An Abundance of Katherines

I just finished An Abundance of Katherines by John Green. As with two of his other books, Looking for Alaska and Paper Towns, it's told from the viewpoint of a high school boy and involves longing for a mysterious girl and a road trip. It feels a bit like junk food for the brain; it's an easy, quick read, always entertaining, and feeds the endless romantic in me, just as a popular movies do. There's some adventure in it, though not too wild to make it unbelievable. In other words, I could imagine myself in the story, which I enjoy. It also has little mysteries in it, which keep the story interesting. I realized this weekend, while at an art gallery, that I don't like things that tell too much. I prefer abstract paintings to realistic landscapes, and I like stories that suggest feelings rather than explaining everything. This book leaves out key bits that aren't wrapped up till the end. It also keeps moving. For example; during much of the book, the main character interviews old people in the town. Some of these interviews are detailed, but much of them are passed over, with the result that a boring summer job doesn't also bore the reader.
Incidentally, the author alludes to this in his own writing. "Authors never included the whole story; they just got to the point. Colin thought the truth should matter as much as the point, and he figured that was why he couldn't tell good stories." This book is full of crafted stories. The whole story ends at a certain point, rather than including what happens "happily ever after." Also, throughout the book, there are flashbacks which are shaped with a beginning, middle, and an end. I think that's why it's so appealing to read these sorts of novels; everything fits into a plot and has an end that makes sense, and so often our lives don't follow that structure.