Bella Swan vs. Eden Matthews... all about the role models.

VS

I want to tell you about this great series: it has a love triangle between a stubborn girl, her perfect-looking immortal boyfriend, and her (also immortal) male best-friend. The main character is surrounded by people that can turn into animals, or read minds, are virtually indestructible, are super strong and fast, seem to be allergic to death and she didn't even know these people existed at the beginning of the books. She goes through a lot of impossible things throughout the four-book series, and in the end, after discovering her own unique power, wins a battle against the oppressive ruling class...


It's not what you think. It's really really not.

I'm really trying to tell you about the Star-Crossed series, a kick butt series by Indie Author, Rachel Higginson.

Before I go any farther, Twihards... you are about to get really mad at me. Don't get me wrong, I read the series multiple times and will probably read it again; Meyers certainly writes a page turner... Unfortunately after you finally close the last page you realize you just read a bunch dirty, filthy, crazy-person words that makes it seem ok to not only date an abusive pedophile stalker, but that you, as a [female] person, are defined by your romantic relationships.

So, I'm going to do a little character comparison between two series that seem to have similar archetypal characters.

Both girls start their first day of a new school
Eden is immediately an outcast
Bella is immediately popular and sought out by every boy in school

They both start forming an attraction to a beautiful boy but is soon warned away for very good reasons
Eden tries to follow advice but falls in love anyways
Bella immediately ignores advice and pursues relationship

Boyfriend forbids her from going somewhere
Eden steals a passport and credit card to travel across the world to save her friend anyways
Bella gets slightly frustrated but does nothing

Eden finds out that Kiran is engaged, she tries to ignore and stay away from him
Bella finds out that Edward is 100 years old and sneaks into her room at night to watch her sleep... she blushes.

Eventually they both get their heart broken by their boyfriend when he tried to do something 'for her own good'
Eden breaks up with him and becomes the leader of a revolution intent on destroying the monarchy and freeing her people
Bella goes through months in a fog, doesn't speak to anyone, and eventually starts jumping off cliffs so that she can hallucinate her boyfriends voice

While mourning the loss of their relationship, both girls rely heavily on a best friend that is in love with them
Eden eventually gives a relationship with friend a chance, actively trying to move on from the past
Bella uses him as a buffer from other guys and... er... jumps off cliffs!

Boyfriend says sorry
Eden threatens to kill him
Bella forgives him instantly

To earn back her trust/deserve her love:
Kiran becomes an integral part of the the revolution that plans to kill his father, the king, and helps free his people from oppression
Edward looks deeply into her eyes and promises to never leave again


There are clearly a lot of parallels between these two series; even more than I mentioned. And I'm well aware that I'm being a little harsh on Meyers' series. But I hear so many girls saying 'can't wait to find my Edward'. So many girls content to act like a 'Bella' and live happily ever after.

Bella is not a character that any young girl should strive to be like.

She, my friends, is a wimp. She is a pushover. She is in a relationship with a controlling, overbearing, way-to-old-for-her man, and constantly seeks out dangerous behavior for no good reason, trusting completely that someone else will rescue her if things 'go too far'.

Bella starts this series out as a human and wants nothing more than to be something non-human. When she finally is, Meyers' wrote about how much more Bella could feel and see, her human life being almost like a foggy dream.

Likewise, Eden also starts out the series thinking she is a human... it turns out she isn't, but there is always that respect for humanity. Eden is constantly defending her upbringing (raised as a human) against the immortals that think they're better.

It really just seems like Higginson has more respect for humanity, because being human is just as real as being nonhuman in her books. Sure, the Cullins respect humans by not sucking their blood, but Bella's transformation into a Vampire shows that vampires are far superior than human beings; smarter, faster, and can feel a larger depth of emotion... it seems that Vampires are to humans as humans are to animals, which makes the Cullens 'Vegetarianism' almost offensive. Yes, I'm ranting now...

Back to the subject at hand.

Eden is not a wimp. She is stubborn to the point of density, and she barely figures anything out on her own. I'll say that for Bella; she suspects somethings a little wonky with the Cullen clan, and she tries, and succeeds, in figuring it out. Eden literally blows things up and still needs to be told that she is magic.... But no character is without their flaws. She has a love that is just is strong as Bella's, but Edens love story doesn't define her. It's not who she is, not the most important facet of her life. She is connected to Kiran, they 'complete' each other... but that doesn't mean she's half a person without him. She does things, meets people, kidnaps princes and bodyguards, rescues prisoners... she doesn't just mope around.

Because in real life, if your boyfriend breaks your heart... moping around for months is not healthy. It's not ok. Jumping off cliffs is not a good thing either. You might say 'but she loved him so much'... what if your best friend got dumped and started acting like Bella? Would she be justified in her crazy-pants behavior or would you be scheduling an intervention with her family and a very good therapist?

The point of this blog? I forget...

Wait! Go read the Star-Crossed series. Discover an overpowering love story that at least mimics healthy human behavior. Make a Team Kiran shirt and wear it proudly, cuz that boy actually deserves fan adulation.

Book 1 in the Star-Crossed series is Reckless Magic... It's even free, so go ahead and give it a try. You'll thank me.