An Absolutely Remarkable Thing Review

Is Hank Green’s debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, remarkable?

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Possibly.

I know, I know, the joke absolutely would have worked better if this were an absolutely glowing review, but sometimes, things just don’t rise to their full potential. So is the case with An Absolutely Remarkable Thing.

The book is a first contact science-fiction novel that follows the story of April May, the first known human to interact with a mysterious artifact that she dubs, “Carl.” The story charts April’s reaction to her sudden, viral fame and her growing obsession with the spotlight and Carl’s story.

The story’s focus on the addictive power of internet approval is handled particularly well. This isn’t surprising, given the widespread internet fame that Hank and his brother John have cultivated over the years and their continued engagement with social media. The story seems to come from a genuine internal conflict on the possibilities and pitfalls of fame, as depicted by a mind that has experienced both.

I’m also happy to say that the sci-fi elements of the story are remarkably fun (yes, I am getting my full mileage out of that title,) and engaging to read about. Unlocking the mysteries of Carl helps give this book real page-turner appeal. I don’t want to spoil Carl’s most marvelous tricks, so I will keep it short and say that the book is full of thoughtful surprises, and very accurately depicts the human race’s tendency to lash out at what we don’t understand.

There remain, however, a few key things holding this book back. The writing style, for instance, is one that I can only describe as “airport.” It reads very much like something you could pick up for $8.99 on your afternoon flight to Nashville. This isn’t to say that the writing is bad, necessarily, just that it’s a little big and a little bland. There are jokes that you can spot from across the room. There’s not much in the way of narration that makes you stop and appreciate a perfectly-composed sentence.

There’s also the problem of the narrator. April May is a 23ish bisexual woman dealing with overwhelming fame. Hank Green was a man staring down his 40’s when he wrote this, and there are places where that shows. Those little moments stick out like wrong notes in a song. It’s a pretty good song, but if you’re listening for them, they just drag you out of it.

The book has a sequel, and I think it’s done it’s job, because I will read that sequel one day. I want to know how April and Carl’s story ends. But I’m not ravenous for that book. And I hope that Green continued to improve as he wrote the sequel to end on a stronger note than his debut. I give An Absolutely Remarkable Thing 3.14 enigmatic sculptures out of 5.