Review: An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

In an age saturated with fleeting digital fame and the relentless pursuit of virality, Hank Green's "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" arrives as a bracing, often unsettling, exploration of what happens when the extraordinary crashes headlong into the mundane.

This is a story that begins with a viral sensation, an alien statue named Carl that appears overnight in cities across the globe, sparking global fascination and a desperate scramble for answers. Our guide through this unfolding enigma is April May, a struggling artist and amateur coder who stumbles upon Carl first in her hometown of Omaha and, through a mix of ingenuity and sheer nerve, transforms the discovery into a worldwide phenomenon. What follows is a dizzying ascent to internet stardom, a journey fraught with the pressures of maintaining an online persona, the dizzying rush of global attention, and the creeping paranoia that something far larger and more complex is at play than anyone initially realizes.

What works so beautifully in "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" is Green's uncanny ability to capture the zeitgeist of our hyper-connected world. April is a wonderfully flawed and relatable protagonist. She’s smart, driven, and possesses a sharp wit, but she’s also prone to the same insecurities and the same intoxicating pull of validation that plague so many in the digital sphere. Her journey from obscurity to a global figure, orchestrated through her YouTube channel and relentless social media presence, feels incredibly authentic. The way Green dissects the mechanics of viral fame – the collaborative efforts, the manufactured drama, the insatiable hunger of the audience – is nothing short of brilliant. It’s a masterclass in depicting the performative nature of modern celebrity, where authenticity is often a carefully curated illusion. The novel also excels in its thematic exploration of collective responsibility and the human impulse to understand the unknown. As the mystery of Carl deepens, Green poses profound questions about our place in the universe, the nature of consciousness, and whether humanity is truly ready for answers that might shatter our comfortable paradigms. The stakes, both personal and existential, escalate with a gripping momentum that makes it difficult to put the book down.

The novel's exploration of the internet's dual nature—its capacity for both connection and division, for both enlightenment and echo chambers—is particularly potent. Green doesn't shy away from the darker implications of our online lives, illustrating how quickly narratives can be twisted, how quickly trust can erode, and how easily a benevolent curiosity can morph into fear and xenophobia. The sense of unease that permeates the latter half of the book is palpable, mirroring the anxieties of a world grappling with rapid technological change and the inherent uncertainty of the future. The prose, while accessible, is laced with a sharp intelligence and a dry humor that makes even the most philosophical musings feel grounded and engaging.

However, "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" isn't without its minor stumbles. While the initial build-up of the mystery and April’s rise to fame is masterfully handled, the pacing in the middle section can feel a touch uneven. The narrative occasionally gets bogged down in the intricate details of April’s online management and the machinations of her team, which, while thematically relevant, can momentarily slow the momentum of the larger cosmic plot. Furthermore, some of the secondary characters, while serving their purpose, feel less fleshed out than April, existing primarily to react to her actions or drive the plot forward, rather than possessing their own fully realized inner lives. I found myself wishing for a deeper dive into the motivations of a few key figures who felt tantalizingly close to multi-dimensional but remained just beyond reach.

Despite these quibbles, "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" is a remarkably prescient and thought-provoking novel. It’s a book that will resonate deeply with anyone who has ever scrolled through social media, pondered the vastness of the cosmos, or felt the strange allure of becoming famous overnight. Green offers a potent, often hilarious, and ultimately moving commentary on what it means to be human in the 21st century, grappling with unprecedented discoveries and the enduring, often chaotic, nature of ourselves. It’s a story that lingers long after the final page, prompting us to consider the truly remarkable things that might be happening right under our noses, if only we were brave enough to look.

This is a must-read for fans of John Green and science fiction that interrogates our present. It’s a novel that asks big questions and offers even bigger insights into the human condition, wrapped in a thrilling, contemporary package. Green reminds us that sometimes, the most profound discoveries are not out there, but within us and how we choose to connect with each other, or fail to.

For those who feel the pull of both the stars and the screen, "An Absolutely Remarkable Thing" is a mirror held up to our digital souls, asking us to ponder what’s truly worth going viral for.

This wildly relevant YA novel explores viral fame and alien contact, asking what truly makes us remarkable.

4.3