The central debate in the novel is over whether it is possible to be fully human without a human body. The various characters, across both the 19th- and 21st-century storylines, embody conflicting responses to this question. Victor advocates for the self-sufficiency of the soul, arguing that bodies of any kind are unnecessary, though they could be used recreationally by those who want them in the future. Ron Lord takes the opposite view, arguing that bodies are entirely necessary to enjoy life. As Victor imagines freeing the soul (or consciousness) from the prison of the body, Ron creates sexbots that are essentially human bodies without the encumbrance of a soul. For Ry, both options are appealing. Ry deeply values his own transgender body, which he views as more authentically his than the body he inhabited before his transition. He insists both on the importance of the body and on the value of changing one’s physical form. All three options are given weight in the text, with other characters supporting and rejecting Ry, Ron, and Victor’s ideas, but the conclusion of the text leans into the importance of the body in self-identification. Beyond identification, the body is also needed for physical enjoyment of life, and Victor’s ultimate absence from the