Book Review: “A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor” by Hank Green

A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor by Hank Green

This is the much needed sequel (and conclusion) to An Absolutely Remarkable Thing (2018).  The apparent death of April May and disappearance of the Carls has left a gigantic void in the world, and in the lives of her friends.  Human society seems to be spiralling down to a depressed and depressing end.

Into this bad situation, an absurdly over-funded startup leaps forward with technology that seems to be based on Carl’s Dream.  If you think Internet social media are addictive and pernicious, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.  Hi resolution direct brain interface is really, really addictive.  And one company controls the whole show, though it is far from clear who actually controls the company.

But it’s not game over, not if April’s friends have anything to say about it.

This story has more than a tiny bit of social criticism of social media giants.  It’s exaggerated, but that makes the point all the more obvious.

The plot itself is basically 100% Deus Ex Machina, with one magical event after another unwinding.  But the action is fast paced and emotionally satisfying, if not necessarily logical.

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1. Hank Green, A Beautifully Foolish Endeavor, New York, Dutton, 2020.

 

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