A review by galacticvampire
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

adventurous inspiring reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character

4.75

"Human beings are terrible at accepting uncertainty, so when we’re ignorant, we make assumptions based on how we imagine the world. And our guess is so obviously correct that other guesses seem, at best, willful ignorance— at worst, an attack."

April May is one of the most human characters I have ever read. And that's because she comes across as a, albeit well-intentioned, total shitty person. When you're observing someone uninterrupted by the social filters and from an outside pov this is bound to happen (e.g.: reality shows), but her flaws are dealt with brilliantly to deliver the point.

Yes, this is a sci-fi story. Yes, it has aliens and weird things happening. But that's not what the book is about. This is a social commentary about humanity, about fame and social media and the real people behind the digital ones. April's internet persona quickly becomes more real than the actual April, known by so little compared to the image portrayed that even she dehumanizes her identity to be measured in likes, views and replys.

And it all bleeds Hank Green. It's an interesting experience, knowing much more about an author than that little name on the cover, knowing that so much of it it's written from experience. The ideas about information and violent rhetoric scream louder because I've seen him talk (and care) about it before; the incredibly crafted explanations on chemistry and neuroscience hold more credibility because I'm conscious he either actually knows the subject or made sure it's scientifically accurate. For sure the story tells itself, but knowing the author's background definitely adorns the margins.
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