This book is loaded with bad cliche's and overdone YA tropes. I can't believe that all of this nonsense existed and was popular as early as 1999, when the novel was originally published...
This book revolves around the main character, Elena. Elena is the queen-bee. She's popular, selfish and shallow i.e. one's typical mean-girl. She's also perfect in every single way, just like all the other characters in this book. I was unable to understand what people see in her. Why do so many people like her? Matt, Meredith, Bonnie, Stefan and Damon all think that Elena's some type of goddess and it made me see red! The only positive thing that I have to say about Elena is that she's an ambitious and determined go-getter. Elena doesn't develop as a character in The Awakening, but in The Struggle, her character does seem to become stronger, fearless and tad bit more sympathetic.
The romance made me want to crawl into a cave. It was so cringe worthy!. Everybody loves Elena. Everybody wants to be her or date her because she's an amazing person. Stefan, who's dark, handsome, brooding and mysterious arrives at Elena's school. Stefan pays no attention to Elena and because she's the popular girl who everybody wants to be, she can't handle it. Elena decides to prove that she will get Stefan in her clutches, because she can't take the message that he's ignoring her for a very good reason. Elena's becomes unhealthy obsessed with gaining Stefan's affection, but apparently, this is what love is supposed to be.
"She'd have him, even if it killed her. If it killed both of them. She'd have him." (Elena Gilbert in The Awakening)
You can't have him if he's dead! Finally, after two make-out sessions meetings Elena is in love with Stefan. This is known as the dreaded, unrealistic insta-love. Gag me with a spoon!
When Damon, Stefan's sibling, shows up, things start to get interesting. I loved Damon. He's so dark, twisted and evil and he isn't afraid to be a villain. In fact, he embraces his evil side with charm and threats. (Yay for villainous characters!)
Unfortunately, he wants Elena. Why the hell is Elena so loved? What's so special about her? A second case of insta-love ensures when Damon declares that Elena is "his" after his second brief meeting with her. Thereafter a love triangle ensures, but it felt so one-sided, that I wondered what its purpose was. To create problems? Tension? A decent plot?
Apart from my love for Damon Salvatore, the vampire concept, even although it was traditional, was really cool. Vampires are supernatural, evil and bloodthirsty creatures and I was glad that they were mostly portrayed as such.
The ending of The Struggle novel is intriguing. It spells out a galore of twist and turns that will probably create a horde of issues in the third book.
Even although I had so many issues with this book, I didn't know how to put it down. It's one of those books that are annoying and addictive at the same time.