Math has never been a strong subject for me, so anyone who can do math really well and at the same time not be pretentious about it is really cool. I've personally had poor experiences with some of my math professors in my schooling career, but I still believe that math is an important subject that everyone must go through, or in some cases, endure through.
What does math have to do with "An Abundance of Katherines," though? The book was published by John Green back in 2006, but it is still a popular read today. It is part of the whole "John Green Anthology" thing and as such it is an essential collection for anyone who enjoys young adult literature. The story follows a young man named Collin and his woes regarding his most recent breakup with his girlfriend named Katherine. Sounds pretty normal, right? The quirk here is that this Katherine is the 19th Katherine that Collin has "dated" before, and he is very hung up on it because he firmly believed she was the "one."
After getting a push from his friend Hassan, they take a trip down from Chicago down to Tennessee, where they find the supposed grave of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the man whose assassination sparked World War I. They meet Lindsey Lee Wells and her mother Hollis, and they decided to stay in their town of Gutshot for a time. Events transpire as Collin tries to figure out his formula to accurately predict how and when someone will be dumped in a relationship.
This book really irritated me at first, because I couldn't stand Collin. He came off as a complete know-it-all because he honestly is a complete know-it-all. He spouts facts all the time and is always hung up either about his Katherines that he's dated or about the formula he's trying to create. As someone who doesn't really follow formula- and math-related things, I was either lost or just disinterested.
However, in the second half of the story is where it really shined. Lindsey is in a relationship with another guy named Collin, and he is referred to as TOC (the other Collin). Lindsey begins to doubt her relationship with him as she hangs out with Collin and Hassan more, because they seem to pay attention to her and care about her opinion. She sees TOC as the boyfriend who wants to have a pretty girl at his side to validate his position in society. Events transpire, and eventually Collin and Lindsey begin to develop feelings for each other. I believed that this arc was when the book got really good because Collin began to focus less on his formula and his fetish for Katherines and more on the current events of the story, like Lindsey's project and how they're interviewing many of the older folks in Gutshot.
Nonetheless, I firmly believe that "An Abundance of Katherines" is worth reading, but be reading to stomach some obtuse math formulas and themes. Then again, if you really like that stuff then there should be no problem. Collin is a prime example of a protagonist that develops and becomes much more likable throughout the story. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to read a decent coming-of-age story and an overall entertaining read.
Final Rating: 3.5/5
