Justine's Thoughts: Will Grayson, Will Grayson by David Levithan and John Green

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
By David Levithan & John Green

Source: Borrowed
Pages:  310

Book Description:
One cold night, in a most unlikely corner of Chicago, two teens -- both named Will Grayson -- are about to cross paths. As their worlds collide and intertwine, the Will Graysons find their lives going in new and unexpected directions, building toward romantic turns-of-heart and the epic production of history’s most fabulous high school musical.
Hilarious, poignant, and deeply insightful, John Green and David Levithan’s collaborative novel is brimming with a double helping of the heart and humour that have won them both legions of faithful fans.

A quote:
You like someone who can’t like you back because unrequited love can be survived in a way that once-requited love cannot.

Rating:

5/5

Any thoughts:

My friend recommended this one to me, explaining that it’s quite a novel that would make your heart beat as you read it. Well oh my donkey, it really did at certain times near the end! And it almost made me cry too! You know how much I love books that would make me do incredible things like that.

I’ve been recently into John Green books lately, but I’m taking the time to read his books because I want to own them (for the purpose of reading them over and over and over again). I don’t think I have read any of David Levithan’s books yet although I have heard of him and his works. Together, John Green and David Levithan make a super duper team with a one of a kind, unforgettable collaboration.

Each of the authors takes on one Will Grayson. In the beginning, I thought David Levithan’s Will Grayson was unenjoyable. He is always negative and depressed and has no real friends. I just couldn’t help but feel bad for him. So he turns to online chats and meets a guy named Isaac, who he falls madly in love with over the internet. John Green’s Will Grayson has a gay, vivacious and huge best friend named Tiny Cooper. This Will Grayson lives under the radar, known always as ‘Tiny cooper’s best friend’.

I grew to love these Will Graysons despite their situations. And they are both awesome characters. But if I really must choose my favourite character out of the whole book, it would be Tiny Cooper. He is the sun that this novel revolves around. Without him, the epic high school musical would not exist. And trust me, it is grand and fabulous all at once.

When reading this book, I: laughed out loud that I snorted, had tears in my eyes during the swing set scene, *facepalmed*, had a goofy grin on my face most of the time, and my heart beat faster than usual. The end is the best part. I had expected something else to happen entirely, but that did not occur (sadly). Still, I was not disappointed. I was all for Tiny Cooper!

Overall, I must say that this novel is not to be missed. Thanks to my friend, Ashlyn, who recommended this novel to me, I have found another favourite book written by two impressive authors.

Justine's Thoughts: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green

An Abundance of Katherines
By John Green

Source: Library
Pages: 215
Book Description:

When it comes to relationships, Colin Singleton’s type is girls named Katherine. And when it comes to girls named Katherine, Colin is always getting dumped. Nineteen times, to be exact. 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 Katherine. 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 may finally win him the girl.

A quote:

You can love someone so much, he thought. But you can only never love people as much as you can miss them.

Any thoughts:

Could you believe that I didn’t know what the terms “abundance”, “prodigy” and “pupillary sphincter” meant? I hate to admit it but before reading my first John Green book, I didn’t know what those terms really meant. And in the end, I realized I learned many things just from reading An Abundance of Katherines.

It was an interesting concept, this book. Though it took me quite a while to get into it and get used to the narration (there’s footnotes!), I was glad I didn’t give up. (Side note: Who would give up and stop reading a John Green book? I just couldn’t do that.) Once I was emerged within the story, I couldn’t help but speed through it.

Its sense of adventure was quite a fun journey. Colin and his best friend, Hassan, go on a road trip together and end up at a place in Tennesee called Gutshot. There, they meet people who illuminate the entertaining, clever sides of Colin and Hassan.

The Theorem about the Katherines who Colin dated was very unique and although I didn’t understand most of what was being explained, it was fun nonetheless to go along with it. There was a full explanation (you didn’t have to read it) at the back of the book by a math expert for the curious ones. I started reading it but then I got completely lost and eventually got distracted.

What I found most interesting was the anagramming. I never even knew about anagramming and I didn’t even know what it was! (To answer your question: yes, I’ve been living under a rock for the past hundred years.) ...Though I did hear about it somewhere. Anagramming becomes important later on in the story. Colin, our main guy, is a natural at anagramming and could anagram a word in his head in less than a second. Is there such a person? There probably is. But anyway, Colin is one heck of a smart guy, a prodigy as a child. It’s enjoyable to get a peek inside of his brain, to see the way he thinks, how he makes connections from one thing to another.

There is nothing like An Abundance of Katherines. Its tone of amusement, knowledge and realization (Eureka!) will guarantee a great read.