Books › An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
455 pages
A hyper-contemporary, fast-paced puzzle box that perfectly captures the dizzying, toxic rush of going viral.
What it feels like
Reading this feels like scrolling through a fascinating, high-stakes social media feed as a global crisis unfolds in real-time. It is a propulsive, highly conversational sci-fi mystery that hooks you with a giant puzzle, but keeps you invested through its sharp, uncomfortably accurate dissection of internet fame. The narrative voice is incredibly distinct—witty, self-deprecating, and unapologetically flawed, capturing the exact cadence of the modern internet generation. As the protagonist spirals into the intoxicating and terrifying machinery of viral celebrity, the mood shifts from quirky and electric to deeply anxious and dread-soaked. It is a perfect match for readers who love a fast-paced, puzzle-solving adventure but also want a smart, sobering reflection on how digital culture shapes our humanity, polarization, and collective fear.
- Mood
- electric
- anxious
- surreal
- Tone
- conversational
- witty
- self-aware
- urgent
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- the toxicity of internet fame · polarization and radicalization · human connection vs. alienation · existential uncertainty
- The writing
- Highly conversational and internet-fluent, reading like a very articulate, slightly manic vlog or confessional post.
- The arc
- Moves from bewildered excitement and ego-driven ambition to overwhelming anxiety, culminating in a sobering realization of personal and global stakes.
- Who it's for
- Millennials and Gen Z readers who are Extremely Online and crave a mix of sci-fi mystery and sharp social commentary.
Content notes
- cyberbullying
- public shaming
- panic attacks
- violence
About the book
In Hank Green's sweeping, cinematic debut novel, a young woman becomes an overnight celebrity before realizing she's part of something bigger, and stranger, than anyone could have possibly imagine.
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 from 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.
This description comes from the publisher.
Description from Open Library.
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