An Abundance of Katherines in ENGL 596 / EDCI 551

Feb 02, 2015 Logan rated it really liked it

An Abundance of Katherines follows Colin Singleton, a 17-year-old prodigy (not a genius) on a road-trip to Tennessee after his recent breakup. A serial dater, this breakup is only the 19th in a series of breakups, all with women named Katherine. Colin's journey with his friend Hassad sees the two conquer the small rural town of Gutshot, Tennessee through a mixture of charm (though not much), and intelligence (a lot of this). Colin's journey is one of persistent growth, and as he works to overcom An Abundance of Katherines follows Colin Singleton, a 17-year-old prodigy (not a genius) on a road-trip to Tennessee after his recent breakup. A serial dater, this breakup is only the 19th in a series of breakups, all with women named Katherine. Colin's journey with his friend Hassad sees the two conquer the small rural town of Gutshot, Tennessee through a mixture of charm (though not much), and intelligence (a lot of this). Colin's journey is one of persistent growth, and as he works to overcome his most recent breakup at the hands of Katherine XIX, he struggles to situate his own identity both in the world and in himself.

John Green's Katherines is, more than a humorous breakup novel, a coming-of-age novel dealing with the importance of finding oneself, rather than defining oneself against what one is not. We meet Hassan, defined throughout the book by his refusal to go to college, his refusal to do work, and his refusal to participate in stereotypical "teenage" activities. Colin defines himself as a young man without a girlfriend, without a grand idea, and without the level of fame he so desperately seeks. Lindsey, the young woman Hassan and Colin meet in Gutshot, defines herself as someone who does not wish to leave, someone who does not rock the boat, and someone who does not stand out from the crowd. An Abundance of Katherines follows these characters as they develop from a cast of "does-nots" into a cast of "does."

Funnier and wittier than Green's other novels, An Abundance of Katherines is an enjoyable read that, despite lacking the central tragedy so characteristic of Green's other major works, nevertheless still manages to engage with important issues, questioning the notion of fame, the importance of making your mark on society, the predictability of the future, and the importance of the past. Ultimately, Katherines is a fun read able to capture the young adult experience of dating despite its near-satirical premise while offering important, and somewhat thought-provoking, lessons on growing up. ...more

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Feb 05, 2015 Hannah Alexander rated it it was ok

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green was not even close to one of my favorite books. I apologize to those that enjoyed this piece of literature, but I felt as though the plot was a little “far-fetched.” I also feel as though this text was of the dominate, white male genre. (White male is totally a genre). I guess this text was a window text I have seen far too many times.

First of all, you have this white male prodigy that is bound for Northwestern University living among the upper middle cl An Abundance of Katherines by John Green was not even close to one of my favorite books. I apologize to those that enjoyed this piece of literature, but I felt as though the plot was a little “far-fetched.” I also feel as though this text was of the dominate, white male genre. (White male is totally a genre). I guess this text was a window text I have seen far too many times.

First of all, you have this white male prodigy that is bound for Northwestern University living among the upper middle class complaining, complaining, and complaining. Colin complains so much! I just felt as though this book was Colin’s way to say “poor me, poor me.” If the text had been written in first-person I would have thought this was a personal diary, which may have made the whining a little better. I guess this text provided a window of a life of a person that I just could not connect with. Reading this book was exhausting. The poor little prodigy couldn’t have “his girl.”

I also did not like the whole “Katherine thing.” I know the text is called an Abundance of Katherines, but I felt as though the name was just another way to objectify women and to have “a type.” I can admit that a name was a little bit better than appearances, but he still didn’t judge women based on personality until the very end. To build off of that concept, why did the only diverse character Hassan have to always be the comedic relief? I could see that John Green was “going for” satire when Hassan would introduce himself as “not a terrorist,” but I didn’t think it was funny at all. Hassan was the comedic relief by bearing the terrorist stereotype. Maybe if he wasn’t the “token diversity” it would be funny… maybe.

Aside from the road trip, who just lives with random strangers because they offer you a job? I just don’t get it. I might be not open to this perspective, but I found that the plot was very unbelievable. The whole time I am thinking “YOU DON’T KNOW THESE PEOPLE!” The plot just made me angry.

Finally, I can appreciate the research that John Green put into this book, but I felt that the footnotes distracted from the feel of it being a novel. I also dislike math… so getting me to understand that was a lost cause.

To summarize my thoughts in one sentence I would say that this book embodies whining and cliché themes.
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Jan 28, 2015 Jacob Mroczkiewicz rated it liked it · review of another edition

This novel was slow at times, but almost entirely driven by the protagonist's internal dialogue, his introspection, and ultimately, his search for identity. In a way, Colin was also searching for a way out of the labyrinth similar to the characters from Green's LFA, and found it in his own "Great Perhaps." Unlike his other novels that I've read, the presence of loss through death, but it contains plenty of other instances of suffering.

Colin as a character annoyed me at times, and in a way he wa This novel was slow at times, but almost entirely driven by the protagonist's internal dialogue, his introspection, and ultimately, his search for identity. In a way, Colin was also searching for a way out of the labyrinth similar to the characters from Green's LFA, and found it in his own "Great Perhaps." Unlike his other novels that I've read, the presence of loss through death, but it contains plenty of other instances of suffering.

Colin as a character annoyed me at times, and in a way he was similar in slight degrees to Holden Caulfield. But I liken him more to Melville's Ishmael. Struggling through a depression that seemed to question his very way of life, he sets out on a journey to find some semblance of vivacity in his life -- to actually live instead of endure. That's an oversimplification of Ishmael (who is an annoying character at times like Caulfield, but Colin wasn't always the funnest character to follow around either).

I also really enjoyed Green's commentary regarding the experience of finding an infinite experience within the finite nature of human existence -- although the abundance of math in this text made my eye twitch a little. It was a subtle complexity to a rudimentary read. Who said YA Lit can't have depth?! Feeling the weight of his own finitude within the confines of the identity forced upon him by people who told him he was "special," Colin had no other identity than what others had forced upon him. He wasn't granted the necessity of choice, for people change and cannot remain the person they set out to be at such a young age, one marked by naivety, no matter how special or prodigal one is thought to be.

Another good choice for secondary YA self-select lists, AAOK is a text that could serve as a mirror for students who can't seem to live up to the lofty expectations bestowed upon them -- an experience I have felt myself at a time. Another book centered around the search for identity and the perseverance through struggle or suffering, Green may have established himself as the voice for the modern adolescent reader. And after having read three of his novels, I think that that responsibility fell upon worthy shoulders. ...more

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Feb 05, 2015 Michelle Parsons rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-lit

An Abundance of Katherines was in some ways my favorite John Green novel of the three I have read, and yet, I found myself rating it lower than the other two (See my reviews for The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska). This is, perhaps, based on my personal preference for books with some intelligent humor and happiness over those concerned largely with tragedy, combined with the knowledge that handling tragedy with humor, grace, intelligence, and philosophy is a more difficult task for a An Abundance of Katherines was in some ways my favorite John Green novel of the three I have read, and yet, I found myself rating it lower than the other two (See my reviews for The Fault in Our Stars and Looking for Alaska). This is, perhaps, based on my personal preference for books with some intelligent humor and happiness over those concerned largely with tragedy, combined with the knowledge that handling tragedy with humor, grace, intelligence, and philosophy is a more difficult task for a writer and a reader. That being said, I found I greatly enjoyed the novel in the way one enjoys a small bag of potato chips; just the right amount of crisp dialogue, salty humor, and light and fluffy endings to leave you torn between wanting more and thinking that it was just the right size.
I started my experience of John Green as an author with An Abundance of Katherines. From the beginning, I felt a soft spot for Colin Singleton. As someone who was never studied as a prodigy, but always felt pressured to "live up to my potential," I understood some of the despair experienced by the highly motivated soul who has, as yet, accomplished nothing of large import. I greatly appreciated the uses of multiple languages throughout, including the language of mathematics. As the independent editor of a math-heavy novel by a relative, I was able to appreciate the ability to include just enough math to make the theorem comprehensible and the intelligent use of the appendix to fully explicate the math for the curious. The footnotes were helpful and entertaining.
The best parts of the novel had to do with character development through dialogue. Collin, Hassan, and Lindsey are by turns intelligent, funny, introspective, and obsessive. I particularly enjoyed Collin's obsession with anagrams and his inability to tell a story without going on digressions. With Hassan, it was the way he treated the reality of racial stereotyping ("I am not a terrorist") and his use of insults to motivate and to repress Collin. With Lindsey, I particularly enjoyed her ability to code-switch in various situations, especially with the elderly residents of the town, and her knowledge that her popularity was a performance.
Some of the major drawbacks of the text, however, were the cliches and stereotypes, the avoidance of which I noticed most strongly in The Fault in Our Stars. The overweight Lebanese Muslim best friend named Hassan is at the center of this issue. Now, this is not to say that Hassan is in any way a bad character. I quite enjoyed him and his uses of language. However, his character highlights the stereotypes that have been incorporated into the novel. First, the best friend, not the main character, is of a minority in terms of ethnicity and religion. (Yes, Collin is Jewish, but not practicing his religion.) The best friend, not the main character, is fat and sedentary. The best friend is the slapstick funny man in the comedy routine. The main character, the child prodigy in the midst of existential angst, is a tall thin white male. He is a nerd without social skills, defined in opposition to The Other Collin who is athletic, popular, social, macho, and insensitive. While Hassan and Collin's job collecting stories for Hollis is motivated by a real issue in small town America, where single factories now going under supplied all the jobs for generations of the community, the mystery of the factory closure and its likely impact upon the town is largely subsumed by the romantic tragedy/comedy action. Small town America looks less racist or intolerant than it could, but it is still stereotypical in terms of the boar hunt, underage drinking, and the dialects used by various inhabitants. The pretty girl dating the best friend cheats and is, in fact, just as ditzy in that sense as she first appears.
Still, it was an enjoyable novel, the actually intelligent version of the summer romances that are so popular. (view spoiler) ...more

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Feb 05, 2015 Lauren H. rated it did not like it

An Abundance of Katherines is most definitely NOT one of my favorite books ever; in fact, I think it now has an appearance on my “least favorite books” list. For a book that focusses so heavily on the art of story-telling, I felt like this wasn't a great story in itself.

To me, Colin’s character certainly does not fit in seamlessly into society, and usually I enjoy characters whom others might consider “odd” or “different.” However, I did not appreciate Colin’s character because he seems to alwa An Abundance of Katherines is most definitely NOT one of my favorite books ever; in fact, I think it now has an appearance on my “least favorite books” list. For a book that focusses so heavily on the art of story-telling, I felt like this wasn't a great story in itself.

To me, Colin’s character certainly does not fit in seamlessly into society, and usually I enjoy characters whom others might consider “odd” or “different.” However, I did not appreciate Colin’s character because he seems to always let things just happen to him, instead of having agency. His friend, Hassan, treats him like dirt most of the time, without ever being really reprimanded for his behavior. I don’t appreciate the idea of making it ok to treat others with such constant disrespect, especially in a young adult novel.

There is one guiding moment in the book that I find absolutely appalling: the moment of learning to shoot a gun. “Appalling” might be a strong word; however, I find it fitting for my reaction because, to me, this moment absolutely capitalizes on patriarchal ideals. Colin learns to shoot a gun because Lindsey wants Colin to embody masculinity so that he looks good next to the other boys during the hunt (even though Lindsey can't shoot a gun herself). This moment seems to full-heartedly embrace Freud’s ideas of phallic symbols, and what is more, only after the gun-shooting moment does Colin begin to talk more freely to Lindsey and to begin to take action (like by shooting towards the pig) whereas before, he was typically only a character who was acted upon and who lacked personal agency and connections to others.

However, I did enjoy the use of footnotes and the general wording choices in the book. I thought the footnotes were an effective way to tap into Colin’s mind, which embraces facts and figures. I found it very clever that as Colin began to blend more with society, the footnotes also began to diminish in number, demonstrating the shift from a life filled with academics to a life filled with people, moments, and stories.

All in all, though, this is not a book I would recommend to others.
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Jan 31, 2015 Mykala rated it liked it

This book by John Green has several of the same elements we often see in stories about teenagers. The main character is distraught over his breakup so he sets out on a road trip with his best friend in search of self-discovery. What I liked about this book though was that it adds unexpected elements to the often common breakup story. Green uses endnotes throughout the book to elaborate on points the main character, Colin, makes and I find this element adds depth and dimension to the story. Colin This book by John Green has several of the same elements we often see in stories about teenagers. The main character is distraught over his breakup so he sets out on a road trip with his best friend in search of self-discovery. What I liked about this book though was that it adds unexpected elements to the often common breakup story. Green uses endnotes throughout the book to elaborate on points the main character, Colin, makes and I find this element adds depth and dimension to the story. Colin is constantly anagramming throughout the book, which makes me as a reader want to try my hand at it. He is also trying to develop a math theorem in the story, which I feel brings new perspective to the hardship of dumping someone and being the dumpee. As a reader I really felt that I got to get a glimpse into how Colin’s mind works while at the same time realizing that I am no where near as smart as he is, at least in the math department.
While John Green provides context around more difficult vocabulary he also provides endnotes with the definitions. I think this could serve to broaden young adults vocabulary base without turning them off to the book. Other than these “new” terms as well as several words from other dialects, Green uses simple and approachable language to connect easily with his readers. Green also uses math to point out that equations and theorems are a language of their own if we decide to look at them that way. I think this ties back into Colin’s anagrams in that language is not static but rather has the ability to transform and take us to new places.
I feel that the side characters in this book could have been more developed but it might go back to Colin’s envelopment in his own world therefore not telling the reader more about his surroundings. I feel that the story drags a little in the middle and rushes at the end as it tries to wrap up all of the loose threads. Colin is our sole narrator so we are seeing the story from his point of view, which I think is limiting to some of the other characters in the story.
One of the main things the characters in this book keep coming back to is identity, which as we know speaks to young adult readers. These characters say they want to matter in the world and make a difference so that they will be remembered when they are gone. They are constantly trying to figure out where their place is and who they are in relation to their families, friends, and communities. Throughout the book there is tension between doing what you want and adhering to expectations put upon you by others. I think Green does a good job of implying that you have to be the one to make decisions in your life even if it takes a while to get there or even if you screw up. Even as I’ve gotten older I still feel like I struggle with wanting to make a difference in the world so I found this topic very prevalent for young readers.
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Jan 29, 2015 Nancy C rated it liked it

An Abundance of Katherines explores and combines many familiar tropes in young adult literature:
1. Adolescent graduates and decides to go on road trip to discover the next step in life.
2. Teenager whose romance with boy/girlfriend suddenly ends goes on road trip in hopes of healing wounds caused by the breakup—and finds new person as part of the adventure.
3. The young protagonist is warmly welcomed to stay at a stranger’s home where significant events occur and the teenager is treated like fami An Abundance of Katherines explores and combines many familiar tropes in young adult literature:
1. Adolescent graduates and decides to go on road trip to discover the next step in life.
2. Teenager whose romance with boy/girlfriend suddenly ends goes on road trip in hopes of healing wounds caused by the breakup—and finds new person as part of the adventure.
3. The young protagonist is warmly welcomed to stay at a stranger’s home where significant events occur and the teenager is treated like family.
These are only three of the most significant and obvious of the common tropes present in this novel— An Abundance of Katherines almost literally littered with clichés.

Despite the abundance of such elements of commonly tread ground, the novel does include elements which clearly delineate it and make it unique—not the least of which is the title itself and the phenomenon which it highlights. The name of the novel derives from the number of girls called Katherine that Colin, “the prodigy,” dates by the time he is 17 years old. Colin believes that he can find a formula to determine whether someone will be the “dumper or dumpee” in a relationship, by using age, “coolness,” “hotness,” and a couple of other made up determinants. Perhaps further highlight the conceit, Colin eventually comes to the conclusion that he has indeed found the magic formula.

Colin spends his summer in Gutshot with his trusty side-kick friend, Hassan, whose primary role is to provide comic relief, quite literally—he seems be there specifically to crack jokes and ease Colin’s breakup pain. Throughout the novel, the dialogue between the two friends is markedly affected. The fact that the characters repeatedly use the term “fug” in both verb and adjective form creates an artificial, less believable atmosphere in many scenes. Even beyond this particular term, the dialogue often sounds forced or makes it appear that any given character is “trying too hard”—for example, when Hassan begins speaking about himself in third person by calling himself “Daddy.” While this awkward dialogue does in some ways highlight the vulnerability of adolescence, it does occasionally strain the limits of credibility, making suspension of disbelief a challenge for a contemporary reader.

Lindsey Lee is in many ways the most genuine and credible of the characters in An Abundance of Katherines. She is presented as a remarkably believable, “real” girl—one who is concerned about matters which are quite typical for modern teenage girls. She is fully cognizant of the changes that take place in her life and what affects them—and even though the character believes that she is not “real” with people because she occasionally changes her attitude or accent according to the crowd, she is fully aware of what she does and examines and considers this behavior. Interestingly, she finds upon reflections that she adopts these chameleon-like actions because she wants others to feel comfortable around her. This is ultimately a positive character trait, as she puts other people’s comforts and needs before her own, making her the most selfless and caring of the characters in the text. This quality of Lindsey Lee’s is especially noticeable in manner in which she relates to the “oldsters” in the novel.

A common theme which seems to run through John Green’s work is that his characters are especially concerned about “leaving their mark” on the world. Colin’s entire motivation for deriving his formula for predicting the future of a relationship is born of the fact that he wants to boost his level up to “genius” and not end a forgotten prodigy. He wants the story about his achievements and discoveries to live on long after his death—a notion reminiscent of Augustus, from The Fault in Our Stars. This question of “existence” is a very important one in young adult literature, and, not incidentally, is one that teenagers and young adults of flesh and blood frequently examine—which could well be why Green’s novels are so popular. Ultimately, whether the characters and the dialogue are fully believable or not, Green’s novels explore themes which are truly common to young adults in a manner that flows like a teenager’s hormones—passionately and intensely, and subject to frequent and unpredictable changes in direction. However, the importance of the themes and the self-awareness necessary to effectively manage such thoughts are both far from exclusive to adolescents, and permeate novels by authors of all ages and eras—which is one of the major reasons that Green’s novels rise above the pack and may well be headed to becoming part of the literary canon.

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Jan 23, 2015 Jawaria rated it liked it

An Abundance of Katherines was a light, enjoyable book to read, that still looked into bigger themes. I loved how there was an effort of reaching formulas and theorems to explain or predict relationships. It actually reminded me of a recent Youtube trending video: Hot Crazy Matrix - (with a follow-up for men also). It just goes to show how we are constantly trying to understand people, relationships, ourselves and what causes things to be the way they are. Like Colin, we all want to have the rig ...more

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Dec 04, 2014 Morgan rated it really liked it

An Abundance of Katherines led me through every emotion in the book. I laughed; I cried; I loved; I threw it across the room in anger; and all the in-between emotions. Not only that, but the plot line warped and twisted and grew as the characters grew. I'm not sure if John Green sat down knowing that he wanted to write a book about life (judging by his author's note, I doubt those were his intentions), but boy, did he accomplish that! Colin's focus was, of course, the Theorem; but around the wor ...more

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Jul 19, 2014 Michelle rated it it was ok

An Abundance of Katherines was, sadly, not my favorite of John Green's novels. The protagonist remained just out of reach throughout, I never felt like I could truly connect and relate to him (but then again, could that possibly be an intentional aspect of the novel?), and the plot remained just shy of being entirely relatable, of being believable. Many details seemed to be too convenient (the money Colin has from being on a gameshow, the absence of the parental figure). I mean, this guy has dat ...more

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Jan 24, 2015 Jung Han rated it it was amazing

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