Bella, the worst thing for the advancement of women this decade.

Alright, alright perhaps America's Twilight craze has come to an end, but that does not excuse the fact that the series has sold more than 85 million copies worldwide or occupied the top of USA Today's bestseller list for the entire year of 2008.

Unlike other phenomenon book series, Meyer's series does not appeal to a large demographic. If you don't believe me, how many teenage boys or college grads do you know who'd wear merchandise stamped with sayings such as "I (heart) Jacob" or "Team Edward"? Within Meyer's stories, the female characters are portrayed as mere girls. They're naive and codependent. They attend strictly all girl slumber parties. However, the male characters, with their alluring muscles, courage, and testosterone-driven male aggression are clearly much more than boys; they're men. Not surprisingly, Jacob and Edward's characters drive the story from beginning to end. With whom will Bella live happily ever after? Oh, the agony of anticipation! 

So, what's the appeal of such a series? In a culture where oral sex is as casual as a high five and one night stands are preferred over commitment Bella's chastity and dependence on the men in her life reads as romantic in comparison. Young female readers drool over those handsome men and are not threatened by Bella, who instead of being class president or the next Mila Kunis, is an simple yet relatable girl who occasionally nibbles on Pop-Tarts.

Everyone loves a sappy romance story.