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A review by oashackelford
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
4.0
April May, a 23 year old fine arts graduate living in New York, stumbles upon a sculpture that looks a lot like a transformer. Thinking nothing of it, she and her friend Andy make a youtube video about it, unintentionally becoming the first known contact with what will become known as "The Carls." Becoming the world's first authority on what might be an alien species is complicated.
In An Abosolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green dives into deep topics such as internet fame, the deifying and villifying of strangers on the internet, and how polarization of ideology occurs over seemingly small problems. In the beginning it is hard to forget that it is Hank Green writing (especially if you listen to Dear Hank and John, Hank's podcast with his brother John), but as the story progresses and becomes more interesting you do forget that it is Hank's voice and his experiences informing his writing. You become wrapped up in the story and trying to understand how fear warps perspective and how we treat strangers on the internet.
I really liked this story. I think that it is a story that stays with you for a while and the subjects raised become something that you think about every time you use the social internet. I know that in part this was supposed to be a commentary on the social internet and the ways that it is used, but I would like to think that it is also a reminder to those who interact online that there is always a person at the other end of the line, and to remember to choose kindness.
This book does have a fair amount of adult language in it, something to be aware of if you have kids interested in reading it.
In An Abosolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green dives into deep topics such as internet fame, the deifying and villifying of strangers on the internet, and how polarization of ideology occurs over seemingly small problems. In the beginning it is hard to forget that it is Hank Green writing (especially if you listen to Dear Hank and John, Hank's podcast with his brother John), but as the story progresses and becomes more interesting you do forget that it is Hank's voice and his experiences informing his writing. You become wrapped up in the story and trying to understand how fear warps perspective and how we treat strangers on the internet.
I really liked this story. I think that it is a story that stays with you for a while and the subjects raised become something that you think about every time you use the social internet. I know that in part this was supposed to be a commentary on the social internet and the ways that it is used, but I would like to think that it is also a reminder to those who interact online that there is always a person at the other end of the line, and to remember to choose kindness.
This book does have a fair amount of adult language in it, something to be aware of if you have kids interested in reading it.