“i believe one of the reasons this series is so popular is because the author illustrates the characters so well. they are rounded and real, not just black and white - this one is evil, this one is good. bella has negative points as well as positive ones. her obsession with edward is just not healthy and her aversion to marriage despite her insistence that she wants to spend eternity with edward is so irrational i laughed at the silliness. yet she is brave and fiercely loyal. jake, who started out almost too good to be true (the sweet, caring, loyal friend) became volatile and aggressive as he went through his transformations. one minute he's hurting bella, the next he's apologizing and swearing that he loves her more than anything. i like that these characters are so three-dimensional. it's what makes the readers really care about them and what will happen to them. the reader really feels like he/she is immersed in the story and a part of these characters' lives.”