Character.AI just flipped the page on storytelling. Its new Books feature pulls public domain classics into interactive chats, letting users slip into worlds like Alice in Wonderland or Pride and Prejudice as active players. Pick a character. Follow the plot. Or veer off into wild what-ifs. The company launched this on April 19, 2026, sourcing over 20 titles from Project Gutenberg, including Dracula , Frankenstein , Romeo and Juliet , and The Great Gatsby . Digital Trends called it a shift from passive reading to dynamic roleplay, but one shadowed by the platform’s rocky past. Users embody existing figures or import their own personas. Conversations unfold in real time, blending narrative pull with AI’s conversational depth. Researchers point out how this amps up emotional immersion beyond books or games. It’s AI companionship dressed in literary clothes. But here’s the rub. Character.AI arrives here after years of firestorms over user safety, especially for kids. Lawsuits piled up fast.…