This book was a slow start but it built and built and really delivered! I would tell you more but I don’t want to give away the plot

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for letting me receive an ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was not a bad book. I understand why so many people enjoy this book and had a fun time with it. The plot was well thought out and the writing was okay. However, what made me give this book two stars instead of the three stars I was originally going to give it is the pacing. I did not feel that this book was thrilling enough and so much of the book's passages could have been shortened. There were so many times when the author was giving overly detailed descriptions of things that did not matter. Additionally, there were several sentences that confused me, sentences that made me feel that the author was trying to be "woke" about certain things but not knowing how to make them feel genuine.

2/5

Jean Haniff Korelitz writing is masterful. I loved this book within a book and was impressed by the two very different voices telling the stories. I enjoyed Jake; the protagonists riffs on writing and writers and felt he was talking to me, maybe in a bar over drinks, getting into the heads of authors today. Yes, Jake is a bit of a procrastinator, lazy and maybe has some self-esteem issues, like many of us.. But when Jake starts getting threats, he wakes-up ans so does the suspense.. For real. I figured out the twist, but it didn't really matter.. I read non-stop until the ending.. I do hope this is developed into a film or series, but am glad I read The Plot first.. Jake is not a character I will forget, with his very human weaknesses and his strengths. Thank you Netgalley, publisher and author for the copy of The Plot in exchange for my honest review. Five stars for the superb writing,, story and character development.

This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I’m not sure if their writing is for me. The beginning was a bit of a drag to get through with very long paragraphs and LOTS of parentheses. There was at least one set of parentheses on almost every page and some of them were even a paragraph long which just seemed unnecessary at that point. As the story picked up however these annoyances lessened.
I enjoy unlikeable characters and our protagonist Jake was unlikeable from the start. He is stuck up and pessimistic about his job and his life and starts by talking bad about his students before he even meets them. I thought Jake was a great main character for this kind of story and I really liked being in his head especially as he starts spiraling and becomes obsessed with finding out the identity of his accuser.
The parts that really lacked for me though was when we got to read Jake’s book, Crib. Crib’s plot twist wasn’t as shocking and groundbreaking as everyone in the story was making it out to be. Hearing the characters constantly hyping up his book talking about how amazing it was would’ve been enough for me because when I got to the point where we were given chapters of Crib, I was really let down. I think it would have been more impactful if we didn’t actually get to read Jake’s book because I wasn’t impressed with it or his writing at all.
I also wasn’t a fan of the main plot twist. The big reveal was glaringly obvious to me from the beginning that it was frustrating how Jake couldn’t see it. However I was surprised by how it all ultimately ended. I definitely recommend this to writers and people who are interested in the publishing world.

I’d heard so much buzz about this book so decided I needed to find out what it was all about.

A professor who has not had too much luck with his writing career lately is told about a plot from one of his students that would be a book that Could. Not. Fail. When the professor hears about the student’s death, decides to take the plot and write his own book using the idea.

Well, the book is a phenomenon and professor becomes amazingly famous. Then one day, he is contacted anonymously and accused of stealing the plot.

Down the rabbit hole goes the professor as he tries to find the person who knows he stole the plot.

For a while the book was a bit long and slow, but I stayed with it because I knew it it would become twisty and crazy per all the reviews I had read. And yup... It did.

The twists are insane and definitely unexpected. Especially that last one which I caught onto only a few pages before it’s reveal. It was delicious. I love these twisty tales.

This was a book within a book, which the cover alludes to, and I really got interested in the chapters of “the book” inside The Plot.

When I was finished, I put down my Kindle with a satisfied sigh. The Plot was very enjoyable for me.

*Thanks so much to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the advance copy!!*

An intense, meta novel about writers, stories, and the people attached to both, this twisty tale will keep you up at night discovering the plot of a lifetime and the cost of such a triumph. I highly recommend this thriller!

Great book with an original story. I could guess the villain about half way through, but still enjoyed it up until the end!

**Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jacob Finch Bonner once wrote and published a popular novel, but had since been unable to replicate his success. Jake was forced to begin teaching in a MFA writing program, where he meets a cocky student named Evan Parker. Evan claims the plot he is currently working on is a guaranteed success. Jake is skeptical, until he hears the plot himself and knows it is true. A few years later, Jake discovers that Evan Parker died before publishing his novel. Jake decides that the plot is one that needs to be told, and chooses to write and publish the novel himself to save his fledgling writing career. The book is a wild success, and Jacob enjoys his wealth and fame, until he receives an email accusing him of stealing the plot. As Jake begins to investigate his past student, he learns that maybe there was more to the story than Evan led him to believe...

I absolutely loved this book from start to finish. It was such a good concept for a story. I liked the excerpts of “Crib”, Jacob’s book, that were interspersed throughout the book. (It reminded me of The Magpie Murders and The Moonflower Murders.) And while I did guess what the plot twist would be, I certainly didn’t know all the details or how the story would end! This book was so well written. I certainly look forward to reading more of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s work. If you love thrillers, mysteries, and a captivating plot, you need to pick this one up for sure!

This book started slowly for me, which was probably my fault since I’ve been in a major reading slump, but then something happened. This surprising “plot within a plot” narrative just grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. Now, I was hooked, and this amazingly, well-crafted book had me in its clutches until the very end.

Jacob Finch Bonner, author, has one bestseller under his belt, but the second is eluding him. He begins teaching other aspiring writers at a second-rate collegiate program where he comes across obnoxious student, Evan Parker who brags that he has a best seller plot. One evening Evan gives Jake a brief synopsis of his plot and after they go their separate ways. Later Jake learns that Evan has died and decides to use his plot to write the book which become an instant best seller. Soon he begins receiving threatening emails from someone who knows he has stolen Evan’s work.

I won’t even begin to delve into the complicated subject of plagiarism. In this case, the story was never written, and Jake wrote the book with his own words. However, what transpired next was quite engrossing and riveting. I was transfixed up until the very end and must confess I did not see the shocking end coming.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Celadon Books, for the opportunity to read this fabulous book. I look forward to more books from this author. I gave this book four stars.

Thank you NetGalley for giving me a copy of The Plot to read and review!

The Plot is about Jacob Finch Bonner, an author whose first novel, while being published and recognized on a New York times list, did not give him the kind of fame that he had always dreamed of. Neither did his second novel. Or his third for that matter... Due to his constant inability to live up to the dreams that he had envisioned for himself, Jake becomes bitter and forced into accepting different jobs to make a living, but not without hostility since they could never quite stack up to his own lofty expectations. That is, until suddenly they do- when Jake uses a story not entirely of his own making to gain fame that he had previously only dreamed about. However, was this fame and recognition entirely worth the price he will have to pay?

I will say that this story definitely started off slow. I considered putting it down around the twenty-five percent point, but wanted to keep going since the star rating on this book made it seem as though it would ultimately be worth it. About halfway, it does pick up considerably. However, most of the twists are a bit obvious and the final one was perhaps the most surprising, but equally, the most obvious of all.

I definitely appreciated the story-telling for its focus on the settings. Jean Hanff Korelitz did a wonderful job of setting scenes for the physical locations as well as atmospheres and moods for the many situations that Jake found himself in. I really appreciated that I was being SHOWN these places rather than just TOLD we were in New York, on a college campus, or at a campsite. I could actually imagine that I was there. I think that character building left a bit to be desired. For me personally, the characters were all a bit boring except for one. The villain in this story, if you will, was interesting, made me consider their perspective and how and why they did what they did. While Jake at best seemed boring, whiny, or pathetic. And then all of the other characters, granted most played very minor roles, were rather insignificant and not memorable.

All in all, I did enjoy this book. It was a very quick read for me. I would give it more of a 3.5 out of 5 star rating if I could.

A story too good not to steal, 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 begins with our main character Jacob Finch Bonner a once promising young novelist with a respectably published first book. Currently he is teaching a third-rate MFA Program at Richard Peng Hall on the Ripley College Campus in Northern Vermont. Jacob now very much struggling hasn't written--let alone published--anything decent in years. When class begins he meets narcissistic Evan Parker and he proclaims to Jacob that he doesn't need his help, because the plot of his book in progress is a 'sure thing', Jacob could care a less about this young egotistical prick, that is until he hears the plot.

Years go by for Jacob and within them he never hears anything about Evan Parker and his wonderful supernova of a plot story. Jacob does an internet search and sees that Evan Parker has been dead for a few years and without ever completing his book, Jacob decides to do what any self-respecting writer would do. He writes a story.

A year later Jacob 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 Jacob tries to figure out who this new fan is he first must hide the truth from his readers and his publishers. Jacob learns 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?

WOW! What an unbelievable debut novel from Jean Hanff Korelitz! I could not stop reading this suspenseful thriller! Although I had things figured out a good part through it, it was still a fantastic first book for this author. I love the book within a book concept. It was defiantly fun, clever and something new to take in amongst all the different types of thrillers out there. I will absoutely be recommending this one!

Thank you to Celadon and NetGalley for a copy of this novel.

This story's plot was unique and very interesting! I did go into this book with high expectations based off early reviews that raved about this book. This book was very character driven, it was a slow burn which I don't really enjoy in thrillers. I like fast paced, page-turner type thrillers. For me this novel kind of dragged on and the plot became predictable. It just wasn't my kind of thriller! But overall it was a decent enjoyable book! If you enjoy slow burn books/character driven books you'll LOVE this. For me it was just good! Thank you Netgalley & Celadon books for providing me with an e-arc of this book.

Thank you to both #NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me an advance copy of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s fiction novel, The Plot, in exchange for an honest review.

#ThePlot is one of the first novels I have read in the last few years that truly deserves all the hype. Sure, some parts are predictable, and the beginning is admittedly slow, but overall, it is truly a gem of a novel that can be described as a smart thriller.

The story is sort of meta in that you are reading a book about a book. For once, the book blurb is as advertised and in fact may even undersell it. While I cannot deny that this novel was undoubtedly written for writers and avid readers, I think anyone can enjoy it.

It is difficult to write a review for this novel, however, because you cannot really do so without spoiling “the plot.” The book is divided into four sections, plus an epilogue—and trust me, you will want to read this coda.

Basically, the protagonist, Jake “Finch” Bonner, “uses” his dead student’s new form of plot to write a NY Times Best Sellers fiction novel. (For anyone wondering, yes that is an allusion to Donna Tartt’s, The Goldfinch). Shortly after Jake is catapulted to the title of famous writer, he begins receiving messages from an anonymous source accusing him of plagiarism. In other words, an author’s worst nightmare.

Somewhere between cowering in his apartment and discussing casting with Steven Spielberg’s office for the film adaptation, Jake develops a relationship with a woman named, Anna. Anna is a radio producer whom Jake met in Seattle while on his book tour. The two strike-up a whirlwind romance and soon Anna is moving to New York City to live and eventually marry Jake.

As Anna moves in and starts her new life in NYC, Jake is slowly unravelling from the incessant threats to expose his secret. Once his publishing team is contacted about the potential issue, Jake goes on a quest to hunt for the source of these messages.

I need to stop recounting the plot there or else I will give away too many great parts. Do yourself a favor, if you have time to read one book this year, make it this one. I promise you will not be disappointed, and I am not a fan of slow burns. On the off chance you are disappointed, let me know why in the comments. As always, happy reading!

Here are 5 things I loved about The Plot by Jean Korelitz!
📖 It’s a book within a book…love that concept, especially when done as well as this one!
📖 I learned a lot about publishing and writing, I’m a sucker for a book about a writer!
📖 I loved the writing, it flowed so well. Plus she really got me inside Jake’s head.
📖 I loved how flawed and real Jake is. It made me question myself, would I or wouldn’t I!!
📖 I enjoyed Jake as he played detective trying to find someone that might be closer than he thinks.

This is a slow burn, but once I was into I couldn’t put it down!! Go read it!!!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me!!! Thank you to @celadonbooks @netgalley & @booksandcoffeemx for my copy of the book!!

THE PLOT
Jean Hanff Korelitz
Celadon Books
ISBN-13: 978-250-79076-7
Hardcover
Thriller/Mystery

I was aware of, um, the plot of THE PLOT by Jean Hanff Korelitz for sometime before I actually read the finely paced novel after all of the advance buzz for it. I wondered how the author would carry it off for reasons I will get to in a bit, but carry it off, she does, and quite well, so well in fact that THE PLOT might be the beach read of this summer.

Jacob Finch Bonner is the mover and shaker at the heart of THE PLOT. He is a somewhat unsympathetic protagonist. I say that even as I am one who might otherwise sympathize with him. Bonner, as THE PLOT opens, is the author of THE INVENTION OF WONDER, a novel that heralded great promise for the author that never materialized. His second book, a collection of short interconnected stories that were considered to be a novel, was little known and less read. We find Bonner in the early pages of THE PLOT functioning for a fourth year as a faculty member of a college low residency creative writing program. The particular program that Bonner is concerned with seems no more noteworthy than it has in other years but for the presence of a student named Evan Parker who is assigned to Bonner’s class. Parker is obnoxious, abrasive, and remarkably self-assured. It’s actually somewhat of a mystery as to why he is even in the program. Parker shows Bonner eight pages of his work in progress which display an ability to write very well prose which no one will be very interested in reading. The hook, according to Parker, is the plot of his story, which Parker believes will be so irresistible and so popular as to make him a literary success. Bonner, when he eventually hears what the plot is, cannot disagree. The program ends. Time passes. Bonner occasionally looks for a book by Parker but such is never published. When Bonner learns that Parker died a few months after the program concluded Bonner decides that he will write a book using the plot that Parker created. It should be noted that only the expression of an idea, and not the idea itself, can be copyrighted. Bonner sits down, does the heavy lifting --- being careful not to use the eight pages that Parker showed to him those years ago --- and writes a novel titled Crib that is an almost instant bestseller with long and steady legs. He does readings. He does signings. He does media interviews. He also works on a new novel, which is slow and sluggish in coming. Bonner acquires a girlfriend who becomes his wife, but he also gains an anonymous online stalker who knows entirely too much about where Bonner obtained the idea for Crib, and how. The stalker keeps accusing Bonner of plagiarism, a charge that people initially ignore until the repetition attracts some notice, including that of Bonner’s agent and publisher. The harassment raises two immediate questions, those being who is behind it and what do they want. Both questions and more are eventually answered.

Did I mention that THE PLOT is a book within a book? It is. Korelitz presents great chunks of Crib within the pages of THE PLOT, and also eventually reveals to the reader what the plot is that Parker and Bonner thought was so terrific. It is. Think of getting two books, literally for the price of one, with both of them immediately readable and unforgettable. I guessed a couple of plot elements, including a major one, but never would have arrived at the plot of Crib if chained to a typewriter to pound away at random for all eternity. I won’t give it away and hope that you won’t, either, even if you read it before all of your friends do. And they will. Recommended.

Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub
© Copyright 2021, The Book Report, Inc. All rights reserved.

This was an okay read but certainly not the best. It was obvious early on what the twist was going to be and that takes away a lot of the thrill. It’s hard to go into detail without giving it away so I’ll just say it didn’t make logical sense why any of it was set in motion.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with the opportunity to read and review this book.

This book started slowly, but rapidly gained speed. Well written and unique with some well place reveals. It was an enjoyable read, even if I dis figure it out before the end.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC. I was really excited to read this new novel by Jean Hanff Korelitz. I've been a fan since reading You Should've Known. This new book, The Plot is a wonderful read. It follows the story of Jacob, who was once a promising young writer, but has not published anything in many years. In the meantime he has been teaching am MFA program. One of students, Evan boasts of his own writing, stating how good it is and that he needs no help or advice from Jacob. So when Jacob realizes how good the story is, he is quite taken aback. From there he thinks of the accolades that will follow Evan as this story is published. Time passes and Jacob learns that Evan has passed away. Since he never heard that Evan's story was published, he decides the story must be told, so he published it, except under the guide that He wrote it rather than it's true author. Subsequently, Jacob enjoys the life that should've been Evan's. All is well until the day Jacob receives an email stating, "You are a thief." I highly recommend this book.

3.5 rounded up. A once promising writer hasn't been able to get through his sophmore slump and ends up teaching at a second rate MFA program. While there he comes across a student who insists he has a plot for a story that is so great it's guaranteed to be a blockbuster hit. Anyone can write the story and get success. As he waits for the story to hit the public he finds out the former student has died and not got his chance to write the guaranteed hit so the writer decides to steal the plot. He then starts to get threats with outing him and what he did.

This was an interesting spin of the talented mr. ripley theme but I found the beginning to be a bit slow and too much (pardon the pun) plot. The second half was much faster and more entertaining but I did see the big reveal coming a mile away.

Wonderfully written. At first, it reminded me so much of Stephen King. Towards the end, it did become a bit predictable, but it was still a fun book to read and I could see it being made into a movie or show.