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A review by sydneythewhale
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Nov. 2020: 5⭐️
wow wow wow wow wow. I went into this kind of assuming I would like it while also being worried that I wouldn't, but this just totally took me by surprise in every good way.
To me, this book is equal parts science fiction and nonfiction for the way it talks about fame, social media, the human experience, how we construct images of ourselves to convey particular messages, etc. It just doesn't have the vibe I usually associate with science fiction as a genre because the majority of this book is not about aliens and their technology and civilizations but the ways those aliens forced reflection on what it means to be human. April goes from not even having a Twitter account to being some level of famous overnight, and that fame only continues to snowball throughout the book. I see this book as the story of someone adapting to a life she didn't ask for, trying to use her platform for good amidst a situation that has more questions than answers, and grappling with what it means for her to have been chosen for this life.
It was a unique experience, I think, to read this during COVID because of how applicable certain parts of this book are to our current world. Like, I'm not saying Hank Green is a fortune teller, but I'm also not not saying that. How we respond in the face of a crisis never seen before, the choice between unity and division in times of uncertainty, how fame and social media are all entangled with that. It was kind of freaky, but also comforting, in a way.
I think the structure of this book worked well for the story. It's written more in the style of a memoir than of a strictly chronological narrative, which definitely builds tension and suspense as April references future events that have already taken place at the time of her writing.
There wasn't a ton of development of the side characters, but I'm going to attribute that to April's own self-absorption, fierce independence, hero-complex, what have you. Maybe that wasn't actually the intention, but that's how I'm choosing to interpret it.
Highly recommend and need the sequel NOW because that ending
Mar. 2022: 5⭐️
I've never really been able to narrow down my favorite book to just a single one, but I don't think I have that problem anymore.
wow wow wow wow wow. I went into this kind of assuming I would like it while also being worried that I wouldn't, but this just totally took me by surprise in every good way.
To me, this book is equal parts science fiction and nonfiction for the way it talks about fame, social media, the human experience, how we construct images of ourselves to convey particular messages, etc. It just doesn't have the vibe I usually associate with science fiction as a genre because the majority of this book is not about aliens and their technology and civilizations but the ways those aliens forced reflection on what it means to be human. April goes from not even having a Twitter account to being some level of famous overnight, and that fame only continues to snowball throughout the book. I see this book as the story of someone adapting to a life she didn't ask for, trying to use her platform for good amidst a situation that has more questions than answers, and grappling with what it means for her to have been chosen for this life.
It was a unique experience, I think, to read this during COVID because of how applicable certain parts of this book are to our current world. Like, I'm not saying Hank Green is a fortune teller, but I'm also not not saying that. How we respond in the face of a crisis never seen before, the choice between unity and division in times of uncertainty, how fame and social media are all entangled with that. It was kind of freaky, but also comforting, in a way.
I think the structure of this book worked well for the story. It's written more in the style of a memoir than of a strictly chronological narrative, which definitely builds tension and suspense as April references future events that have already taken place at the time of her writing.
There wasn't a ton of development of the side characters, but I'm going to attribute that to April's own self-absorption, fierce independence, hero-complex, what have you. Maybe that wasn't actually the intention, but that's how I'm choosing to interpret it.
Highly recommend and need the sequel NOW because that ending
Mar. 2022: 5⭐️
I've never really been able to narrow down my favorite book to just a single one, but I don't think I have that problem anymore.