In Jane Schoenbrun’s debut novel, *Public Access Afterworld*, a mysterious television broadcast opens a portal to an alternate dimension. Set in 2009, the story follows Westchester teens Erin Morrison and David Sawyer, who witness the final days of analog TV. After Erin sees a strange signal emerging from static labeled 'Public Access Afterworld,' she is chosen to cross into a realm where reality is constructed through television.
A decade later, Bethany, a content moderator in Austin, discovers a video of Jules, a youth attempting a dangerous game created by David—now a fugitive linked to 156 disappearances. Bethany journeys to Lubbock to stop the ritual, uncovering a conspiracy involving a tech corporation, a secret Los Alamos project, and a transdimensional entity named Chimotera. Schoenbrun blends surreal horror and media satire, reimagining the Orpheus myth for the digital age.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing