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The Carls

This series delves into the sudden global phenomenon of mysterious beings known as the Carls, appearing worldwide. It follows a young woman who unexpectedly becomes the center of media attention after filming the first encounter with one of these entities. The narrative explores the impact of social media on fame, identity, and international relations. It's a compelling journey that tackles themes of fear, uncertainty, and the ease with which people can be vilified or adored.

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

Recommended Reading Order

  1. An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

    • 343 pages
    • 13 hours of reading

    The Carls just appeared. Roaming through New York City at three a.m., twenty-three-year-old April May stumbles across a giant sculpture. Delighted by its appearance and craftsmanship--like a ten-foot-tall Transformer wearing a suit of samurai armor--April and her friend, Andy, make a video with it, which Andy uploads to YouTube. The next day, April wakes up to a viral video and a new life. News quickly spreads that there are Carls in dozens of cities around the world--from Beijing to Buenos Aires--and April, as their first documentarian, finds herself at the center of an intense international media spotlight. Seizing the opportunity to make her mark on the world, April now has to deal with the consequences her new particular brand of fame has on her relationships, her safety, and her own identity. And all eyes are on April to figure out not just what the Carls are, but what they want from us. Compulsively entertaining and powerfully relevant, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing grapples with big themes, including how the social internet is changing fame, rhetoric, and radicalization; how our culture deals with fear and uncertainty; and how vilification and adoration spring for the same dehumanization that follows a life in the public eye. The beginning of an exciting fiction career, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing is a bold and insightful novel of now

    An Absolutely Remarkable Thing1
    3.9
  2. 'A raucous, boldly inventive tale' BOOKLIST 'Provides a "Black Mirror"-like warning of new technology without the heavy feeling of dread' USA TODAY The magnificent sequel to Hank Green's #1 New York Times bestselling debut novel, An Absolutely Remarkable Thing The statues disappeared in an instant. While they were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction without ever lifting a finger. They also contributed to the untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into their path, naming them the Carls and gaining viral fame in an avalanche of conspiracy theories. When April's friends try to carry on with their lives, a series of clues arrive - mysterious books that seem to predict the future - and which also seem to suggest April may be very much alive . . . But there's a bigger mystery to solve. Did the Carls ever really leave us, and what happens if they're here to stay? A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is a bold and brilliant conclusion that asks whether anyone has the right to change the world.

    A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor2
    4.3