About This Book
Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the transition from being a gifted child to an adult, or when they are nursing their first significant heartbreak. It is a brilliant choice for teens who feel like they do not quite fit the standard social mold and are searching for a sense of purpose beyond their academic achievements. The story follows Colin, a child prodigy who has been dumped nineteen times by girls named Katherine. Along with his best friend Hassan, he embarks on a quirky road trip to create a mathematical formula that can predict the future of any relationship. It is a funny, intellectually stimulating, and deeply relatable exploration of identity, the fear of being forgotten, and the realization that personal worth is not tied to a single talent or a specific romantic partner. Parents will appreciate the clever humor and the authentic depiction of a supportive male friendship that prioritizes emotional honesty.
What Parents Should Know
Sensitive Topics
CONVERSATION: There are scenes involving underage drinking and a physical altercation with a group of boys that may require context regarding peer pressure and conflict resolution.
Ideal Reader
A high schooler who feels defined by their grades or a specific talent and is struggling with the pressure of what comes next. It is also perfect for the teen who loves logic, puzzles, and offbeat humor.
Parent Prep
Parents may want to skim the chapters involving the group of guys known as the Other Colins to prepare for discussions about social dynamics and bullying.
Age Experience
Middle school readers will focus on the humor and the road trip adventure. High schoolers will deeply resonate with the existential dread of becoming an adult and the complex feelings surrounding romantic rejection.
What Makes It Special
This book uniquely blends complex mathematics (including actual graphs and footnotes) with a slapstick road trip comedy, making high level intellectual concepts accessible and emotionally resonant.
Read plot summary
After being dumped by the nineteenth Katherine in his life, former child prodigy Colin Singleton goes on a road trip with his friend Hassan. They end up in Gutshot, Tennessee, where they take a job archiving the town's history. Colin spends his time trying to perfect The Theorem of Underlying Katherine Predictability, a mathematical formula he believes will reveal who will dump whom in any relationship. Through his interactions with the locals, particularly a girl named Lindsey, Colin learns to move past his obsession with his own legacy and the rigid patterns of his past.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
Discussion Prompts
1
Colin is obsessed with the idea of being a genius rather than just a prodigy. Why do you think he feels his future depends on this distinction?
2
How does Hassan's perspective on life and religion provide a balance to Colin's hyper-logical way of thinking?
3
The Theorem is Colin's attempt to control the unpredictable nature of love. Why do you think he finds comfort in math during a breakup?
4
Lindsey lives in a town that seems stuck in the past. How does her relationship with her hometown change as she gets to know Colin?
5
By the end of the book, Colin realizes that his story is still being written. How does this shift his perspective on the nineteen Katherines?
