parodies out there in the fanfic-verse, so they weren't polished up like this book was.)
It really was a great idea to make Bonnie into a sociopath, which made a lot of sense in this story. It explains a lot of her actions as well as providing just enough entertainment value to keep me interested. I also liked how the book tries very hard to follow the storyline of the Twilight saga. It's just close enough to where you can spot when the shifts to the plots of each different book happens, but not to the point where it's overly awkward or jarring.
It's not all sunshine & puppies, though. While I did enjoy the book I also found that it just got a little old after a while. I would get into the book, only to find my attention wandering every once in a while. I'd enjoy the bits and pieces I read, but this really is something that I'd recommend more in small doses. It's the type of book that you read along with another book & flip through when you need a little something to clear your mind. It's more of an aperitif than a main course.
This is sort of par for the course, though. It's very difficult to find a parody novel that you'd want to read the entire way through. The problem with novel-length parodies is that it's pretty hard to keep the same level of entertainment & humor throughout the book. Geillor does an admirable job of this, but falls short of being something that held my attention non-stop throughout the entire book. I can't really see this as a major flaw since most parody books aren't really meant to be the attention grabbers that their more serious bretheren are.
For what this is, it's pretty good. Fans of Twilight will enjoy the spoof & the anti-fans will love seeing the sendups of the various characters. It's not a "ZOMG! BUY IT NOW!1!" type of read, but it's the type of book that will undoubtedly get a lot of readers through word of mouth. It's something that you absolutely must get if you see it at the library & a possible buy if you see it at the bookstore & like what you see.
3/5
(ARC provided by Netgalley)
August 28, 2011
Originally published at my blog Chasing Empty Pavements
The Good: This book had me rolling on the floor laughing. Seriously. Fans or haters of Twilight will enjoy this book, readers who like creative parodies or spoofs will enjoy this book and readers who like humorous, dark and strange stories will enjoy this book. In fact, even the people who've never read or heard of Twilight would enjoy this book because it's great as a stand alone book. Harrison Geillor takes our main characters from Twilight and while subtly keeping their characteristics they are famous for, adds a twist to each of them. Bella is Bonnie, Edward is Edwin, Jacob is Jaoquin and so on and so forth. Geillor creatively navigates through ALL of Meyer's Twilight series and mocks the entire thing. But he's not mocking it in a crude or mean way, he's taking the characters and showing readers what COULD have been the story. For example, in Twilight, Bella is a bit shy, clumsy and the "plain" girl. She wants to fit in, doesn't have much confidence and goes to live with her dad because she wants her mom to be happy. Geillor chooses to swap these characteristic and instead say that Bonnie is shy, clumsy and "plain" because she CHOOSES to be. It's all part of a plan. She is not the innocent, naive girl that Meyers writers her as but rather a more confident, manipulative and crazy teenager. Plainly put she is a sociopath. I LOVED IT! Everything about this book made me laugh because (and this is just MY opinion) but I am not a huge fan of Twilight and I loved seeing someone rework the novel into something that is ten times better than the original book. It was well written, funny, unique and honestly a great story whether or not someone knew it was written about Twilight. I also loved some of the new minor characters that Geillor added in like the "Narrator" and the "Liaison" between the Vamps and the Wolves.
The Bad: Not too much bad to say about this book. I did think the creepiness and darkness of Bonnie's character got a wee bit out of control. I totally understand what Geillor was doing when he started going in that direction and I enjoyed her throughout, but I think her "evil" could have been toned down just a bit. I also thought it was a little longer than it should have been. Could have been cut down just a little.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this book! I would give it a A- Like I said earlier, many different kinds of readers will enjoy this book however, I will say this: If you are a die hard Twilight fan and get upset when people make fun of the books, characters etc and you don't EVER want to see a different version other than the one Stephenie Meyers wrote, then this book is NOT for you. Just a warning!
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The Good: This book had me rolling on the floor laughing. Seriously. Fans or haters of Twilight will enjoy this book, readers who like creative parodies or spoofs will enjoy this book and readers who like humorous, dark and strange stories will enjoy this book. In fact, even the people who've never read or heard of Twilight would enjoy this book because it's great as a stand alone book. Harrison Geillor takes our main characters from Twilight and while subtly keeping their characteristics they are famous for, adds a twist to each of them. Bella is Bonnie, Edward is Edwin, Jacob is Jaoquin and so on and so forth. Geillor creatively navigates through ALL of Meyer's Twilight series and mocks the entire thing. But he's not mocking it in a crude or mean way, he's taking the characters and showing readers what COULD have been the story. For example, in Twilight, Bella is a bit shy, clumsy and the "plain" girl. She wants to fit in, doesn't have much confidence and goes to live with her dad because she wants her mom to be happy. Geillor chooses to swap these characteristic and instead say that Bonnie is shy, clumsy and "plain" because she CHOOSES to be. It's all part of a plan. She is not the innocent, naive girl that Meyers writers her as but rather a more confident, manipulative and crazy teenager. Plainly put she is a sociopath. I LOVED IT! Everything about this book made me laugh because (and this is just MY opinion) but I am not a huge fan of Twilight and I loved seeing someone rework the novel into something that is ten times better than the original book. It was well written, funny, unique and honestly a great story whether or not someone knew it was written about Twilight. I also loved some of the new minor characters that Geillor added in like the "Narrator" and the "Liaison" between the Vamps and the Wolves.
The Bad: Not too much bad to say about this book. I did think the creepiness and darkness of Bonnie's character got a wee bit out of control. I totally understand what Geillor was doing when he started going in that direction and I enjoyed her throughout, but I think her "evil" could have been toned down just a bit. I also thought it was a little longer than it should have been. Could have been cut down just a little.
Overall, I really really enjoyed this book! I would give it a A- Like I said earlier, many different kinds of readers will enjoy this book however, I will say this: If you are a die hard Twilight fan and get upset when people make fun of the books, characters etc and you don't EVER want to see a different version other than the one Stephenie Meyers wrote, then this book is NOT for you. Just a warning!
**I received this book free from the publisher through www.netgalley.com. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
July 18, 2014
Is it a horror novel or comedy? Readers will be the final judge in the end.
I do not like horror novels. There are a few slight exceptions now and then that I've discovered by accident. But. For the most part, I don't seek out horror novels. So, if I don't seek out horror novels, why would I read The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten? For one reason, primarily. The book pokes fun at Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. It asks a big 'what if?' What if the heroine is not good, clumsy, and naive? What if the heroine is evil and manipulative? What if she wears a mask in every relationship? Being who she needs to be--in that moment--to get what she ultimately wants?
Bonnie Grayduck is the heroine who appears to fall madly and deeply in love with Edwin Scullen, a vampire. And she is one of the monsters in this horror novel. The events loosely fit into the Twilight books, so, one could definitely see the book as being a parody. But this parody isn't a ha-ha parody.
Bonnie is a dark person. She doesn't think nice, happy thoughts. She wants what she wants when she wants it. It is all about power and control and desire. And she has adult desires. Don't expect the "innocent" tension or chemistry from Twilight. This book is for more mature readers, I'd say.
Quotes:
So Edwin had taken a sudden trip to Canada. Interesting. It was insane to think he'd left town because of me...but in my experience, most things in the world do seem to resolve around me. And if they don't start out that way, they get there eventually. (50, ARC)
"Ike's great," I said, because if I told her I thought he was podgy and dull she'd get offended, "but I like Edwin."
She looked at me, now. "Really? Scullen? You don't like Ike?"
"I like him, what's not to like, but, not that way."
"I don't understand you," J said, voice heavy with mistrust. "Ike is so sweet and good and kind, and Edwin...he's so cold and condescending and superior."
I gave a great sigh. "I know. I've always been attracted to boys like that." (80, ARC)
I'm not much of a reader, but if I was, apparently I'd have a hard time reading any novel written in the last fifty years that didn't have a brooding sexy conflicted vampire in it--the shelves were just full of the stuff. (91, ARC)
"You are a brave, wonderful, suicidally stupid, diplomatic-incident-causing, amazing woman," Edwin said, kissing my face all over. We were in my bed, two nights after Gretchen's very timely demise. He'd only been back for about ten minutes, and he'd already called me names, clutched me to his bosom, sobbed a bit, brooded a fair amount, and proclaimed his love in a fairly operatic fashion. He'd finally settled down to snuggling me in bed which was rather less exhausting. (196, ARC)
I do not like horror novels. There are a few slight exceptions now and then that I've discovered by accident. But. For the most part, I don't seek out horror novels. So, if I don't seek out horror novels, why would I read The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten? For one reason, primarily. The book pokes fun at Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. It asks a big 'what if?' What if the heroine is not good, clumsy, and naive? What if the heroine is evil and manipulative? What if she wears a mask in every relationship? Being who she needs to be--in that moment--to get what she ultimately wants?
Bonnie Grayduck is the heroine who appears to fall madly and deeply in love with Edwin Scullen, a vampire. And she is one of the monsters in this horror novel. The events loosely fit into the Twilight books, so, one could definitely see the book as being a parody. But this parody isn't a ha-ha parody.
Bonnie is a dark person. She doesn't think nice, happy thoughts. She wants what she wants when she wants it. It is all about power and control and desire. And she has adult desires. Don't expect the "innocent" tension or chemistry from Twilight. This book is for more mature readers, I'd say.
Quotes:
So Edwin had taken a sudden trip to Canada. Interesting. It was insane to think he'd left town because of me...but in my experience, most things in the world do seem to resolve around me. And if they don't start out that way, they get there eventually. (50, ARC)
"Ike's great," I said, because if I told her I thought he was podgy and dull she'd get offended, "but I like Edwin."
She looked at me, now. "Really? Scullen? You don't like Ike?"
"I like him, what's not to like, but, not that way."
"I don't understand you," J said, voice heavy with mistrust. "Ike is so sweet and good and kind, and Edwin...he's so cold and condescending and superior."
I gave a great sigh. "I know. I've always been attracted to boys like that." (80, ARC)
I'm not much of a reader, but if I was, apparently I'd have a hard time reading any novel written in the last fifty years that didn't have a brooding sexy conflicted vampire in it--the shelves were just full of the stuff. (91, ARC)
"You are a brave, wonderful, suicidally stupid, diplomatic-incident-causing, amazing woman," Edwin said, kissing my face all over. We were in my bed, two nights after Gretchen's very timely demise. He'd only been back for about ten minutes, and he'd already called me names, clutched me to his bosom, sobbed a bit, brooded a fair amount, and proclaimed his love in a fairly operatic fashion. He'd finally settled down to snuggling me in bed which was rather less exhausting. (196, ARC)
April 16, 2012
Reviewed by Autumn
I’m sarcastic.
That being said, if you’re a serious, diehard Twilight fan who thinks Stephenie Meyer is a writing goddess, then this book is not for you. It tears apart the Twilight universe, spins it on its head while adding darkness, humor, and sarcasm.
Needless to say, I ‘effing loved this book.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten opens with Bonnie Grayduck moving from sunny California to snowy, dreary, small town Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota. Bonnie didn’t leave California with unselfish reasoning, rather, her high school principal suspected her of killing someone.
Yes, you read that right. Bonnie always has an agenda of her own and hasn’t been innocent for ages. I’m guessing since she learned how to walk. Perhaps even before that. Her mind is always spinning a way to make things go her way and yet have her come out looking innocent. She’s devious. She’s devilish. And in my opinion, she’s seriously mentally unstable. In Minnesota, Bonnie decides to make nice with her lab partner, Edwin. She even has a puppy dog nerd following her who is simply named Ike. The other “friends” she makes at school? She really can’t stand them. She tolerates the one that gets them pot.
*Insert the horror of having started writing this review on October 21, 2011 and the fact that I never finished it. Slaps self on wrist. Bad webmaster, bad webmaster!*
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten somehow ends up being dark and funny at the same time. I highlighted so many passages and quotes on my Kindle. I’m serious – literally 19 pages of ‘em!
“Man, did you kill Scullen’s dog or something?” he said, and I twitched a little, though I hadn’t killed anyone’s dog in ages.”
People are much more surprised when you dislocate their shoulders or choke them unconscious or chase them down in the woods if they think you’re physically graceless.
Edwin was a teenage boy. He wouldn’t be hard to get – none of them are, at least, no once I managed to get them hard.
It was insane to think he’d left town because of me… but in my experience, most things in the world do seem to revolve around me. And if they don’t start out that way, they get there eventually.
While The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten does very loosely follow the same path of Twilight in regards to a female character moving to a small town it veers off course in a severely twisted manner… which I loved. If you like parodies, dark humor, and vampires I highly suggest you check out The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten.
I’m sarcastic.
That being said, if you’re a serious, diehard Twilight fan who thinks Stephenie Meyer is a writing goddess, then this book is not for you. It tears apart the Twilight universe, spins it on its head while adding darkness, humor, and sarcasm.
Needless to say, I ‘effing loved this book.
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten opens with Bonnie Grayduck moving from sunny California to snowy, dreary, small town Lake Woebegotten, Minnesota. Bonnie didn’t leave California with unselfish reasoning, rather, her high school principal suspected her of killing someone.
Yes, you read that right. Bonnie always has an agenda of her own and hasn’t been innocent for ages. I’m guessing since she learned how to walk. Perhaps even before that. Her mind is always spinning a way to make things go her way and yet have her come out looking innocent. She’s devious. She’s devilish. And in my opinion, she’s seriously mentally unstable. In Minnesota, Bonnie decides to make nice with her lab partner, Edwin. She even has a puppy dog nerd following her who is simply named Ike. The other “friends” she makes at school? She really can’t stand them. She tolerates the one that gets them pot.
*Insert the horror of having started writing this review on October 21, 2011 and the fact that I never finished it. Slaps self on wrist. Bad webmaster, bad webmaster!*
The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten somehow ends up being dark and funny at the same time. I highlighted so many passages and quotes on my Kindle. I’m serious – literally 19 pages of ‘em!
“Man, did you kill Scullen’s dog or something?” he said, and I twitched a little, though I hadn’t killed anyone’s dog in ages.”
People are much more surprised when you dislocate their shoulders or choke them unconscious or chase them down in the woods if they think you’re physically graceless.
Edwin was a teenage boy. He wouldn’t be hard to get – none of them are, at least, no once I managed to get them hard.
It was insane to think he’d left town because of me… but in my experience, most things in the world do seem to revolve around me. And if they don’t start out that way, they get there eventually.
While The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten does very loosely follow the same path of Twilight in regards to a female character moving to a small town it veers off course in a severely twisted manner… which I loved. If you like parodies, dark humor, and vampires I highly suggest you check out The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten.
October 26, 2011
I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
This book was truly a hilarious spoof of Twilight!! Starting with the names: Bella Swan is now Bonnie Grayduck, Edward Cullen is Edwin Scullen, Jacob Black is Joachim Noir (my favorite!!), and Carlisle Cullen is Argyle Scullen! And that's just the start! This book takes everything you think you know about the original characters and turns it on its ear! Instead of the innocent, Bonnie is the psycho doing the pursuing, and Edwin becomes the prey. Every move Bonnie makes is calculated to answer one simple question: How does this help me? How does this help me meet my needs? Bonnie wants to be a vampire and she's not about to let a little thing like Edwin not wanting to turn her (due to living a lonesome existence without a soul, etc.) stop her. In fact, she pretty much already doesn't have a soul, or a conscience, but she keeps that a secret.
From Goodreads: "A small town... a plucky heroin, a shiny vampire, and a hunkey Native American rival with a secret. But all is not as it seems in Lake Woebegotten."
Poor Joachim gets stuck in the middle, as usual! When his family secret comes out, he has to learn how to live as a werebear! Yes, you read it right: A Wear-bear!!! Didn't I say it was hilarious!
The only problem I had, and the reason that I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, is that Bonnie was just so annoying and unlikable! I know that was the whole point, but not liking the main character makes it kind of hard to totally enjoy a book. Other than that small sticking point, I can completely recommend this book to all spoof lovers out there, and anyone who loves to laugh at Twilight :D
This book was truly a hilarious spoof of Twilight!! Starting with the names: Bella Swan is now Bonnie Grayduck, Edward Cullen is Edwin Scullen, Jacob Black is Joachim Noir (my favorite!!), and Carlisle Cullen is Argyle Scullen! And that's just the start! This book takes everything you think you know about the original characters and turns it on its ear! Instead of the innocent, Bonnie is the psycho doing the pursuing, and Edwin becomes the prey. Every move Bonnie makes is calculated to answer one simple question: How does this help me? How does this help me meet my needs? Bonnie wants to be a vampire and she's not about to let a little thing like Edwin not wanting to turn her (due to living a lonesome existence without a soul, etc.) stop her. In fact, she pretty much already doesn't have a soul, or a conscience, but she keeps that a secret.
From Goodreads: "A small town... a plucky heroin, a shiny vampire, and a hunkey Native American rival with a secret. But all is not as it seems in Lake Woebegotten."
Poor Joachim gets stuck in the middle, as usual! When his family secret comes out, he has to learn how to live as a werebear! Yes, you read it right: A Wear-bear!!! Didn't I say it was hilarious!
The only problem I had, and the reason that I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5, is that Bonnie was just so annoying and unlikable! I know that was the whole point, but not liking the main character makes it kind of hard to totally enjoy a book. Other than that small sticking point, I can completely recommend this book to all spoof lovers out there, and anyone who loves to laugh at Twilight :D
September 16, 2013
Disclaimer #1.) I hate Stephanie Meyers' work, let me be clear about that. I was forced to read the first Twilight "book" by some friends who were swept up in the craze at the very beginning and then forced to watch the first movie. These things are total garbage. Disclaimer #2.) I'm from Minnesota. I feel I should state these 2 things, because they inform most of my feelings toward this book. I found this send-up to be fairly funny, very twisted and much better written than it's source material. Bonnie Greyduck, even though she's a sociopath, is still infinitely more likable and capable than Bella Swan and Edwyn is the naive, gullible dupe we all know Edward Cullen to be. But, I didn't like this book anywhere near as much as 'Zombies of Lake Woebegotten.' It wasn't as funny or sharp and even though it makes fun of 'Twilight,' it's still derivative of an epic pile of horseshit. Still, the MN references were hilarious, from the condolence hotdishes to the fantastic joke that is Bonnie Greyduck's name. (and only people who grew up in MN know why that's funny) I don't know who this Harrison Geillor guy really is, but he's one funny, smart dude.
August 11, 2015
I had read The Zombies of Lake Woebegotten and loved it, so, of course I had to read this too when I came across it.
It is just as funny as the other Woebegotten tale, and, you don't have to have read Twilight to enjoy it, but, I'm sure it's funnier if you have.
Bonnie Grayduck is a Sociopath, and, after an 'accident', (we later find out there was more than one), involving the death of a classmate at the High School she attends in Santa Cruz, where she lives with her ditzy mom, Bonnie thinks it might be an opportune time to move and spend some quality time with the father she hasn't seen since she was, about, 12 years old.
She transfers to Lake Woebegotten High and sees that the other students are the same as those at her last school: Inferior beings, only there for her amusement. Until she gets her first glimpse of Edwin Scullen and his equally beautiful family. Bonnie wants Edwin bad, and what she wants she gets. The fact that he's a vampire? Well, that is just icing on the cake..now, if she can just get him to agree to turn her into an Immortal Killing Machine as well, they can live happily ever after, or, some approximation of such.
It is just as funny as the other Woebegotten tale, and, you don't have to have read Twilight to enjoy it, but, I'm sure it's funnier if you have.
Bonnie Grayduck is a Sociopath, and, after an 'accident', (we later find out there was more than one), involving the death of a classmate at the High School she attends in Santa Cruz, where she lives with her ditzy mom, Bonnie thinks it might be an opportune time to move and spend some quality time with the father she hasn't seen since she was, about, 12 years old.
She transfers to Lake Woebegotten High and sees that the other students are the same as those at her last school: Inferior beings, only there for her amusement. Until she gets her first glimpse of Edwin Scullen and his equally beautiful family. Bonnie wants Edwin bad, and what she wants she gets. The fact that he's a vampire? Well, that is just icing on the cake..now, if she can just get him to agree to turn her into an Immortal Killing Machine as well, they can live happily ever after, or, some approximation of such.
October 2, 2011
I really wasn't sure what to expect with a Twilight parody but I wasn't too impressed. I think my biggest issue was how the book was written. Something about it was just a little bothersome. I feel as if the characters did a lot of talking in rounds about the same thing which made it a little difficult to enjoy but I know it was written a certain way for effects.
This book was funny though and I can see how the book incorporated some parts of Twilight in it. I think it's funny that Bonnie is a sociopath that's committed several crimes and has the urge to do it again. Also, I like how she muses about her brooding ways, even though she wouldn't do that because she has no need.
If you're looking for a Twilight parody that is sort of funny, but not laugh out loud funny, then this would be a nice book to read. But, be forewarned, this book was quite a few surprising moments that I really never expected to happen!
This book was funny though and I can see how the book incorporated some parts of Twilight in it. I think it's funny that Bonnie is a sociopath that's committed several crimes and has the urge to do it again. Also, I like how she muses about her brooding ways, even though she wouldn't do that because she has no need.
If you're looking for a Twilight parody that is sort of funny, but not laugh out loud funny, then this would be a nice book to read. But, be forewarned, this book was quite a few surprising moments that I really never expected to happen!
February 27, 2016
What starts out as a straight parody of Twilight (which would have been just fine, btw) evolves into something a lot more interesting. Harrison uses Stephanie Meyer's novels as a template and then makes the story very much his own, a tale that is extremely funny but also amazingly dark. Bonnie Greyduck (ha, ha) is a fascinating lead character; a mastermind of manipulation, and perfect for turning Twilight on its sparkly ear. She's a pretty unlikable character, but in this context you can't help rooting for her as she twists Edwin Scullen (ha, ha) and everyone else around her middle finger.
Harrison also plays with novel POV format, alternating between Bonnie's first person pov (in the form of her journal) and the Narrator (also a character in the story, who can't help but narrate everything around him) who fills in details Bonnie isn't present for. Great stuff! I can't wait to read Zombies of Lake Woebegotten.
Harrison also plays with novel POV format, alternating between Bonnie's first person pov (in the form of her journal) and the Narrator (also a character in the story, who can't help but narrate everything around him) who fills in details Bonnie isn't present for. Great stuff! I can't wait to read Zombies of Lake Woebegotten.
December 15, 2014
I received a free digital copy through Net Galley.
Obviously this book is a spoof of Twilight, but it was more than that. While it was easy to determine who the characters were paralleling, they also stood on their own as new characters, rather than caricatures of the Twilight characters. Right off the bat we meet "The Narrator," someone who has promised to fill in the gaps of the story as the heroin, Bonnie Greyduck, shares her journal. Bonnie, put simply, is a nutcase and the small town of Lake Woebegotten doesn't know what's about to hit them! This was just as over the top as its precursor, but much more raw, and honest. However, in the last few chapters of the book, the similarities dwindle and it turns into something quite dark. I would recommend this book to fans of spoofs and anti-Twilighters, or anyone looking for some dark humor.
P.S. Coffee is my favorite smell, too! ;)
Obviously this book is a spoof of Twilight, but it was more than that. While it was easy to determine who the characters were paralleling, they also stood on their own as new characters, rather than caricatures of the Twilight characters. Right off the bat we meet "The Narrator," someone who has promised to fill in the gaps of the story as the heroin, Bonnie Greyduck, shares her journal. Bonnie, put simply, is a nutcase and the small town of Lake Woebegotten doesn't know what's about to hit them! This was just as over the top as its precursor, but much more raw, and honest. However, in the last few chapters of the book, the similarities dwindle and it turns into something quite dark. I would recommend this book to fans of spoofs and anti-Twilighters, or anyone looking for some dark humor.
P.S. Coffee is my favorite smell, too! ;)
August 25, 2011
I really can't say anything bad about The Twilight of Lake Woebegotten. It was a dark, humorous parody of the Twilight series. I was surprised that it encompassed not only Twilight, but also New Moon, Eclipse, with hints of Breaking Dawn.
There were tons of lines and passages in this book that I highlighted on my Kindle that made me laugh out loud. Honestly, I can't think of a bad thing to say about it.
There were tons of lines and passages in this book that I highlighted on my Kindle that made me laugh out loud. Honestly, I can't think of a bad thing to say about it.
July 15, 2017
I struggle with my review for this one. I loved how dark and macabre the ending was, but I felt like the first part of the book was a little slow. It tries too hard to follow the Twilight series, which I think resulted in missed opportunities to really make these characters come alive. I loved that the protagonist is really the antagonist here, but I thought that could have been better developed.
December 14, 2011
This was an AWESOME retelling of Twilight where Bonnie (Bella) is a manipulative sociopath serial killer and Edwin (Edward) is just as much a sappy moody vampire as in the org. book. It made me laugh, there was so pretty yuck romance moments but in the end it was satire, sick humour and great unpleasantness. Something to read again for sure.
June 28, 2012
i enjoyed the book. i live in central minnesota and also enjoy listening to prairie home companion. i found the humor interesting, though the language ( "f"***) used in to many places was so unnecessary and did disrupt my enjoyment of the telling. i think it really should unfortunately limit the audience to adult only. if not for the language i would definately have given it a 5!
April 2, 2013
I managed to get through half of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight before throwing it against the wall. This was an amusing parody of the novel. Nothing fabulous but did have a few giggles whilst reading it. The ending was a little unfinished, perhaps a sequel in the works? Would be interesting to see if Bonnie gets rid of Edwin because that's what I would do!
November 6, 2014
TWILIGHT SPOOF !!! Funny as hell !!! Also very insightful into the mind of a true sociopath . If you don't know one seek one out some day and make friends with them or even marry one,I did,they are very interesting people . This book isn't as good as Geillor's ZOMBIES OF WOEBEGOTTEN LAKE but it is definitely a goodread !!!
August 2, 2017
maybe in some other lifetime i will finish this but noooo!
not today.
i couldn't get into it.
i couldn't make it past page 115.
its so boring to me. it doesn't hold my attention and it just doesn't work for me at all.
the one time buying an ebook bites you in the bum.
maybe later on in life, ill jump back into it. but let's be honest,i wont.
if anyone wants to spoil it for me, please do!
not today.
i couldn't get into it.
i couldn't make it past page 115.
its so boring to me. it doesn't hold my attention and it just doesn't work for me at all.
the one time buying an ebook bites you in the bum.
maybe later on in life, ill jump back into it. but let's be honest,i wont.
if anyone wants to spoil it for me, please do!
October 23, 2011
Omigod, this was so much better than Twilight. By a lot. Imagine Twilight if the vampires didn't sparkle in the sun, there were werebears instead of werewolves, and Bella was a sociopath. If you didn't like Twilight, try this book.
January 17, 2012
This is, in several ways, a better book than Twilight. In Twilight, Bella lacks motivation. Why choose a cold, pale, emotionally distant stalker for a love interest? Bonnie has motivation for every action -- she's a psychopath I just wish there were more of The Narrator and less Bonnie.
August 24, 2016
This is great fun and can be read as a standalone by those who've never heard of either Lake Wobegon or the Twilight vampire novels and films.
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