An Abundance of Katherines

Green, John. An Abundance of Katherines. New York City: Dutton Books, 2006.

Colin Singleton, former child prodigy, has just graduated from high school and has just been dumped by his girlfriend, Katherine. In fact, he has been dumped by every Katherine he has dated, but this Katherine was the Katherine. In the pit of despair, Colin is persuaded to go on a road trip to clear his mind by his best (and only) friend Hassan. Driving aimlessly, Colin and Hassan decide to make a pit stop in the backwoods of Tennessee to visit the grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Gutshot, a decision that turns into a job opportunity for the two friends. Lindsey and her mother (who owns the Gutshot General Store and the local plant that is the town’s livelihood) invite the two boys to stay with them in their sprawling pink mansion. Daily the three teens are tasked with asking every resident in the town about their history in Gutshot and the evening is left open for Colin to work on his mathematical theory that explains why he has no luck with Katherine’s (and some light reading). Eventually, through hearing life stories across the town, having some adventures (boar hunting!) and spending time with Lindsey, Colin realizes that even though he considers himself a has-been or never-was, everyone counts to someone. Though he might not be a genius and cannot predict the future, Colin can mean something to someone, even if it ends up being a Lindsey and not a Katherine.

The text of the story, written from Colin’s perspective, reads with the geekiness you might expect when going through the brain of a child prodigy. Complete with footnotes and an appendix (which might help explain Colin’s theory to those remedial in math), the novel is stocked full of anecdotal trivia; for instance, Colin explains to a townsperson that the shower curtain flies inward because a vortex is created from the shower head spitting out water. Moments like these personify the fact that Colin is knowledgeable about nearly everything and his character develops in little flashes like these. However, some readers might find all the extra information a little difficult to follow. Amy Pattee warns of this in her critique in School Library Journal. She says, “[t]he narrative is…peppered with anagrams, trivia…and interrupted by footnotes that explain, translate and expound upon the text in the forms of asides. It… has the potential to both win over and alienate readers.” Not only can the additional notes be hard to follow, but some readers may find them overwhelming or be disinterested with them altogether.

The interactions between Hassan and Colin (and Lindsey, in certain sections of the book) are believable and read genuine. These conversations also provide important comic relief to what could be an otherwise heavy scene and assist in rounding out the main characters. Cindy Dobrez agreed with this idea by stating “the…humor ranges from delightfully sophomoric to subtly intellectual, and the boys sarcastic repartee will help readers navigate the slower parts of the story.” (Booklist). Colin, in dealing with his new situation, occasionally reminiscences about some of the Katherines, a devise that further cultivates the readers understand of Colin’s history and motivations. The reader comes to understand that Colin is not just smart, but that he works hard to be that way. Colin and other major characters in the story are given depth, are multi-faceted and have attributes with which teen readers can identify. Lindsey goes as far as to tell Colin that she is never authentic with anyone; she acts and behaves differently with each group of people she is around, never getting the chance to be Lindsey. Teens can identify with the struggle of figuring out who they are and what they want rather easily.

Book cover can be found at: http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/g/john-green/abundance-of-katherines.htm