I also cared about the pattern in my granite. I wanted my work area on the side counters to be sort of consistent. But I wanted some character to my island. I actually went to the fabricator and laid out how I wanted my granite cut to be placed in my kitchen. It was fun!
I know a lot of people do this but please know that if you use kitchen knives to cut on granite (or glass, or any other stone) you will ruin your knife edges the first time you do it. Dull knives are dangerous and miserable to work with so only use wooden, plastic or bamboo boards. Sorry, but I really have a “thing” about taking care of knives. The extra piece cut from the sink installation makes a nice cheese board and can be used for serving breads, fruits, or meats as well.
I know you said you don’t like quartz but have you looked at Cambria quartz? It’s really a step above most other brands of quartz and you will have a lot of choices in terms of whites. Ask your fabricator to show it to you. In my research on countertops before our kitchen remodel I discovered that some of the “white” granites are not actually granite at all but are grouped in with it for simplicity’s sake since granite is a stone everyone recognizes. A lot of people working in kitchen centers and even fabricators don’t know this.
You might want to look at Quartz. You don’t have to worry about color variance like you do with granite. I agree about Cambria Quartz. I have Cambria and absolutely love it! I believe mine is called Darlington, A white-is with subtle movement and IMO, give it warmth.
Also, I read that Quartz appeals to younger buyers and Granite older. (may or may not be reality) That might help you make your decision if you plan to sell in the future.