![]() | An Abundance of Katherines John Green Date: 21 September, 2006 — $11.04 — Book Rating: |
Colin Singleton, former child prodigy, is looking for greatness- something that will prove he isn't just a child prodigy who picked up on things quickly but is truly a genius. Colin has a major stumbling block toward his quest for greatness- his undeniable attraction to girls named Katherine. After being dumped by the most recent Katherine (Katherine the 19th to be precise), Colin sets out on a road trip with his overweight, Arabic, Judge Judy- obsessed best friend Hassan. Their adventures lead them to Gunshot, Tennesee where they meet Lindsay and her mother Hollis, who owns a textile factory that produces tampon strings. Hollis hires the boys to help her compile an oral history of the town and the factory from current and former employees. During this time, Colin begins to work on his Theorem that would predict the future of all relationships. John Green's sophomore novel does not disappoint. Humor, teen angst and drama combine in this quick, enjoyable read. The characters are diverse and interesting (especially Hassan). While the ending is somewhat predictable, reader's will enjoy Collin's journey and his struggle to overcome his undeniable attraction to Katherines.
This was a very creative book - I liked the characters and the premise was
compelling, but I totally skimmed over the math part. I'm sure it was
clever, and I loved the annagrams and the footnotes, but I couldn't be
bothered with the Theorem - I just wasn't willing to work to get through
this book. I found the pacing a bit slow and the conclusion predictable. As
in Looking for Alaska, Green's strength is in word choices, voice, and
character development.