THE INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERWho has the right to change the world forever? How will we live online? How do we find comfort in an increasingly isolated world? The Carls disappeared the same way they appeared, in an instant. While the robots were on Earth, they caused confusion and destruction with only their presence. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely … presence. Part of their maelstrom was the sudden viral fame and untimely death of April May: a young woman who stumbled into Carl’s path, giving them their name, becoming their advocate, and putting herself in the middle of an avalanche of conspiracy theories.
Months later, April’s friends are trying to find their footing in a post-Carl world. Andy has picked up April’s mantle of fame, speaking at conferences and online; Maya, ravaged by grief, begins to follow a string of mysteries that she is convinced will lead her to April; and Miranda is contemplating defying her friends’ advice and pursuing a new scientific operation…one that might have repercussions beyond anyone’s comprehension. Just as it is starting to seem like the gang may never learn the real story behind the events that changed their lives forever, a series of clues arrive—mysterious books that seem to predict the future and control the actions of their readers—all of which seems to suggest that April could be very much alive.
In the midst of the search for the truth and the search for April is a growing force, something that wants to capture our consciousness and even control our reality. A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is the bold and brilliant follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing. It is a fast-paced adventure that is also a biting social commentary, asking hard, urgent questions about the way we live, our freedoms, our future, and how we handle the unknown.
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A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is an equally strong follow up that adds to the events of the book without feeling redundant or veering too far off course with this continuation of the Carls story. It has a lot to say about current events within this fictional yet grounded sci-fi world. You can read my full review here: https://laurasbooksandblogs.com/beautifully-foolish-endeavor-book-review/
It’s going to be difficult to explain why I love this book, and this series, so much.
I definitely recommend re-reading An Absolutely Remarkable Thing if it’s been a minute and you want to read A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor. I spent the early chapters searching my brain for plot points and character backgrounds from the first book. Plus they’re both amazing, so it’s well worth the time to re-read.
Hank Green so acutely captures society and our roles within it to create a poignant and relatable novel full of flawed characters you can’t help root for (for the most part, at least. Every villain has a part to play, after all.). His sharp insight and the way he portrays characters is incredible nuanced.
This series is truly a masterpiece. Sometimes I feel inadequate reading it, like I could never measure up to either the courage and conviction of the characters nor the detailed yet perfectly paced plot as a person or a writer, and then Carl says something wise and insightful and I’m reminded that I am human and always capable of improvement.
Just read this. Please. It’s super highlight-able and I need someone to talk about it with. You’ll feel all the feels and sink deep into though for days.
Big green weaves a tremendously original tale.
A lot of wisdom
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.
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.
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.
A beautiful finish to a great series. Constantly engaging and adventurous.
I read An Absolutely Remarkable Thing earlier this year not realizing it was book one of two, so I had to read the second book. The first book was interesting — I really didn’t know what to expect and it kept me reading to see if I could figure out what would happen.
Book two is as equally interesting, though this time we know for sure who/what Carl is. It’s also different in that there are MANY narrators instead of just one. I really had no idea what to expect other than to expect it to be a little “out there,” and it was. It was a little more political than the first book (dropping in many opinions on different topics), but not so much that it distracted from the story (though it was noticeable).
Overall, it was entertaining. It had a satisfying ending. It was a fun way to spend a few hours.
If you enjoyed the first book, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the second. I don’t know what else to compare it to, though.
A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor is an exciting follow-up to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing and a must-read for this current moment. Green leaves my jaw hanging open, not just with the twists and turns of his brilliant plot structure, but also with his insightful commentary on humanity that is weaved throughout both novels. These books remind me, despite the news and the hurting and the cruelty we see every day, that human existence truly is BEAUTIFUL.
An Absolutely Remarkable Thing
I’ve had a hard time finishing books lately. I suppose it is the times we live it. Fortunately, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor kept my attention from start to finish. Not only did Hank Green provide me with an entertaining and fast-paced read, but his thoughts on society and the reasons we do what we do made me pause and think. I’ll definitely be reading this one again!
It’s a really fun an interesting conclusion of the story that explores power and how it interacts with fame, social media, and aliens!