From memes to BatDad, we’ve all watched things go viral. But can you imagine what it must be like to actually be the person who has gone viral, to spread both quickly and massively? That’s what happens to April May when she notices a 10′ tall sculpture at 4 AM on her way home from work. She think it’s cool so she calls her friend Andy to film her and Carl, as she calls her new sculpture friend.
She wakes up the next morning to find that the video has been viewed over and over again. She also soon learns that her Carl is not the only Carl. In fact, there are 64 of them in the world’s biggest cities and they all seemed to have appeared out of nowhere at exactly the same time. This is no simple art installation.
As the first person to notice and interact with Carl, April May becomes the voice of the phenomenon. This is beyond going viral; she has become a prophet. Soon she’s the center of a glaring media spotlight. She has has an agent! She has an assistant! She has haters! But is about more than fame. It becomes clear the Carls are anything but normal as strange things begin happening. Led by April, the entire globe starts working to get to the bottom of the Carl mystery.
April’s voice is just like your standard smart but snarky 23 year old. Reading it felt like a conversation with one of my good friends. It’s a fun read for the social media generation – one that doesn’t center on romance. Instead, it examines the absolute power that resulted from internet fame. Will it absolutely corrupt April?
5 out of 5 stars.
Peaches to Apples 