An Absolutely Remarkable Thing: A Novel (The Carls Book 1) by Hank Green (PDF)

Description

THE INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER“Sparkling with mystery, humor and the uncanny, this is a fun read. But beneath its effervescent tone, more complex themes are at play.” —San Francisco ChronicleIn his wildly entertaining debut novel, Hank Green—cocreator of Crash Course, Vlogbrothers, and SciShow—spins a sweeping, cinematic tale about a young woman who becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she’s part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagined. The Carls just appeared. Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship—like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor—April and her best friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world—from Beijing to Buenos Aires—and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. And all eyes are on April to figure out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us. Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring for the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye. The beginning of an exciting fiction career, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a bold and insightful novel of now.

User’s Reviews

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐I have so many emotions to unpack about this book, and I don’t even know where to begin. The writing style isn’t remarkable, the main character isn’t all that likable or even a good person… yet I found this book throughly enjoyable and completely addictive. (Wow, that’s an abundance of superlatives.) In fact, I’m all geared up in anticipation for the sequel.But let’s backtrack a bit. One day, out of the blue, my best friend gifted me this book on Amazon. Before that point in time, I didn’t know it existed. Frankly, beyond having a couple of John Green books in my ever-growing collection of things I may someday read – and watching the occasional video my bff links – neither of the Green brothers are on my radar. I’m more of a Markiplier, Jacksepticeye, and Dope or Nope kind of girl: escapism is my niche. I was in the middle of reading a Riverdale novel – which may or may not say more about my preferences in literature than I would care to admit – and I decided to make this the next book I read after that. Give or take some obnoxious meme compilation “books” I for some reason wasted chunks of my life skimming, that’s exactly what I did.As luck would have it, I ended up reading this book while trapped with very poor cell signal and no Wi-Fi. What else was there to do other than read, really? But rather than a chore, this book felt compelling and actually took my mind off the annoyance and stress. It sucked me into a fascinating and intriguing world where very odd things were happening to a selfish and short-sighted young woman who for some reason spoke as if everyone should know her story already. Also, her name was April May – her parents clearly took a page from the West family’s baby naming handbook – and she was a socially inept bisexual woman. That last bit? Yeah, it sucked me in.I don’t often see people like me in books. Bi women are often written in a very unflattering and promiscuous light, but April wasn’t. I mean, she also wasn’t a very good person in general, but she had some hindsight and the narrative never felt like it was taking her side when she did terrible things. I think that in particular is why I enjoyed the book so much despite its thoroughly unlikable main character. (And I do mean throughly; even before fame warped her and sent her on a psychotic spiral of horrible life choices, she was the kind of person who would call people with missing pets to make sure she could still get the reward money if she found a corpse instead of a living pet. She called that ‘being a pet detective.’) But yes, more to April: she was just bland enough to be reader-insertable, but I had no interest in imagining myself with such an icky personality.Instead, I related peripherally to some of her traits like not knowing how to handle popularity, being jealous of others’ success, feeling attacked when debating people, and pulling away from loved ones when overwhelmed. No, those aren’t flattering traits. No, I didn’t even care for how they made her behave. But, yes, I could often relate to the underlying thought processes. I could understand how she got from point A to point B, even when I thought she was an idiot for not going to point C instead. And seeing how fame corrupted her? Yeah, it made me feel a tiny bit more secure in how much I try to avoid too much attention online despite wishing I could actually be someone of worth and value of that variety.As for the story itself… well, it’s almost like two stories in one.First, you have the story of April May, a young woman with some mental health issues (of the narcissm and fear of commitment varieties) who has a decent heart behind the shell of atrocious behaviour toward other humans. She’s a terrible girlfriend and the kind of friend who both looks out for and takes advantage of the people she values most. She does genuinely want to bring humanity together, yet also she wants to be at the forefront as the single most important of those humans. (And also she hates it, or claims to, despite chasing it full-speed to the detriment of herself and everyone around her.) She’s an idiot, for the most part, but also the most dangerous kind: a famous idiot. She falls into internet – and then completely international, mainstream – fame accidentally, but chooses to milk it for all it’s worth, slowly becoming a worse person in the process. By the time she narrates the story to the reader, however, she’s become self aware and admits to the flaws in her thinking with some refreshing hindsight. As such, it’s not an unbearable experience and instead is a fascinating delve into the effects of social media, internet fame, and global attention on the average person who was never prepared to handle so much attention. I love character-driven fiction, so I enjoyed these bits. (They comprise a majority of the story, so it’s probably a good thing I didn’t dislike them.)Second, and almost peripherally, you have the story of the inhuman beings invading Earth for reasons unknown (until the end) and the divide between humans who are wary of them and humans who blindly trust them. Considering the former group is portrayed as primarily monstrous jerks and homophobic bigots with no grasp of the concept of humanity, it’s clear whose side we’re meant to take. But honestly? I think – extremists not counted – they had a very valid point. Who in their right mind decides to just start fulfilling the requests of an alien invader with unknown motives and goes “aww it’s okay, they mean well, we should perform like their dancing monkeys” when said invader and its counterparts begin altering human consciousness? It’s a good way to end up dead, especially when one of those requests is to procure and deliver radioactive materials to the alien beings.Things work out some kind of way, of course, but I don’t want to give spoilers. I will say I felt a little let down by the climax of that story, though. In fact, the final chapter and a half were nowhere near as engaging as the rest of the book. All the intrigue, all the mystique, all the blended seriousness and silliness all culminated in the ultimate moment… and fell just a little bit flat for me, despite all the chaos which surrounded it. It felt less like getting real answers and more like having a conclusion tacked on because it was remembered at the last second that some kind of explanation should he provided for the “Carls” (large statue-like alien beings) and their appearance. Granted, I still ended up surprised by the outcome; I guess it just wasn’t as amazing and fascinating as I’d hoped.Overall, however, the very end managed to turn around and get me excited for more all over again (and fill me with the sense of emptiness and longing for more only the ending of an enjoyable book can provide). I liked the experience. I had fun speculating in my mind and sharing my thoughts with the best friend who bought me this book. I wanted more when it was over. I wanted more when it was only halfway.And most importantly: I managed to not want to abandon the book despite the story being written very much in the cadence and style of a millenial girl who comes from a privileged background. (‘Okay’ is written as ‘OK,’ ‘WTF’ is used in a sentence or two, she refers to a building as ‘a dope Japanese pagoda,’ and she ‘wants to vom’ instead of feeling like she may vomit. Ugh.) The fast-paced, conversational style – annoying dialect notwithstanding – worked very well overall and kept my interest even through the slow bits.That Hank Green managed to write a book which kept me engaged and entertained despite the obnoxious way the main character speaks and behaves may very well mean he’s an extremely talented man. Or a wizard. Possibly both. But I’m glad for his potential wizardry all the same, and I’m already craving more from this peculiar, little world he’s created.

⭐This is a really good idea for a book but there are longish parts that get stuck in some philosophical discussion or other.I read this book on Kindle so I wasn’t looking at the author’s name. I didn’t know if it was written by a man or woman. I read along assuming the author was a woman since most of the characters were female, including the lead. The dialog didn’t sound quite right, not quite the way women talk, especially to each other when there are no men around. Ah ha! That’s because it’s not a woman.I got super annoyed that April withheld critical info that people needed to know, like the location of the hand. Her arrogance and foolishness rubbed me the wrong way although I wanted to be on her side.I don’t think I’ll read the next in the series.

⭐I was thinking this book may have been written for a younger and female audience. So, with that in mind I started reading. Thankfully, I was caught of guard and really enjoyed the book. I understand this is a novel and even though a work of fiction, it needs to make sense. All of it did, but one thing that kept bothering me. I’ll not mention it here, because it is trivial and doesn’t take away from the entire theme of the book. I recommend it highly.

⭐This book surprised me with how weird and fun it was, but then again it was written by Hank Green and that’s his whole internet presence. So it follows April who comes upon a robot she decides to name Carl. Turns out there’s tons of them all over the world and it’s a science fiction adventure with robot aliens! This felt like a complete story and I could hardly put it down, falling in love with the characters and the carls!

⭐I wasn’t expecting much when I began reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. From the description, this book had science fiction elements, so I decided to buy it. The sci-fi aspect turned out to be relatively minor, but the rest of the plot captured my attention and held it through the story.Without preaching, Hank Green writes about major social issues of today’s world, such as the difficulties of handling fame in a connected, online world. A big part of the storyline is the schism between two vocal, divergent social movements and how each group conducts itself as they ignore sane discourse. The social aspects he tackles in this book are the ones we face in today’s world, and that’s what makes this book so enjoyable. The sci-fi / first contact angle in the story isn’t bad either. The characters in the book are often quirky, but likable. Next up: The Carls, Book 2.

⭐This is one of the best books I have read in some time. It is written in first person and I felt like I truly got to know the cast. Hank Green is a funny and gifted story teller.

⭐An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank GreenApril May discovers a statue in Manhattan that she playfully names Carl. Her video of this goes viral setting off a cascade of events that affect the entire world when it’s discovered that Carl is probably extraterrestrial.She’s a fascinating character: 23 yo pansexual, has BFA degree, living w/ Maya (but fears any commitment). She’s reluctantly thrust into the limelight, becoming famous because of her supposed connection with the apparently sapient Carl.A very fun read that I couldn’t put down, resulting in my current sleep deprived state; though dissatisfied with the ending.

⭐Be prepared to let everything else in life slide until you read the last words in this story. You’ll become an insider in April’s miraculous life. Prepare to be amused, appalled and alarmed. You’ll take sides and ultimately ask yourself questions that you may not want to answer. And you’ll want more. Thankfully, there’s a sequel!

⭐Loved this. I bought it for my teenage daughter, on the basis that she loves John Green and we like the podcasts he makes with his brother. What a fantastic book.April, our hero, happens across a giant metal robot, she christens it Karl and posts on social media about it. It turns out that she has been the first to post about one of many KarsSo, they are all over the world. But what are they? Aliens? And if they are, are they harmful or benign?This could easily have been a very different story, but instead focused very much on the nature of fame, obsession and what happens to one likeable and complex person when their world takes a very unexpected turn.I loved it. Made me smile, laugh and really think. Should be obligatory reading for teenagers, if they can put their phones down for long enough.

⭐At face value, this book would give you the impression that it is a contemporary Sci-fi book. However, its a much deeper exploration of how dehumanising fame is and how being an internet celebrity can rupture your foundations of self and it can affect your relationships with everyone around you. It was very thought-provoking. I know from having watched Hank’s videos on Youtube that he is a very eloquent communicator so I wasn’t surprised but content that he was able to communicate the themes of this book with a necessary bluntness. The only thing that was a little off-putting was the occasional time jumps. They felt a bit jarring at times but otherwise a very strong debut.

⭐An excellent read and exceptional story from a first time author! Hank is a big time writer and for his debut book it’s a good solid read! It captivated me for hours at a time. His easy yet descriptive story spinning is delightful to read , captivating in its style the gender of his protagonist is refreshingly different telling the story from her perspective! It’s ending is great and still has me thinking of it’s final page days after reading it! I cut my teeth on golden age and new age SF so I’ve seen and read thousands of stories, this is well worth reading again and currently is top of my re-read pile! Excellent with one tiny flaw? We want MORE!N,B his sequel is out, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavour! Not read yet but looking good so far! Still find the original a hauntingly captivating read!

⭐This book gripped me from start to finish, with its compelling love/hate starlette, April May, staunchly at the centre of the action. Or else she’ll sulk. This could be billed as a Scifi action thriller, and there are certainly some massive impact thrills, but it is a book with a message. It’s about how people behave, and about how humanity can be greater than just one human. Towards the end of the book I felt a little impact was lost for a few, slightly self-conscious Let Me Spell This Out For You’s. This is a compelling read, and as a new author’s work it shows originality, a great sense of the ebb and flow of the drama, and some very likable characters. Definitely a five-star read.Added comment: I both read and listened to this book and the audiobook is of very good quality with engaging narration.

⭐4.5 stars.Every so often I like to mix things up with my reading and try something a little different. This was my latest challenge and I had an absolute blast reading it!April May was on her way home after working late when she happens upon a giant sculpture; like a 10 foot tall transformer. She swiftly calls her friend Andy and together the two of them make a video, April nicknaming the installation Carl. On waking the next morning she finds that not only has her video gone viral but that dozens of “Carls” have popped up around the world. Long story short and April and Andy find themselves media darlings as they were the first on scene and their footage has been used over and over – a very lucrative thing. This is all well and good but with no one admitting responsibility for the Carls and with some very strange things happening around them, April not only has to face her fame but also her fear when the true reason for their being becomes both speculated on and realised.Not being a typical read for me, I wasn’t really sure what I was letting myself in for when I started this book. What I actually got was a wild ride of a story, jam packed with interest and intrigue, played out by some very well crafted characters. It was also a bit eye opening with respect to April’s launch into fame and fortune and how things developed in that storyline. We also saw two sides to the “unknown” the trusting and the sceptical and how these interacted and clashed. Oh and there were also puzzles for the characters to work through. But I think the best for me were the relationships between the characters and how these developed along the way. All delivered in a delightful, if at times a little bonkers, way.I’ve never heard of the author prior to reading this book, apart from the fact that this is his debut. So I had no preconceptions going in. Now I know a bit more about him, I can understand better the path that the book took.All in all, a good story that has been well executed and the start of a new series to boot. With certain things left a bit unresolved at the end of this opener, I will be looking out for the next one.

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