Book Review :: An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green
on May 10th 2012
Genres: Contemporary, Fiction, Young Adult
Pages: 227
Goodreads

Katherine V thought boys were gross Katherine X just wanted to be friends Katherine XVIII dumped him in an e-mail K-19 broke his heart When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton's type happens to be 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.

Last updated on 5 April 2022

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What is An Abundance of Katherines about?

An Abundance of Katherines is the story of Colin Singleton, a child prodigy and lover of anagrams, who has happened to have dated 19 Katherines. Having been dumped by all 19 Katherines (the most recent one happening just before the beginning of the story), Colin knows what it’s like to be the Dumpee.

Down and out about the most recent dumpage, Colin is swept away on a road trip by his best friend, Hassan, in an attempt to brighten the grey cloud of being dumped (again) and to cheer him up. After pulling over at an Archduke Franz Ferdinand burial site, Colin and Hassan meet Lindsay and her mother, who asks them if they want summer jobs. They agree to stay and help her out for a while, and as they do, Colin works on perfecting The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, which he hopes will accurately predict the future of any relationship.

My thoughts on An Abundance of Katherines

With roadside attractions, Dictaphone interviews, caves, old people, a tampon string factory, some more crazy relationships, intertwined with a whole lot of mathematical equations, An Abundance of Katherines was another good John Green read.

Colin as a character is annoying, but I found myself liking him anyway, and wanting the best for him. His best friend, Hassan, is like any best friend character – the funny, silly one – and the other characters all had their quirks. While it’s not my favourite of JG’s, I did enjoy it, and at only 213 pages, it was a fast read.