by Andrew Hedglin

Hank Green, the author of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, is sort of famous. He is famous in the online video community, helping to create and host the educational YouTube series Crash Course and SciShow. He also has a YouTube channel and podcast with his older brother John Green, author of several successful YA novels, some of which have been turned into movies (you’ve probably heard of the The Fault in Our Stars, if you haven’t seen or read it, and didn’t know who created it.)

So, even if he’s not like famous like a pop star or president, he’s had occasion over the past decade or so to consider the ramifications of fame, celebrity, and influence in our culture. And he’s put these ideas to use in his smart, fun debut novel An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.

The hero of his novel is harried recent art school graduate, April May. On her way home from a late night at a demanding start-up app company, she passes by what she initially assumes is a fantastic, if neglected, art installation on the streets of New York. Sympathetic to the indifference this tall sculpture (which she nicknames “Carl”) receives from the public, she contacts her videographer friend Andy Skampt. They make a gag video, in which April “interviews” the statue, which they post online and stop thinking about.

Until the next day, when it is revealed that dozens of Carls have shown up simultaneously and spontaneously in almost every major city on Earth. The mystery of what, or who, these things are, how they got there, and what their purpose is occupies our heroes (and just about everybody else) for the rest of the book.

April finds herself thrust into the role of the “discoverer” of the Carls, and later spokeswoman for their benevolence. Of course, soon an opposition “Earth first” counter-movement called the Defenders springs up, led by the odious but seemingly credible Peter Petrawicki.

There’s great action, dialogue, characterization, and first-person narration in this novel, but even with all that, theme is this book’s strong suit. April, only in her early twenties, has to figure out who she is as a person while making decisions that could affect the future of the human race–both at the same time. Fame and celebrity distort her ability to see herself, her friends, or the Carls with the clarity that she needs. This book has a lot to examine about the nature of our contemporary–often online–discourse and the polarization of political opinion–all about a science fiction concept that does not (yet?) exist. The believability of what transpires seems to suggests that often what we argue about has less to do with the issue at hand, and more to do with something more basic in our natures.

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is an exceptionally well-crafted debut that stands on its own, apart from his brother’s books or even his own other, previous creative work. I absolutely encourage you to pick up a copy of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and read for yourself what a remarkable book this is.

Signed first editions of An Absolutely Remarkable Thing are currently available at Lemuria.

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