Defending Twilight, or not

Had to listen, yet again, to people disparaging the book, and this time I didn't even bother to defend it.  If people want to miss out on a great read, that's on them.  Even though I was skeptical myself, I get irritated when people dismiss the book out of hand, without ever reading it.  If you can't imagine what the appeal is, read a few chapters and find out!  The truth is, the book is much more Jane Eyre than Anne Rice or Bram Stoker, which becomes apparent almost immediately (Stephenie Meyer was an English Lit major in college; besides citing Jane Eyre and Pride & Prejudice as influences on the first book, the second book makes explicit references to Romeo and Juliet, the third book quotes Wuthering Heights in several places).  Open your mind.  It doesn't make you sophisticated or superior to put down something, just because it's popular.  I like it because it's a good book, not because other people like it, and it doesn't make me smarter or dumber because I like it.  People who have no idea what they're talking about are just that - people who have no idea what they're talking about.