Review: An Abundance of Katherines

An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Before I start, I want to state that I'm writing this as a fan of John Green. As much as I will try to stay impartial, I read this book as a John Green book; not as a book which I picked up because I thought it looked interesting.

Okay, so where to start... Abundance is about Colin Singleton: once a child prodigy, he is now reaching a sort of mid-life crisis, where he's no longer a prodigy but can't see himself becoming a "genius". He has also lately gone through a big break up with his nineteenth girlfriend, one of many girls that are all very different but all share one thing; their name. Yes, Colin's type is girls named Katherine. He's feeling the effects of this breakup particularly deeply, so he and his (slightly overweight) best friend, Hassan, go on a road trip of discovery, as it were. They find themselves in the out-of-the-way town of Gutshot where they meet the pretty but not overwhelmingly beautiful Linsey Lee Wells and somehow find themselves in the employ of her large, muumuu bedecked mother Hollis. As Colin and Hassan perform their job of interviewing all the older generation in Gutshot, they slowly discover more about each other, and about themselves.

Okay, so there are some issues I have with this book. After reading the excellent Paper Towns I was slightly let down. I found the character of Colin overly whiney and annoying and as I read I didn't feel much sympathy for him at all. I warmed more to the ever so slightly douchey Hassan, but with time I found them both reasonably annoying. Reading the book, I got annoyed by the overuse of the terms fug/fugging/fugger (if you have to swear, you might as well just do it), jew-fro and kafir (arabic for infidel, as was so helpfully explained by the footnotes). The biggest problem with this was, as I said, lack of sympathy for Colin. I jut found his whining about how much he loved Katherin XIX pathetic and I just wanted him to buck up and find some balls.

However, it wasn't all bad. One thing that I found quite interesting about the book was the use of footnotes to explain points, give added depth to references and so on. When I flicked through the book I thought of them as a negative thing and something that could hinder the story telling, but I actually found them quite helpful and entertaining which was a pleasant surprise. As the book progressed, I found myself wondering whether or not Colin and Lindsey would get together (which of course they did), but it was good to be kept guessing as I read on. As I neared the end of the book, Colin underwent a bit of a change from whiner to shiner. Cue heroic punch up in which he (and Hassan) got thrashed, but it was in defence of the lovely Lindsey. This scene actually provided an excellent description of what happens when you get extremely forcefully knee'd in the groin; I was squirming in sympathy.

There was a certain point in the book, and I can't quite point my finger on when, when I felt myself not being overwhelmed by annoyance about Colin (and no it wasn't the end). But as I neared the end of the book I felt more and more warmly towards Colin, which is almost a miracle.

Looking back over the book I get the distinct feeling that I was supposed to find Colin extremely annoying. If I didn't then the change would be unimportant. Anyway, final verdict.

After the brilliant Paper Towns this is a little bit of a letdown. It didn't hook me in the same way and I didn't feel compelled to read chapter after chapter until I got nearer the end of the book. But nonetheless, I did enjoy it; I just know that I could have enjoyed it more.

Not bad, John. Not bad. Bring on Looking for Alaska


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Opposite Day

Just so we get this straight, I'm not talking about the weird, childhood contrivance that you would always use to get out of any situation...

"But you said you'd give me some Haribo!"

"Yeah, but it's opposite day!"

"You told me that you let me keep it!"

"Yeah, but it's opposite day!"

No, I had a really weird moment of revelation last night when I was sitting in the conservatory thinking about... stuff. I'm going to apply for a job. A job as a teaching assistant, and I'm trying not to get too excited about it. I may not get it, which will be slightly disappointing but hey, God's got his plan for me. Anyway, I spoke to mum about it and she said something which got me into this thinking state. She has, for a long time, said that I should work with Children. Now, for a long time my experience of kids was of small people that climb all over me, smother me, hid, squash me and are generally not fun people to be around. But I've totally gone through a change lately as is evidenced by the fact that I'm studying for a degree in Child Development and I'm planning on working with kids in some capacity. This comes after a very long time of being of the mindset that working with kids was not my thing; it just didn't interest me and I was going to work with animals or the environment or something like that. And it got me thinking, what else have I been telling myself that I don't like and yet slowly and over time, I've come to subconsciously reverse how I feel.

One of the biggest thing that I came to realise as I thought over stuff was this; I always thought that I was a country person. Loved being in the country, I loved the alone-ness and the peace and quiet and all that jazz and the city was not to my liking. Too many people, too many buildings, grey and stuff. Don't laike.

My favourite place is London. This is weird thinking about it. I love the city, especially bigger cities. I love how you can get lost in the crowds of people and become as singular as if you were in the middle of nowhere. The concrete jungle, as it is clichedly called, is pretty acurate; you can get lost, you can find new little places, you can hide away and you can find sudden green, beautiful refuges in the middle of the grey expanse. I have randomly switched from a country mouse to a town mouse and it scares me a little how easy and... subconscious it was.

Ah well, change is good, eh? I'm not afraid of it; if it leads you to where you need to be then I'm all for it. You tend to be better off and happier when than before the change and it's going to happen whether or not you fight against it so you might as well let it happen. Anyway, this is staring to get philosophical and I am too hungry for that! I also have no headphones to listen to philosophicaly inducing musics... not yet anyway (woo for buying £135 earphones for £4.99. I rule.)

I also cannot wait for the influx of packages that are gonna arrive; I've got Will Grayson, Will Grayson coming from Gem which I'm SO excited about, I've got a couple of posters, I've got a couple of DVDs, I've got the Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood book... It will be interesting if it all comes at once. Just this massive pile of stuff through my door. I actually kinda want it to all come at once... I can pretend I have fan-mail. Psh, yeah right, as if I'd have fans. :P I'd need to be, like, cool for that...

ANYWAY, I will not see you and you will not see me unless I know you in real life and if you are WHAT ARE YOU DOING READING MY BLOG!? This is private; only me and the rest of the internet are allowed to see. And a few of my irl friend. Well, one.

Anyway, TTYL and K.B.O.

That awesome moment when...

A hymn is given out at church and the first page you turn to is the right one.

How good? So good.

Nostalgia Doth Conquer

I've been having random bouts of nostalgia lately and they've been occurring in increasing frequency... I mean, it's not a bad thing. It just confuses me as to why it's happening so much lately. Could I be getting older and, dare I say... growing *gag* up?
Pffffffffffffffft, nah, not me. But it's still pretty interesting to see what actually triggers it. The other day I was sat in the garden reading and listening to music, when I saw some Swifts wheeling about over head. Now, this got me all excited because Swifts have, for a long time, been my favourite birds. I'm a huge fan of birds of prey and they're the type of bird that I prefer to deal with, look at and just generally be involved with, however Swifts will always be my favourite. They are, for me, incredibly nostalgic because I have always, for as long as I can remember, associated them with summer, the start of summer. And so at that moment, when I heard them for the first time in 2011, I took out my earphones, closed my eyes as I lay on the grass, and took in their crazy screaming. It's something I look forward to each year; haring that scream and seeing those distinctive anchor shapes blasting about above my head. As I write this I can hear some now... goosebumps, I tell thee. It's really that evocative.
It's little things like that that I love and have particular fondness for. Small things are what I love for, not enormous fanfares. That's just ostentatious to me; cobwebs with dew on them, bumblebees on a plant that smells good, unexpected kisses on the cheek, radiator pants... It's all small and it's all awesome!

I was thinking about this whole attachment thing the other day and I was wondering if everyone else is as reliant upon links and connections as I am. Whilst there are almost definitely people that are more reliant than me, and others that are less reliant, I think that to a certain extent everyone applies nostalgic connections to events and situations in life. I think it's just another one of those little things that makes us human.

Ciao and K.B.O.

DFTBA

That awkward moment when I'm watching the live stream of a guy in America I've never met opening tons of cards and packages from people that neither I nor he has ever met and realising that I'm part of such a massive thing (know as Nerdfighteria) that has helped me become a bigger and better person.

I know what you're thinking; how can two guys that make videos on youtube have that much of an effect on my life? I don't know them personally, I've never met them. But I don't need to. Hank and John Green are two very different yet completely awesome brothers. And through the movement they've begun, a.k.a Nerdfighters and Nerdfighting, I've found a place and a description.
The impact that they've had on my life has been unnoticed yet the more I think about it, the more profound I realise it's been. I can't imagine not being involved in the nerfighter community in some way... Learning to accept who I am, not being ashamed of that and embracing those things that I love and can and are often described as "sad, stupid, weird" and all come under the heading of "nerdery". I'm me for many different reasons; the biggest influence is my faith, the second biggest influence is nerdfighteria.

I can't even put this into words sufficiently, it's so annoying. Hank and John Green are so incredibly important to me and, even though that sounds cheesy and a liiittle creepy, it's true. Every time I see a video that is associated with them or nerdfighteria I remember that I am me and I am awesome. I can make a difference through my own efforts and I can reduce the suckyness in this world. It constantly encourages me to try and improve the things and people around me by first improving myself. It inspires me to be better than I have been in the past but not to wish the past away; work off it, improve on it and never EVER forget to be awesome.

So yeah, happy Hanko de Mayo, and by no means should you F.T.B.A.

Epyon

Master grade Gundam Epyon. I am currently loving Ban Dai! They finally gave us master grade shenlong (which I still NEEEED) and now Epyon! I mean, look at how gorgeous it is:


I want it. So very much. I'm loving the slightly altered design for the Endless Waltz re-designs they're doing lately; I love how angular it is. The only thing I'm slightly worried about is the transformation; I wonder how flimsy that'll make the frame. Knowing Ban Dai, they'll probably do a good job of the kit, especially with the success they've been having with this run of Wing kits. They've been tight, trim and slim; the inner frames work exceptionally well and everything's just right where it should be and works just as it should. I'm just wondering how much of the XXXG inner frame is going to remain in this kit or whether they'll just design a totally new one. It's gonna be pretty complex getting it to transform in the way it does so I'm thinking they may start of with the XXXG frame as a base and crate a new version... Anyway, we'll just have to wait and see. I'm really looking forward to this release; it's been a long time coming and, after the Wing Gundam, it's my favourite mobile suit from Gundam Wing. And, from the looks of it, it's going to be a good 'un.

TTYL, K.B.O.

The Glorious Tale of Eggy Rite part 1

By Ben and Emily; born from that madness that only late nights can bring.

Come near, dear children, and I will tell you tale of the most magnificent superhero that ever did live. He has a heart of gold, an honourable spirit and the most glorious mane of hair you ever did see. Listen closely as I tell you the story of his mild mannered, every-day persona, Edgar Wright, and the dreadful events that cause him to take up the cloak of EGGY RITE once again...

***

There exists a website dedicated to the praise and love of Edgar Wright.

He looks at it every day to remind himself that people love him because otherwise he would just wander around his house, flushing cake in every one of his 17 bathrooms as he cries into his bathroom rug which is in the shape of Scott Pilgrim's face. He then goes into his private cinema and watches his movies on a loop and phones his famous friends and tells them how great his movies were.

whilst brushing his luscious mane and eating smarties. But only the blue ones. He has people to separate them. He savours them in the gap between his two front teeth before drinking mountain dew in copious amounts.

"Oh god" he sighs. "So alone!"

"You're not alone," says Nick Frost.

"You're just being melodramatic," says Simon Pegg.

A wide grin creeps over his face as Nick produces a large cake.

"um, I was given this by my friend the other day. It's really moist..."

Edgar's eyes widen and an idea forms.

"Nick," Simon says. "It's happening again... look at his face..."

Nick looks at his face. "It's... so beautiful..." mumbles nick.

Edgar is so shocked by his friend's comment that he gasps.

Nick shakes his head and looks sheepish before expplaining "um... I meant... the cake. The cake is so beautiful. We need to give it a proper send off because I can't eat it all myself."

"Oh....right" Edgar's face turns to disappointment. Was Nick denying it, or was he really referring to the cake? Well, he does like cake a lot.

Simon, feeling awkward about all this, suddenly piped up. "Eggy, where is the nearest toilet nearest the nearest kitchen? We need a knife and a porcelain grave for this sweet delicacy."

"Finally" Edgar thinks. Cake flushing had always been a hobby that the trio cherished. He loved his two best friends so much and these were surely the happiest moments of his life.

"Oh you needn't worry about getting a knife..." and with a flourish, Egar produced a long, silver cake knife from his sleeve. "I am always prepared for a situation such as this"

Simon and Nick stand in shock. That was a little odd. But they overlooked it, and walked upstairs to the bathroom.

As the three of them stood round the empty porcelain abyss, awaiting to take the poor sponge's soul to cakey heaven as it was sacrificed to the gods of confectionary, Simon looked to Nick who was solemnly holding the cake, steady and reverently. "Nick, would you like to say a few words...?"

Nick held back his tears. It always hurt a little to see some cakey goodness that was not entering his stomach. "I....sorry."

Simon could see that his friend was having difficulty.

"It's okay, Nick. It's ok..." Edgar comforted, laying a hand on Nick's shoulder. "Farewell, sweet cakey goodness," he murmured, turning to regard the glossy brown expanse of the cake's surface.

Flush.

And it was done.

The three amigos stood in silence for a moment until it was broken by Simon's incredulous cry.

"How can a toilet stand such cake!?"

They laughed their little hearts out. Edgar felt good.

Edgar turned and wrapped his two best friends in a warm hug. "You guys... I love you guys... SO. MUCH." He tightened the hug, thumping Nick and Simon on the back.

Nick and Simon shared a look of concern. Sure, they liked each other, but Edgar had never been so passionate like this. Was something wrong? Was he dying?

"Edgar..." Nick said slowly... "Is everything alright? You're not, I dunno, dying or something are you?" Because that would really suck."

Edgar blinked. "Really?" He thought. He couldn't just show how much he cared for him without it meaning that he was dying?

He shuffled uncomfortably, not really knowing what to say. Eventually, he decided to tell them the truth.

"You two... are my only friends. There, I said it. You guys are my only cake flushing amigos and... without you I'd probably commit suicide..." he cast his eyes to the ground and added. "Or actually eat all the cake and become really fat..."

Simon and Nick felt a rush of despair. "But Edgar, we thought you had loads of friends! The only reason we made Paul without you is because we thought you had Quentin Tarantino for company. How is he by the way?"

"I hate Quentin, that gossipy bitch. All he does is sit around and talk about Rose McGowan and how great he is and how awesome his movies are and how highly polished his ginormous chin is. Psh."

Woah. Simon and Nick hadn't had the faintest idea. Now they felt really guilty for their poor friend Edgar. "He could've been a part of Paul and not have to make that crappy Scott Pilgrim film!" Simon and Nick collectively thought.

Edgar's head drooped slightly as his expression of affection was met with silence. "It's ok guys..." Edgar mumbled. "I'm sorry for this awkwardness. I'll go back to my cinema and watch Hot Fuzz for the seventy-second time... You know it's really a very underrated film..." his voice trailed off as a single tear rolled down his cheek.

In that single tear Simon and Nick saw themselves. They saw what they had become. Monsters. Heartless betraying bastards.

They looked at each other and in that glance they silently communicated with each other. Simon grinned and turned back to look at the forlorn countenance of the bemourned Edgar Wright.

"Don't worry Eggy; we'll come too. I haven't seen Hot Fuzz for a while and, from what I can remember, I'm quite the bad ass in it.

"That you were, Peggster. That you were..." Edgar said as he lead the two of them into his secret basement cinema.

It was dark.

What could happen in that darkness, no one knew. But none of them expected what did happen...

The three cake-flushing amigos sat together in a prime spot, Nick still clinging to the remainder of the cake; a small chunk to flush later. As the three of them sat there, eating sweet popcorn, there came all of a sudden a great crashing sound as a massive hole was torn in the ceiling of the cinema.

It was none other than Edgar's arch enemey; Quentin Tarrantino.

"YOU FUCKING MOTHERFUCKERS I HATE YO- oh hey Edgar what's up best bud? Did you know that I am awesome and I have a chin and everyone worships me in the film world. You're nothing Edgar. But I still like you."

Edgar's head dropped. Quentin's comments hurt, as always.

Simon was not content to let this continue. He turned to Nick and said "Quick. you know what we have to do."

"No... do you... is that wise?" Nick asked with some trepidation.

"DAMMIT MAN, JUST GET THE CREME EGG!"

With speed surprising for a man of his stature, Nick set off into the kitchen, on the hunt for one of the rare treats, for that was whas was needed to transform humble and mild-mannered Edgar wright into *insert fanfare EGGY RITE.

SUPERHERO TO THE NERDS.

Whilst Nick sprinted upstairs to the kitchen, Edgar sat cowering in his cinema next to Quentin.

Simon watched on. He could see the hurt in Edgar's eyes as he listened to how bad a director he was and how terrible A Fistful of Fingers was. Nick would be back soon though. And then Edgar would transform once more, for the first time in years.

Meanwhile, Nick made a mess of the kitchen. He searched every drawer, but to no avail. There were only smarties "Edgar and his damn smarties!" Nick shouted, stressed by Simon's pressuring words.

"SIMONTHEREARENOEGGSWHEREARETHEY!" Nick called out, frantically throwing drawers all over the floor. Then he saw them; shining out from behind the back of a draw he had just yanked out, there rested the stash of ultimate creme eggs that Edgar had hidden for just such an occasion. With an exuberant fist pump he grabbed one of the treasured orbs of power and ran back to the cinema.

"TO EDGAR!" yelled Nick.

....

"THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION!"

Nick kicked opened the door to the cinema. Edgar was now in tears, but Quentin showed no signs of stopping.

"Did you get one?!" cried Simon frantically

"One?" Nick asked as he wiped sweat from his forehead, "I got 20"

"Excellent!" Cried Simon and he quickly snatched one from Nick's clutches. Unwrapping it at high speed he darted over to Edgar, lifted his head and thrust the egg into his gaping mouth before moving his jaw and forcing him to chew. It had been years since Edgar had undergone this transdormation, was he still capable of it...?

"AGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!" screamed Edgar, as he started ripping off his clothes The intense feeling of chocolate erupting from his skin was causing him so much pain, but all Simon and Nick could do was watch as their friend suffered. Edgar fell to the floor. He looked at his legs. "SO GOOEY!" he thought. This always happened in his transformation, he was tempted. He was tempted to take a bite out of himself, one of the many troubles of being Eggy Rite.

TBC...

Mulling It Over

Well, this is the last post of BAEDA and It's been a good exercise for me. I may have stumbled a little towards the end but this is the first time I've attempted something like this. So I think that, for the most part, I've done fairly well. Of course, I'm a little disappointed that I didn't quite make the 30 days but, such is life; the world will not end. But it's been good because, before this, I didn't blog very often and that was because I felt I didn't have anything to blog about. but having had to find something to blog about I now feel like I'll be able to maintain this more regularly, which is always a positive. I need ways to express myself because I don't generally get to. But this is not the main purpose of this entry. Tonight was Doctor Who season 6, episode 2 "The Day of the Moon." I must of course advise you that there will be spoileeeeers!

Once again I was blown away by this episode. It seems to me like they're just taking the dials and saying "OK; this is what we would have done before, where can we go now?" which is amazing to see. The episode was exciting, thrilling, scary, creepy, mind-blowing and, in places, just plain confusing. But, as always, I really immensely enjoyed it. It had me totally confused from the start with the various members being apparently killed off one by one by Canton whom, when we left them at the last episode, was their ally and on their side. After a while it's shown that they're not really dead and Canton is not really fighting against them which is all well and good, but it's never explained why the US military has apparently taken a dislike to them all. This is one of the main problems that I have with the episode; there was a lot thrown in there that was never even partially dealt with. For example, how did Canton and his blokes get that super dense alloy stuff that is impenetrable to make the Doctor's cage? If you forget about the silence as soon as you look away then how did everyone remember them (even if they forgot what they looked like)? At one point, Amy was in the orphanage and having a nosy (as she does) when she came to a door in which a little hatch opened and a woman with an eye patch looked out, said something along the lines of "no definitely dreaming" and then disappeared again. Not just her, but the hatch from the door. It was slightly confusing because there were a lot of questions answered and a lot more raised. But this is the nature of Doctor Who and they're got to spice it up a bit for the U.S audience... anyway, moving on.

River's story is really starting to pick up speed now; we're really beginning to get a more fuller picture of who she is even though I still have nothing on who she is other than that which I see on screen. She and the Doctor are flirting quite outrageously now, what with her "screamer" line last week and the whole "I'd shoot 8 for you" back and forth thing in the proto TARDIS. They're getting comfortable with it, and that was no less evident than the kiss in the cell nearing the end. The doctor was a little awkward, but he was fine with it. This is giving plausibility to the Doctor's wife theory, but I just can't see that it's that simplistic. It's never just that simple. There has to be more and until all is revealed, I will have to remain in the dark.
I'm really beginning to like River's character now, and I think I'm beginning to understand why I didn't like her in the first place. I had no context for her; how could she know so much about the Doctor, and why did she speak so much in riddles. I couldn't help bug get annoyed by her smug little ways of being over-familiar with this fantastic man whom she knew nothing about. But thus is the thing with the story; she wasn't being over familiar with him. She was holding back, and has been for every episode before this. She was being restrained because she knew that anything that was the doctor's first would be her last experience of it. Like the kiss in today's episode; it was the Doctors first with her and thus her last. But this obviously implies that it happens again. But why? What kind of relationship do they share. It just makes my head hurt trying to think about it. But the point is; I like river song. She's the Doctor's equal, and well worthy of standing alongside him.

Now, moving on to my biggest gripe about this episode; the Doctor's dealing with the Silence. Through the use of a cleverly snipped piece of a Silent's monologue, the doctor was able to insert a small frame of video telling the inhabitants of the world to shoot a silent on sight. Yes, those were the Doctor's orders and I dislike that he was so quick to attempt to destroy the Silence so quickly. Is that really the Doctor? The Doctor that, in the Daleks in Manhattan, tried to prevent a human/dalek/time lord hybrid "species" from death. Every time, since the encounter in season one, he has tried to reason with them. To come to a peaceful arrangement, despite the fact that it almost always fails. So how could he, essentially, order the Silence's execution? It seems un-Doctor-like to me. Maybe he's all just getting tired of it all? Tired of wars and fighting and of alien races trying to ruin the human race. Maybe he's becoming more human himself through spending some much time with them...

As for the little girl, well, I have a very serious theory about her. She is in a space suit, she comes out of the space suit. At the end of the episode you see her going up to an old man on the streets and... well, regenerating. Yes, Time Lord regenerating. As only a Time Lord can.
Now, I have a very serious theory as to who it is; The Rani. If you don't know who it is, check out the Doctor Who wiki [linky]. I think that this little girl is a young the Rani who will reappear at a later date... We shall see.

I doubt I've said all I could say but I'm tired and I want sleep. I may come back tomorrow and add more or just start another post. But anyway, until next time, K.B.O.