A young woman films a mysterious giant statue in New York and becomes instantly, dangerously famous
A giant statue and sudden fame
April May is twenty-three, works at a start-up in New York and is walking home at three in the morning when she comes across a huge, strange sculpture, a giant figure that looks like a robot in samurai armour. Delighted and puzzled, she calls her friend Andy to make a funny video about it, and she names the statue Carl.
Who will enjoy it
Readers who enjoy fast, funny contemporary science fiction about the internet, fame and a mystery that might come from beyond Earth.
What you will get
A fast, funny and surprisingly thoughtful novel about internet fame, a worldwide mystery and the strange power of being watched by millions.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing Facts: Pages, Genre and Setting
Genre
Science Fiction · Internet fame · First contact · New York
Length
352 pages · ≈ 10 h
More about this book
By morning the video has gone viral, and the world learns that identical Carls have appeared in dozens of cities at the same moment. Because April was first, she becomes the public face of the mystery, and she and her friends set out to understand what the Carls are and what they want. The figures seem to send puzzles and messages, and solving them becomes a worldwide effort shared across the internet.
April narrates in a funny, self-critical voice, looking back on events she knows she handled badly. As her fame grows, she becomes more ambitious and more reckless, and the world divides between people who see the Carls as a gift and those who see them as a threat. Hank Green explores social media, celebrity and division with insight and humour. Some scenes involve real danger, and there is some strong language. The ending is a cliffhanger.
Funny, fast and full of ideas, followed by A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. Readers who spend time online will recognize much of what April goes through, and the mystery of the Carls is genuinely intriguing. About 352 pages in the Dutton paperback.
Project Hail Mary
Ready Player One
The Martian
Paper Towns
All Systems Red
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Redshirts
The Sirens of Titan
Sphere
Mostly Harmless
Network Effect
So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish