Tolog Review: An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines
by John Green 
reviewed by Fiona Mass 

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green is a realistic fiction novel about child prodigy Colin Singleton and his journey to find what truly matters in life with many suspenseful turns along the way. The novel is told in third person omniscient point of view which adds depth and detail to the already intricate plot. An Abundance of Katherines tells the dramatic story of Colin Singleton and his growth from being confused and socially awkward to understanding what truly matters to him. 

Colin Singleton just graduated high school and also just got dumped by his nineteenth girlfriend. Colin is a child prodigy and began reading books at the age of two. He was always pushed by his parents and teachers to study and be the best that he could be, which led to him not having very advanced social skills. He got bullied most of his life for being a know-it-all and found that very few people actually like him. In third grade, a girl named Katherine took a liking to him and they dated for about three minutes. After that, he only ever dates girls that are named Katherine and has dated nineteen of them but has gotten dumped each time. This particular time, the breakup devastates Colin to the point where all he can do is lay on the floor of his room and moan until Colin’s best and only friend, Hassan, convinces him to go on a road trip. They have no idea where they are headed but are both in need of a break from their lives. They end up in a small town in Tennessee where they meet Lindsey Lee Wells who is a Paramedic in training. They end up staying with Lindsey and her family for quite some time, working for Lindsey’s mother in the factory. Colin and Lindsey become close friends and help each other grow in ways they never thought they could. Will Colin be able to get over Katherine XIX and discover who he actually is, or remain stuck in his ways and continue to believe what other people think of him?

An Abundance of Katherines was a very intriguing book that I couldn’t seem to put down. The way the author describes the situations and adds the thoughts of Colin and the other characters makes the reader feel as though they are there and helps them relate to Colin and what he is thinking. The book is not very long but full of detail and every page leaves you wondering what will happen next. An Abundance of Katherines is not a predictable novel at all and I was surprised by the ending. I would recommend this book to teenagers that enjoy realistic fiction or stories of growth because this is one of the best books I’ve read about an emotional journey. Throughout the whole book you can see that way Colin thinks about and views people and situations changes as he becomes more socially adept and discovers who he is.