Reviews with content warning for Sexual content - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

Honestly I wasn't initially that compelled by a first contact story, but I became really invested in the plot and characters??? April May felt so real. She's kind of a shit, but that's the point. I relate to the parts of her that are impulsive and want to sabotage her relationships and are overly prideful to hide how she's deeply insecure. She wasn't some kind of hero; she was just. A person.
I love how she had to learn that she couldnt do everything by herself. She had to let go of her pride and allow herself to be vulnerable, and to admit that she needs help.
The writing style threw me off at first bc it was so casual, but I ended up liking it. Hearing it on an audiobook made it feel like something a regular person actually documented. Kind of refreshing compared to what I've read lately
The pacing was fast for me, but it didnt bother me too much. Maybe some of April's traits could have been built up to instead of her kind of info dumping before something happened. But overall, not a big deal
That cliffhanger at the end should be illegal though 😔 jail

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anna_23's review

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adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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jbabbm's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

***MILD SPOILERS AHEAD***

I truly believe that everyone should read this book. One of the reasons is because we live in this period of time in which the amount of likes and followers you have is seen as one of the greatest things you could accomplish. And even if it actually is a great accomplishment for creators, some of them spiral down into a dark, superficial version of the world in which nothing else matters except getting more followers. April, like many creators, does try to use her fame to help a bigger cause. This is why I like this book so much, because even if the choices she made weren't always the best she always tried to use her fame and notoriety for a good reason. I'm glad that Hank decided to touch this topic not only on the story but also on his author's note at the end. However, the main reason I believe everyone should read this book is because it perfectly depicts what humanity is capable to do due to their fear. Most importantly, how we should fight against letting our fear control us and stick together. One of my favorite phrases of this book is "This is what humanity is, solidarity in the face of fear." I believe we should start practicing it more.

Plus, Hank narrates Andy's POV. Chef's kiss.

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eamily's review

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adventurous emotional hopeful mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

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kylieqrada's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted 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

4.0

I didn't expect to like this as much as I did. I didn't even intend to ever read it, really. I like the Green brothers, who doesn't! But I've never really vibed with John's books, and I figured Hank's were going to be more of the same. But An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is not just more John Green YA contemporary romance, in a few ways: 1) This is not YA. It is adult. Granted, new-ish adult, the characters are in their early 20s, but it is very much not YA. 2) This is not contemporary romance. It's contemporary, but more like speculative/sci-fi in a real-world setting with dashes of satire. 3) Hank definitely has his own voice, and I LOVE that voice. It's edgy, and meta, and self-aware, and very raw. I do not think it is for everyone, but it was perfect for me, especially the humor. I also deeply enjoyed listening to this on audio. If I continue the series, I will certainly do so via audiobook, because Kristen Sieh IS April May, and quite honestly her voice reminds me a little bit of my friend Chessa, which I loved, but I digress. This book also had some parallels to life in America in the 2020s that were weirdly apt. It's like, there are no giant robots named Carl on our city streets, but the way people are acting, you would think that there were. I don't want to spoil anything, but essentially, July 13th has an eerie real-world analog that hit close to home.

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amarchetta's review against another edition

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challenging funny hopeful reflective tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

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