Jean Hanff Korelitz

The Plot

**NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!** "Insanely readable." —Stephen King Hailed as "breathtakingly suspenseful," Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot is a propulsive read about a story too good not to steal, and the writer who steals it. Jacob Finch Bonner was once a promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Today, he’s teaching in a third-rate MFA program and struggling to maintain what’s left of his self-respect; he hasn’t written—let alone published—anything decent in years. When Evan Parker, his most arrogant student, announces he doesn’t need Jake’s help because the plot of his book in progress is a sure thing, Jake is prepared to dismiss the boast as typical amateur narcissism. But then . . . he hears the plot. Jake returns to the downward trajectory of his own career and braces himself for the supernova publication of Evan Parker’s first novel: but it never comes. When he discovers that his former student has died, presumably without ever completing his book, Jake does what any self-respecting writer would do with a story like that—a story that absolutely needs to be told. In a few short years, all of Evan Parker’s predictions have come true, but Jake is the author enjoying the wave. He is wealthy, famous, praised and read all over the world. But at the height of his glorious new life, an e-mail arrives, the first salvo in a terrifying, anonymous campaign: You are a thief, it says. As Jake struggles to understand his antagonist and hide the truth from his readers and his publishers, he begins to learn more about his late student, and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him. Who was Evan Parker, and how did he get the idea for his “sure thing” of a novel? What is the real story behind the plot, and who stole it from whom?

Amina

one of the best written books I’ve ever read. but yeah, I kindaaaaaa figured out all the twists way ahead in the book and that kinda killed the ending for me. still one I would recommend to everyone

Bria

Jacob Finch Bonner has a problem: writer's block. After a promising start to his career, he is reduced to teaching writing at a mediocre program. Then, one day, an arrogant student shares something with him: the perfect plot, guaranteed to sell and sell big.

Several years later, Jake wonders why the book hasn't been written and finds out that the would-be author has died. What could be the problem with him writing his own book using that fantastic plot? Nothing could go wrong-until everything does.

I loved this book. It was a literary mystery with great insights into the writing world, and the tension was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

Cheri McElroy

Jacob Finch Bonner has a problem: writer's block. After a promising start to his career, he is reduced to teaching writing at a mediocre program. Then, one day, an arrogant student shares something with him: the perfect plot, guaranteed to sell and sell big.

Several years later, Jake wonders why the book hasn't been written and finds out that the would-be author has died. What could be the problem with him writing his own book using that fantastic plot? Nothing could go wrong-until everything does.

I loved this book. It was a literary mystery with great insights into the writing world, and the tension was fantastic. I highly recommend it.

Derek Barlas

Read this because, lmao, I was curious how much Yellowface matched up with it, to which the answer is a lot — only so many ideas out there in the world in space, I guess, but there is a real beat-for-beat correspondence between the first 60% of each. I enjoyed the experience of reading The Plot more, but I've also forgotten it already.

faye

Shreya Punj

What a drab, dull and utterly unimaginative novel. 

I work in publishing and even I found it boring.

Kristen Claiborn

Before you read any further, I DID enjoy this book and gave it four stars. One of the problems with writing a review is that I have a tendency to focus on the bad stuff. This book was pretty good as a whole, but it was a HUGE disappointment! I had been hearing so much hype from so many sources that I was anticipating the best mystery/thriller of the year! Nothing could possibly be better than this book! Again, it was good, but it didn’t live up to the hype. I admit I was relatively surprised by the ending, but it wasn’t a HUGE surprise. The author had worked up to that story point the entire time, I just didn’t expect the, um, other thing. None of the characters are particularly likeable, nor are they particularly memorable (with one exception), which made me slightly apathetic towards the entire thing. I didn’t think Jake was a bad guy, but he was definitely the stereotypical egotistical writer, and he made at least one grievously poor decision. Evan was a POS who also made at least one piss-poor choice…and I can’t say much more without giving more of the “plot” away (see what I did there?). It is good, so give it a read despite what my review implies.

Jeannette Ordas

A quick, fun and easy to read mystery. I figured things out pretty early onwards but it didn't spoil the fun.

Amy Thibodeau

Flew through this one- pure fun. I had a solid understanding of how the ending was going to play out, but this didn't take away from my enjoyment. A literary page-turner.

Sarah Erle

Amani Zaha

Apparently Stephen King thinks this book is "Insanely readable", which, as front-page praise, sounds hilarious to me. What does that mean. Just like:

Person A, who wrote a novel: Hey man what did you think about the novel I wrote?
Person B, who read the novel and didn't love it, but is terrified of confrontation and hates lying: Oh yeah it was good! I liked it, yeah.
Person A: What did you like about it? :D
Person B: Oh, loads! Y'know it was interesting, so, er—readable.
Person A: Readable?
Person B: Oh, yeah, so readable. Like I could just ... keep reading. Honestly!
Person A: That's what you liked about it.
Person B: Insanely readable.

???

On another note, I'm feeling insanely torn about my rating for this book. It's somewhere around an I-liked-it 3 stars, tempered by the significant gap between the execution of the concept and my hopes for a plot like this.

This book is — surprise — meta. Its plot is about a plot for a book, its main character is a writer and within the story are nestled chapters of a novel he has written. Super intriguing concept! The execution? Nicely structured story! Interesting twists! Solid writing! A bit wonky pacing! Note the mild adjectives I'm using.

Like a very plain burger that would have been great with a good sauce. The bread's pretty nice, the lettuce might have seen healthier days; cheese and other veggies are good. And the meat is great! All we need is some flavour. The thing that wraps it all together; that distinguishes an okay burger from a great one.

The Plot lacks the sauce lol.

It was definitely a book I couldn't put down, and I enjoyed how the story unfolded and revealed its secrets. Ultimately, however, I can't help thinking about how much more impactful this could have been (for me). Had our main cast of characters just had a little more depth, a little more personality; had the pacing been tighter, particularly in the beginning; had the plot twists been executed with a little more force; had the writing, especially for the book within the book, had more life to it? This could've been a 4-stars read.

Anyway — I did enjoy it. A fun read!

Kristina B

so fun! I loved this roller coaster and 8 really enjoyed the authors writing style. there was a twist within a twist….absolutely loved it!

Jayme Bosio

I really enjoyed this book even though I guessed the twist early on.

Bambi Ard

I guessed the twist VERY early on and immediately dismissed it because I was like “Nah that’s way too easy and obvious!” Oh how naive I was. When the twist was officially revealed I mainly just felt like…this is it?

I also felt like I was one step ahead of the main character, Jake, the whole time because things would click in my head a few pages before they clicked for him, which is like. Okay, it’s probably much easier as a reader to piece these things together because you have the whole story laid out in front of you, whereas the characters have to muddle through it in real time, but still. The book is a thriller and that doesn’t exactly make for a thrilling reading experience, you feel?

All that said I found the writing in this to be very pleasant and accessible. The writing of the main plot was easy to consume and understand, and the fictional excerpts from Jake’s novel proved that Korelitz is just as capable of pulling off a more detailed, flowery style. Some of those lines were very beautiful.

tl;dr not a total waste of time but underwhelming

Ethan Hill

It could have been improved with a more likeable protagonist and a tightened narrative. But the twist was both completely unexpected and narratively satisfying in a way that thrillers so rarely are so it is worth checking out.

Madhuri Sridhara

3.5/5

This was a slow read at first but picked up pace towards the second half. For a long time, we have to listen to Jake Bonner, the protagonist complain and in general be a prick.

When we get to the actual  plot , it got easier to read but my complaint while I enjoyed the subplot of Jake's novel, the main twist was quite predictable. 

But I still highly recommend this.

Cindy

Unbelievably great premise for a book! I enjoyed every twist , turn and bump in the road that the author took us on. There were many complex characters with many layers to them. This is a well crafted storyline with a delightful twist ending.

Cindy Lieberman

Well-written but too predictable whodunnit mystery firmly in the literary world about a struggling one-hit-wonder author who writes a new bestseller based on a plot told to him by a late student. Thought provoking about what can or should be protected IP.

✨Tyler ✨

a little wordy and long winded and i guessed the twist half way in which was a bit disappointing with all the in-novel hype about a big twist which had me craving an unexpected twist, but it was an enjoyable read.

Madeleine Ngo

Stephanie Cox

Nadine 

Very very clever thriller within a thriller - worth reading

Julija M

About 3.5 ⭐ but not enough to round it up to 4

Gone Girl vibes! Also I knew Anna was suspicious, I mean you know the guy for an hour and kiss him and you get married to someone you've known for only 8 months? Come on.

The Plot

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