Reviews with content warning for Xenophobia - An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

I am very biased because I’ve followed and loved Hank Green’s content for many years, but I genuinely think this is an excellent book. It makes you think about online creators and their fame in a way that I don’t think many people do. Outside of the ‘true meaning’ of the book, the plot is so unique and is what grabbed my attention. I really just wanted to know who the Carls were and why they were there and what their origin was. I don’t love that the ending is a massive cliffhanger but it helps that the sequel is already out and I can start reading it now.

Content Warnings

etaypoe's review against another edition

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adventurous reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

Content Warnings

grizzlysnack's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

0.5

Hank Green should stick to creating YouTube videos and educational content.

I understand that this story is meant to be reflective and show that humanity is not a horrible thing, but rather something each and every human shares and should create with one another. The way that this story delivered that message frustrates me.
April (our main character) points out multiple times that she is a bad person—she actively shows the audience exactly how bad she is to the people she supposedly loves. April is not a likable character, and yet we’re supposed to root for her.

April is so self-centered that I feel as though she’s incapable of being ‘humanity’s liaison’, which you find out is the role set upon her, after seeing New York Carl.
April acts on impulse, rarely (sincerely) forgives or acknowledges when she’s wrong, and is narcissistic. That doesn’t make me want to buy another book from Hank Green, with April talking in my ear for 9 hours

I will listen to a content creator’s views all day long, but as soon as you throw those views into a fictional character that actively proves themselves to be a morally shitty person, you’ve lost my sympathy for that character’s decisions and reasoning.

0.5 stars because there are a few topics that could be written about and make a convincing story, but those topics are rarely brought up between the 338 pages I just read.

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kalzeb's review against another edition

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adventurous funny lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.75

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aeons_v_atlas's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional mysterious reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Delightfully entertaining with thought-provoking commentary on fame. Didn't expect it to have me on the edge of my seat at the end

Content Warnings

casira's review

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challenging emotional mysterious reflective tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

This book made me feel a lot of things and consider a lot of truly interesting facets about how we all interact with each other in the world day. It wasn't a consistently enjoyable experience, but I was enraptured the entire time, and that was clearly the intention.

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