This story was originally published in the second edition of The Lion’s Tale (October 24, 2018).

Warning: don’t read this book if you don’t like open-ended questions and cliffhangers.

That being said, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is an absolutely remarkable book. It reminds me of the movie Arrival, as both deal with the prospect of making first contact with an alien species. The concept is–quite literally–out of this world.

As a science fiction novel, the book explores how aliens might test humans’ knowledge. If you’re studying for a chemistry quiz, this book could help you finally memorize what the atomic mass of gold is.

As much as An Absolutely Remarkable Thing deals with science, it also deals with the prospect of sudden fame and its accompanying questions. How do you react when you suddenly go viral? How do you craft your media presence? What do you want to put out into the world?

Hank Green’s own fame has contributed to April May’s journey in this field, as his videos on YouTube were among the first to garner millions of views.

His subsequent launch of companies and organizations such as VidCon and DFTBA have made him a creator with a platform that reaches out to millions of people. This personal experience seems to shine in the book.

However, April May is not the most likable protagonist. In fact, as the story progresses, she serves to make more and more mistakes; just as she seems to start learning from her faults, she makes an even bigger one.

Yet, it’s this failure that adds to her humanity. It is moments like these that make April May a brilliant character.

Her social relationships also evolve, as her character is juxtaposed with that of her friends’. As April May evolves into something of a celebrity, her preoccupation with public perception also changes and becomes a focal point.

This creates a rich story filled with details from the science world, the social world, even the geopolitical world. Even with all of these lenses, the novel somehow doesn’t feel crowded. Rather, it makes the reader appreciate the complexity of the events.

All in all, it’s a great book that will infuriate you at the end.