Public Access Afterworld

by Jane Schoenbrun, Stefanie Adam, Kristof Kurz

Ein episches Debüt über Identität und die düsteren Geschichten, die unsere Welt prägen.


Am 12. Juni 2009 treffen sich David Sawyer und Erin Morrison, zwei nerdige und verliebte Teenager, in Erins Keller, um live mitzuerleben, wie das analoge Fernsehsignal abgestellt wird. Im Flimmern des Fernsehbildes nach der Abschaltung meint Erin, etwas zu erkennen: eine Sendung namens Public Access Afterworld. Erin ist wie besessen davon, bis sie spurlos verschwindet. David macht sich auf die Suche nach ihr – und nach Public Access Afterworld. Vierzehn Jahre später stößt die Content-Moderatorin Bethany im Strom sinnloser und abscheulicher Videos auf eine junge Frau, die ebenfalls von dieser mysteriösen Sendung spricht. Auch Bethany beginnt, nach Public Access Afterworld zu suchen und begibt sich auf eine Reise mitten ins Herz der amerikanischen Finsternis. Eine Reise bis an den Rand der Realität …

Genres: Horror, Science Fiction, Queer, Fiction, LGBT, Adult, Transgender

496 pages, ebook

Expected publication October 27, 2026

About the author

Jane 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.

Reviews

[Renee Godding]

No 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.

[Sam Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Kyle]

I need this yesterday.

[Chelsea (gofetchabook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Allie Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 :)

[Emily]

NEEEEEED to read this novel by my own personally perfect horror film director <3

[Alanna M · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book disappointingly missed the mark for me! Definitely a lot in it that I liked but it’s also 600 pages… so I also found plenty I did not like. It felt way too long with so much happening. I liked a lot of the character stories but it just felt like too much all together!
Also being from/living in Austin, I did enjoy the bits and pieces about the rise of big tech and gentrification and change in the city.

I was so excited about this but I’m more excited to be finished reading it. Gonna go watch we’re all going to the world’s fair to soothe my soul.

[Lara Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Elaborate and engaging, really kept me on my toes right up to the last page!! Fundamentally I did not 100% buy into the premise of Public Access Afterworld and kept hoping I’d be fully convinced as the novel drew on (sorry to say it may just be the sci-fi hater in me), but even so, I was amazed by the complex entanglement of characters and worlds that Schoenbrun stitched together. I love a book that experiments with structure and perspective, so I especially appreciated some of the sections that felt even more out there than most (will try to remember to elaborate once this book is out in the world!). Schoenbrun explored queerness, transness, otherness, and becoming through the lens of TV and media with unsurprising but nonetheless impressive clarity and compassion.

[Bert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not at all what I was expecting. Better!! Mysterious, twisty, nightmarish and exhaustive. Truly a book to live with while you’re reading it. It took me 2 weeks to read and every time I wasn’t reading it I was thinking about it.

THE book of 2026. See you in the static.

[talia ♡]

just landed on a bunch of "to be robbed" lists since i just got an arc!

[alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where do I even start?

I will admit that while I was really anticipating this book because I loved both of Jane’s films, I was nervous how their skills would translate from the screen into a novel, and if I would enjoy it as much as their films. Luckily even my highest expectations were surpassed.

Reading this was like being drawn into a really engrossing tv show, staying up all night to binge the entire season because at the end of every episode (chapter) it kept you on the edge of your seat and needing to find out what happens next.

The characters in here were great, I loved how their voices came through and that the protagonists weren’t perfect and didn’t always make the best decisions but I couldn’t help wanting them to still end up alright. Even the antagonists had motivations that were understandable, and they still felt human rather than just evil for the sake of it.

The plot was insane in the best way and always kept driving forward. Although at times the whole lore and concepts behind everything could’ve gotten confusing, we got enough information to still keep the story moving forward and making sense. When the reveals would finally happen, everything clicked and I also felt like I could make sense of the themes and threads that were shared between the author’s films and their novel.

The only minor thing I wish was different here is that the ending felt more fully resolved, but maybe that’s intentional. I really hope they write more novels because they definitely are skilled as an author as well as a filmmaker.

[Bri Strand · Rating 4 out of 5]

reclamation of identity. desperation for escapism. inexplicable attachments to television and film. fandom as a life affirming practice. an innate otherness. all the themes that make schoenbrun a trailblazer within their cinematic works remain here in their debut novel. think my admiration for this will only grow as time goes on.

me when i feel so grateful to be alive at the same time as they’re creating work😭😭😭

[litch! (cryptidcasanova) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review courtesy of an ARC provided by NetGalley

Anyone else, like, REALLY wish they could watch the Chimotera franchise?

My very first brush with Jane Schoenbrun’s particularly nauseating, trancelike brand of storytelling left me slack-jawed and silent sobbing in a movie theater in the summer of 2024. I Saw the TV Glow more times than I can feasibly recall, and then I brought everyone I know back to the scene of the crime to make them watch it with me.

I remember first seeing the trailer, set to a cover of a song that I had once upon a time beaten to death in my angst-ridden teenage bedroom. I played it at parties I had no business attending. I shared it with people I thought I’d be in love with for lifetimes to come and beyond. 10+ years later, I’d all but forgotten it existed until this director I had never heard of used it to rip open a fizzing, primordial fissure in the hollow of my chest.

In many ways, it feels like Schoenbrun reached directly into my cosmic mind sludge and plucked that song out herself JUST to freak me out. I realize now that this is simply the kind of narrative power they wield, and there is nothing else remotely like it on the planet.

Public Access Afterworld is a breathtaking novel debut. It does a fantastic job of setting up the nostalgic, neon-haloed atmosphere fans familiar with Schoenbrun’s work will expect. The menacing fever-dream silhouette of Captain Video, the ethereal video store that appears only to the ‘crooked’ few destined to cross its threshold, really managed to unnerve and allure me in equal measure.

Beware: she’s a hefty tome at around 600 pages, and there are unfortunately some slow segments around the halfway point that drag on a bit longer than necessary. It was interesting (and ironic) to learn from other reviews that this was originally intended to be a TV series - I can see how these chapters may have served a larger narrative purpose in that format.

tl;dr: This one is weird. It’s unkind to the reader at times, and it’s quite a bit to chew on metaphorically, with an ending some will find unsatisfying. Personally, I think it works overall. I cannot wait to see what else Jane gives us in the future. See you at Camp Miasma! ;)

(Special thanks to NetGalley and Hogarth for my review copy - it truly means the world.)

[Jeff Finch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth for the opportunity to read an ARC of Public Access Afterworld.

Wow. I’m not sure if I’ve ever devoured such a unique and captivating book in such a quick fashion, an over 600 page novel in the middle of a reading rut that virtually could not be put down. This book had a bit of everything: horror, science fiction, historical fiction, romance, mystery, and at the very core, a hamster breaking speed records keeping the pages churning, turning faster and faster. Quips aside, this novel truly is one of the more unique stories I’ve ever read, and I’m a huge Haruki Murakami fan, so that’s saying something.

Hooked by the blurb about its content, expectations were pretty high, and while the quality far surpassed expectations, the blurb actually does a stellar job of breaking down the plot in one sentence. This book is about disappearances going back decades, all seemingly connected to images seen in static, a creepy enough premise and executed brilliantly. From the first chapter to the very final page, it’s a roller coaster ride of a story. The first mention of Public Access Afterworld remains lodged in the readers head, adding to the confusion and making the pages move faster just to find out the reasoning, where it links to the rest of the character arcs (of which there are many). Moving from present day back to the early - mid 20th century and back again felt a tad jarring at first, but quickly it all made sense and upped the intrigue factor.

The cast of characters are all incredibly well written to the point where, by the end of the book, the reader will have intense feelings about nearly all of them, for better or worse. The reader actually cares about the characters from page 1 to the acknowledgements, and already being roped in by the plot makes it all the harder to put down. By the end of the book, we’ve grown accustomed to these characters in our minds eye, as well as the sight and sound of static, so when I say that we’ve been hooked, line, and sinker, it’s no joke. Television static, and to a lesser extent the catalogue of video uploads available on the Internet, will never look or sound the same and by that last page, you’ll feel like you can see something in the static, hear something other than the wall of sound.

Let the blurb be the only information you get before reading this book: rather than do a brief overview of the content, I wanted to express what the book makes you feel, how it captivates and pulls you into its clutches from page 1. Every surprise hits that much harder when it’s truly a surprise.

And one more thing to say about this novel, one that makes this horror fan immensely proud: there are two scenes in here that ran my blood cold. Though the book is not strictly horror, the ramifications of the characters actions are horrific to imagine and the two scenes referenced above are of the stone cold chill up the spine style.

That this is Jane Schoenbrun’s first novel is incredible. The level of detail needed to keep the plot lines flowing with no continuity errors and tie up loose ends while not once letting her foot off the gas pedal is astonishing work and should net her some sort of end of year award for excellence. Public Access Afterworld is one of the best novels I’ve read in years, and I have no doubt I’m not the only one. 5*

[Thye DeForest · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I’m not sure where to begin with this one, other than saying that I loved it so much. Public Access Afterworld is the kind of book that you’ll somehow rip through in about 24 hours without trying to. Jane Schoenbrun takes the best parts of We’re All Going to the World’s Fair & I Saw the TV Glow, a healthy dose of WWII conspiracy theories, endless TV static, and turns it into a novel bursting at the seams with meaning and cultural relevance.

I think it’s safe (and maybe obvious) to say this was inspired by The Matrix or by David Lynch, but comparing it to films feels limiting. The novel format allows for breathing room, for atmosphere to build, for characters to live on the page; there are worlds beyond worlds, screens beyond screens, lives beyond lives, and meaning beyond meaning. Public Access Afterworld is a Murakami story set in the backrooms, or A Visit From the Goon Squad & The Candy House by way of creepypasta.

Reading this felt like watching the campiest, most low-budget (complimentary) horror adaptation of a creepypasta you only half-remember reading right before bed twelve years ago. Schoenbrun is a master of these elements visually and narratively, as evidenced by their films. Still, it’s so satisfying to see them do the same thing successfully in a novel format. The complex web of characters and perspectives works so well at building a tense, unputdownable atmosphere. My only complaint is that the story is a lot more propulsive when we’re not privy to what Public Access Afterworld actually looks like or how it functions, but that’s a really minor detail and more of a personal preference rather than an actual critique.

With this novel, Schoenbrun has lifted the atmosphere and language of old internet forums and the backrooms-esque quality of vintage television broadcasts, and created something wholly unique. I think Public Access Afterworld will be a huge hit, and far in the future will sit on shelves next to literary dystopian classics like 1984 and Neuromancer as evidence of the issues on our collective cultural conscience in the 21st century.

[Annie Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

{Thank you to NetGalley and Hogarth for this ARC}

This book was so much more than I anticipated, and I’m so happy i read it! I watched I Saw the TV Glow recently before starting this book, and experiencing Schoenbrun’s love of television in two different mediums was really informative and special. I’m not often moved to feel this way, but I’m very glad to be alive at the same time as this author. Multiple perspectives, timelines, and interwoven narratives made this an extremely unique and encompassing read. I literally dreamed about this book, and that never happens. I’d happily revisit this book, and will be recommending it to anyone who’ll listen.

[caro · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was nuts

[Gainze · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Hogarth for sending me an early copy of this book. This book has been on my TBR for over a year now. Thank you to Jane Schoenbrun for writing this timeless queer horror.

The book begins with Erin and David celebrating the transition from analog to digital television. After drinking and counting down the hours, minutes, and seconds until the change, the switch finally happens; yet nothing really changes. The only noticeable difference is the static on their analog Toshiba TV. Later, goes home, but Erin stays behind, staring at the static for days. Eventually, Erin sees a title on the screen reading "Public Access Afterworld," followed by footage of a woman with spatula hands washing dishes. Her increasing fixation with “Public Access Afterworld” ultimately leads to her disappearance. In the present, our hero is introduced as Bethany Peters, a trans woman who works as a content moderator for a major video streaming service. Bethany notices some strange videos uploaded by a user called "JulesPublicAccessAfterworld." Bethany goes through great lengths to have these videos taken down and help the user, who she fears is on the verge of suicide. In her efforts to assist, Bethany discovers something deeper than the surface.

The book is separated into episodes and is masterfully crafted to feel as though you’re experiencing it as a television show. It transitions smoothly between perspectives and narrative threads. Every time the story switched to a new POV, there was some familiarity between characters and timelines. The book never failed to impress me and take unexpected turns. I really didn't think I could get any more invested than I already was, but I always did. I really appreciated how well everything was thought out.

Every character you meet eventually reconnects in some way, and the story jumps between time periods. The mystery surrounding Public Access Afterworld deepens while also making the world feel larger, stranger, and more alive. With different formatting styles to make the book extremely engaging and easy to read. Despite being such a chunky book, it flows effortlessly. Schoenbrun screenwriting clearly shines through.

Bethany is a wonderfully written character; despite her intelligence and wit, she is struggling to navigate life and has unresolved family trauma. She continues to paint a clear and honest portrait of not only the trans experience but also the existential crisis that many of us face. She's probably my favorite written character (after Juan from Our Share of Night and Monstrilio himself). And it's such a refreshing portrayal because she's so real, relatable, and, once again, INCREDIBLY SMART. I've never seen a trans character be so unapologetic about who they are while also being the strongest and most powerful person in the story. I absolutely adore her.

This is easily a new favorite. I wish I could go back in time so I could re-live the experience of reading this book for the first time.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

been finding it hard to sum up my thoughts on this whirlwind of a book but if you’ve enjoyed any of Schoenbrun’s films you’ll probably like this. it touches on the same themes they like to explore in previous works - queer/trans identity with heavy emphasis on media and TV.
it’s a long book that gives you the opportunity to take your time and sink your teeth into these characters (mainly Bethany) and i loved how Jane tackles such an ambitious (and slightly ambiguous) storyline. so excited to see their new movie and hopefully another novel soon!

[coral · Rating 5 out of 5]

i am....flabbergasted. flummoxed. in shock. in awe? in disbelief? what did i just read. what the fuck do i feel. holy shit.

this book is going to light fires when it releases. wow. wow wow wow

thank you netgalley for the earc

[Nick Eisengruber · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was great; a sincere, occult, conspiracy story with great trans representation. Without diving too far into spoilers this is a story that spans multiple characters across decades & how they all interact with the titular 'Public Access Afterworld.' The world/universe/dimension that exists within the static all amongst us, particularly through television. Understanding how it all comes together within the story is a lot of fun & the exposition fits right in with the story that Schoenbrun is telling. At the end of the book, the reader has a good foundation for what the world is & how characters interact with Public Access Afterworld.

For being a first novel, this was ambitious, weird, & from what other reviews have said, a perfect representation of the types of stories that Schoenbrun has made for other mediums.

Sidenote, I would love to see how gloriously awful 'The Wolves of Birmingham' television series would look come to life. The season 1 finale 'twist' had me laugh out loud at its absurdity.

Thank you to Edelweiss & the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Kendall McClain · Rating 4 out of 5]

So hypnotic and engrossing I feel as if the static got me as well. Horrifying but in a quiet manner. Also very sweet, many characters here yet each of them felt fleshed out, rare! I find that books usually have either an interesting plot or interesting characters (annoying, but a plight I have accepted). But this has both?! Modern books are now held to a higher standard. Erin Morrison, my beloved, you are so special it’s true.
I would like to live up in Jane Schoenbruns brain. They’re operating on a creative level few could dream of.
Television gonna be different for me now. Static everywhere. Electricity. Oppenheimer? Yes.
I know I just raved and such but still not 5 stars because I have slight qualms with SOME! writing choices. Writing style makes sense for the content so not mad but cannot be perfect. But great. Really great.

[Ruxandra Grrr]

Excuse me, a Jane Schoenbrun NOVEL? Double blessed, since we're also getting another JS movie this year, with Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Anderson??

[ash · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books where after I finished it, I genuinely found it hard to go back to the real world after and finish my shift at work; I spent a long time after thinking about it and how much I loved it, and I'm finding it difficult to put my love for it into succinct, neat words even now. The title caught my eye and when I noticed the author's name, I was immediately excited and asked for a copy (thank you for the ARC!), then proceeded to devour it over the course of two days.
The themes of isolation, media obsession, trans/queer loneliness and desire for connection and perceived self-value, all of it blended so beautifully together with the strange, surreal concept of "Public Access Afterworld" (the place) and the wide variety of complex characters. I loved Bethany to pieces, and Jules, and so many of the characters; they all have flaws and ugly sides, but they're all so achingly human, I was so invested and wanted them all to make it to the end of the "tv show" safely and happily. If you loved "I Saw the TV Glow," this is certainly mined from the same vein and there are aspects that will feel familiar, in good and painful ways alike. I will be purchasing a copy and pestering my library/my friends to follow suit.
Thank you again for the ARC!!

[sophie ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very, very special thank you to Hogarth Books and NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for a fair review.

I genuinely do not even know where to begin with this book. I wish I could put to words everything it meant to me. I Saw The TV Glow was a movie that changed my life, and I feel like this just did the same thing tenfold.

I was a kid who grew up on the internet. I was raised in front of a television and a computer. I found family and friends in the fandoms of my childhood, and there were times where I wished I could’ve crawled into the television, to live in the worlds I loved so much more than my own at the time. To live how I truly wanted to live. This book spoke to each and every little thought little middle school Sophie used to have, and put it to page.

Jane Schoenbrun’s voice is so pervasive in everything they do. The writing here was so amazingly witty and quick. It balanced humor with dread so incredibly well. The horror in this novel was palpable, some parts genuinely left me feeling like I had a hole carved out of me.

The characters in this were also so incredibly fleshed out. Not one character did I feel fell into one perfect category. Schoenbrun takes the time to go through each and every major player and flesh them out so well that they feel so incredibly real. Some of them felt like my friends as a kid. Erin Morrison, I’m looking at you. There’s never been a character to stand out so much like that to me before, and I’ll be carrying her close to me for quite a while.

I genuinely cannot sing my praises enough for this book. One of my first six star reads probably ever. I just cannot even sit here and function knowing I was able to read this. And to know there’s more coming… Oh my god, guys.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A unique and sweeping sci-fi/horror mystery adventure about a world that exists behind our screens that lures and traps people into its static depths through a phenomenon known as “screen sickness.” This is wild speculative fiction, but with protagonists that are loners, “losers” and queers (there’s plenty of trans allegory here), villains that are in tech and government, and a story that revolves around the horrors of screen time, it’s easy to find something real and something to root for. The most impressive thing about this book is how the author seamlessly connects stories from different timelines and yet allows each to have a completely unique feel to them, and one that matches their relative era of television. The 1940s chapters felt something like The Twilight Zone, the 2000s chapters reminded me of the X Files, and the 2026 chapters were like watching an extended episode of Black Mirror. It was all very cinematic (or I guess technically, televisual?), which isn’t a surprise since the author is also a filmmaker. Anyways, Jane, hi, please make this a series because I’m ready to jump into its static!

Big thanks to the author, Random House, Hogarth, and NetGalley for the arc!

[Ivee Lain · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars

Wow, what a ride. I can honestly say that I’ve never read anything quite like this before, and I’m so grateful for it. As a huge fan of Schoenbrun’s ‘I Saw the TV Glow,’ I really hoped this book would deliver, and it gave me more than I could have ever dreamed of. If you liked their ISTTG, you’ll find a lot to love about this book.

I don’t want to say much as to avoid spoilers as I do believe this is so lovely to peel the layers back as you go. What I will say is that this is a truly novel take on the transition from analog to digital, the difference between film and television, media obsession, conspiracy theories and cults, identity through screens, and the magic that exists between it all.

Also, obviously loved all the queer representation. The characters were built out incredibly well, almost real to the touch. The writing style phenomenal, descriptive, and without a doubt some of the best I’ve read in a long time. I did see this is meant to be a trilogy and I will be front row for the next two because I’m not ready to leave this dreamy and surreal static world Jane has given us. My only major note is that it was a little long and some a bit meandering, but such a meaningless note in the long run really.

Very much looking forward to more. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

[Kellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read from a NetGalley ARC

Jane Schoenbrun has done it again. After creating two incredible films(I’m sure it will be 3 when Camp Miasma releases), they’ve created an incredible novel!

It is an incredible convergence of so many of the themes evident in Schoenbrun’s films: their love of television, their identity, their feelings about online culture & Hollywood. Schoenbrun also created such great characters as well, there are many of them, and they’re each complex and interesting.

The plot, too, is very propulsive. I didn’t expect much in the way of action from Schoenbrun, but there are a few stretches of the book that are definitely great action sequences.

I will be screaming this books praises to anyone who asks, and buying a copy as soon as I can get my hands on it!

[TheThirdLie]

Repetitive sentences and phrases bloated the length of the first quarter I read, to the point of extreme irritation. I also couldn't get behind Bethany's character and motivations - especially in regards to wanting to "save" Jules. She thought her short few months of struggle amd figuring herself out was the best period of her life, but can't afford Jules the same? She watches videos Jules makes and decides that she needs to interfere and save them? Make them understand who they really are? Lady, get a grip, who Jules is and how they live their life isn't for you to decide.