Zero to Well-Read

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Oct 7, 2025
Vanessa Diaz, Book Riot's managing editor and a YA phenomenon enthusiast, teams up with Kelly Jensen, a senior editor and expert in young adult literature, to dive deep into Twilight's enduring impact. They explore its cultural significance, the demographic whirlwind it created, and its effects on romance tropes. The conversation touches on fan backlash, marketing strategies, and how the series reshaped YA publishing. They also reminisce about their personal reading experiences and the nostalgic charm of Forks—while contemplating Twilight's legacy after 20 years.
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INSIGHT

Twilight As A Publishing Earthquake

  • Twilight is a cultural phenomenon that shaped YA and mainstream romance publishing in the 2000s.
  • Its success funded midlist YA, marketing budgets, and widened reading culture.
INSIGHT

How Sales Reshaped YA

  • Twilight expanded YA's midlist by bringing massive sales and marketing money to the category.
  • That investment enabled publishers to take chances and grow YA diversity and subgenres.
INSIGHT

Gendered Backlash Against Fandom

  • Much early criticism of Twilight was gendered and dismissed teenage girls' enthusiasm.
  • Kelly and Vanessa argue that celebrating mass female readership is important, not deriding it.
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