Scan barcode
A review by rachel17
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green
adventurous
hopeful
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I mean, yeah, I liked it. Hank Green is stellar at building tension, and this was, for sure, the type of book that I could read in one sitting. Not quite like the first one, but still pretty gripping. I just could not get past the conceited attempts at profundity -- which is one huge reason I don't like to read books written by white men. Were his reflections good? Sure. Were they new and noteworthy? Not at all. I was much more interested in the plot and the characters.
If I could give him some advice, I'd recommend that he be more subtle about the "life lessons" he is trying to impart. There was a really good insinuation about Amazon that he made early in the book, and then he sort of ruined it by making the same point again later, actually naming Amazon that time. I don't think he had to go into the whole thing about algorithms taking over the world; it ruined the elegant metaphor that was clearly already making that point. It just felt clunky, and honestly, the whole thing could have used another round of editing. It would have been more exciting and less redundant. But I did enjoy reading it overall, and I recommend it as a fun sci-fi read.
If I could give him some advice, I'd recommend that he be more subtle about the "life lessons" he is trying to impart. There was a really good insinuation about Amazon that he made early in the book, and then he sort of ruined it by making the same point again later, actually naming Amazon that time. I don't think he had to go into the whole thing about algorithms taking over the world; it ruined the elegant metaphor that was clearly already making that point. It just felt clunky, and honestly, the whole thing could have used another round of editing. It would have been more exciting and less redundant. But I did enjoy reading it overall, and I recommend it as a fun sci-fi read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Vomit