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Public Access Afterworld
Not yet published
Expected 27 Oct 26On 12th June 2009, David Sawyer and Erin Morrison, two lonely, TV-obsessed suburban teens who might be falling in love, gather in Erin's basement to watch TV's analogue-to-digital transition. Beneath the static that follows, Erin catches a glimpse of a mysterious broadcast from a TV network called 'Public Access Afterworld'. Soon after that, she vanishes - changing the trajectory of David's life forever.
Fourteen years later, Bethany Peters toils through the night shift at megacorp GlobalVill's bleak Austin campus. A trans content moderator, she spends her evenings reviewing an endless stream of horrific videos. But gradually a pattern emerges from the ocean of digital violence in the form of a young streamer, Jules, calling out the same words: Public Access Afterworld.
When Bethany ignores the guidance of her corporate overseers and sets out to rescue Jules, she begins an epic journey that sweeps from rural Texas to the heart of American darkness in 1940s Los Alamos - and all the way back to that basement where David and Erin first encountered a world at the edges of reality itself.
Fourteen years later, Bethany Peters toils through the night shift at megacorp GlobalVill's bleak Austin campus. A trans content moderator, she spends her evenings reviewing an endless stream of horrific videos. But gradually a pattern emerges from the ocean of digital violence in the form of a young streamer, Jules, calling out the same words: Public Access Afterworld.
When Bethany ignores the guidance of her corporate overseers and sets out to rescue Jules, she begins an epic journey that sweeps from rural Texas to the heart of American darkness in 1940s Los Alamos - and all the way back to that basement where David and Erin first encountered a world at the edges of reality itself.
608 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 27, 2026
About the author
Jane Schoenbrun
2 books299 followersJane Schoenbrun is an award-winning filmmaker and writer. Their films include I Saw the TV Glow and We’re All Going to the World’s Fair. Their newest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma starring Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, releases in 2026. Public Access Afterworld is their first novel.
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anticipating
April 30, 2026No clue what it’s about. I just read “by the creator of I Saw The TV Glow” and I don’t need any more information. Let’s go.
September 24, 2026
I don’t even know how to explain this book, much less how much I liked it! I didn’t want it to end.
The only thing you need to know is there is something in the static of analog tv broadcasts. Could it be Public Access Afterworld that has been discussed on conspiracy message boards?
There were no minor characters in this novel. Each person had a role to play, and their connection didn’t seem contrived; it flowed seamlessly. Their personalities were all distinct, and they felt real. The idea of Public Access Afterworld was given a proper explanation and was an interesting concept. For the most part, I was completely sucked in, but there were a few instances that definitely got a little bit too weird, but this is a story about a mythological realm, soooooo I just went with it.
I felt a little let down by the ending. Only a little bit! It ended satisfactorily, but after spending such a long time with the characters on their journey, it felt a bit abrupt. That acknowledgments page snuck up on me, and I wanted a bit more. Maybe I’m just too greedy?!
I look forward to reading whatever this author puts out next!
4.5 Stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy and exchange for an honest review!
The only thing you need to know is there is something in the static of analog tv broadcasts. Could it be Public Access Afterworld that has been discussed on conspiracy message boards?
There were no minor characters in this novel. Each person had a role to play, and their connection didn’t seem contrived; it flowed seamlessly. Their personalities were all distinct, and they felt real. The idea of Public Access Afterworld was given a proper explanation and was an interesting concept. For the most part, I was completely sucked in, but there were a few instances that definitely got a little bit too weird, but this is a story about a mythological realm, soooooo I just went with it.
I felt a little let down by the ending. Only a little bit! It ended satisfactorily, but after spending such a long time with the characters on their journey, it felt a bit abrupt. That acknowledgments page snuck up on me, and I wanted a bit more. Maybe I’m just too greedy?!
I look forward to reading whatever this author puts out next!
4.5 Stars!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy and exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
In Jane Schoenbrun's electric Public Access Afterworld the American dream is refracted through the lens of the history of television to show its true nightmare self. Thrilling, heart-wrenching, hilarious, visionary, and so damned smart, this novel is a major work from a major talent.
Did Not Finish
August 11, 2026officially calling it quits at 76%
this is one of those situations where the idea would be much better as a tv series. the premise is amazing & in no way can i even begin to describe what this book is about. Public Access Afterworld offers a fresh concept that i personally have never seen before. it's weird, but unfortunately it's also too all over the place for my personal taste.
this started out so strong i was positive this was going to be a 4+ star by the end of episode two y'all. i was confused, sure, but i was excited to see what Public Access Afterworld was, how it ended etc. by episode five it felt like i took an edible & had a bad trip or something. i just wanted it to end. honestly, i would have finished it if i hadn't seen other early reviewers who were just as confused as me saying that nothing is ever really explained.
i'm sorry, but i don't have 600 pgs of patience to read a book & nothing be explained in the end. there's way too many ideas thrown into one single book & even for it being 600 pgs, it somehow feels way too long & incomplete at the same time. what was the point? what is PAA? is it a government experiment? is it really just one rich family behind the whole thing? is it a cult? can someone who rated the book 5 stars & clearly understood it better than i did fill me in?
the writing was fine, at times basic & repetitive, with some run on sentences. the pacing around the halfway mark just gets incredibly slow. the characters were ok, i didn't really like or dislike any of them. i'm not sure why the author felt the need to use full names plus nicknames what felt like almost every time a character was mentioned, but that drove me nuts. by the twelfth "Anthony 'Fisch' Fischer" i was over it.
i'm clearly an outlier here, so maybe this was a "it's not you, it's me" issue. there's obviously an audience for this that seem to love it, but for my personal taste, Public Access Afterworld was just trying to do too much & ultimately missed the mark.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
this is one of those situations where the idea would be much better as a tv series. the premise is amazing & in no way can i even begin to describe what this book is about. Public Access Afterworld offers a fresh concept that i personally have never seen before. it's weird, but unfortunately it's also too all over the place for my personal taste.
this started out so strong i was positive this was going to be a 4+ star by the end of episode two y'all. i was confused, sure, but i was excited to see what Public Access Afterworld was, how it ended etc. by episode five it felt like i took an edible & had a bad trip or something. i just wanted it to end. honestly, i would have finished it if i hadn't seen other early reviewers who were just as confused as me saying that nothing is ever really explained.
i'm sorry, but i don't have 600 pgs of patience to read a book & nothing be explained in the end. there's way too many ideas thrown into one single book & even for it being 600 pgs, it somehow feels way too long & incomplete at the same time. what was the point? what is PAA? is it a government experiment? is it really just one rich family behind the whole thing? is it a cult? can someone who rated the book 5 stars & clearly understood it better than i did fill me in?
the writing was fine, at times basic & repetitive, with some run on sentences. the pacing around the halfway mark just gets incredibly slow. the characters were ok, i didn't really like or dislike any of them. i'm not sure why the author felt the need to use full names plus nicknames what felt like almost every time a character was mentioned, but that drove me nuts. by the twelfth "Anthony 'Fisch' Fischer" i was over it.
i'm clearly an outlier here, so maybe this was a "it's not you, it's me" issue. there's obviously an audience for this that seem to love it, but for my personal taste, Public Access Afterworld was just trying to do too much & ultimately missed the mark.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Starred review in the October 2026 issue of Booklist and on the blog: https://raforall.blogspot.com/2026/10...
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive*, haunted media, Lynchian
*(pun is intended after you read the book)
There are so many more words, but I think Lynchian helps get a few of them. More words, off kilter, overlapping and meshed together storylines and time frames, every detail matters, unsettling, entrancing, a love letter to the early days of the internet and television in general-- but also that's where the horror comes from, episodic (which breaks up the 600 pages) nicely, amazing, diverse, and unforgettable cast of characters, widely original, compelling, fascinating, cinematic, worth every second.
This novel spans decades but they all work together and overlap in ways that are easy to follow.
This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. Full Stop. I do not take recommending a 600 page book likely. Most are not worth you time. This one is.....every second of it is, or should I say every episode.
To be fair Schoenbrun is a filmmaker and this is not their first go round telling a complete story, but still. Debuts are hard. This one makes it look easy.
I don't suggest you read a 600 page book lightly, but READ THIS BOOK if you like Horror. It is that good.
I am also not going to give away much about this book and I really love how the cover copy really doesn't either. It makes it clear that there are multiple time frames and some kind of world called Public Access Afterworld.
Then in the excellent "Foreward," Schoenbrum sets up the entire books, really tells you everything that is going to happen while somehow giving nothing away. They set up the story, how it will be told, and both get readers hooked and also sets the stage for the wild ride to come.
This book does a few things I demand in books I rate so highly-- every detail matters. Things come up, even small things like an HBO Game of Thrones (fake) spin off that is the favorite show of Bethany-- the hero's (which we are told in that forward that she will be our hero) boyfriend. Th boyfriend wants to stay home one night and watch it together. And then--- said TV show is important later!!!! This is but one large example, but it happens over and overagain.
And the final thing I demand-- a satisfying ending, one that wraps up lose ends, makes sense for the sotyr, but leaves enough open for interpretation.
All I will share is that the entire novel is frames as someone telling their version of a story that has been passed down as a "tv series," told and retold. The one our narrator was told was in 30 episodes, of which they were told 29. Their's is 10 episodes. But it involves the episodes of others. As I type this you make be like- Becky none of this makes sense, but I promise you it does. Trust Schoenbrun; they will get you invested and immersed and following their lead immediately.
And even as you get lost in the characters of our unnamed narrator's first season of her TV show, that narrator is brought back enough times, speaking to the reader directly, to remind us-- even in the final lines.
BRAVO!
This is a book for people who like the epic and grand storytelling of Joe Hill's King Sorrow, Haunted media in the vein of The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt or Night Film by Pessl, and especially those who love The Library at Mount Char and have never found a story as wild but satisfying and cohesive. and with great characters. READ THIS.
Other readalikes-- Hailey Piper's Queen of Teeth, Or just Hailey Piper in General, also Chuck Tingle. Although there are not obvious overlaps, I think Chlorine by Jade Song is a good readalike for the type of storytelling and anything by Cassandra Khaw.
Three Words That Describe This Book: immersive*, haunted media, Lynchian
*(pun is intended after you read the book)
There are so many more words, but I think Lynchian helps get a few of them. More words, off kilter, overlapping and meshed together storylines and time frames, every detail matters, unsettling, entrancing, a love letter to the early days of the internet and television in general-- but also that's where the horror comes from, episodic (which breaks up the 600 pages) nicely, amazing, diverse, and unforgettable cast of characters, widely original, compelling, fascinating, cinematic, worth every second.
This novel spans decades but they all work together and overlap in ways that are easy to follow.
This is one of the best debut novels I have ever read. Full Stop. I do not take recommending a 600 page book likely. Most are not worth you time. This one is.....every second of it is, or should I say every episode.
To be fair Schoenbrun is a filmmaker and this is not their first go round telling a complete story, but still. Debuts are hard. This one makes it look easy.
I don't suggest you read a 600 page book lightly, but READ THIS BOOK if you like Horror. It is that good.
I am also not going to give away much about this book and I really love how the cover copy really doesn't either. It makes it clear that there are multiple time frames and some kind of world called Public Access Afterworld.
Then in the excellent "Foreward," Schoenbrum sets up the entire books, really tells you everything that is going to happen while somehow giving nothing away. They set up the story, how it will be told, and both get readers hooked and also sets the stage for the wild ride to come.
This book does a few things I demand in books I rate so highly-- every detail matters. Things come up, even small things like an HBO Game of Thrones (fake) spin off that is the favorite show of Bethany-- the hero's (which we are told in that forward that she will be our hero) boyfriend. Th boyfriend wants to stay home one night and watch it together. And then--- said TV show is important later!!!! This is but one large example, but it happens over and overagain.
And the final thing I demand-- a satisfying ending, one that wraps up lose ends, makes sense for the sotyr, but leaves enough open for interpretation.
All I will share is that the entire novel is frames as someone telling their version of a story that has been passed down as a "tv series," told and retold. The one our narrator was told was in 30 episodes, of which they were told 29. Their's is 10 episodes. But it involves the episodes of others. As I type this you make be like- Becky none of this makes sense, but I promise you it does. Trust Schoenbrun; they will get you invested and immersed and following their lead immediately.
And even as you get lost in the characters of our unnamed narrator's first season of her TV show, that narrator is brought back enough times, speaking to the reader directly, to remind us-- even in the final lines.
BRAVO!
This is a book for people who like the epic and grand storytelling of Joe Hill's King Sorrow, Haunted media in the vein of The October Film Haunt by Michael Wehunt or Night Film by Pessl, and especially those who love The Library at Mount Char and have never found a story as wild but satisfying and cohesive. and with great characters. READ THIS.
Other readalikes-- Hailey Piper's Queen of Teeth, Or just Hailey Piper in General, also Chuck Tingle. Although there are not obvious overlaps, I think Chlorine by Jade Song is a good readalike for the type of storytelling and anything by Cassandra Khaw.
May 16, 2026
Um. I need some time to write a full review bc I am in SHOCK. 11/5 stars. (May 16, 2026)
Okay, review edit (May 20, 2026) -- I truly needed to let this sit for 4 days to try to process that outcome and my emotions —like, will there be a sequel, or is that up to my own interpretation???
I am absolutely ASTOUNDED and thankful to Hogarth Books, the lovely Jane Schoenbrun, and NetGalley for advanced access to this TWISTED analog horror before it shocks the public on October 27, 2026.
Public Access Afterworld is a place that exists underneath all the static of your television's regularly scheduled programming. It traps its crooked inhabitants in a creativity-farming hub that eliminates their physical being from our plane for the rest of eternity... fun.
Our assumed main character, David Sawyer, is on a quest to rescue his best friend, Erin Morrison, from Public Access Afterworld after she was taken by the static decades ago. In an attempt to locate those who could travel to this mystical realm, he gathers a unique group of followers and somehow attains "cult-leader" status as a result of his eccentric views.
Halfway across the country, we're introduced to Bethany Peters, a trans woman who's still trying to find herself and escape her sexless relationship and dead-end job. That dead-end job, however, has a connection to the PAA, and it's only a matter of time before the lore of this evil corporation reveals its true intentions to "save" the world???
GOSH DANGIT. I feel like that's all I can say without giving away too much. Each and every twist left me needing to pick my jaw up off the ground time and time again. I am SHOOK, and obsessed.
Okay, review edit (May 20, 2026) -- I truly needed to let this sit for 4 days to try to process that outcome and my emotions —like, will there be a sequel, or is that up to my own interpretation???
I am absolutely ASTOUNDED and thankful to Hogarth Books, the lovely Jane Schoenbrun, and NetGalley for advanced access to this TWISTED analog horror before it shocks the public on October 27, 2026.
Public Access Afterworld is a place that exists underneath all the static of your television's regularly scheduled programming. It traps its crooked inhabitants in a creativity-farming hub that eliminates their physical being from our plane for the rest of eternity... fun.
Our assumed main character, David Sawyer, is on a quest to rescue his best friend, Erin Morrison, from Public Access Afterworld after she was taken by the static decades ago. In an attempt to locate those who could travel to this mystical realm, he gathers a unique group of followers and somehow attains "cult-leader" status as a result of his eccentric views.
Halfway across the country, we're introduced to Bethany Peters, a trans woman who's still trying to find herself and escape her sexless relationship and dead-end job. That dead-end job, however, has a connection to the PAA, and it's only a matter of time before the lore of this evil corporation reveals its true intentions to "save" the world???
GOSH DANGIT. I feel like that's all I can say without giving away too much. Each and every twist left me needing to pick my jaw up off the ground time and time again. I am SHOOK, and obsessed.
October 16, 2026
🎧Audiobook Review🎧
Public Access Afterworld is one of those books where you ask yourself…. What did I just read? You have to have an incredible imagination to come up with this stuff. You also have to have a knack for writing dark tales.
This story happens over decades and it felt quite nostalgic no doubt. What is Public Access Afterworld? It’s a huge rabbit hole within the tv, that’s what. There are other worlds within the static and horrific things are happening there.
The actual author narrates the story, and at first, I was a little hesitant. However, it works. She did an excellent job and it’s funny I’m saying this….. but with a 600 page narrative… I never felt bored or got lost. I loved how it ended as well.
Did I understand everything I was reading? No. Was it a total mind-fuck? YES! Check your trigger warnings, too.
Public Access Afterworld is part horror, speculative fiction, weird AF, and part coming of age. If you are 40 and over, lots of this tale will take you back. I highly enjoyed it and recommend the audiobook!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another buddy read with bibliopeeks
Thank you to PRH Audio, Hogarth Books, and NetGalley for the gifted copies.
Public Access Afterworld is one of those books where you ask yourself…. What did I just read? You have to have an incredible imagination to come up with this stuff. You also have to have a knack for writing dark tales.
This story happens over decades and it felt quite nostalgic no doubt. What is Public Access Afterworld? It’s a huge rabbit hole within the tv, that’s what. There are other worlds within the static and horrific things are happening there.
The actual author narrates the story, and at first, I was a little hesitant. However, it works. She did an excellent job and it’s funny I’m saying this….. but with a 600 page narrative… I never felt bored or got lost. I loved how it ended as well.
Did I understand everything I was reading? No. Was it a total mind-fuck? YES! Check your trigger warnings, too.
Public Access Afterworld is part horror, speculative fiction, weird AF, and part coming of age. If you are 40 and over, lots of this tale will take you back. I highly enjoyed it and recommend the audiobook!
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Another buddy read with bibliopeeks
Thank you to PRH Audio, Hogarth Books, and NetGalley for the gifted copies.
August 28, 2026
I have to admit that as of this review, I still have not seen the author’s directorial work in film, but I’ve heard very good things. Since I’m now such a big fan of this book, I definitely have to watch “I Saw the TV Glow” as soon as possible.
“Public Access Afterworld” is very addictive once you get into it. The individual stories do feel like episodes of a TV show, (“Just one more!!!”), and the whole thing works together as a cohesive story that reads sort of like an advanced Creepy Pasta. (Complimentary.) I do love just about anything involving haunted or cursed media/videotapes, liminal spaces, and the exploration of our close personal relationships with pop culture.
When I finished this novel, I felt like I had just marathoned an entire season of a TV series. Parts of it felt like a much darker “Pleasantville” and I was so on board with that. There’s a tiny bit of “The Matrix” in there, too. The book is a long journey, and not just because of its page count. I had been through the wringer with these characters, and I could still hear the static.
Parts of this made me so sad. (A lot of the stuff involving Erin was both uncomfortable and depressing. Her chapters specifically were really tough to read.) Bethany’s experiences also seemed to echo real-life struggles in many ways, and I thought about people close to me and things that they unfortunately have to deal with. Kudos to Schoenbrun, though, for seamlessly mixing harsh reality with the imaginative. There was so much going on throughout this narrative, (which other readers appeared to struggle with), that some messaging could have easily gotten lost amidst the chaos but it didn’t. I feel I should mention that the story goes to very dark places. It’s not all neon lights and popcorn.
This is not to say that the novel was perfect, even with the elusive 5-star rating. For example, villainous CEO Fisch’s character made little sense to me, because he contradicted himself so much and not in an intriguing way. I found him confusing and irritating more than anything else.
And what exactly was David Sawyer’s deal? I mean, I know what happened to him, but was I supposed to sympathize? Because I absolutely did not. In fact, til the bitter end I kind of hated his guts. (No spoilers, but the way his story concluded gave me the creeps for very specific reasons, and he had zero redeeming qualities, perhaps by design.) There’s also almost an entire chapter made up of one person talking/monologuing. If I were the other character having to sit there and listen to a story that long, I would be telling them to wrap it the fuck up, but maybe I’m just impatient.
Schoenbrun’s character work overall is admirable, however. If you’re going to commit to 600 pages you need interesting people to follow. Just a warning that you will grow to like some of these characters and their choices will likely frustrate you over and over. But it’s the deeper mystery of this world behind the screens that really draws you in and won’t let you go. I loved the whole concept of Public Access Afterworld and what it was and how television fit into the whole thing. (Don’t want to give too much away, so I’m being vague.) And I also adored all the Chimotera stuff and the concept of how that worked. Chimotera may have been my favorite part of the whole story, actually. I know everyone has different tastes, but I kind of can’t believe that some people hated that subplot.
So many reviewers wrote that things were not explained in this book, but I have to disagree. I felt that every question of mine except for one small one was eventually answered, and I was delighted by all the twists and turns the plot took and how characters and things that were mentioned earlier on would come back later in surprising ways. Schoenbrun really crafted something special and complex here. It’s quite an accomplishment. I would be so psyched if it got adapted for the screen, but it’s amazing as a book.
I even liked the ending. There was one specific thing that, while outlandish, I was really hoping to see as part of the resolution. I did not get my wish, but Schoenbrun has such a creative brain and I’m blown away with what she’s come up with.
Thank you to Netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
* Note: There is a story involving a character who works as an internet content moderator, and if I were to list every single thing that is mentioned in the videos she sees, the trigger warnings would be a huge paragraph. So I limited it to the ones that get the most page time and focus throughout the novel.
Biggest TW: Suicide, Self-harm, Substance abuse, Transphobia/Misgendering/Deadnaming, Slurs, Discussion of SA, Anti-Semitism, Harm to children
“Public Access Afterworld” is very addictive once you get into it. The individual stories do feel like episodes of a TV show, (“Just one more!!!”), and the whole thing works together as a cohesive story that reads sort of like an advanced Creepy Pasta. (Complimentary.) I do love just about anything involving haunted or cursed media/videotapes, liminal spaces, and the exploration of our close personal relationships with pop culture.
When I finished this novel, I felt like I had just marathoned an entire season of a TV series. Parts of it felt like a much darker “Pleasantville” and I was so on board with that. There’s a tiny bit of “The Matrix” in there, too. The book is a long journey, and not just because of its page count. I had been through the wringer with these characters, and I could still hear the static.
Parts of this made me so sad. (A lot of the stuff involving Erin was both uncomfortable and depressing. Her chapters specifically were really tough to read.) Bethany’s experiences also seemed to echo real-life struggles in many ways, and I thought about people close to me and things that they unfortunately have to deal with. Kudos to Schoenbrun, though, for seamlessly mixing harsh reality with the imaginative. There was so much going on throughout this narrative, (which other readers appeared to struggle with), that some messaging could have easily gotten lost amidst the chaos but it didn’t. I feel I should mention that the story goes to very dark places. It’s not all neon lights and popcorn.
This is not to say that the novel was perfect, even with the elusive 5-star rating. For example, villainous CEO Fisch’s character made little sense to me, because he contradicted himself so much and not in an intriguing way. I found him confusing and irritating more than anything else.
And what exactly was David Sawyer’s deal? I mean, I know what happened to him, but was I supposed to sympathize? Because I absolutely did not. In fact, til the bitter end I kind of hated his guts. (No spoilers, but the way his story concluded gave me the creeps for very specific reasons, and he had zero redeeming qualities, perhaps by design.) There’s also almost an entire chapter made up of one person talking/monologuing. If I were the other character having to sit there and listen to a story that long, I would be telling them to wrap it the fuck up, but maybe I’m just impatient.
Schoenbrun’s character work overall is admirable, however. If you’re going to commit to 600 pages you need interesting people to follow. Just a warning that you will grow to like some of these characters and their choices will likely frustrate you over and over. But it’s the deeper mystery of this world behind the screens that really draws you in and won’t let you go. I loved the whole concept of Public Access Afterworld and what it was and how television fit into the whole thing. (Don’t want to give too much away, so I’m being vague.) And I also adored all the Chimotera stuff and the concept of how that worked. Chimotera may have been my favorite part of the whole story, actually. I know everyone has different tastes, but I kind of can’t believe that some people hated that subplot.
So many reviewers wrote that things were not explained in this book, but I have to disagree. I felt that every question of mine except for one small one was eventually answered, and I was delighted by all the twists and turns the plot took and how characters and things that were mentioned earlier on would come back later in surprising ways. Schoenbrun really crafted something special and complex here. It’s quite an accomplishment. I would be so psyched if it got adapted for the screen, but it’s amazing as a book.
I even liked the ending. There was one specific thing that, while outlandish, I was really hoping to see as part of the resolution. I did not get my wish, but Schoenbrun has such a creative brain and I’m blown away with what she’s come up with.
Thank you to Netgalley for this early copy in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.
* Note: There is a story involving a character who works as an internet content moderator, and if I were to list every single thing that is mentioned in the videos she sees, the trigger warnings would be a huge paragraph. So I limited it to the ones that get the most page time and focus throughout the novel.
Biggest TW: Suicide, Self-harm, Substance abuse, Transphobia/Misgendering/Deadnaming, Slurs, Discussion of SA, Anti-Semitism, Harm to children
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A bold, high-concept premise, confidently executed with impressive focus. Schoenbrun brings the idea to life with engrossing prose and assured pacing, keeping the story moving while fully embracing its stranger impulses.
The novel is at its strongest when it leans into its more surreal elements, exploring the off-the-wall interdimensional oddities that emerge through the static. The meta-framing of the story as a series of television episodes felt novel, but ultimately a bit too cute and not entirely necessary in service of the larger narrative.
While I still need some time to sit with the ending, the journey to get there made the experience worthwhile. If you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, enigmatic cult leaders, love-to-hate-them tech bros, and, of course, hallucinatory interdimensional phenomena, Public Access Afterworld should be right up your alley.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Bluesky
The novel is at its strongest when it leans into its more surreal elements, exploring the off-the-wall interdimensional oddities that emerge through the static. The meta-framing of the story as a series of television episodes felt novel, but ultimately a bit too cute and not entirely necessary in service of the larger narrative.
While I still need some time to sit with the ending, the journey to get there made the experience worthwhile. If you’re a fan of conspiracy theories, enigmatic cult leaders, love-to-hate-them tech bros, and, of course, hallucinatory interdimensional phenomena, Public Access Afterworld should be right up your alley.
My thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Bluesky
Want to Read
April 20, 2026I need this yesterday.
August 3, 2026
Don't you love when it feels like a book was written just for you? Special shoutout to the entire bonkers/joyful Chimotera section!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I am absolutely obsessed with this book. No notes.
It’s long, but trust me, it works.
It’s speculative fiction exploring the horrifying concept of what really lies behind the static on the tv screen. It has an incredibly eerie nostalgic feel as it follows the different stories of people disappearing into Public Access Afterworld, and those left behind. Some are searching for answers while others are hiding the secret.
The stories of all the different characters are all connected and intertwined. Part of what makes the book not feel so long is that it slips between the POVs and stories across different timelines and they all feel necessary. I liked how the POV would change before you felt like you were reading too long, and then would come back to it.
Overall, I loved it and it will be one of my top 10 books of the year.
It’s long, but trust me, it works.
It’s speculative fiction exploring the horrifying concept of what really lies behind the static on the tv screen. It has an incredibly eerie nostalgic feel as it follows the different stories of people disappearing into Public Access Afterworld, and those left behind. Some are searching for answers while others are hiding the secret.
The stories of all the different characters are all connected and intertwined. Part of what makes the book not feel so long is that it slips between the POVs and stories across different timelines and they all feel necessary. I liked how the POV would change before you felt like you were reading too long, and then would come back to it.
Overall, I loved it and it will be one of my top 10 books of the year.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Public Access Afterworld is one of the most accomplished horror novels that I've read in years - perhaps my entire adult life.
At nearly 600 pages, it never drags or fatigues the reader. I could scarcely believe that I had reached the end.
What if our world wasn't the only one? What if everything we knew was built upon something unimaginable? Schoenbrun takes the knowable world and flips it on its head- equal parts terrifying and impossible to tear your eyes away from. An absolute must-read for the month of October.
Jane Schoenbrun - you fantastic weirdo. Create art, forever!
At nearly 600 pages, it never drags or fatigues the reader. I could scarcely believe that I had reached the end.
What if our world wasn't the only one? What if everything we knew was built upon something unimaginable? Schoenbrun takes the knowable world and flips it on its head- equal parts terrifying and impossible to tear your eyes away from. An absolute must-read for the month of October.
Jane Schoenbrun - you fantastic weirdo. Create art, forever!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Do you know what static is, literally? Radio waves. Invisible to our sense perceptions, but surrounding us at all times, like water we don't even know we're swimming in. For centuries, millennia, since before the Big Bang, we didn't know these waves existed.
But that doesn't mean they weren't there, waiting to be discovered.
This is a tough one to review because I was really enjoying it for the first half— it reminded me of Grady Hendrix’s compelling gender politics horror, but more mind-bendy —and then somewhere in the third quarter things got weirder and weirder, and I suddenly started to think that maybe all the questions I had were not going to be given answers, that everything was going to be left open to interpretation, which was disappointing and not what I personally want after reading 600+ pages.
Perhaps it would have made a better film/TV show because I didn't have the same problem with Schoenbrun's I Saw the TV Glow, which contains similar themes and ambiguity. I acknowledge that I am not trans and am therefore likely to miss things that are not within the realm of my experience, but I also thought it was brilliant the way Schoenbrun captures a feeling that the world you inhabit is somehow unreal, and the person you appear to be is not quite the person you are. Rather than depicting a trans person trying to convince the world of who they are, Schoenbrun uses horror, internet culture, nostalgia, fantasy and fractured realities to convey what it feels like to experience a disconnect with the reality everyone else seems to be living in. It's very powerful and frightening.
Public Access Afterworld draws on the same themes and imagines another dimension beneath television. In 2009, on the night of the U.S.'s switchover from analog to digital, Erin Morrison sees strange broadcasts through the TV. What follows is a sprawling narrative that takes us from a secret project in the 1960s all the way to 2026 where Bethany Peters does content moderation for GlobalVill, an obvious Youtube stand-in. Certain special people give off a strong glow and are sought by a number of shady figures, often disappearing shortly after.
For the first 300 pages, I found it really compelling. The characters were flawed, which is how I like them, and the mystery of it all was genuinely exciting. I absolutely loved the idea of a hidden dimension in the TV static, and Schoenbrun's writing is very readable. There were all these different strands to the story and I was so excited for them to come together... the problem is they never really did.
I think the main thing Schoenbrun wants to depict is that feeling of fracturing reality. The idea that there is a whole cinematic universe beyond the physical, playing in another realm, inside someone’s head (but also not fully inside their head?) Much of the latter half of the book is about playing with ideas and symbolism, offering zero answers and deliberately sowing confusion. It was a challenge to grasp what was even going on, let alone what it all meant. Where Schoenbrun's films felt ambiguous in an intriguing way, the introduction of this whole unexplained mythology and so many characters and mysteries that never came together across all 600 pages didn't fully work for me. It felt like some kind of necessary resolution was missing.
Contains: transphobia, drug use, suicide and self-harm.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I feel like I am taking crazy pills (or Tic Tacs, if you know what I mean). Public Access Afterworld seems to be working, at least in part, for other early readers. But it was very much not for me.
From the synopsis, Public Access Afterworld is about another dimension, which unfolds within screens (of all types, but mostly television). In 2009, when analog television is set to switch off forever, Erin Morrison starts seeing strange broadcasts through the remaining static. The book then tracks through several decades, locations, and lives in order to unravel the mystery of Public Access Afterworld.
The problem, however, is that the mystery is never really explained to the reader. Everything in this book, including the very concept of Public Access Afterworld itself, felt incredibly underdeveloped and half-baked. A brief list of just some of the elements that popped up in the bloated 600 pages of this book include, but are not limited to: analog television, the Manhattan Project, the Chicago project, a weird cinematic monster from the 60s, static people, a strange video store that has both free popcorn and a mine cart, a psychiatric hospital for teenagers, and a Youtube knockoff website with a pretty deranged user base. The book desperately wants all of these threads to connect in some way, but the ideas aren’t developed enough on their own to possibly intertwine in any way that is satisfying or clear.
And that’s not even touching upon the fact that the idea of Public Access Afterworld makes literally zero sense. It’s the title of the book - the 600 page book - and yet this concept is not explained in a coherent or satisfying (or even plausible) way. Okay, sure.
I wish I could say that the writing saved this one for me. However, I think the length of this novel really got the best of it. At times, it felt like the author just got bored with whatever scene they were writing and had no idea where to go with it. Some of the scenes felt weirdly casually written. There’s even an entire section that’s just a singular character monologuing that seemed like an attempt at explaining the whole plot of the novel.
While this book ultimately did not work for me, if you were already a fan of this author from their work in cinema or if you’re looking for a book that combines film with horror elements, I think you could still have a good time with Public Access Afterworld. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for letting me try an eArc of this book.
From the synopsis, Public Access Afterworld is about another dimension, which unfolds within screens (of all types, but mostly television). In 2009, when analog television is set to switch off forever, Erin Morrison starts seeing strange broadcasts through the remaining static. The book then tracks through several decades, locations, and lives in order to unravel the mystery of Public Access Afterworld.
The problem, however, is that the mystery is never really explained to the reader. Everything in this book, including the very concept of Public Access Afterworld itself, felt incredibly underdeveloped and half-baked. A brief list of just some of the elements that popped up in the bloated 600 pages of this book include, but are not limited to: analog television, the Manhattan Project, the Chicago project, a weird cinematic monster from the 60s, static people, a strange video store that has both free popcorn and a mine cart, a psychiatric hospital for teenagers, and a Youtube knockoff website with a pretty deranged user base. The book desperately wants all of these threads to connect in some way, but the ideas aren’t developed enough on their own to possibly intertwine in any way that is satisfying or clear.
And that’s not even touching upon the fact that the idea of Public Access Afterworld makes literally zero sense. It’s the title of the book - the 600 page book - and yet this concept is not explained in a coherent or satisfying (or even plausible) way. Okay, sure.
I wish I could say that the writing saved this one for me. However, I think the length of this novel really got the best of it. At times, it felt like the author just got bored with whatever scene they were writing and had no idea where to go with it. Some of the scenes felt weirdly casually written. There’s even an entire section that’s just a singular character monologuing that seemed like an attempt at explaining the whole plot of the novel.
While this book ultimately did not work for me, if you were already a fan of this author from their work in cinema or if you’re looking for a book that combines film with horror elements, I think you could still have a good time with Public Access Afterworld. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for letting me try an eArc of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
There's a reality hidden behind your screens. Another world where the shows are not fiction, where chosen ones disappear into, where big tech will do ANYTHING to make sure it stays hidden. Welcome to Public Access Afterworld.
This is a bizarre novel with intersecting narratives and a frenetic vibe that pulls you in from the start. Trying to attempt a brief description would be like trying to eat soup with a fork. Seriously, there's a LOT going on in here yet it weaves itself together with big reveals and an ever increasing sense of wonderment and dread. You'll never look at TV the same and I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
This is a bizarre novel with intersecting narratives and a frenetic vibe that pulls you in from the start. Trying to attempt a brief description would be like trying to eat soup with a fork. Seriously, there's a LOT going on in here yet it weaves itself together with big reveals and an ever increasing sense of wonderment and dread. You'll never look at TV the same and I highly recommend it.
I received an ARC of this book through Netgalley. This review is voluntary and is my own personal opinion.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
2.5 stars rounded down.
Jane Schoenbrun has been a bit of a conundrum for me. After watching TV GLOW, I was disappointed. I dug their visual sense, and their metatextual reference points definitely resonated: Pete & Pete, David Lynch, haunted '90s nostalgia. But something about the construction of the characters and the plotting just did not connect. It felt like a fairly shallow metaphor masquerading as something much deeper and more profound, and on the show/tell spectrum, it leaned far too heavily on the telling. Despite this, I gave the movie a second try, mostly because of all the positive regard for it from folks I really respect and my own desire to connect with the work. Again, it didn't work, somehow ending up being too much and not enough at the same time. I left that experience with a verdict of NOT FOR ME and chalked it up to a matter of taste.
So when I was given an ARC of Public Access Afterworld, Schoenbrun's debut novel, I was excited. Schoenbrun has billed it as the culmination of their "screen trilogy," the capstone to WORLD'S FAIR and TV GLOW, and has described it as an attempt at a queer opus on the scale of SANDMAN, LORD OF THE RINGS, or even HARRY POTTER. I hoped that maybe in a different medium, I would finally be able to see whatever it was I had previously missed.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the case.
The book is a strange cocktail of '90s cable television drama, a paperback teen horror novel, a shallow, overly literal interpretation of Twin Peaks mythology, and a heavy dash of Stephen King Big Book Bloat, all with a queer twist and a schizotypal wash on the glass. I can completely understand how that description might excite a potential reader. In fact, it probably would have compelled me to pick it up as well. The problem is that it's kind of all the worst parts of those things balled up together.
Some of my biggest problems with the book come from its direct aping of plot elements from Fire Walk With Me and Twin Peaks season three, some lifted straight from episode 8. In the process, it swaps out the dark and complex critique and commentary of Lynch's implied world for the more didactic thematic elements Schoenbrun also addresses in TV GLOW. We get a haunted Blockbuster Video and figures made of static rather than the Woodsmen living above the convenience store. We get deadly television shows rather than the horrifying "This is the Water..." radio broadcast.
Schoenbrun is not a bad writer. They have some cool ideas for scenes and occasional flashes of exciting prose. But mostly it is uneven, with different parts of the narrative almost feeling like they come from different people, and not with any overt thematic intention. There is also a very loose grasp on POV, with a lot of head-hopping, and a soft grasp on tense, drifting from past to present without identifiable intent. The vague frame tale, the story being related by one narrator to another who may or may not be the author (though the acknowledgments seem to indicate it isn't supposed to be Schoenbrun directly), only adds to the muddle rather than explaining it.
In doing some research about the book, I learned that it began life as a TV series. Schoenbrun has said it was originally written as a three-season show and retooled as a novel when they couldn't find backers. I couldn't pin down whether the novel is the summation of everything intended for those three seasons, a reworking of the scripts they'd actually written, or just meant to be that first season. Whatever the genesis, the reality is that this book is too long, indulgently so. At 608 pages, it somehow manages to recreate my TV GLOW experience: too much and not enough at the same time, too long, yet somehow incomplete.
Somewhere along the way, I started conceiving of it as a Christopher Pike or RL Stine–style paperback teen thriller. When I did, my reading picked up, and I found myself judging it less. In fact, I'd say this book almost works better if you break it down into a multi-book series published as those cheap mass market paperbacks with the colorful embossed covers. In fact, you could almost convince me to buy that because then some of the weaknesses and indulgences would be more bearable, or at least more self aware. As it stands, a prior verdict unfortunately holds: NOT FOR ME. Though, I will certainly read or see what they do next.
Read as an ARC. Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity.
Jane Schoenbrun has been a bit of a conundrum for me. After watching TV GLOW, I was disappointed. I dug their visual sense, and their metatextual reference points definitely resonated: Pete & Pete, David Lynch, haunted '90s nostalgia. But something about the construction of the characters and the plotting just did not connect. It felt like a fairly shallow metaphor masquerading as something much deeper and more profound, and on the show/tell spectrum, it leaned far too heavily on the telling. Despite this, I gave the movie a second try, mostly because of all the positive regard for it from folks I really respect and my own desire to connect with the work. Again, it didn't work, somehow ending up being too much and not enough at the same time. I left that experience with a verdict of NOT FOR ME and chalked it up to a matter of taste.
So when I was given an ARC of Public Access Afterworld, Schoenbrun's debut novel, I was excited. Schoenbrun has billed it as the culmination of their "screen trilogy," the capstone to WORLD'S FAIR and TV GLOW, and has described it as an attempt at a queer opus on the scale of SANDMAN, LORD OF THE RINGS, or even HARRY POTTER. I hoped that maybe in a different medium, I would finally be able to see whatever it was I had previously missed.
Unfortunately, this wasn't the case.
The book is a strange cocktail of '90s cable television drama, a paperback teen horror novel, a shallow, overly literal interpretation of Twin Peaks mythology, and a heavy dash of Stephen King Big Book Bloat, all with a queer twist and a schizotypal wash on the glass. I can completely understand how that description might excite a potential reader. In fact, it probably would have compelled me to pick it up as well. The problem is that it's kind of all the worst parts of those things balled up together.
Some of my biggest problems with the book come from its direct aping of plot elements from Fire Walk With Me and Twin Peaks season three, some lifted straight from episode 8. In the process, it swaps out the dark and complex critique and commentary of Lynch's implied world for the more didactic thematic elements Schoenbrun also addresses in TV GLOW. We get a haunted Blockbuster Video and figures made of static rather than the Woodsmen living above the convenience store. We get deadly television shows rather than the horrifying "This is the Water..." radio broadcast.
Schoenbrun is not a bad writer. They have some cool ideas for scenes and occasional flashes of exciting prose. But mostly it is uneven, with different parts of the narrative almost feeling like they come from different people, and not with any overt thematic intention. There is also a very loose grasp on POV, with a lot of head-hopping, and a soft grasp on tense, drifting from past to present without identifiable intent. The vague frame tale, the story being related by one narrator to another who may or may not be the author (though the acknowledgments seem to indicate it isn't supposed to be Schoenbrun directly), only adds to the muddle rather than explaining it.
In doing some research about the book, I learned that it began life as a TV series. Schoenbrun has said it was originally written as a three-season show and retooled as a novel when they couldn't find backers. I couldn't pin down whether the novel is the summation of everything intended for those three seasons, a reworking of the scripts they'd actually written, or just meant to be that first season. Whatever the genesis, the reality is that this book is too long, indulgently so. At 608 pages, it somehow manages to recreate my TV GLOW experience: too much and not enough at the same time, too long, yet somehow incomplete.
Somewhere along the way, I started conceiving of it as a Christopher Pike or RL Stine–style paperback teen thriller. When I did, my reading picked up, and I found myself judging it less. In fact, I'd say this book almost works better if you break it down into a multi-book series published as those cheap mass market paperbacks with the colorful embossed covers. In fact, you could almost convince me to buy that because then some of the weaknesses and indulgences would be more bearable, or at least more self aware. As it stands, a prior verdict unfortunately holds: NOT FOR ME. Though, I will certainly read or see what they do next.
Read as an ARC. Thanks to the author and publisher for the opportunity.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Although this is primarily a novel for fans of Schoenbrun’s films (We’re All Going to the World’s Fair, I Saw the TV Glow, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma), this book will also appeal to fans of Imaginary Friend (Chbosky), The Locked Tomb (Muir), Night Film (Pessl), and Andrew Joseph White. You might think that because Schoenbrun is first and foremost a filmmaker, they might not have what it takes to write successful narrative prose. But, of course, you’d be wrong.
Somehow Schoenbrun manages to take the skeletons of their film trilogy, rip those bones from their original bodies of work, and repurpose them in a way that not only feels unique and fresh but also coexists with and elaborates on the initial stories. This book is a masterclass on world-building that manages to expand on the themes and lessons of Schoenbrun’s films, and that’s not something I can say I’ve ever seen done before. Not only does this book somehow strengthen the films, but the films seem to exist as an appetizer to this story. All four of these works are in conversation with each other, and yet this book is the culmination of everything. They are intrinsically connected. It’s unprecedented.
I think this book is almost a more successful exploration of the storylines and worlds that Schoenbrun originally built for the film trilogy. [redacted]’s haunting presence and [redacted]’s culty video challenges echo Casey’s descent into madness. [redacted] and [redacted] (with [redacted] specifically) felt reminiscent of Owen and Maddy’s beloved Pink Opaque. And while I have yet to see the final film at the time of writing this, I feel certain that [redacted] (and its numerous bad franchise sequels) draws inspiration from the beloved Camp Miasma franchise. And while many people may find this…gauche, to essentially reference your own projects and your own lore, and in some ways repurpose it all, I think it’s genius. Partially because horror often feeds off itself, it’s such a cannibalistic genre (ha, pun intended), but moreover because the contents of Schoenbrun’s works specifically are circular and intersecting and related. They write about trans identity and the impacts of technology on said identity and the ways mental illness and small town life can work together to cause lasting harm on the psyche. They reflect on fandom and media consumption and how those things can both unite people and tear people apart, and all the while, they manage to do it in a way that is not only smart but also, crucially, cool.
From the very first chapter, I knew this was going to be a special book and I knew it would be the kind of book that would alter the way I see myself and the world. While it’s a great puzzle book and a compelling plot with complex characters, mostly I enjoyed it because it forced me to question my reality. Typical of metalit, you get what you put into it and you could spend a long time dissecting this book before you fully understand it, but that’s what I found so incredible about it. It’s the type of story you can spend hours with and not get sick of it.
— my official netgalley review, written before seeing Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
(will share my final, more personal and reflective commentary upon publication, although having now seen Miasma twice, i can safely say that this book is ESSENTIAL in understanding that film and i'm upset that i can't talk about it with more people at this moment)
Somehow Schoenbrun manages to take the skeletons of their film trilogy, rip those bones from their original bodies of work, and repurpose them in a way that not only feels unique and fresh but also coexists with and elaborates on the initial stories. This book is a masterclass on world-building that manages to expand on the themes and lessons of Schoenbrun’s films, and that’s not something I can say I’ve ever seen done before. Not only does this book somehow strengthen the films, but the films seem to exist as an appetizer to this story. All four of these works are in conversation with each other, and yet this book is the culmination of everything. They are intrinsically connected. It’s unprecedented.
I think this book is almost a more successful exploration of the storylines and worlds that Schoenbrun originally built for the film trilogy. [redacted]’s haunting presence and [redacted]’s culty video challenges echo Casey’s descent into madness. [redacted] and [redacted] (with [redacted] specifically) felt reminiscent of Owen and Maddy’s beloved Pink Opaque. And while I have yet to see the final film at the time of writing this, I feel certain that [redacted] (and its numerous bad franchise sequels) draws inspiration from the beloved Camp Miasma franchise. And while many people may find this…gauche, to essentially reference your own projects and your own lore, and in some ways repurpose it all, I think it’s genius. Partially because horror often feeds off itself, it’s such a cannibalistic genre (ha, pun intended), but moreover because the contents of Schoenbrun’s works specifically are circular and intersecting and related. They write about trans identity and the impacts of technology on said identity and the ways mental illness and small town life can work together to cause lasting harm on the psyche. They reflect on fandom and media consumption and how those things can both unite people and tear people apart, and all the while, they manage to do it in a way that is not only smart but also, crucially, cool.
From the very first chapter, I knew this was going to be a special book and I knew it would be the kind of book that would alter the way I see myself and the world. While it’s a great puzzle book and a compelling plot with complex characters, mostly I enjoyed it because it forced me to question my reality. Typical of metalit, you get what you put into it and you could spend a long time dissecting this book before you fully understand it, but that’s what I found so incredible about it. It’s the type of story you can spend hours with and not get sick of it.
— my official netgalley review, written before seeing Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma
(will share my final, more personal and reflective commentary upon publication, although having now seen Miasma twice, i can safely say that this book is ESSENTIAL in understanding that film and i'm upset that i can't talk about it with more people at this moment)
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Jane Schoenbrun’s upcoming supernatural sci-fi thriller/horror/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, Public Access Afterworld, is getting so much buzz—and for good measure. Thank you @hogarthbooks for my gifted copy!
This book was not on my radar, but after seeing all the buzz building around it lately, I knew I needed to read it. And let me tell you: this is an epic saga of, well epic proportions.
I really think you should go into this one knowing as little as possible. As you dive in, you’re taken through different timelines, cultures, and people, all revolving around this mysterious idea of the “Public Access Afterworld.”
Schoenbrun dives into cosmic horror, technology, culture, socioeconomic themes, and trans identity, with fantastic LGBTQ+ representation throughout. There is a lot happening here, but despite its length (I usually prefer my books no longer than 400 pages or I get bored), I never felt like the story hit a lull.
My biggest advice is to go in knowing as little as possible, but know what you’re committing to. If you don’t have the time or headspace for an epic book right now, you might want to save this one for when you do.
If you love ambitious, genre-bending fiction with techno-horror, cosmic horror, queer themes, and plenty to unpack, Public Access Afterworld absolutely deserves a spot on your radar.
This was my first Jane Schoenbrun, and I’d absolutely pick up another book from them. I can’t wait to see what they have coming for readers next. 👀📺✨ STARS: 4, PUB: 10/27
This book was not on my radar, but after seeing all the buzz building around it lately, I knew I needed to read it. And let me tell you: this is an epic saga of, well epic proportions.
I really think you should go into this one knowing as little as possible. As you dive in, you’re taken through different timelines, cultures, and people, all revolving around this mysterious idea of the “Public Access Afterworld.”
Schoenbrun dives into cosmic horror, technology, culture, socioeconomic themes, and trans identity, with fantastic LGBTQ+ representation throughout. There is a lot happening here, but despite its length (I usually prefer my books no longer than 400 pages or I get bored), I never felt like the story hit a lull.
My biggest advice is to go in knowing as little as possible, but know what you’re committing to. If you don’t have the time or headspace for an epic book right now, you might want to save this one for when you do.
If you love ambitious, genre-bending fiction with techno-horror, cosmic horror, queer themes, and plenty to unpack, Public Access Afterworld absolutely deserves a spot on your radar.
This was my first Jane Schoenbrun, and I’d absolutely pick up another book from them. I can’t wait to see what they have coming for readers next. 👀📺✨ STARS: 4, PUB: 10/27
April 22, 2026
Maybe think of this text as a seance.
Some people are obsessed with David Lynch. Fascinated with Fellini. Enraptured by Scorsese and Buñuel and Capra. My mind has been consumed by Jane Schoenbrun.
It all started one night in 2024, huddled up in my basement in the New Jersey suburbs. I rented a horror movie I'd heard about online—one with great reviews that I didn't know anything else about. I pulled a Jets Snuggie over my shoulders, turned off the lights, and hit play.
Throughout most of it, I had no idea what I was watching. There was a loose mystery, but none of it really made sense. I thought it was going one way, but it turned out that the film didn't operate under cardinal directions. When the credits rolled, I was skeptical. I thought I liked it? But I wasn't quite sure how much.
The next night (within the 48 hour rental window), I watched it again. And everything changed.
Jane Schoenbrun is a surrealist genius and one of the only filmmakers working today who has truly dug into the heart of the depressed suburban weird Gen Z kid psyche (shoutout Donnie Darko for pioneering the genre from the Gen X perspective). Especially of the hyper-online variety.
I Saw the TV Glow and We're All Going to the World's Fair are two of my favorite films of all time, and I mean that in all capacities. Theme, style, format, structure, dialogue, direction... Schoenbrun sings to me through the screen.
And the exact same can be said of their debut novel. I am incredibly lucky to have been able to get my hands on an advanced copy, and even luckier that I got to read it the week leading up to the premiere of their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (and got to attend their Q&A!!).
I won't give anything substantial away since I'm writing this ahead of the book's release, but if you're interested in the usual Schoenbrun motifs (hallucinated TV shows, online horror RPGs, ridiculous reboots, trans identity, etc.), you will eat up this story. If I had to encapsulate it in some easy to digest comps, I'd say: Blake Crouch meets the Davids (Lynch and Cronenberg). Dark Matter meets Mulholland Drive à la Videodrome.
So, while you're waiting for this novel to officially hit shelves, I'd highly recommend you dive into the author's filmography and see their latest on the big screen!
~ Release date: October 27, 2026 ~ All quotations are from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change.
Some people are obsessed with David Lynch. Fascinated with Fellini. Enraptured by Scorsese and Buñuel and Capra. My mind has been consumed by Jane Schoenbrun.
It all started one night in 2024, huddled up in my basement in the New Jersey suburbs. I rented a horror movie I'd heard about online—one with great reviews that I didn't know anything else about. I pulled a Jets Snuggie over my shoulders, turned off the lights, and hit play.
Throughout most of it, I had no idea what I was watching. There was a loose mystery, but none of it really made sense. I thought it was going one way, but it turned out that the film didn't operate under cardinal directions. When the credits rolled, I was skeptical. I thought I liked it? But I wasn't quite sure how much.
The next night (within the 48 hour rental window), I watched it again. And everything changed.
Jane Schoenbrun is a surrealist genius and one of the only filmmakers working today who has truly dug into the heart of the depressed suburban weird Gen Z kid psyche (shoutout Donnie Darko for pioneering the genre from the Gen X perspective). Especially of the hyper-online variety.
I Saw the TV Glow and We're All Going to the World's Fair are two of my favorite films of all time, and I mean that in all capacities. Theme, style, format, structure, dialogue, direction... Schoenbrun sings to me through the screen.
And the exact same can be said of their debut novel. I am incredibly lucky to have been able to get my hands on an advanced copy, and even luckier that I got to read it the week leading up to the premiere of their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (and got to attend their Q&A!!).
I won't give anything substantial away since I'm writing this ahead of the book's release, but if you're interested in the usual Schoenbrun motifs (hallucinated TV shows, online horror RPGs, ridiculous reboots, trans identity, etc.), you will eat up this story. If I had to encapsulate it in some easy to digest comps, I'd say: Blake Crouch meets the Davids (Lynch and Cronenberg). Dark Matter meets Mulholland Drive à la Videodrome.
So, while you're waiting for this novel to officially hit shelves, I'd highly recommend you dive into the author's filmography and see their latest on the big screen!
~ Release date: October 27, 2026 ~ All quotations are from an uncorrected proof and are subject to change.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Major thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth for sending me an ARC of this in exchange for my honest thoughts:
“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺.”
Sadly going to DNF this at the 45% mark…I think all of this solidifies my very issues with Schoenbrun, but with the writing itself, all tells!
Great ideas here on obsession, escapism into other worlds, the internet, and more with vibey aesthetics for lovers of Lynch, but when it comes down to the actual writing of the book? Incredibly unbearable and poorly developed. I’m down for bonkers plot points, but you actually have to put in the work of writing. Aesthetics are here, but the overall world-building is less visual here than on Schoenbrun’s screen. It makes me wonder what moodboards and storyboards look like before they prepare to build upon their works.
Unfortunately, though I very much enjoy Schoenbrun’s vision, I just can’t get around their inability to create story. And after my viewing of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, I don’t feel bad for leaving this one as early as it seems too eager to explain all of its ideas to you rather than novelize it in the tradition of an actual story.
“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘤 𝘈𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘈𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘨𝘢𝘮𝘦, 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘤𝘬 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺.”
Sadly going to DNF this at the 45% mark…I think all of this solidifies my very issues with Schoenbrun, but with the writing itself, all tells!
Great ideas here on obsession, escapism into other worlds, the internet, and more with vibey aesthetics for lovers of Lynch, but when it comes down to the actual writing of the book? Incredibly unbearable and poorly developed. I’m down for bonkers plot points, but you actually have to put in the work of writing. Aesthetics are here, but the overall world-building is less visual here than on Schoenbrun’s screen. It makes me wonder what moodboards and storyboards look like before they prepare to build upon their works.
Unfortunately, though I very much enjoy Schoenbrun’s vision, I just can’t get around their inability to create story. And after my viewing of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, I don’t feel bad for leaving this one as early as it seems too eager to explain all of its ideas to you rather than novelize it in the tradition of an actual story.
August 3, 2026
read this bcos senlinyu blurbed it and was not let down
absolutely GRIPPING and so vividly inventive - as a lover of tv this was so fun (and at times scary) to read. super high concept and can see the authors roots in film easily. such a fun play of form and how that guides storytelling. a book out of my usual genres I read in and REALLY hooked me, highly recommend
absolutely GRIPPING and so vividly inventive - as a lover of tv this was so fun (and at times scary) to read. super high concept and can see the authors roots in film easily. such a fun play of form and how that guides storytelling. a book out of my usual genres I read in and REALLY hooked me, highly recommend
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Well, like the film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma (2026) Jane Schoenbrun wrote and directed, Public Access Afterworld is a wild ride. Just ignore the weird narrator voice in the first chapter, once you get to meet the lead protagonist, Bethany Peters, the story becomes compelling: "She's a twenty-seven-year-old trans girl playing chicken with the poverty line down in Texas." Maybe the overarching narrator will work better in a film...
The book's general premise is people across the ages are being sucked into the TV to produce our television shows. Behind the static is "a complex interdimensional system that held reality itself in an equilibrium." The only people that get sucked into the tele. by the static are "crooked" so trans woman Bethany Peters is an ideal candidate because the experience of not being in the right body has made her a little bit of an outsider. However Bethany's a bit of a sleeper: in a scene reminiscent of The Matrix, she wakes up, and sets about destroying the world keeping our televisions sedating the masses. It's a very modern book, with commentary on the algorithm that might appeal to Australian readers: "The randomness of it all kept her in a state of anxiety about what she might be subjected to next."
What this book does very well is integrate trans women's perspectives into a story that isn't about being trans: "It was a revelation: intimacy with a normal boy who genuinely saw her as the person she wished she could be." So it will appeal to trans readers obviously, but also is an important read for the rest of us, because it will help normalise a trans point of view: "Bethany watched as her hookup's trans-inclusive politics began to battle against her gut-level repulsion."
My only complaint is it's a bit long-winded. I think some of it could have ended on the cutting room floor, maybe like the opening narrator...
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for sending me a copy to read.
The book's general premise is people across the ages are being sucked into the TV to produce our television shows. Behind the static is "a complex interdimensional system that held reality itself in an equilibrium." The only people that get sucked into the tele. by the static are "crooked" so trans woman Bethany Peters is an ideal candidate because the experience of not being in the right body has made her a little bit of an outsider. However Bethany's a bit of a sleeper: in a scene reminiscent of The Matrix, she wakes up, and sets about destroying the world keeping our televisions sedating the masses. It's a very modern book, with commentary on the algorithm that might appeal to Australian readers: "The randomness of it all kept her in a state of anxiety about what she might be subjected to next."
What this book does very well is integrate trans women's perspectives into a story that isn't about being trans: "It was a revelation: intimacy with a normal boy who genuinely saw her as the person she wished she could be." So it will appeal to trans readers obviously, but also is an important read for the rest of us, because it will help normalise a trans point of view: "Bethany watched as her hookup's trans-inclusive politics began to battle against her gut-level repulsion."
My only complaint is it's a bit long-winded. I think some of it could have ended on the cutting room floor, maybe like the opening narrator...
With thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia & New Zealand for sending me a copy to read.
August 29, 2026
Has to be my favorite book of the year ⚡️📺
June 19, 2026
initial thoughts: so batshit crazy my mind is reeling but uhhhhh holy shit???????
after letting it marinate: Jane is so fucking cool. This book, much like I Saw the TV Glow, is made for a "rewatch," letting the layers of the story recontextualize all that came before it. There's so much to process! My brain feels like static fuzz! I can't wait to get my hands on my own physical copy so I can underline the shit out of it.
read on netgalley :)
after letting it marinate: Jane is so fucking cool. This book, much like I Saw the TV Glow, is made for a "rewatch," letting the layers of the story recontextualize all that came before it. There's so much to process! My brain feels like static fuzz! I can't wait to get my hands on my own physical copy so I can underline the shit out of it.
read on netgalley :)
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This review (and many others) plus essays and booklists are now available on my blog!
It's 2009 and after witnessing the end of analogue television with her friend, David Sawyer, Erin Morrison witnesses a surreal broadcast from a network that doesn't seem to exist, called Public Access Afterworld. Seventeen years later, David Sawyer is in hiding, blamed for Erin's disappearance, and a young woman named Bethany Peters finds herself falling into the Public Access Afterworld rabbit hole. Through multiple timelines, dimensions, perspectives and layers of mystery and conspiracy, will Bethany be the one to break the cycle, or will she become just another girl swallowed up by Public Access Afterworld?
There is, quite frankly, a lot going on in this book. Delightfully weird and mind-bending, Public Access Afterworld doesn't pull punches, immersing the reader in a saga that unfolds over the course of decades. I love a complicated, multi-pov/multi-timeline story and I think generally Schoenbrun does a good job smoothly transitioning between them because I always felt like I knew where I was and whose perspective I was reading. That's not to say that I really think I understood everything that happened. There's kind of a frame narrative that the book doesn't come back to (as far as I can tell–maybe it just went over my head), but for this kind of book I think you just kind of need to be along for the ride. I liked Bethany a lot as a character and Jules too was messy and self-destructive in a way that felt very relatable. David and Erin I maybe had more trouble getting personally invested in, but that's alright since we don't get nearly as much of their POV. I think my overall opinion of this book (unsatisfying as it might be to read in a review) is that I don't really know what the hell was going on but I really enjoyed it. There were some magical moments, and there's enough emotional intensity for the story to be engaging throughout, but if you gave me a quiz on this book I fear I would be pretty useless: What was the deal with Chimotera? Not a clue. What was the end goal of the Chicago project? Beats me. Who was the receiver? I maybe know the answer to this one, but it's with very little confidence. I don't really care if I understood it, because it was a cool book! I'm easy like that.
I'm not familiar with Schoenbrun's work on movies, but I'll keep an eye out for any more books they write in the future. I'm a little in love with their world of multigenerational conspiracy, interdimensional television, and messy queer people!
Thank you to Jane Schoenbrun and Hogarth for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
It's 2009 and after witnessing the end of analogue television with her friend, David Sawyer, Erin Morrison witnesses a surreal broadcast from a network that doesn't seem to exist, called Public Access Afterworld. Seventeen years later, David Sawyer is in hiding, blamed for Erin's disappearance, and a young woman named Bethany Peters finds herself falling into the Public Access Afterworld rabbit hole. Through multiple timelines, dimensions, perspectives and layers of mystery and conspiracy, will Bethany be the one to break the cycle, or will she become just another girl swallowed up by Public Access Afterworld?
There is, quite frankly, a lot going on in this book. Delightfully weird and mind-bending, Public Access Afterworld doesn't pull punches, immersing the reader in a saga that unfolds over the course of decades. I love a complicated, multi-pov/multi-timeline story and I think generally Schoenbrun does a good job smoothly transitioning between them because I always felt like I knew where I was and whose perspective I was reading. That's not to say that I really think I understood everything that happened. There's kind of a frame narrative that the book doesn't come back to (as far as I can tell–maybe it just went over my head), but for this kind of book I think you just kind of need to be along for the ride. I liked Bethany a lot as a character and Jules too was messy and self-destructive in a way that felt very relatable. David and Erin I maybe had more trouble getting personally invested in, but that's alright since we don't get nearly as much of their POV. I think my overall opinion of this book (unsatisfying as it might be to read in a review) is that I don't really know what the hell was going on but I really enjoyed it. There were some magical moments, and there's enough emotional intensity for the story to be engaging throughout, but if you gave me a quiz on this book I fear I would be pretty useless: What was the deal with Chimotera? Not a clue. What was the end goal of the Chicago project? Beats me. Who was the receiver? I maybe know the answer to this one, but it's with very little confidence. I don't really care if I understood it, because it was a cool book! I'm easy like that.
I'm not familiar with Schoenbrun's work on movies, but I'll keep an eye out for any more books they write in the future. I'm a little in love with their world of multigenerational conspiracy, interdimensional television, and messy queer people!
Thank you to Jane Schoenbrun and Hogarth for this ARC in exchange for my full, honest review!
Happy reading!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an Advanced Reader Copy.
It’s been roughly two weeks since I finished this book, and for two whole weeks, I’ve been trying to find the words to describe it, let alone explain just how fascinating, bizarre, and utterly unique the entire reading experience was. And honestly? I still haven’t found them.
What I can tell you is that this book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s wild, disturbing, creepy, mind-bending, and a dozen other things I can’t quite put into words. The writing is superb, and the author does an incredible job of giving each character so much depth and individuality that they feel distinct and real, making it easy to connect with them in a way that only makes the entire experience that much more immersive.
I genuinely don’t think you should know much going into this one, other than that it involves a world hidden behind the static of your television, a place some people are called to enter, only to disappear from our world. (Trust me, it’s about a hundred times more complex and mind blowing than that, but that’s all I’m willing to say.)
The way the author weaves together all the strange, seemingly insignificant details is nothing short of brilliant. There were moments when the pieces finally clicked into place, and I genuinely found myself gasping as I began to understand what was happening. That feeling of slowly connecting the dots and realizing just how much is going on beneath the surface is something special.
This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. The kind that leaves you sitting there, trying to process what you just read, wishing you could experience it all over again for the first time.
It’s truly an incredible read, and I desperately want everyone to read it so I can talk about it with someone.
It’s been roughly two weeks since I finished this book, and for two whole weeks, I’ve been trying to find the words to describe it, let alone explain just how fascinating, bizarre, and utterly unique the entire reading experience was. And honestly? I still haven’t found them.
What I can tell you is that this book is unlike anything I’ve ever read. It’s wild, disturbing, creepy, mind-bending, and a dozen other things I can’t quite put into words. The writing is superb, and the author does an incredible job of giving each character so much depth and individuality that they feel distinct and real, making it easy to connect with them in a way that only makes the entire experience that much more immersive.
I genuinely don’t think you should know much going into this one, other than that it involves a world hidden behind the static of your television, a place some people are called to enter, only to disappear from our world. (Trust me, it’s about a hundred times more complex and mind blowing than that, but that’s all I’m willing to say.)
The way the author weaves together all the strange, seemingly insignificant details is nothing short of brilliant. There were moments when the pieces finally clicked into place, and I genuinely found myself gasping as I began to understand what was happening. That feeling of slowly connecting the dots and realizing just how much is going on beneath the surface is something special.
This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you’ve finished it. The kind that leaves you sitting there, trying to process what you just read, wishing you could experience it all over again for the first time.
It’s truly an incredible read, and I desperately want everyone to read it so I can talk about it with someone.
June 27, 2026
I was so excited going into this and it fully exceeded my expectations. I feel like in the same way the characters become obsessed with public access afterworld I became obsessed with this story and figuring out what happens.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
So: you know the themes of fandom, psychosis, suicidality, transition, and self-destructive, world-ending teenage love that Schoenbrun developed so beautifully in I Saw the TV Glow? Read this book to see her turn it all up to ELEVEN. My heart stopped; my jaw dropped; my love of three-act structure crackled and thrilled. It's like if trans Buffy got way too online, went on a bender, and took on the whole TikTok-government industrial entertainment complex. I cried a few times when the horror of teenage girlhood got too real.
August 17, 2026
First off, the nostalgia in this book was AMAZING. As a ’90s kid who frequented Blockbuster (also Family Video) and is currently deep into VHS collecting again, I was immediately sold 📼
For fans of I Saw the TV Glow, Stranger Things, the book Mister Magic and Season 1 of Channel Zero, this is such a unique take on what might exist between the static, the waves and the internet.
In 2009, David and Erin are recording the transition from analog to digital on Erin’s basement TV when later that night, Erin witnesses something strange between the static.
In the present day, Bethany, a down on her luck trans woman works the night shift for a company that monitors videos and posts on a Reddit like platform. Struggling to make ends meet and increasingly disturbed by the content she’s monitoring she decides to take matters into her own hands after discovering a follower of the Public Access Afterworld cult who needs her help.
What follows spans multiple decades, realities and forms of media, all connected by the cult following of Public Access Afterworld.
I will say… I had NO idea this book was 600+ pages when I started it. I was INVESTED for the first 20% but things slowed down quite a bit around the 30–50% mark before picking back up again. That final 15% though? SO GOOD. I honestly wish we had gotten more of that part earlier and for longer.
Even with the pacing issues, I really enjoyed the premise and the overall storyline. It was weird, nostalgic, unsettling and unlike anything I’ve read.
And PLEASE just like I Saw the TV Glow, we need this to become a TV series or movie. I would LOVE to see this entire bizarre world come to life on screen!!
For fans of I Saw the TV Glow, Stranger Things, the book Mister Magic and Season 1 of Channel Zero, this is such a unique take on what might exist between the static, the waves and the internet.
In 2009, David and Erin are recording the transition from analog to digital on Erin’s basement TV when later that night, Erin witnesses something strange between the static.
In the present day, Bethany, a down on her luck trans woman works the night shift for a company that monitors videos and posts on a Reddit like platform. Struggling to make ends meet and increasingly disturbed by the content she’s monitoring she decides to take matters into her own hands after discovering a follower of the Public Access Afterworld cult who needs her help.
What follows spans multiple decades, realities and forms of media, all connected by the cult following of Public Access Afterworld.
I will say… I had NO idea this book was 600+ pages when I started it. I was INVESTED for the first 20% but things slowed down quite a bit around the 30–50% mark before picking back up again. That final 15% though? SO GOOD. I honestly wish we had gotten more of that part earlier and for longer.
Even with the pacing issues, I really enjoyed the premise and the overall storyline. It was weird, nostalgic, unsettling and unlike anything I’ve read.
And PLEASE just like I Saw the TV Glow, we need this to become a TV series or movie. I would LOVE to see this entire bizarre world come to life on screen!!
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