Young Adult Book Reading Challenges discussion

When this book was first released some of the reviewers didn't like the inclusion of the footnotes and math concepts. Did you find them distracting? Would the story have been better/worse/the same without them?

I feel like the "extras" add to the story. The footnotes were humorous (the venn diagram depicting interesting vs. celebrity living people) and helpful (language translations.) I'm not exactly a math person but I can see the point of having it there. I also liked the anagrams!

I love the footnotes. Very Jen Lancaster-ish.

It took me a while to get into it, but when I did it works. This is my first book that I read of the author. I might read more of John Green books. The footnotes were a nice touch.

I love the footnotes and math concepts. Not too much for me.

I love the footnotes but the math is a little bit distracting. It helps the story a bit (some of them are quite funny)

I liked the footnotes...it added a informal feeling to the book even though footnotes are a pretty formal thing.

It also reminded me of The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which I loved.

Has any1 read the curious incident of the dog in the night-time? the footnotes and especially the maths reminded me of that book.

Yes, I loved The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

LOVED Haddon's book. There's an interesting backstory to it about US vs UK book marketing in terms of YA.

I read TCIOTDITNT as an adult novel. I could have enjoyed it as a 12 year old though, but that's true of many adult books.

Me too. A true winner.

I liked the footnotes--I think it helped keep the book relatively succinct. BTW John Green will be Overland Park (KS) on Monday for a booksigning. I am hoping to attend, but it appears to be sold-out :(

I love footnotes. I don't know why, but I do. All of my favorite books have them...The Thursday Next books by Jasper Fforde, the Tiffany Aching books by Terry Pratchett, The Curious Inicident..., Ibid!

I also liked the math because it was right on with who Colin is. It explains a lot about how his mind works.

I thought the footnotes were a clever addition; plus I learned a few facts from them. I thought the math was was fitting for Colin's personality although I, myself, am not a math person.

I loved the footnotes and generally they were short so I don't think they interrupted the story.

This book reminds me too of the Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime. Though I do think that is an adult novel, I don't know if a young adult would get the seriousness of the novel, but they would get the funny side. Kinda like Napoleon Dynamite. While it is a funny movie it is a sad movie at the same time. The footnotes are great in Katherine's! They are so funny, for me the math is a little distracting but that is because I am not good at math so I just skim the equations.

After finishing reading I didn't even bother to really try to read the appendix. It was extremely confusing. Though I do think it is fun that a real mathematician helped Green with this book and that the Theorem really works.

This book also reminded me of Curious Incident. I love the footnotes and math - they add to the story.

I thought it really makes the book unique!

I really liked this book, and I agree that the math makes the book stand out and be different