07/06/2020
Green’s slow-moving and philosophically dense sequel to the comic sci-fi novel An Absolutely Remarkable Thing brings readers up to speed on the rocky aftermath of the departure of the Carls, giant robotic statues that sprung up overnight in cities around the world. The Carls vanished just as quickly as they appeared, and their discoverer, April May, is missing and presumed dead. A few months later, April’s friends—along with the rest of the world—are still struggling to put together what happened. April’s best friend, Andy, has inherited her misbegotten fame; her ex-girlfriend Maya, unconvinced of April’s death, sets out to find her; and scientist Miranda arrives at an ethical crossroads in her work. When the people who loved April most each receive a mysterious book able to predict the future, they follow its clues to find April alive—but in an entirely new form. Reunited, the friends band together once more in order to save the world from a mounting technological threat. Though the narrator shifts in each chapter, the perspectives of the vast cast are often indistinguishable from each other. Readers will have to hang in until the midpoint before the plot begins to come together, but once it does, it’s thrilling to watch the puzzle pieces fall into place. This is best suited for Green’s diehard fans. Agent: Jodi Reamer, Writers House. (July)
Praise for A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
“Hank Green’s punchy follow-up to his debut novel An Absolutely Remarkable Thing centers on a low-odds attempt at saving humanity from extraterrestrial sabotage. Infused with social media–savvy prose and all the latest tech fads—from cryptocurrency to brain-computer interfaces—the story unfolds through retelling from the alternating points of view of an alien emissary’s closest friends. The book is as pleasant an escape as a breezy spring day in a virtual reality simulation.”
—Fortune, “The Best Books of 2020, according to Fortune Staff”
“While there are many parallels to our current climate, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is a hopeful read that provides a "Black Mirror" like warning of new technology without the heavy feeling of dread. Green gives nuance to the privileges of escapism with humor and grace through main characters taking a chance on hope, even if it is beautifully foolish.”
—USA Today
“A raucous, boldly inventive tale of alien technology, social media and influencers, the limits of the human mind, and the lengths humans will go to get what they want. Even after a satisfying ending, readers will have much to think about.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“A book about people pursuing second acts after a traumatic crisis is pretty timely - and such a book, filled with compassion, bravery, smart mobs and stupid ones, and a hell of a metaphor for late-stage capitalism, besides.”
—Cory Doctorow
“A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor builds in every way on the thrills of the first book, featuring twists that are even twistier, mysteries that are even more mysterious, and, most impressive of all, solutions to those mysteries that are as interesting as their set-ups. This is a book that thinks deeply and wisely about fame, wealth, the internet, and the future of humanity, but also, and I’m not sure how Hank pulled this off, it’s fun as hell.”
—Joseph Fink, author of Welcome to Night Vale and Alice Isn't Dead
“A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor gracefully and fearlessly closes out the saga of April May, a book, if it is possible, even more engaging, thorny, personal, and thrilling than the first.”
—Catherynne Valente
“If you’re looking for a novel that will offer escapism alongside stinging social commentary and just the right amount of cautious optimism for humanity’s future, this might be the perfect read.”
—BookRiot
“Hank Green’s first novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, had us furiously flipping pages to solve the mystery of the Carls. The much-anticipated sequel is finally here, and it’s just as adventurous and addicting. You’ll hang on every last word as you wonder what really happened to April May.”
—HelloGiggles
"In the follow-up to his debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, Hank Green takes his cast of characters on an even bigger adventure and satisfyingly resolves deep mysteries set up in the first book... The story is a wake-up call to be aware of how social media content is created and how it might be influencing us."
—The Missoulian
“Throughout this adventurous, witty, and compelling novel, Green delivers sharp social commentary on the power of social media and both the benefits and horrendous consequences that follow when we give too much of ourselves to technology. An essential choice for all sf collections.”
—Library Journal (starred review)
06/12/2020
This sequel to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing, the first book in Green's "Carls" series, continues the story of 23-year-old April May and one of the Carls, a statue from outer space who hovers in major cities around the world, causing mixed feelings of wonder and dread among Earth's billions of residents. After the shockingly public death of April May and Carl's sudden disappearance, the world is more confused than ever. The event ultimately brings friends Andy, Miranda, and Maya back together, with Andy willingly absorbing April May's fame, using it to make personal appearances and join a secret online society, and Miranda, feeling lonely and displaced, taking on a covert scientific assignment. Maya, meanwhile, flounders without purpose until she discovers an anomaly too mysterious to be ignored. What happens next to the group is more powerful than anyone could imagine. VERDICT Throughout this adventurous, witty, and compelling novel, Green delivers sharp social commentary on the power of social media and both the benefits and horrendous consequences that follow when we give too much of ourselves to technology. An essential choice for all sf collections.—Carmen Clark, Elkhart P.L., IN
2020-05-18
A circuitous sequel explaining all the weird things that happened in Green’s An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (2018).
To recap: Spunky April May and her best pal, Andy Skampt, discovered an alien robot she named Carl, the first of many to appear around the globe. They roped in April’s ex Maya, a scientist named Miranda, and a few other like-minded folks to investigate the phenomenon while a professional troll named Peter Petrawicki caused trouble for now-famous April, leading to her apparent death by explosion. Unlike its predecessor, this sequel is narrated by a variety of April’s crew members until our hero is miraculously and inevitably resurrected, albeit with some very strange upgrades. It’s still pretty entertaining, but Green practically bends over backward to reverse-engineer his oddball scenario so it finally makes sense. The Carls created a planet-spanning reverie, one which Peter is trying to re-create from a secret lab on a remote island, soon infiltrated by Miranda. Andy is delivered a MacGuffin in a magic volume called The Book of Good Timesthat can not only instruct him and his comrades on how to proceed, but also reads his thoughts and responds. His job is to infiltrate “The Thread,” a mysterious cabal seeking to manipulate a world forever changed by the Carls. To shorten a Blues Brothers–esque quote without spoiling things, Team April has millions of dollars, a huge online audience, virtually unlimited resources and access to the things they need, a lead with brand new superpowers and...a monkey? A really powerful sentient monkey who turns out to be not an alien but of a Byzantine earthly origin and who also happens to be at war with a doppelgänger that might just be the end of us all. Green’s debut was a better novel with a wildly intriguing setup, so it’s not surprising that getting things wrapped up is a bit of a twisty affair.
A satisfying sequel with likable characters, playful humor, and a prescient sense of the foolishness of modern life.
This much anticipated sci-fi audiobook sequel shakes things up with a full-cast narration. The story picks up right where the first book in this duology stops—the robots known as "The Carls" have left, and April May, one of the first to discover them, has disappeared. Exploring new perspectives and experiences, this remarkably talented ensemble of narrators creates an appealing mix of likable characters as listeners follow a group of young people left behind in this post-Carl world. The plot can be heavy-handed at times, but the social commentary is eerily reminiscent of the world's current circumstances. Listeners will want to listen to the first book, AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING, to get the most from this follow-up. E.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
This much anticipated sci-fi audiobook sequel shakes things up with a full-cast narration. The story picks up right where the first book in this duology stops—the robots known as "The Carls" have left, and April May, one of the first to discover them, has disappeared. Exploring new perspectives and experiences, this remarkably talented ensemble of narrators creates an appealing mix of likable characters as listeners follow a group of young people left behind in this post-Carl world. The plot can be heavy-handed at times, but the social commentary is eerily reminiscent of the world's current circumstances. Listeners will want to listen to the first book, AN ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE THING, to get the most from this follow-up. E.P. © AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine
