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bisexualwentworth's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This is a really good book. It's better than the first one in a lot of ways. I also liked it slightly less.
I loved the use of multiple points of view, especially because April was such a specific type of narrator in the first book. April is also a lot less interesting now that she's marked as even more specialTM. Maya, Miranda, and Andy are more compelling characters who have a lot to offer the story as narrators. However, none of their stories would have been capable of carrying a whole book, which is why it's so great that we got all of them.
While the first book was largely about internet fame, this one is mostly about the future of the internet and the possibilities of virtual reality and other technologies, especially the darker implications of the corporate internet and the influence it has over our lives.
There were a lot of interesting musings about the internet and technology and fame from all of the characters, and most of them were super compelling. Miranda's chapters were definitely my favorite because of her specific outlook on the whole thing (and I like the book a lot less when we lost Miranda's point of view for a while for plot reasons), though Maya is my favorite character and I think that Andy had the most compelling character arc.
My main problem with this book is Carl. In book one, I enjoyed the science fiction of it all, and I was excited to learn more about Carl. Maybe I shouldn't have been because I feel like all of the alien elements were simultaneously under-developed and over-explained. Some of Carl's monologuing kind of felt like Hank Green trying to justify his own narrative choices in the first book, and I didn't feel like that was necessary.
In the first book, it felt like April was just at the right place at the right time, and in this one, we learn that she was actually chosen much more deliberately by Carl. This ultimately isn't all that different from an algorithm seemingly randomly choosing certain people to become internet famous, but it definitely contributed to April and Carl being the least compelling characters in this book for me.
Also, one more spoilery note about Carl:
Since Carl doesn't actually make it to the end of the book, I didn't really like that they were a narrator. I know that there was an explanation for where all of their chapters came from and it wasn't actually an issue in-universe, but it still bothered me.
I did really enjoy this book on the whole, though, so here are some more random things I enjoyed:
While the first book was largely about internet fame, this one is mostly about the future of the internet and the possibilities of virtual reality and other technologies, especially the darker implications of the corporate internet and the influence it has over our lives.
There were a lot of interesting musings about the internet and technology and fame from all of the characters, and most of them were super compelling. Miranda's chapters were definitely my favorite because of her specific outlook on the whole thing (and I like the book a lot less when we lost Miranda's point of view for a while for plot reasons), though Maya is my favorite character and I think that Andy had the most compelling character arc.
My main problem with this book is Carl. In book one, I enjoyed the science fiction of it all, and I was excited to learn more about Carl. Maybe I shouldn't have been because I feel like all of the alien elements were simultaneously under-developed and over-explained. Some of Carl's monologuing kind of felt like Hank Green trying to justify his own narrative choices in the first book, and I didn't feel like that was necessary.
In the first book, it felt like April was just at the right place at the right time, and in this one, we learn that she was actually chosen much more deliberately by Carl. This ultimately isn't all that different from an algorithm seemingly randomly choosing certain people to become internet famous, but it definitely contributed to April and Carl being the least compelling characters in this book for me.
Also, one more spoilery note about Carl:
I did really enjoy this book on the whole, though, so here are some more random things I enjoyed:
- Carl is officially nonbinary now and it's not because they're an alien. They just are.
- I loved Maya and Miranda's conversations about sexuality. Really well done.
- In general this book is much gayer than the first one and I always appreciate that.
- April hates John Mayer.
- SEIZE THE MEANS OF PRODUCTION!
- The audiobook is excellent. Great use of multiple narrators, and all of the voice actors were perfect for their characters.
These books are more of their moment than almost anything else I've ever read. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing feels like an alternate version of 2020, which can't have been deliberate because it was published in 2019. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, however, knows that it's a pandemic book. It's specifically a book about post-pandemic life and readjusting to a world that has been changed and wants to pretend that it hasn't been. It'll be interesting to see how it ages.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Violence, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Addiction
Minor: Biphobia and Racism
noodletheriddle's review against another edition
adventurous
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Vomit, and Kidnapping
samchase112's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
hopeful
informative
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
People will just share the things that confirm their ideology, and those things will always exist. Our reality isn't about what's real, it's about what we pay attention to.
This is not a book about aliens or science --- it's a book about community, power, compassion, and how humanity uses and abuses the tools we have created in order to manipulate those things. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is deeply weird, yet profoundly true. I want to go back and highlight about 65% of Hank's words. It is obvious this is all coming from a place of caring and social media/celebrity experience; as well as the human experience we can all relate to. I cannot recommend this book and its insanely relevant messages enough.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement and Kidnapping
Moderate: Addiction, Cursing, Gun violence, Racism, Violence, Blood, Police brutality, Stalking, and Fire/Fire injury
Minor: Vomit, Grief, and Outing
mxfahrenheit's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Death, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Gun violence, Racism, and Grief
cerilouisereads's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Gore, Forced institutionalization, Blood, Medical content, and Grief
Moderate: Cursing, Gore, Gun violence, Racism, Police brutality, and Kidnapping
kitkat_kate's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Kidnapping, and Medical trauma
Moderate: Cursing and Vomit
Minor: Addiction, Death, and Gun violence
honeyhistory103's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I am simply blown away by the nuance and skill that Hank Green utilized in this story. I'm coming pretty quickly off of the first book, and in this one, every good thing about book one has been elevated. Though still fueled the existence of alien technology, the dystopia that Green crafts feels as though it could lurk around the bend in our very own future - he has written a very human story amid the battle of two alien forces.
What stands out the most to me about this story is the incredible way Hank develops his characters, for better and for worse. When you've read the narratives back to back (or close to that), the subtly with which the players in his story change throughout them is absolutely mind-blowing. Andy and April, in particular, were extraordinarily well done - there was never a moment when they seemed to have flipped suddenly into a different character. Their changes were the consequences of the choices that were made, both by them and for them.
Despite a grimness that seemed to coat the story, Green still manages to end the book on a hopeful note - you can feel his sincere love and care for humanity, both in the story and in real life, shining off of the pages. It is an excellent read - it preaches less than the first book, and simply invites you to feel, and reflect on what you're feeling. It's incredibly easy to picture yourself within his narrative, and I think that is precisely what he set out to do. Would highly recommend.
What stands out the most to me about this story is the incredible way Hank develops his characters, for better and for worse. When you've read the narratives back to back (or close to that), the subtly with which the players in his story change throughout them is absolutely mind-blowing. Andy and April, in particular, were extraordinarily well done - there was never a moment when they seemed to have flipped suddenly into a different character. Their changes were the consequences of the choices that were made, both by them and for them.
Despite a grimness that seemed to coat the story, Green still manages to end the book on a hopeful note - you can feel his sincere love and care for humanity, both in the story and in real life, shining off of the pages. It is an excellent read - it preaches less than the first book, and simply invites you to feel, and reflect on what you're feeling. It's incredibly easy to picture yourself within his narrative, and I think that is precisely what he set out to do. Would highly recommend.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Gun violence, Vomit, and Kidnapping
ojreads's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
I was very eager to pick up this second book after finishing the first. However it was not my favorite, for me the plot felt a lot more rushed and the shifting perspectives left some gaps. Nevertheless if you have time pick up a copy to finish the wonderful story Hank Green laid out for us.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming and Death
Moderate: Confinement and Kidnapping
theoldestbennetsister's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
reflective
tense
medium-paced
5.0
What an absolute fucking ride. Thank you Hank for this story.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction, Confinement, Vomit, and Kidnapping
Minor: Body horror, Gun violence, Racism, and Grief
morganperks's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Gun violence, Violence, Medical content, and Kidnapping
Moderate: Death and Grief
Minor: Racism and Sexism