And it’s one every reader can appreciate. This novel answers the question of “what comes next” with the most simple of answers. Not only does the smart boy feel lost, but so does the best friend, the dream girl, and every other character in the book. Set mostly in rural Tennessee, this novel encapsulates what it means to not know where you are headed. So while the female and male protagonist circle around each other in the expected way, everything around them is different.

I don’t fault Green too much for this because (1), this book was his second published and his pattern hadn’t been that established yet and (2), he is excellent at making this typical plotline new and interesting with every release. And while the characters are unique, they do tend to follow the same typical plot-line somewhat nerdy boy meets a manic pixie dream girl who then proceeds to fall into a complicated love, amidst much trial and error. (If you are looking to change your opinion on John Green, read “Will Grayson, Will Grayson.” It’s excellent.) He does have a very particular way of writing, with well-spoken, deep-feeling teenagers that are often very intelligent, and “Katherines” is no exception to that style of writing. If you aren’t a fan of Green or you have mixed feelings about his work, I wouldn’t pick up this book. This book doesn’t stray too far from what you might be used to if you have read any of his other books, so if you liked his other work then you are set with this one. Most of you are already familiar with John Green, and therefore his style of writing. Now, I have been a fan of John Green for a while, and this is actually the last book of his that I had to read. This book has been in my TBR pile forever, and I thought it would be the perfect book to start the summer off with. 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.

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. 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. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. If you like John Green’s work, you are sure to love this book. It is “An Abundance of Katherines” by John Green, a book I enjoyed very much. Hey, all! Here is my first review for you.

An abundance of katherines book cover