An Abundance of Katherines

April 27, 2011 Uncategorized 5

An Abundance of Katherines

Author: John Green
Publisher: Dutton Juvenille
Publication Date: September 2006
Pages: 227
Source: From the Library, then purchased


About the Book: When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact.

On a road trip miles from home, this anagram-happy, washed-up child prodigy has ten thousand dollars in his pocket, a bloodthirsty feral hog on his trail, and an overweight, Judge Judy-loving best friend riding shotgun but no Katherines. Colin is on a mission to prove The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will predict the future of any relationship, avenge Dumpees everywhere, and finally win him the girl.
Love, friendship, and a dead Austro-Hungarian archduke add up to surprising and heart-changing conclusions in this ingeniously layered comic novel about reinventing oneself by Printz medalist John Green, acclaimed author of Looking for Alaska.

My Thoughts: Okay, according to goodreads I read this book in September of 2008. This was my response (as recorded on goodreads):

oh. my. goodness. I have a serious author crush on John Green (yes, I am aware that he is married…not THAT kind of crush!) I so thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story was great….funny without being ridiculous, interesting, intelligent and everything else I look for in a YA book. I really enjoyed the humor. Hassan is a great character and I liked the way that he and Colin interact in the story. Green is a great storyteller and I look forward to reading more of his work.
  
I think that may be the first book review I ever wrote! I just loved the book and John Green’s writing style SO MUCH I had to share it. So yeah, I guess you can blame him for this blog! 


You might be wondering why I’m writing a review for a book I read almost three years ago. As I was updating my review master list I realized that the only John Green book I’ve reviewed is Will Grayson, Will Grayson (fabulous book!) Now, you may not know this but John Green is my favorite author. No, really… like my most favoritest author EVER! I just feel the need to share the love 🙂


This book cracks me up. A lot. Every time I read it. I can’t get past page one without a smirk. By page two I have tears forming in my eyes. Once Colin’s best friend Hassan enters the scene I am all out laughing… like, getting weird looks from people laughing. I can’t help it. Take a look at the start of chapter one in google books preview and you’ll see what I mean. If it doesn’t make you laugh your sense of humor is broken! 


Five Reasons to Read this Book:
1. There is a road trip. 
2. It has really awesome footnotes.
3. Math is involved (Note: I am not a math person but I still loved it!)
4. Anagrams!!! Many, many anagrams!
5. It’s full of “sophisticated humor” (even when it’s about puke!) It’s witty… dry… sarcastic… fabulous!


Okay, now I’m just gushing. Honestly y’all. John Green. Read his books!! Also, watch his youtube videos. This one is a personal favorite of mine 🙂 You can follow him on twitter @realjohngreen and check out his website too 🙂 But the books… be sure to read the books.

5 Responses to “An Abundance of Katherines”

  1. lisa :)

    I really enjoyed this one too!

    Isn’t it weird how sometimes favorite authors are the least blogged about? I’ve noticed that I have to pull out some old reviews in order to rave about works I really love too.

  2. Unforgettable

    I read this one recently and I really liked it too. Not as much as I liked Paper Towns but I liked the fact that it was funny and interesting and the girl in question was not “troubled child” like in some of Green’s other books. And oh, I LOVED the footnotes and the math 🙂

  3. Annette

    Yep. I agree — this is a good one. Had me laughing out loud. And I’m an ex math teacher, so I even enjoyed that part!

  4. carole

    I love John Green! Paper Towns is my favorite one of his books. I have this one but haven’t read it yet, I need to put it back on top of my TBR pile!! Great review.

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