Special Collections: Twilight (2008)

New Moon is a romantic fantasy novel that continues the story of Bella Swan as she navigates her senior year of high school without Edward Cullen. After his departure, Bella finds solace in her friendship with Jacob Black, but her life becomes complicated when Jacob's true nature is revealed. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and self-discovery as Bella faces new challenges and dangers.

Twilight Eyes follows Slim Mackenzie, a 17-year-old on the run after killing his uncle, who possesses 'twilight eyes' that allow him to see evil beings called Goblins. Slim joins the Sombra Carnival and becomes embroiled in a plot to prevent a catastrophic event involving the carnival and a town infested with Goblins. The novel is divided into two parts, with the first half set in the carnival and the second half focusing on Slim and his allies investigating and battling the Goblins.

Speak is a powerful novel by Laurie Halse Anderson that follows Melinda Sordino, a high school freshman struggling to cope with the aftermath of a rape at a summer party. The story explores themes of trauma, identity, and finding one's voice, as Melinda navigates her freshman year in silence and isolation. Through her art and personal growth, Melinda eventually confronts her past and begins to heal.

Breaking Dawn follows Bella Swan and Edward Cullen as they get married and face the challenges of Bella's pregnancy with a half-vampire child. The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, and the supernatural, as Bella's health declines and the Cullens must protect her and their daughter from the Volturi. The book concludes with Bella's transformation into a vampire and the resolution of the conflict between the Cullens and the Volturi.

Midnight Sun is a retelling of the events in Twilight from the perspective of Edward Cullen. This novel provides a deeper insight into Edward's thoughts, feelings, and past, and explores the complexities of his inner struggles as he navigates his immortal life and his love for Bella Swan. The book delves into the profound pleasures and devastating consequences of immortal love and offers a more detailed look at the characters and their interactions, particularly within the Cullen family.

The book tells the story of Christopher McCandless, a well-educated young man from a middle-class family who, after graduating from college, gave away his savings, abandoned his car, and set out on a journey to live in the Alaskan wilderness. The narrative, written by Jon Krakauer, explores McCandless's adventures, his interactions with various people he met along the way, and the circumstances leading to his untimely death. Krakauer's investigation involves interviewing McCandless's family, friends, and people he encountered, as well as visiting the places McCandless had been. The book delves into themes of idealism, rebellion, and the allure of the wilderness, presenting a nuanced and gripping account of McCandless's life and death.

The Odyssey, attributed to Homer, is an ancient Greek epic poem that tells the story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his ten-year journey home after the Trojan War. The poem explores Odysseus's encounters with various mythical creatures, divine interventions, and natural challenges. Upon his return to Ithaca, he must confront the suitors who have been vying for his wife Penelope's hand in marriage. With the help of his son Telemachus and the goddess Athena, Odysseus devises a plan to defeat the suitors and reclaim his throne. The poem is a reflection on human nature, loyalty, and the consequences of one's actions, and it remains a crucial component of ancient Greek literature and Western cultural heritage.