Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight: The Highs and Lows of the Twilight Saga

by Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher, Amanda Friday (Narrator)

The Polarizing Legacy of the Twilight Saga

Why does the Twilight saga continue to inspire both passionate fandom and heated critique? In Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight, Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher unpacks the cultural obsession with Bella Swan, Edward Cullen, and the supernatural love story that redefined YA literature and pop culture forever.

#1 New Release in Popular Culture in Social Sciences

Explore the Phenomenon That Sparked a Generation. Delve into the world of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series—the books, movies, and cultural whirlwind that have captivated and divided fans for over a decade. Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight examines the global sensation through a fresh, thought-provoking lens, exploring why it continues to ignite adoration and debate alike.

From Edward and Bella to Taylor Lautner's Werewolf Charm. This book dives deep into the Twilight Saga book set, from New Moon to Breaking Dawn Part 2, unpacking the stories, characters, and themes. Whether you're fascinated by Bella Swan's journey, mesmerized by Edward Cullen's allure, or just curious about the frenzy behind the movies, Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher offers insights for every kind of listener.

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Books About Books, Vampires, Humor, Adult, Supernatural

Audible Audio

Published May 6, 2025

Reviews

[Nenia Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the common frustrations in the book community is the lack of nuance in the book community, especially when it comes to talking about popular or polarizing works. It feels like a growing number of people live in a universe where "criticism of thing = thing bad" and that in order to like a thing, you can never talk bad about thing. Which is obviously not true. Multiple things can be true at once: you can love thing while also having a mature discussion about why thing is problematic, or why some elements of thing don't appeal to you.

WHY WE LOVE (AND HATE) TWILIGHT is an excellent example of "thing = nuance." I bought it on impulse because my feelings about TWILIGHT are complex. I read it for the first time when I was still (barely) in my teens, and went through several periods of loathing it and making apologies for it. Now it is something I look back on with a sort of embarrassed fondness couched in gentle nostalgia. It is ridiculous but that is why I love it; it never pretends to be anything more than what it is, and that earnestness in the face of its unprepossessing pomposity is what makes it high camp.

In WHY WE LOVE (AND HATE) TWILIGHT, Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher examines the Twilight phenomenon in a series of hilarious essays, which examine everything from the books and the movies to the expanded lore from Meyer's website and the illustrated Twilight encyclopedia (Aro is a hot mess and we love to hate and hate to love him), to the very problematic and ridiculous elements (the treatment of the very real Quileute tribe, Jacob's romantic imprinting on a literal baby), to the campy and silly ones (why does Edward dress like a 70s gigolo and why are the wigs so fucking terrible).

I ate this up like Edward at an all-you-can-eat Bella buffet, okay. And even though I only JUST watched the Twilight movie for the first time, I'm absolutely going to be watching the others when I get home and now, possibly rereading the books just to see what I missed. I also followed Sarah on TikTok (that's right, we're on a first-name basis now, what of it) and was not disappointed to see that her video essays are just as funny and well-crafted as her written ones. Should you read this if you weren't a fan (or an apologist) of the Twilight books? Probably not. But if you're a rat (iykyk) or a fan who can't quite bring themselves to age out of the series, you'll love this.

5 stars

[Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

A succinct and sincere take on the importance of taking the stories we love seriously by engaging with them critically. This book encourages you to laugh your head off and check your biases in the same breath. Cancel culture has driven a wedge into how we learn from the things we’ve loved, but as we begin to leave it behind for more nuanced reflection, no one is doing it quite like the Twilight fandom.

From highlighting the abysmal treatment of the (very real) Quileute Nation to the acknowledgement that Bella seriously needs therapy, this book says, “I like Twilight, and maybe I wasn’t always proud of that, but now I want to take ownership of it in a way that heals some of the wrong it has done.” And it might just heal you a little bit, too.

[Tyia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so excited for this book. I love all of Sarah’s videos and I know this is going to be so hilarious

[Riley · Rating 5 out of 5]

My pre-order of this book was delivered early, and I had such a fun time reading it!

One of my best friends in 7th grade lent me her copy of Twilight and I read it twice in as many days while home sick from school that week, and even went to a midnight release party for Breaking Dawn the next year. Twilight was formative for me, and is something I look back on with fondness, and also a more critical eye now. Loving and hating Twilight go hand in hand!

This book encapsulates my now-complicated feelings about the Twilight series and made me laugh and think more deeply about problematic aspects of it. I love Sarah's content on social media, and it is a delight to have this on my shelf now!

[Lauryn Keller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredibly fun, brought me so much joy, god I love twilight

[lw · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I enjoyed this book, it probably shouldn't have been a book. This was an impulse buy due to my algorithm pushing the author's (entertaining! I do like it!) content on me relentlessly for months, and I went in with zero real expectations. In the end, that made me feel more positively about the book than if I'd expected to get much out of it.

It was engaging! I flew through it, but that's because I love watching video essays on YouTube and that's essentially all this was. Rather than a real reckoning with any of the sociology or psychology behind Twilight and its lovers and haters, this is more of a compilation document wherein the author retells the story of the saga in smaller parts and shares her favourite tidbits from Meyer's website and the Illustrated Guide. It's very much a surface level assessment, rather than containing any real analysis.

I don't mind that I read it, I wish every long Goodreads review I read could be included on my Goodreads Reading Challenge, but it doesn't offer much of anything to Twilight or the conversation surrounding it.

[Emily | emilyisoverbooked · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you ever get a little ranty about a random bookish topic? Well, this chick got that published. I love it.😂

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Amusing if you lived through the Twilight publication era, and especially so if you worked in bookselling through it. This is a book that really captures the mania, and is very aware of the problematic elements of the stories. Ultimately I was amused but not entirely captured and that basically reflects my 2008 take on Twilight too.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book delighted me immensely. I absolutely and sincerely loved Twilight when the books were first released. By the time the first movie premiered, I was a hater and watched them to laugh at them. Now, I truly rest in the camp of both loving (and hating) Twilight. There's such a nostalgia in my love for it, and a new critical analysis in it when I reread or rewatch.

Sarah truly captured the essence of what it is, and was, like to be a Twilight fan across the years. I first found her as a creator on TikTok (which I literally downloaded to find Twilight memes), and have since enjoyed journeying down the rabbit hole of unhinged Twilight headcanons with her. I cannot wait to make all of my friends read this book.

[Kari · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher’s social media content, especially when it comes to headcanons concerning the Twilight universe. I can’t say I was ever obsessed with Twilight, but I have read the books and seen the movies. What I can say is that I live for the Twilight spoofs, the content creators re-enacting scenes, and fans pointing out ridiculous aspects of the fandom. My algorithm is full of videos like this, and I can hoa hoa hoa with the best of them. When my two favorite Jaspers did a collab video together, I squealed with delight and then sent it to a few friends who are in the same Twilight-adjacent boat as me.

So this book was a must read, and I recommend it both for hardcore fans and the ones who live to good-naturedly tease the Meyer-created-universe. I learned a lot about the books, but I learned even more about the fandom surrounding them. My favorite sections were the breakdowns of the unhinged sartorial choices made throughout the book series, the creatively hilarious headcanons people have proposed (some of which make so much sense), and the problematic depictions of Quileute Nation people/legends.

I love that the author points out several times that she thinks it’s important to be able to poke fun at and/or address any problematic (or just ridiculous) aspects of the things she is interested in, and I think that’s a good outlook to have on pretty much anything in life.

Overall I thought the book was both interesting and entertaining! Absolutely no shade to the narrator, as she did a good job with the audiobook narration. I just wish it had been done by the author, as I love listening to her content and it took a while to get used to her words coming through someone else’s voice. That being said, even my husband (who has zero interest in the Twilight universe) enjoyed listening to it with me!

[Krystina · Rating 4 out of 5]

My brothers and sisters. Locas.
It's perfect.

Okay so it's not literally perfect.
The filler epigraphs were distracting. We are in danger of overusing the word "cursed" as a complete descriptor. Most of the "conclusion" chapter could have been removed entirely...
Still, I had the /best/ time.

If you were a tween in 2008 and have grown into the kind of left-leaning, silly adult who would click on an internet article titled "watching the Spongebob movie through a critical feminist lens" or would enjoy a discussion on the sociocultural impact of the Wii Fit age calculator, you should read this.
Delight in all the repulsive, gory details of fandom without shame. Or with just a hint of shame; whatever.

[Karly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve followed Sarah on TikTok and Instagram for years (I unfortunately now think daily about the sound of porcelain cups clanking against each other!). As an OG Twilight fan, this was just a wonderful deep dive into why it was such a cultural phenomenon while also pointing out the very real problematic aspects of the saga.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A critical analysis on the Twilight Saga and fandom. This author is popular on TikTok/Reels and I always enjoy them when they pop up so I thought I’d give this a read. I read this series in high school with Tif. At the time of the first Twilight movie, we were 16-same age as Jacob and just a year younger than Bella and Edward. We (think) saw all the movies in theaters but we weren’t ‘TwiHards’. I thought the movies were bad, but now they’re so bad they’re good. I also read Midnight Sun when it came out in 2020, which was unhinged. All that being said, this was fun to read and to relive how insane things were at the height of the Saga. I learned a lot about the flaws in the book, as well as what the fandom as a whole enjoys. If you like the series, this is a super fast read.

[Matt LeFevers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured this book in less than three days. If you’ve ever read Twilight or have any affection at all for that universe, this book is an addictively entertaining read — sharp, funny, and insightful.

And in keeping with the title, Gallagher perfectly threads the needle of gleefully roasting the most bonkers elements of Stephenie Meyer’s worldbuilding, while also praising the things that made millions of people fall in love with these characters. She’s the most entertaining kind of fan — absolutely willing to dissect the problematic bits but not embarrassed at all to still love the thing. This book is a blast.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twilight is a cultural phenomenon, and for anyone who has engaged with the original stories, the movies, or the fandom, this book is a must read. Author Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher encountered Twilight as a grad student at BU (as did I, in fact), giving her a lifeline during a difficult period, and then returned to Twilight during 2020, during the pandemic and when Stephenie Meyer released Midnight Sun, which was Twilight written from Edward's perspective. A decade later, Gallagher jumped back into the fandom, this time recognizing some of the problematic elements of Meyers's novels. This book is borne out of her research, her tiktok videos, and her love and hate of the Twilight universe.

Gallagher tackles the absurdly weird (the wigs, the clothing) to the highly problematic (Jacob's werewolf pack as stolen indigenous identity and the perfection of the all-white vampires' wealth and moral superiority.) While she keeps the analysis at a high level, it's an excellent compendium of Twilight fun facts, tearing it down and building it up. I also really appreciate Gallagher's elevation of the awareness of how to support the indigenous people who have suffered real harm from perpetuated stereotypes Meyers uses.

I am a little disappointed that Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight doesn't address any of the religious components of the story, not only because that was my introduction to the novels - through a class on sexuality and spirituality in American Culture in grad school - but there are plot elements are inextricably tied to Mormon theology. This book is highly accessible though, and I do think it would be hard to maintain the level of respect for the religion while analyzing the worldbuilding and problematic plot points.

On a personal note, when I picked up the books in 2007, I only needed to read the first book for class....and I ended up reading Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse in a weekend. I eagerly read Breaking Dawn on their release and saw all the movies. I didn't love the books, but I found them compelling and they live in a special part of my memory. I say this, because when I read A Discovery of Witches a couple of years later for the first time, I thought "yes, this is the vampire lore I needed as an adult," and because on this weekend where I read Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight, I am also rereading A Discovery of Witches for the fifth time.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok this was fantastic. I loved the silly wig talk and the headcanons. The chat about the hideous khaki skirt and Edwards open, sleeveless button down white shirt.

Covid era Edward, Carlisle the cult leader, and the Leah Clearwater appreciation were also standout moments for me.

This book takes up the mantel of critiquing the art and examining the way the fandom can equally love and hate this cursed piece of media. Maybe even giving other fandoms the platform to critique the art they love (and maybe hate as well).

While this book has many great discussions on reflecting on problematic art, the best thing this book does is centre the Quileute Nation. The very real people who Meyer bastardised and used their creation myth against them. The people she didn't give a cent to. And The harmful stereotypes that were repeatedly perpetuated against them.

This is a great book for fans, haters, and even people who were on the periphery as the Twilight craze went down.

[Lorena · Rating 4 out of 5]

as a self-declared charlie swan hater, i wish this book wasn't so forgiving of him.

that said, the concept of looking critically, but kindly at stories we enjoy (and want to continue enjoying) is a great way to fight tumblr-level hot takes of current social media discourse around books.

too often, book criticism (especially books made for and by women and genre fiction) is filled with absolutes and disrespect towards the audience and the work itself.

by examining the twilight saga through a fan lens and also with the knowledge its cultural impact, instead of denying its value, we can see its actual shortcomings and what could have been, instead of 2007 memes about better love stories.

much like on her social media, the author doesn't rewrite twilight history. instead, she teuly researches canon and fanon to understand it better.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why We Love (and Hate) Twilight

I Picked Up This Book Because: Bingo Spinner (B2 - A Book I Own).

Media Type: Audiobook
Source: Audible
Dates Read: 1/27/26 - 1/28/26
Rating: 4 Stars
Narrator(s): Amanda Friday


The Story:

Oh the nostalgia. And the learning. I know I own the Illustrated Guide but I’ve never read it and it shows. There were some great insights and wonderful reflections. A good time overall.

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

We should always analyze our favorite books 20 years later. This was so fun.

[Kenzi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to recollect all the reasons one loved to hate this book series back in the day. Casual read that felt very much like just chilling around and spilling the tea.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved! A book about a topic I love written by a tiktoker I love HELLO

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely unhinged and amazing.

[Ellis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw a rando reading this in the airport and immediately found it on Libby as someone who is intellectually curious and loves engaging in erudite topics. My credentials to review this include force watching the saga upon any new friend who hasn’t seen it, naming my cat after my favorite cullen, and listening to Bella’s lullaby the night before any exam I ever had in high school or college to calm myself.

[Amber | backinthebookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

twilight, they could never make me truly hate you ❤️

[Haleigh Parrish · Rating 5 out of 5]

i’ve spent much of my life unironically loving Twilight. or course i was going to read this! having critical conversations of things we love it’s important when they are problematic, but the current Twilight fandom is such a fun place to be. i laughed, i learned, and honestly i had a good time, and that’s all i can ask for

[Paige Connell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's no secret that the Twilight books unconditionally and irrevocably held a massive amount of power over millions of readers in the early 2000s, then again with a resurgence when the movies came out. Sometimes you would feel shame for admitting to being a fan, but there was just something about the series that captured the pop culture moment. Now years removed, Sarah Elizabeth Gallagher (after massively popular conversations on TikTok and Instagram) begins to explore all the things that we love about Twilight, but equally important, the controversial and offensive things we somehow glossed over in our initial fervor. This is a fascinating and balanced analysis.

First, the negatives: there are chapters about each of the main characters with their problematic traits (co-dependency, racism, grooming, need for therapy). A large chapter is devoted to the Quileute wolf pack and the offensive revisionist history plus coded language (say "russet skin" one more time) and animalistic behavior-they are a real Native American tribe layered with fictitious and hurtful stories. The author breaks down Charlie vs. Renee in their parenting failures; in the book versions neither were good parents. As expected, there is a tremendous amount of tongue-in-cheek hate for Renesmee/Restaurant/Ratatouille, including horror at Bella's pregnancy (often referred to as "demon spawn"). She tackles 3 words she never wants to hear again: "venom-based fluids" and gives an in-depth analysis of awful movie fashion and the truly terrible wig evolution.

But lest you think it's all about bashing the series, she talks at length about the "rabid fans" who often get a bad rap but who unify across generations to this day. She puts a positive spin on the actors dating and the difficulties they incurred, and there's a very silly chapter deep diving into Twilight head cannons (could it be that, given the descriptions and actions, the vampires are actually...fairies?!) It's easy to focus on the hate, but the book comes back around to find what there is to love-a host of diametrical opposites that fans naturally embrace. I loved every minute of this and read the whole thing in one day.

If you ever attended a midnight release. If you finished a book and drove to buy the next one immediately (guilty!). If you know what TITSOAK or BWTHHYBL mean. If you have strong feelings about Team Edward or Team Jacob. If you ever considered yourself a Twi-hard, this is a must read for you.

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I really appreciate how accessible this piece of criticism is. It doesn't invest too much in its own seriousness, like a lot of critical analysis does. It's fun to read. It's conversational. It's different. I liked all the different aspects of the Twilight phenomenon that Gallagher digs into, though I'm not sure much of it will be revelatory for those who remember the books. A lot of this book is just rehashing of what happened, which is good for those who only watched the movies or forgot much of what they read or are only curious about the whole thing without having read or watched anything. And that's fine. That's just not, you know, me. I liked the chapter on headcanons the best because it really engages with fandom culture in a way that was just fun. I wish there was more of that.

I found this book through the author's short videos on the saga, and I'm not sure how it would have come off to someone who hadn't watched her videos. I think that, too, made this whole read a little less enlightening than otherwise, because there's a lot of rehashing of her videos in here, too. But that's neither here nor there.

Not a bad read. Kind of a fun read. And fitting for this anniversary year.

[Flor Méndez · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5. Iconic.

Nos dio factos, nos dio comedia, nos dio análisis tanto de estereotipos étnicos como de las pelucas horrendas que usaron en la peli. Muy amplio en las temáticas que toca, aunque me hubiese gustado quizás un poco más de profundidad (y por eso 4.5) pero entiendo que por la extensión del libro capaz no se pudo.

No la conocía a la autora (aunque seguro me crucé algún video suyo en TikTok), pero leería mucho más de ella hablando de la maravilla y el horror que es Crepúsculo.

[Whisper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having been a fan of the authors tik tok for years I didn’t learn anything new but I still appreciated this book so much. The love hate and nostalgia for twilight will always be apart of me so it nice to have it gathered all together in book form. The writing in here is very accessible, succinct and at times very funny.

[Halle Harris · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s nothing I love more than overthinking and analyzing my hyper fixations. My mind is now full of the most horrifically canon tidbits from this incredibly groundbreaking yet camp saga. And for that I am forever grateful.