An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (Green)

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing  (A Carls Book-1)
Hank Green, 2018
Penguin Publishing
352 pp.
ISBN-13: 9781524743444


Summary
In his much-anticipated debut novel, Hank Green—co-creator 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 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. (From the publisher.)

Author Bio
• Birth—May 5, 1980
• Where—Birmingham, Alabama, USA
• Education—B.S., Eckerd College; M.S. University of Montana
• Currently—lives in Missoula, Montana


Hank Green is the CEO of Complexly, a production company that creates educational content, including Crash Course and SciShow, prompting The Washington Post to name him “one of America’s most popular science teachers.”

Complexly’s videos have been viewed more than two billion times on YouTube.

Green cofounded a number of other small businesses, including DFTBA.com, which helps online creators make money by selling cool stuff to their communities; and VidCon, the world’s largest conference for the online video community. In 2017, VidCon drew more than forty thousand attendees across three events in Anaheim, Amsterdam, and Australia.

Hank and his brother, John, also started the Project for Awesome, which last year raised more than two million dollars for charities, including Save the Children and Partners in Health. Hank lives in Montana with his wife, son, and cat. (From the publishers.)

Book Reviews
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a thrilling journey that takes a hard look at the power of fame and our willingness to separate a person from the brand. Green manages to blend humor, mystery and science fiction in his fast-paced debut novel.
Lincee Ray - Washington Post


An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a thrilling journey that takes a hard look at the power of fame and our willingness to separate a person from the brand. Green manages to blend humor, mystery and science fiction in his fast-paced debut novel.”
Associated Press


With this comic story about the ugly side of Internet fame, Green gives his brother John (The Fault in Our Stars) a run for his money.
People


A quirky millennial mix of sci-fi alien mystery, celebrity and social media commentary.
Family Circle


Hank Green, super-vlogger and brother to YA legend John, pens the heart-warmer An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.
Cosmopolitan


Packed with meditations on the nature of celebrity, social media, and the cultural response to the unknown.
Harper Bazaar


A quirky millennial mix of sci-fi alien mystery, celebrity and social media commentary.
Family Circle


It’s not in the nature of a sci-fi comedy blockbuster to shift boulders in your soul. But with his debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green pulls it off.… There are still a few exceptionally remarkable things that rise above the rest of their absolutely remarkable peers. In the pages of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, April’s discovery of New York Carl is one of these exceptions; in the real world, Green’s debut deserves to be another."
Paste Magazine


[A] comic debut that combines science fiction and mystery with philosophical musings about the perils of internet fame.… Though the ending is disappointing (it appears to be setting up a sequel), fans… will find his humor and perceptiveness intact in this novel.
Publishers Weekly


(Starred review) Led by an earnestly flawed, bisexual heroine with direction and commitment issues, coupled with an abundant generosity of spirit, this read is timely and sorely needed. Highly recommended.
Library Journal


(Starred review) Green makes an entertaining book debut in this fast-paced, witty first contact novel…At once funny, exciting, and a tad terrifying, this exploration of aliens and social media culture is bound to have wide appeal to readers interested in either theme.
Booklist


(Starred review) [Green] applies wit, affection, and cultural intelligence to a comic sci-fi novel.… A fun, contemporary adventure that cares about who we are as humans, especially when faced with remarkable events.
Kirkus Reviews

Discussion Questions
1. Upon seeing Carl for the first time, April says, "And here I am, hardened by big-city life and mentally drained by hours of pixel pushing, not even giving something so magnificent a second glance." Have you ever found yourself in a situation where being jaded prevented you from noticing or acknowledging something special?
 
2. What do you think we can all do to stay more present in these moments?What do you think it is about New York City that bars its denizens from noticing something strange, like Carl? And what does it say about April  that she was the only one to stop and notice?

3. Andy remains a constant in April May’s life, while Maya, Miranda, her parents, her agent and assistant, and many others float in and out of it throughout the book. Do you see Andy as a good friend or an enabler? What effect does he have on April’s actions?

4. Are there people in media and entertainment that April May reminds you of? How are their journeys similar to or different from April May’s journey? How do they handle stardom and how might April May have learned from their experiences, good or bad?

5. Though Robin suggests that April stay in a stable relationship as she navigates her burgeoning fame, why do you think April ends her relationship with Maya? What are the motivating factors there?

6. When pondering what Carl is, Miranda brings up Occam’s razor. What do you think of the notion of Occam’s razor—that the simplest solution tends to be the correct one? Recall a time where Occam’s razor made sense in your life.

7. What is the significance of the Sherman photography that April stops to examine, and how does it equate to the power that the owner of the photograph, the talent agent Jennifer Putnam, wields?

8. What are the different ideologies of the Dreamers and the Defenders? Can you find any real-world implications of each group’s beliefs and actions?

9. Throughout An Absolutely Remarkable Thing we see the impact that social media has on April’s life and the lives of the people who love her. Is social media a big part of your life? How do you represent yourself online? Have you made any specific personal choices with regard to social media?

10 Of all the issues Hank Green explores—the price of fame, the struggle to connect with our fellow humans, the hope (and perhaps fear) of life beyond our earth—what do you think An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is ultimately about?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)

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