Twilight: 10 Must-Read Fanfics, According to Reddit
Twilight's immense popularity meant that fanfics were inevitable and extensive. Here are some of Redditors' favorites!
This year has been a promising one for Twilight alums: Taylor Lautner got engaged (via People), Kristen Stewart starred in the Princess Diana biopic, Spencer, and Robert Pattinson’s Batman has made waves – along with many other achievements and milestones from other cast members.
With all this progress, it’s hard not to remember what ties these stars and their old fans together: The Twilight Saga. While the series is now widely recognized for its on-screen success, true Twihards will remember the book series that started the entire phenomenon. The series continues its legacy in the way book readers and writers know best: fanfiction.
Midnight Massacre: Birth Of The Volturi Twins By Tellytubby101
New Moon presented a new set of vampires for fans to get to know: the Volturi. While the series posits them as blood-thirsty vampires that abuse their self-proclaimed power, that didn’t stop them from becoming some of the most interesting vampires. Midnight Massacre: Birth of the Volturi Twins by Tellytubby101 utilizes this intrigue to mold Jane and Alec into two complex and more humanized versions of their lesser developed canon selves.
Redditor SatelliteHeart96 explained how the tale is “a short but really good fic about the end of Alec and Jane’s human life, execution, and transformation…. there are some slight inconsistencies with canon… but nothing too distracting. It’s not super well known but it deserves some recognition IMO.”
Ithaca Is Gorges By Giselle-Lx
Not only is New Moon rich in the love triangle arc and teen angst, but it also has a very real and heartbreaking depiction of Bella’s declining mental health, and how Charlie – one of the most misunderstood movie characters – struggles with alleviating her pain after Edward’s departure.
Ithaca is Gorges by giselle-lx takes that narrative and switches the hurt onto Edward and Carlisle instead. The heavier fic is adored by fans such as Redditor gringottsteller who stated: it’s “not just my favorite fan fiction, it’s my favorite Twilight book. She managed to make New Moon into an exploration of what happens to a parent and family when an adult child is in crisis and making self-destructive choices. I cried through the whole thing.”
That Pain To Miss By HelenahJay
From his intense looks (not counting the one from their first bio class) to his old-fashioned manner of speech, Edward immediately won the hearts of many Twihards. Yet, he also faced a lot of criticism for his principles of morality, which frustrated fans who wanted him to turn Bella so the two could live happily ever after.
The fanfic, That Pain to Miss by HelenahJay, explores what would’ve been if the series had taken a different route early on. Reddit user FrankNFurter11 explained how it’s an “AU where Bella is turned when she gets bitten in the ballet studio. It is ExB, hurt/comfort, and Bella has amazing relationships with the other Cullens along the way,” unlike the Bella Swan of the movies who is considered one of the many whiny protagonists
Breaking Points By Sugarbucket
The Cullen clan is a particular family – just ask Jessica Stanley, who has her opinions on their interwoven dating and family life. Outside of being shipped with Bella, the Cullen family is also shipped frequently with one another, since none of them are actually related. One of their more popular pairings is that of Edward and Rosalie.
Given their very opposite natures, competitiveness, and general hostility towards one another and their choices throughout the series, their pairing makes sense in terms of tension and the beloved enemies-to-lovers trope, epitomized in Breaking Points by sugarbucket. Redditor sck0619 said they “never thought I’d stray from the E/B ship but it’s so well written and explains their supposed hatred for each other. Next level angst.”
Welcome To Wonderland By XPaige Turnerx
While the Bella/Edward and Bella/Jacob ships were the two most popular ones during the release of The Twilight Saga, many more fan ships have branched out from the series since then. A lot of which challenge the strictly heteronormative plot and focus on LGBTQ+ ships, such as Welcome to Wonderland by xPaige Turnerx, which explores the potential relationship between Bella and one of the best characters in the series: Alice.
Reddit user ArielBowden described it as one of their “all-time favorite Bellice fanfics. It’s a time-travel fic but it’s presented in such a way as to make even me, a stalwart defender of physics, enjoy it… one of the most amazingly developed relationships I’ve seen so far.”
The Movement Of The Earth By Audreyii-Fic
New Moon introduced another supernatural love interest to rival Edward: Jacob Black. Although her almost-boyfriend Jacob ends up as Bella’s son-in-law, there are plenty of fanfics that focus on their relationship, such as The Movement of the Earth by audreyii-fic.
As explained by a Redditor, it “ explores the concept of imprinting early on… Jacob spends the majority of the story trying to get rid of the imprint to love Bella on his own accords, whilst Bella comes to terms with the shift in the dynamic between her and Jacob… and it delves into aspects of the Twilight lore that is only lightly brushed upon in the novels.” A true treat for Team Jacob fans.
Piece Of Paper By Gotosleeplove
Jasper has been a fan-favorite Cullen for years now. Despite some problematic writing when it comes to his past, he has grown on fans, especially for Jackson Rathborne’s pained portrayal of him on screen. While Jasper has his flaws, he is still a charming character and hence a prospect for Bella in fanfics, such as Piece of Paper by gotosleeplove.
The description shared on Reddit portrays what could have been between Jasper and Bella if only they had gone a different route and made Jasper’s pain even more intolerable by lacing Bella with love: “After Edward’s departure, Bella was left heartbroken and distraught. But a certain vampire pays her a visit with the need to apologize… A single piece of paper could be the reason for the future to play out a lot differently than anyone expected.”
Firebound By Someryn
The Quileute Tribe is one of many historical references and events present in Twilight. While a lot of fanfics focus on the tribe’s main alpha, Jacob (and sometimes Sam), a few dive into what Bella’s life would be like if she spent more time running with some of the other wolves, such as Firebound by Someryn.
Instead of the traditional Bella and Jacob ship, this fic instead explores the less popular pairing of Bella and Jared. A Reddit user was taken aback by how much they enjoyed the fic: “Never did I think I would ship Bella with one of the wolves, especially such a minor character, but wow… this pairing is beautifully done in this fic. Post-Eclipse, where Bella and Edward go to the main field a few minutes earlier; where Jared imprints. Slow burn – the best kind.”
Breaking Dawn EVOP Chapter 25 By Scooterstale
Although the final two films in the saga were subject to criticism, their source material (the final book, Breaking Dawn) was approved by fans as a most fitting conclusion to the series. However, there is always room for improvement, with even the smallest changes altering the canon for the better. That is exactly what Breaking Dawn EVOP Chapter 25 by Scooterstale does.
The fic fits in seamlessly with the book’s original tone and flow, as remarked by Redditor carolshunsbuns: it “is a re-write of the chapter if Edward had made a different choice. It’s very well-written and fits perfectly into the feel of the book. I always stop at the end chapter of chapter 25 in BD, read this, then go back to the book.”
Emancipation Proclamation By Kharizzmatik
While a lot of Twilight fanfics keep the essence of the original plot and characters, some take a much more abstract approach to their tales, such as Emancipation Proclamation by Kharizzmatik, a devastating yet beloved fanfic loved by Twihards. Despite its impressive length and mature themes, the story keeps the foundation of their complicated romance, while inserting them into new settings and relationships.
Reddit user Lixsymone97 stated they “read this one again about 2 months ago after not opening it for years. Still had me in the same tears and whirlwind as it did when I was 13. Probably the best twilight fanfic I’ve ever read.” The fic was eventually published as a novel, Sempre by J.M. Darhower – a true testament to its popularity and quality.
