“Crawford’s compelling account of how and why Twilight became such a controversial force in twenty-first century culture is essential reading for all with an interest in the contemporary Gothic. Effortlessly readable and encompassing an impressive range of material, it strikes a difficult balance between clear-eyed critical insight and sympathy for the readers and fans of paranormal romance. Joining the dots between the Gothic romances of the late eighteenth century and the vampire romances of the present, it provides the first authoritative, book-length attempt to plot the cultural history of this new and much-misunderstood genre.”

Catherine Spooner, Lancaster University