Synopses & Reviews
The Twilight of the Gothic? explores the history of the paranormal romance genre from its origins in the horror and romance fiction of the 1970s to its expansion into a genre of mainstream fiction over the last ten years. Tracing the genre from its roots in older gothic fiction written by and for women, Joseph Crawford examines the interconnected histories of the genres of gothic and romantic fiction, from the eighteenth-century works of Ann Radcliffe and Jane Austen to Stephenie Meyers Twilight series and the television hit True Blood.
Review
“Crawfords 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.”
Synopsis
This book explores the history of the paranormal romance genre, from its earliest eighteenth-century sources to the commercial success of contemporary media franchises such as Twilight and True Blood.
About the Author
Joseph Crawford is a lecturer in English literature at the University of Exeter. His previous books include Raising Milton's Ghost and Gothic Fiction and the Invention of Terrorism.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. The First 800 Years
2. Romancing the Paranormal
3. Sleeping with the Enemy
4. The New Millennium
5. The Twilight Controversy
6. Mutations
Epilogue - Signs and Portents: Red Riding Hood, Snow White and the Huntsman and Fifty Shades of Grey
Notes
Bibliography
Index