Obsessed with Forever: Psychoanalytic Desire, Immortality, and the Modern Feminine in the Twilight Saga by Sakshi Mathur offers a bold and thought-provoking exploration of love, desire, immortality, and modern femininity through one of the most culturally influential literary phenomena of the twenty-first century, the Twilight saga. Blending psychoanalysis, feminist theory, and contemporary cultural criticism, the book invites readers to look beyond the familiar romance of vampires and eternal love to uncover the deeper emotional and psychological desires that continue to attract millions of readers across generations.
At a time when relationships often feel uncertain, identities constantly shift, and modern life moves at an exhausting pace, the fantasy of “forever” has become increasingly seductive. Through Obsessed with Forever, Mathur examines why permanence, eternal love, and immortality continue to hold such emotional power in contemporary culture. Rather than treating Twilight simply as a romantic fantasy, the book argues that its enduring popularity reveals a deeper longing for stability, belonging, and emotional certainty in an unstable world.
Drawing on the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, the book explores how human desire is shaped not by fulfillment, but by absence, incompleteness, and the fear of loss. Bella Swan’s attraction to the immortal world becomes symbolic of a universal emotional condition—the desire to escape vulnerability and achieve permanence in the face of uncertainty. According to Mathur, the promise of “forever” appears comforting because it offers protection from change, loneliness, ageing, and emotional instability. Yet beneath this fantasy lies an important contradiction: immortality may promise safety and endless love, but it can also suspend growth, transformation, and freedom.
The book further deepens its analysis through feminist perspectives drawn from thinkers such as Julia Kristeva, Luce Irigaray, and Judith Butler. Through these frameworks, Mathur examines how ideas of femininity, beauty, emotional devotion, and sacrifice continue to shape women’s identities in modern culture. Bella’s transformation into immortality is presented not only as a romantic choice, but also as a reflection of larger cultural expectations surrounding womanhood, love, and belonging.
Unlike traditional academic criticism that often remains inaccessible to general audiences, Obsessed with Forever is written in a clear, engaging, and reflective style that welcomes both scholars and everyday readers. Mathur successfully bridges the gap between critical theory and popular culture, making complex ideas approachable without losing intellectual depth. Readers familiar with Twilight will discover fresh perspectives on familiar characters and themes, while those interested in psychoanalysis, feminism, literary criticism, and cultural studies will find a nuanced exploration of how popular narratives shape emotional life and collective imagination.
The book also highlights the significance of popular fiction in understanding contemporary society. While stories like Twilight have often been dismissed as simple entertainment, Mathur argues that such narratives reveal profound cultural anxieties and desires. In an age shaped by digital isolation, unstable relationships, and constant reinvention, fantasies of eternal love and permanence become emotionally meaningful. The popularity of Twilight, according to the book, reflects a cultural yearning for certainty and emotional continuity in a rapidly changing world.
“Forever promises everything—but asks for more than we realise,” says Mathur. “What appears to be freedom and security can also become a surrender of uncertainty, individuality, and change. The book encourages readers to question whether immortality truly fulfills desire, or whether desire itself depends on what remains incomplete.”
As her debut publication, Obsessed with Forever establishes Sakshi Mathur as an emerging and insightful voice in literary and cultural criticism. With a strong academic background in English literature and a deep engagement with psychoanalysis, feminist theory, and cultural studies, she brings intellectual rigor together with cultural relevance. Her work demonstrates how contemporary fiction can serve as a powerful lens for understanding emotional longing, identity formation, and the modern experience of love.
The release of Obsessed with Forever comes at a particularly relevant cultural moment, as audiences increasingly revisit stories that promise emotional permanence and idealized connection. By examining these fantasies critically yet empathetically, the book encourages readers to reflect on the narratives they consume and the emotional desires those narratives sustain.
Through Bella Swan’s journey, Obsessed with Forever ultimately raises a compelling question for contemporary readers: is the dream of forever truly a beautiful promise, or does it quietly require us to sacrifice the very uncertainty and change that make us human?
Sakshi Mathur is a scholar of English literature with a keen interest in psychoanalysis, feminist theory, and cultural studies. Her work focuses on exploring the intersections of desire, identity, and modern femininity in popular narratives. Drawing on both classical and contemporary theoretical frameworks, she engages critically with texts that shape cultural imagination and emotional life. Obsessed with Forever: Psychoanalytic Desire, Immortality, and the Modern Feminine in the Twilight Saga is her first published book (2026), reflecting her commitment to rigorous academic inquiry and accessible critical writing.
Buy Book: https://www.amazon.in/dp/9379007876
