Thank you NET GALLEY for the ARC>

Death words for me when it comes to reading a new book are usually "just like book The Stand, or enjoyed by S. King or similar to S. King".

The Plot, is just that, all about the plot. It reminded me a bit of the 'camera' episode from the Twilight Zone back in the 60's this a a great story about reaping what you sow and getting reaped if you will.

Very nice work!

This highly anticipated 2021 release is thrilling and beautifully written. A modern classic that explores an innovative method of story within a story telling. Dramatic, captivating, thrilling. This novel kept me guessing from start to finish. A haunting, atmospheric read.that is compelling and down right entertaining.

This one was hard to rate - I'm giving it 3 stars, but closer to 2.5. I had very high hopes for The Plot but it was difficult for me to get used to the writing style, it felt like the first two thirds of the book had more parentheses than I could ever imagine and then they seemed to disappear in the last third. The story is about Jake, a writing teacher/author, that happens upon the best "plot" he's ever heard and the story unfolds from there. It felt very long in some parts and was hard to get into, I personally suspected what the twist ended up being. I think I was more intrigued by the plot in the novel in the book, Crib, than I was by the plot of this actual book. The characters were difficult to relate with and it was a very slow burn. The last third was the best in my opinion - overall it was good, but I was expecting more and maybe that is my fault since I went in thinking it would be more psychological thriller.

The Plot is a tightly-wound literary mystery that explores interesting questions about the ownership of ideas, and the origin of great fiction.

Jake is the author of a celebrated debut novel (and a few others that nobody read) making an uninspired living from leading a second-rate creative writing course to questionably talented aspiring novelists.

When one of Jake’s students details an astoundingly original plot for a novel, it sends Jake spiraling in doubt about the future of his own literary career. It isn’t until years later, with no sign on the literary horizon of his student’s unique story, Jake learns of his untimely death. And so our story begins…

I read The Plot in two sittings, and very much enjoyed the fast pace, its twists and turns, and - of course - its shocking twist of an ending. I love novels with writer protagonists - remember Teddy Wayne’s novel, Apartment? 👍 - but I’m not usually a lover of thrillers - The Silent Patient anyone? 👎- but a thrilling mystery about the nature of creativity is a new sub-genre that I am here for. Give me more!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭 is published May 11. Pre-order it from your local independent bookstore today! Thanks to Celadon Books for the advanced copy through Netgalley. Can’t wait for a finished copy of this one.

Jacob Bonner, was an up and coming novelist on his way to a great writing career. Now, after a long dry spell, he’s teaching a writing program at a local college. Bonner hears the plot of an arrogant student’s book and is intrigued. After the student dies, Bonner decides to use the story. After success with the book, someone starts terrorizing Jacob, calling him thief.
4⭐️
First off, thank you Net Galley for an ARC. Next, I always encourage someone to read a book whether I like or dislike a book. Now, If I hadn’t had the heads up on the slow start, I might be very annoyed. But once the book got going, it was great. The characters well written but somewhat annoying. The book reads easily and the flow is nice, especially after the slow start. The suspense and tension is sprinkled nicely throughout. The ending was WOW!

This book made me verrry nervous. Reading about lying and stealing makes me very stressed out, so I was biting my nails while reading Korelitz's story.

Jacob Finch Bonner (he added the "Finch" himself once his aspirations to become a writer became all-encompassing) wrote a well-received first book as a young man, but now he's nearing middle age and his career has fizzled. He teaches writing at a third-tier university and isn't even working on anything new--not that any agents or publishers are particularly interested.

An obnoxiously confident student who's cagey about what he feels is a slam-dunk bestseller book idea reluctantly confides in Bonner about his plot concept. When the student abruptly dies soon afterward without publishing his book, Bonner banks on the probability that the young man hadn't entrusted details about his book to anyone else. He decides to take a risk: he'll use his student's concept and aim to create a bestseller of his own. He's writing the whole thing himself. So he's not stealing, right? It's completely fine. Everything is going to be fine. You can't copyright a plot anyway, right? RIGHT?

Do you think this terrible decision-making comes back to haunt Jacob Finch Bonner? Yes, bookworms. YES, IT DOES. And my heart raced while I read to find out if this fraught situation would blow up in fantastic form.

I didn't predict the plot within the plot was before it was alluded to (about 60 percent of the way through the book), and I found it deliciously chilling. I did, however, anticipate other key elements of the story from pretty early on. I also wasn't sure that certain driving forces of Korelitz's story made sense (why would anyone in this scenario harass Bonner rather than leaving the situation alone, unless it was clearly revenge?). But this is a fast, compelling read, and there was no chance I wasn't going to tear through it at top speed to find out the Big Reveals.

Korelitz prods at the question of the ownership of ideas while taking readers down the uncomfortable path of a protagonist who steals, feels terrible guilt, rationalizes his actions, and emerges with defensive self-righteousness. Ironically, Bonner's theft opens the door to romantic love and building trust with others in his life, and to a more open and heartfelt relationship with his parents, along with his incredible professional success.

I received a prepublication copy of this book, published May 11, 2021, courtesy of NetGalley and Celadon Books.

This book was a quick read, I did a mix of audiobook and digital copy, that kept me intrigued and guessing until the very end. There were several times when I thought I might have it all figured out, and then another twist popped up.
Jacob Finch Bonner has gone from a one to watch, up and coming author to teaching creative writing in Vermont. Jacob can’t help but feel bitterness when one of his most conceited students shares the plot for his yet to be written novel. Both Jacob and his student, Evan Parker, agree, when published, this novel, will be successful and life changing. Years later when Jacob learns of Evan’s death he decides to take the plot, and write the novel. As promised, it is successful...and his life will be changed forever.
I love the cover of this book, and how it ties in to the multiple interpretations of the book’s title.
Solid four star read. I loved the uniqueness. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon books for a digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a creative story! I feel that the book-within-a-book method can either really add to the story or really distract from the story. In this instance I feel like it added, but I could have taken more of it. It was so little at a time and with so much time in between that I almost lost track of what had happened in the inset book since the last time I read part of it. I definitely saw the twist coming, but the execution of the twist was still satisfying to read. The book did not end the way I expected, which is also a good thing. I was left a bit unsettled, and I find that to be an indication of a really imaginative story teller. A compelling read that I'd recommend for all fans of mysteries and thrillers!

What an astonishing novel !! A thoroughly absorbing thriller beautifully written and executed which stays with you long after you read the final satisfying and completely unpredictable ending. Wishing for short term amnesia so I can pick it up and be thrilled all over again to read this clever, tricky and memorable story. One of the best of the year.

"Every single person had a unique voice and a story nobody else could tell." - Jean Hanff Korealitz

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is insane and dare I say it...edgy and frighteningly enjoyable to read! It will make you question the choices you make as an individual and as one aspiring to be a writer. There is much to like about this book...and much to hate about it...you can either fear the meanings interweaved within the narratives or draw inspiration from it...whatever you do is up to you.

The Plot (no puns intended) is broken up into 4 parts and it chronologically follows a young novelist named Jacob Finch Bonner. Jacob feels like he has reached his peak as a writer. Once upon a time, he was the author to watch out for thanks to the release of his debut novel. His second novel was not as good as his first and the third and forth never even made it to print. He was all but forgotten. Not long after, he finds himself “retired” from the literary world and figuratively banished to teach a writing course for an MFA program on the campus of Ripley College. There he meets Evan Parker/Parker Evan, who arrogantly believes that writing can’t be taught "even by the best teacher” (24). He is not in the program to seek mentorship or help with his writing; he wants the degree that will eventually get him an agent. He brags to Jacob that his book is a sure thing; a New York bestseller-Oprah Book Club-Movie adaptation sure thing. Jacob views Evan as a writer with narcissistic tendencies and is set to gently dismiss his claim, but then he reads a few pages of Evan’s work.

This is the first book that I have picked up by this author. I requested the ARC because the synopsis (the plot of the book, if you will) intrigued me. Who doesn't love a good story that promises to be "insanely readable" as Stephen King blurbs? If I am being honest with myself, I found the first part of the book to be monotonous and slow-paced. I was sure that I would be rating this a 3-stars in the end. I had to convince myself to continue on and my patience was well rewarded as the narrative slowly builds up. Jacob’s love interest is introduced and he starts to receive anonymous messages from someone claiming to know the truth. We also get some excerpt chapters from Jacob’s novel Crib in between every few chapters. At this point, I already had a suspect in mind and I was praying I would be proven wrong. The second half was instantly my favorite...a nerve-wracking read that left me questioning certain characters and having mixed feelings about the end.

Overall, I was surprisingly entertained. I found the writing style to be interesting and it made it very easy for me to imagine everything in my mind as if I was watching a Stephen King kind of movie. I received access to the ebook copy thanks to Netgalley, the author, and Celadon. I also got the physical copy of the book later that week. My only issue was some minor publishing errors found in the book, which I never would have noticed had I not found myself reading between the two versions. I noticed there was a huge chunk of conversations between two minor characters missing from the physical book. So this made me question if the ebook is an unedited proof or if the physical copy is. Other than that, this was nothing like I imagined and it definitely contains THE PLOT worth killing for.

3.5 stars! I prefer a more fast-paced thriller but if you enjoy a slow burn, you should absolutely consider reading this. While I disagree with the front cover calling it “insanely readable,” this book within a book was definitely unique and interesting. Thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

Reading Between the Wines book review #52/115 for 2021:
Rating: 🍷 🍷 🍷
Book 📱: The Plot
Author: Jean Hanff Korelitz
Genre: Mystery & Thrillers
RELEASED on May 11, 2021!!!

Sipping thoughts: Slow burn for sure and I mean SLLLOOOWWW burn. I almost had to categorize this book as a DNF which I never do. Luckily, I kept pushing through and ending up liking the last 30%. It has a story within a story and the reveal was very easy to figure out early on, IMO. A lot of people really liked this book so check it out for yourself. The last part pushed it from 2 stars to 3.

Cheers and thank you to @NetGalley and @MacmillanAudio for an advanced copy of @ThePlot

#ThePlot #MacmillanAudio #NetGalley #advancedreadercopy #ARC #Kindle #Booksofinstagram #readersofinstagram #bookstagram #nicoles_bookcellar #bookworm #bookdragon #booknerd #booklover #bookstagrammer #bookaholic #bookreview #bookreviewer #IHaveNoShelfControl #ReadingBetweenTheWines #fiction #thriller #suspense #mystery #MysteryAndThriller

What would you do if you came across a plot that was so innovative that you knew it could not miss? It would become a bestselling novel, a blockbuster movie, and live at the top of bestseller lists. If you had a chance to write a novel based on such a plot, would you do it? Even if it meant ultimately putting your career in jeopardy?

Jacob Finch Bonner is a writer. He worked hard to get into the best MFA program in the Midwest. His first novel got a little bit of attention, was called noteworthy by those in the industry, opened up some doors for him. So he wrote a second novel. His publisher passed on it. but he did eventually find a small press to publish it. His third and fourth novels didn’t even get that. They were rejected outright. He had to supplement his income by teaching creative writing a short residency program that will let in anyone who has the price of admission. He tries to give advice to his students, but they rarely show the kind of promise, the depth of thought, the complexity of character, the smoothness of language to write a publishable novel. And then he meets Evan Parker.

Evan Parker is one of his students, but he doesn’t actually seem all that interested in learning more about writing. In class, he doesn’t participate in the readings of the work of his fellow students, and when he’s scheduled for an individual session to go over his work with Bonner, he is reluctant to talk or to take criticism, just sitting back with his arms crossed to everything Bonner has to offer. He explained to Bonner that he had a plot that was so different than everything else that he just had to write the book, and the world would be his. His teacher didn’t believe him, so Evan Parker told him the plot that would make him a bestselling novel.

After the writing program, Bonner went home and promptly forgot all about it. He took on more freelance editing assignments to make ends meet, and then he signed on to run a hotel that was a haven for writers and poets. He kept the writers happy, and he had time during the day for his freelance editing and writing his own novels (not that he’d been doing much of his own writing by this point). And then one day, getting yelled at by a hotel guest who was self-assured and entitled, Bonner remembered. He remembered his student Evan Parker and that novel that was supposed to put him on the map. Bonner thought he would have heard about the book by now, since it was to be an instant bestseller.

When Bonner put his former student’s name into a search engine, he realized why Evan Parker hadn’t taken the publishing world by storm, hadn’t become a household name, hadn’t been a part of Oprah’s Book Club. Parker had died before he could finish his novel. That great idea had died with him.

Except, he’d told Bonner. And Bonner hadn’t written a good book since his first one. He hadn’t written a bestseller ever. He’d only ever read a handful of pages of Parker’s work, so it wouldn’t be plagiarism. It would just be giving that brilliant plot a second chance at life. Writers borrowed plots all the time. They stole from Shakespeare and Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. What he was doing was no different. So he wrote the novel Crib. And just like Parker had said, it became a huge hit.

It wasn’t until the second leg of his book tour that he got the first email. It came through the email form on his website, and it said, simply, “You are a thief.”

From then on, he is looking over his shoulder, worried about who could have possibly known that that plot wasn’t originally his. He starts to look into other writers who were in that creative writing program with Parker. Who could know about this? Bonner doesn’t tell his agent or publisher about this until the anonymous emailer, “TalentedTom,” starts posting on social media. Bonner keeps denying any wrongdoing, and his publisher stands behind him, but he knows that he is digging himself in deeper with each denial. If he were to be found out, he would lose everything. But how far is he willing to go to make sure that doesn’t happen?

The Plot is Jean Hanff Korelitz’s slow burn (emphasis on “burn”) look at writers, the process of writing a novel, and the industry of publishing. It’s a tightly written story that takes a close look at creativity and industry, at ego and humility, at self-actualization and self-delusion. And there’s a big twist in there that will change everything you thought you knew about these characters.

I thought that The Plot was fun, inventive, and smart. There are so many lovely surprises throughout this story that kept me wanting to move forward, but it’s so beautifully written I wanted to slow down and enjoy the ride. I wanted the journey and the destination both, which is the best kind of novel to read. I thought these characters were well conceived without being stereotypes. I’ll be honest though—I had some issues at first with the idea of a plot that had never been done before. I had some trouble believing in that. But as the story unfolded, I saw what it was and how it was used in the story, and it does work well in this context. But does a completely new plot really exist? That I still have my doubts about. But putting my own philosophy on story aside, The Plot is a great page-turner to read and enjoy. Enjoy it on a long weekend or a vacation, when you have time to lose yourself in the story.

Egalleys for The Plot were provided by Celadon Books through NetGalley, with many thanks.

Book Review...
THE PLOT
by: Jean Hanff Korelitz

🤗The Good:
Her writing held no hesitation marks. At times it was a bit yearning and stuffy. But the dialogue both internal and external created this cocoon of believability. You trusted her as a writer because a lot of the truths were told very plainly. You could guess the plot, the red herrings and the villain. There wasn't a lot to guess about or question until there was.

😭The Bad:
Unfortunately, the twist which is perhaps distastefully overdone fell flat for me. It was an epiphany long over needed. That ah-ha moment Oprah talks about does not happen in this book. You're stunned and appalled something this basic could be heralded by such esteemed establishments.

It's a letdown.

Because perhaps the author doesn't at all know the intelligence of her audience. We're sharper and savvier than your villain. Women are sharper than this marshmallowy soft image you're portraying. Real women are much more than your protagonist here. And men are much more astute than you're giving them credit for.

🙃 So, what rating do you give a book where the writing is superior to THE PLOT. One that severely disappointed you as a reader but you must acknowledge is exactly what you ordered. What you keep ordering.

3.5 stars
Rounded up to 4️⃣

Reviewer notes: There's going to sadly come a point where I lower my ratings for these archaic representations of women in literature and most blatantly in psychological and domestic thrillers.

There's a way to write women where they are SAVAGE, FLAWED, AND UNLIKEABLE, and at the same time sexy, maternal, and smart.
When women start seeing themselves in books and in the media just as multi-faceted as men are, then we will stop painting this picture of:
If then
✨If she is pretty she cannot be smart
✨If he is a coward he cannot be aware
✨If she is a killer, he must be to blame

✨Stop

Thanks to @netgalley #celadonbooks #macmillanaudio for the #gifted copies.
It was a pleasure,
Kassidi

I finished reading The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz about one week ago. I have been thinking about what I might write in this review. I seemed to have a love-hate relationship with this book. I think the reader who will enjoy this book the most will have read a wide palate of books and know something about the publishing world. To start, I love that the main character Jake Bonner carries the middle name of “Finch” to honor Harper Lee’s beloved Atticus. I also like that various pieces of literature are mentioned.

Our main character had a hit debut novel but could not live up to his success with his second, third, and near fourth books. Not having success and needing to earn a living he ends up teaching a group of would-be writers in a second rate writing problem at a small college in Vermont. He really doesn’t want to be there and not sure he is very helpful to his students. One of his students Evan Parker discusses his idea for a best seller. When the program ends, and a few years past, Jake decides to use Evan’s idea of the mother daughter plot for his own book. He publishes a best seller Crib.

The book alternates with too many long chapters that drag on for a good part of the book. In certain chapters, we are treated to pages from Crib. I enjoyed these. This book is labeled as a thriller but for me there are too many pages that I kept saying let’s get on with it. More editing is needed. The last fifty pages were very good, and I am glad I read this book. My thanks Celadon and NetGalley for an ARC of this book. The opinions of this review are my own.

3.5 rounded up to 4

others have stated The Plot is a slow burn. It’s a book about books, it’s about the journey of a writer from childhood to his first book and then the struggle to repeat his successful debut.
The blurb by Stephen King tells it all “ The Plot is one of the best books I’ve ever read about writers and writing . It’s also insanely readable and the suspense quotient is through the roof . It’s remarkable.”
Parts 1 and 2 is is Jacob “ Finch” Bonner’s journey from his popular debut novel to his less well known second book and his struggle to continue as a writer. Along the way he meets an arrogant young man in his writers seminar who boasts of his potential of being an esteemed author. He shares his writing sample, his plot , and Jake has to admit even as it sort of annoyed him to note that the writing itself wasn’t terrible. In fact , Jake kept returning to the story of Ruby , the daughter and Diandra , the mother who existed in the same house yet never enjoyed a loving mother - daughter relationship.
Two and a half years later Jake is still a struggling author. He realizes he’s a actually a failed writer. That writing sample / that plot is still on his mind. He decides to type Parker Evan as a web search and nothing comes up until he adds obituary to the search. Jake muses “ Good Writers borrow, great writers steal “. Now that the story was “ tap, tapping in his head “ what was he to do ? Jake already knew what he was going to do about that.
Part 3 begins with Jake’s dream come true. He is famous and his book has 2 million copies. It’s number 2 after 9 months as number 1. He’s living the life that Evan Parker envisioned. He has just met an interesting woman , his self proclaimed number 1 fan. Then the emails start . “ You are a thief “.
The book within a book is clever with excepts of Jake’s best selling novel Crib throughout The Plot.
The excepts of Crib corresponds the change of the pace of the book from a slow burn to one full of tension. Jake attempts to discover who exactly is Talented Tom while trying to keep this all from his girlfriend Anna and Matilda his agent.

The cat and mouse game continue. Who is Tom and why is he so intent on ruining Jake’s life. Is the plot of Crib someone else’s story ? Is it fiction or nonfiction?

Along the way I thought I has it all figured out and then 💥 it went in another direction. I wasn’t surprised by the identity of the protagonist but that ending 😱 . I won’t say more.

Don’t let the slow beginning dissuade you from continuing. I gave it 4 ⭐️ 🌟 ⭐️ ⭐️ for the ebook and the hardcover finished book which I donated to my local library. Next up will be an audiobook versions of the book.
I won the ebook from NetGalley and the hardcover from Celadon Books through a Facebook post.
Thank you to @CeladonBooks and NetGalley for the books for an honest review.
#ThePlotBook @CeladonBooks.

Jacob Finch Bonner is a failed writer after having never published another book coming even close to his much-lauded debut novel. He ends up teaching at a third-rate MFA program where he meets Evan Parker, his most arrogant student who says he doesn't need Jacob's help. What makes Evan even more irritating is that he has come up with a plot so good that it will guarantee him fame and fortune, and everything else that comes with a hit novel. It's everything Jacob has ever wanted, so later, when he finds out that his former student has died, and his story was never published, he steals it.⁣
⁣
Jacob has written the book, is receiving all the praise and glory, and is living the dream. Then one day he receives an anonymous email, "You are a thief". Someone knows what he did, and now he must figure out who it is before the whole world finds out he's a fraud. ⁣
⁣
It was interesting to read about the seven basic plots structures. I did not like the main character, but could understand his motivation behind his actions. I found The Plot to be a slow burn, that built up to an ending that was worth the wait. ⁣

Summary: Jacob was a promising author, having written a good first book that propelled him into the literary world. After a series of failed attempts to follow this success up, he takes up a teaching position at a third-rate Masters of Fine Arts writing program, which he doesn’t really care for. In comes Evan, an arrogant student who declares his impending success because he has devised an amazing idea for a book. He shares (((the plot))) with Jacob and.... it is amazing. Time passes and Jacob realizes that the book never was published, and he decides to take advantage by submitting it as his own. He becomes a celebrated author as a result, but then is faced with someone who knows he has stolen the idea....

Spoiler Free Review ⤵️

This book is classified as a literary thriller essentially. I genuinely thought it was a great read, although a bit of a slow burner which at first made me wonder just how much of a thriller it was going to be. I was pleased to find that it was an excellently written set of twists, and I will admit I didn’t see the reveal coming.

This book piles in a lot about the publishing/writing world, but it also touches on elements of daily life that everyone faces: professional stagnation (or success), ethics, personal failures/choices, etc. The MC is faced with a moral dilemma — does he take the idea so he can get out of his slump? The idea is unknown supposedly outside of himself and his deceased student. So, only he will know that it was the intellectual property (so to speak) of someone else... so the choice is made, but it turns out someone knows, and the life he builds is under siege.

Bottom line: I’d suggest this first and foremost to bookish nerds and writers. A book about a book? Perfect, how meta. I think that group would get the most enjoyment out of this one, followed by fans of thrillers/suspenseful reads that aren’t necessarily overly violent or full of gore. Domestic thrillers, essentially.

Thank you to @celadonbooks @bookishfirst and the author for an ARC of The Plot which I won via a sweepstakes. ❤️

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a fascinating, slow-burn mystery about a writer who steals the idea for a novel from a deceased former student. The novel layers two stories: that of the life of Jacob Finch Bonner (Jake) whose promising literary career has fizzled; and the successful book, Crib, he writes taken from his former student. After his novel reaches astronomical success, he begins receiving anonymous threats from someone who seem to know that he’s stolen the book. As the threats escalate, Jake begins to search for answers about his former student and whoever is sending him threats. The Plot is a very interior novel as it follows Jake’s guilt and fear around taking another writer’s story. The author does a phenomenal job building tension and intrigue surrounding what may happen to the author and what happens in Crib, the novel he’s written. The Crib excerpts really help propel the plotline and the wonderful audiobook narration by Kirby Heyborne really drew me in. I loved the twisty, satisfying conclusion.

Thank you Celadon books and Macmillan Audio for providing this e-book and audiobook ARC.

Anybody can be a writer, but not everyone can be a great writer. Jacob Finch Bonner has hit bottom, after writing a successful novel, he is deep in the throes of writers block. When he hears about a plot that’s got the makings of a best seller written all over it, he ends up appropriating it for himself. Flying high on the success of his phenomenal new best seller, Crib, the unthinkable happens. He’s soon getting emails accusing him of plagiarism. There is no way anyone could know. He was extremely careful, wasn’t he? Can a plot be stolen anyway? Someone knows and that someone isn’t about to let things go! A story full of twists, which I figured out very early on, but that didn’t make this story any less readable! A book that will be enjoyed by many!