59 pages 1 hour read

Hank Green

An Absolutely Remarkable Thing

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 2018

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Themes

Fame and Its Consequences

April’s experience with fame tells more about its consequences than of anything positive that might come from it. Her obsession with and addiction to her overnight rise to fame changes April into a person she herself no longer recognizes. She is willing to sacrifice anything to maintain her status and even throws away what could have become a meaningful relationship with a person who truly loves her, Maya, for the collective attention of the masses. Even at the height of her popularity, April hungers for more and fears the day that she might just be someone that once did something or was once famous. Her every foolish deed in relation to the Carls is almost always for the sole purpose of feeding her fame. Unless something can feed her status, it is less than useless to her.

At first, April’s wholesome message and quirky demeanor attracts more fans than haters. Nothing she has to say is inherently harmful, and her popularity is linked to the Carls. However, the public’s attitude towards her drastically changes when she takes up arms against Petrawicki and, rather than preaching her original message, becomes motivated by hatred and anger. Her obsession with staying in the spotlight blinds her to the fact that it is her own interaction with the Defenders that gives their movement legitimacy and traction.