Joanna Topor

Colin Singleton has just been dumped for the nineteenth time by a girl named Katherine. It's becoming painfully clear to the child prodigy that this latest breakup is indicative of his worst fear coming true: that when all is said and done, he won't matter to anyone. Luckily at 19--and in the world of Young Adult literature--life's woes can pretty much be quelled by a best friend, in this case an eccentric Muslim with a thing for Judge Judy, and a road trip to nowhere in particular. Anyone familiar with John Green's debut, the award-winning "Looking For Alaska," knows that a road trip, even one without a destination, is never without incident. A pit stop at a Hardees in Tennessee changes everything for the geek-chic duo when they come across a tampon string factory and a paramedic in training called Lindsey Lee Wells.

At the core, this hilarious novel is an anthem for dork-dom, destined to do for math and languages what "The OC"'s Seth Cohen did for comic books. Colin is skinny and awkward and Hassan is a chubby couch potato who calls himself Daddy. But Green manages to expose their inner eccentricities so effectively that being smart becomes just as oppressive as being popular or good at sports. The result is a YA novel with massive crossover appeal due to its mature, honest and unapologetic voice loaded with catchy one-liners, quirky dork-isms, just enough math to keep you thinking and one hell of a hilarious fight scene. Though it's by no means as urgent as Green's previous work, it is still full of acute, unashamed and dead-on observations about growing up. Green, who made a name for himself by embracing wholeheartedly the shortcomings and heartbreak of adolescence without condescension--and walked away with the Printz Award--maintains his authentic approach with relatable, full-bodied characters who learn to see past their selfish tendencies organically and who, despite their best efforts at nonchalance, leave you with a warm, fuzzy feeling.

"An Abundance Of Katherines"

By John Green

Dutton Books, $16.99, 256 pages

(2006-09-26)

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