An Absolutely Remarkable Thing by Hank Green

 

As April May makes her way home from her job as a graphic designer in New York at three a.m. one morning, she sees an absolutely remarkable thing.  There on the sidewalk, as if it had always been there, was a ten foot sculpture of a figure.  It looked like a Transformer and April knew it had not been there the day before.  No one seemed that surprised or was stopping to look at what she knew was amazing.  So she called her best friend, Andy, who rushed over and took a video of April with the figure which they named Carl.  He uploaded the video and it went viral.

Soon the two learn that their Carl is not the only one.  There are scores of Carls in various cities around the world.  No one knows how they got there or what their purpose is.  But April has been identified as the spokesperson for all things Carl and before they know it, April and Andy are being interviewed on TV shows and are making a fortune.  Then the dreams start.

Each dream poses a puzzle and it is soon a worldwide cooperation as people everywhere try to solve the puzzles.  April is not at the forefront of this effort as she is busy with her media appearances and writing a book but progress is made.  Then April is singled out as the only person to have the dream that poses the puzzle that is the key to tie everything together.  It is clear that the Carls have chosen her as someone special as, although there is no interaction with the inert figures, they find a way to protect April from those who oppose her.  But can they protect her forever?

Hank Green has written an enticing science fiction tale.  April is not a typical heroine but a snarky yet uncertain woman who is busy figuring out her own life when this mystery drops into her existence.  She doesn't do everything right and in fact, sometimes hurts those who care most about her, but she never gives up trying to figure out what this means and to find a way to make it create a positive change on Earth.  This is the first novel in The Carls series and readers will be enticed to rush right out and read the second.  This book is recommended for readers of science fiction.