Jules (Julianna) Taylor

Character Analysis

Jules was Nikki's best friend. When Nikki sees her after her Return, she describes Jules as "still beautiful, her round face as cherubic as ever, her long blond hair falling in curling cascades over her shoulders. That hair always looked like a snapshot of a waterfall, as if it should be moving" (2.37). So add Jules to the long list of beautiful people in this book.

Before the Feed, Jules teases Nikki about things like whether her three-month anniversary with Jack will be "the night" (7.31), a.k.a. the night when Nikki sleeps with Jack for the first time. When Nikki refuses to talk about sex anymore, though, Jules backs off, saying: "Fine. Just promise you'll tell me everything" (7.37). Because the details are the important thing here, right? Instead of, say, reassuring your friend that she should just do what she feels comfortable with.

While Nikki was the one to run away with a guitarist to the underworld, however, Jules is impulsive, too. She drags Nikki out to a crowded bar that is totally out of their league, but whatevs, right? Yeah, they're young, but Jules seems undaunted. This, though, is where Nikki winds up meeting Cole.

During Nikki's absence, Jules and Jack obviously become close. Nikki wonders if anything's going on between them. Eventually, she realizes that Jules has feelings for Jack, though Jack doesn't seem to reciprocate them. Awkward.

Beyond that, things are tense. Jules says she doesn't want to push Nikki for answers, but she also needs Nikki to understand that everything (meaning Jack) fell apart during her absence, "And I was there to pick up the pieces" (15.26). So Jules and Nikki aren't as close as they used to be, and since Nikki never confides in Jules about what actually happened to her, this seems unlikely to change.

Still, Jules asks Nikki to get coffee one day after school. She tells Nikki: "I miss my friend […] I miss being able to talk about anything with you, and knowing you'd take it to the grave" (23.44). In talking about regular high school stuff, Nikki and Jules reconnect once more. Is it the same as before? Nope. But then again, not much is.