Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight Reboot Swaps Characters’ Genders

3 minute read

So, here’s a surprise that should make Twi-hards rejoice—or, in some cases, maybe raise a confused eyebrow.

In honor of the 10th anniversary of her best-selling vampire romance, Twilight author Stephenie Meyer has written a 442-page reimagining of the novel that made her a publishing sensation. This time around, she’s switched the genders of her protagonists. Yes, it’s true. In the new tale titled Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined, Bella Swan is now a boy named Beau (short for Beaufort) and the brooding Edward Cullen is now Edythe. Meyer is expected to discuss the project in more detail during an appearance Tuesday morning on Good Morning America.

Meyer explains in her foreword to the anniversary edition of the novel that she decided to go with the gender bending to underscore her position that Bella isn’t a “damsel in distress” as certain critics have charged. Rather, the author insists, the character is a “human in distress,” or as Meyer calls her, “a normal human being surrounded on all sides by people who are basically superheroes and supervillians.” Meyer also takes issue with the criticism that Bella was “too consumed with her love interest, as if that’s somehow just a girl thing.” The author mentions, too, that Beau is “more OCD” than Bella was and that he’s “totally missing the chip Bella carries around on her shoulder all the time.”

See What the Cast of the 'Twilight' Films Looks Like Now

Kirsten-Stewart-Twilight
Left: Kirsten Stewart as Bella Swan in Twilight, 2008; Right: in 2015Summit; George Pimentel—WireImage/Getty Images
Robert-Pattinson-Twilight
Left: Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen in Twilight: The New Moon, 2009; Right: in 2015Summit; Anna Webber—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Taylor-Lautner-Twilight
Left: Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black in The Twilight Saga: The New Moon, 2009; Right: in 2015Summit; David Becker—Getty Images
Anna-Kendrick-Twilight
Left: Anna Kendrick as Jessica in The Twilight Saga: The New Moon, 2009; Right: in 2015Summit; Sonia Recchia—Getty Images
Cam-Gigandet-Twilight
Left: Cam Gigandet as James in Twilight, 2008; Right: in 2014Summit; JB Lacroix—WireImage/Getty Images
Peter-Facinelli-Twilight
Left: Peter Facinelli as Dr. Carlisle Cullen in Twilight, 2008; Right: in 2015Summit; Dominique Charriau—WireImage/Getty Images
Ashley-Greene-Twilight
Left: Ashley Greene as Alice Cullen in The Twilight Saga: The New Moon, 2009; Right: in 2015Summit; Astrid Stawiarz—Getty Images
Billy-Burke-Twilight
Left: Billy Burke as Charlie Swan in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, 2010; Right: in 2015Summit; Axelle/Bauer—Getty Images
bryce-dallas-howard-Twilight
Left: Bryce Dallas Howard as Victoria in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, 2010; Right: in 2015Summit; Amanda Edwards—Getty Images
Kellan-Lutz-Twilight
Left: Kellan Lutz as Emmet Cullen in Twilight, 2008; Right: in 2015Summit; Gilbert Carrasquillo—FilmMagic/Getty Images
Dakota-Fanning-Twilight
Left: Dakota Fanning as Jane in The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, 2010; Right: in 2015Summit; Dominique Charriau—WireImage/Getty Images
Elizabeth-Reaser-Twilight
Left: Elizabeth Reaser as Esme Cullen in Twilight, 2008; Right: in 2015Summit; Walter McBride—WireImage/Getty Images
Jackson-Rathbone-Twilight
Left: Jackson Rathbone as Jasper Hale in The Twilight Saga: The New Moon, 2009; Right: in 2015Summit; Chelsea Lauren—WireImage/Getty Images

Meyer says writing the piece was “fun, but also really fast and easy.”According to the foreword, the rewrite allowed her to correct some errors that always bothered her and to re-edit the piece for grammar and word choice issues. She also altered some elements of the mythology for consistency.

Meyer first announced that there would be bonus content packaged as a part of the anniversary edition during the Forever Twilight Fan Festival in Forks, Wash., last month, though she acknowledges that some fans will be disappointed not to see Midnight Sun, the telling ofTwilight from Edward’s perspective, included here (that manuscript has been shelved for years after an online leak). In fact, she begins her foreword with “I’m So Sorry,” blaming the decision to omitMidnight Sun on lack of time. Let’s see if Life and Death appeases her ardent fans. It’s sure to get them talking.

Both the hardcover edition and the e-book of Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined will be available for purchase Tuesday.

This story originally appeared on EW.com

More Must-Reads From TIME

Contact us at letters@time.com