An interesting tale of an author who uses a students idea for a novel and becomes wildly successful.
Jacob Bonner found some success with his first novel but never really made it with his second. Now teaching writing at a small college, he has a student who shares his storyline with him. Jacob appropriates the ideas after the death of the student and has a bestseller. However, someone knows what he did.

The Plot is filled with background and information on writing and the publishing industry. I did figure it out about halfway through but it was interesting to watch Jacob put the pieces together. The ending seemed a little rushed. All in all a good read.

#netgalley #theplot 4.5⭐️s. One of the best i have read in a while!!! Story within a story!! Only reason half star gone is it takes a little for it to gain momentum but when it did i didnt want to stop reading.
Is it theft if you write a book from anothers “idea”....... it may not be is its just an “idea” but what if.....(im not going to tell you as i dont want to ruin it!!) Releases on MAy 11, 2021!!

The Plot promises a lot. It delivers on some of those promises. The writing is above average and the structure perfectly designed to ramp up the tension. When your novel centers on the idea of a can't miss plot, said plot has to meet expectations. I'm note sure this one does, though I buy the conceit that a book with that plot would be a hit. And there is a twist here but it is not a surprising one -- it is easily guessed even halfway through. But I don't think it makes the read any less satisfying. Overall, this is an entertaining suspense thriller, one that deserves to occupy the above-average shelf for prolific readers and a must-read for the occasional fan.

Jean Hanff Korelitz stories are hit or miss for me. First few I read I loved them so much that I bought other remaining books by her. But new ones that I bought didn't do it for me. But this one brought me back to the days when I first met Jean Hanff Korelitz books.

Jake was a somewhat successful writer before he decided to work as a workshop teacher on this low residency MFA program. He met a cocky guy who thought that he was the best thing ever happened to writing world and his plot was fool proof to get him all the money and credentials in the world. Jake could not say anything for that plot other than agreeing with arrogant Evan Parker. Jake left it there. He continued with his miserable writing career waiting for Parker to shine, but that never happened. Jake saw an opportunity and decided to grab it...

When he was enjoying the hot shot author life with Oprah stickers and auditorium full of people dying to listen to him, he got a message he never wanted to get. After that things started to go south. He decided to get the bottom of issue as soon as possible while managing other big things happening in his life like his marriage to Anna. It took Jake a bit of time to figure out his career might not be the only thing he should fear for, but was he too late? You need to read this story for that and for your jaw to drop...

The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz, tells the story of a dark plot for a bestseller, and an even darker plot around writing it.

After a promising debut novel, an almost forgotten second novel, and no shot at publishing his third book, Jacob Finch Bonner finds himself teaching in a pay-to-play MFA program. One of his students, Evan Parker, is completely sure he's writing a winner. Evan is the worst Guy In Your MFA, convinced that he's writing the Great American Novel and that it'll be a huge commercial success, and he's not convinced that anyone could teach writing, so basically everyone around him is wasting his time. He's got a plot idea that's so good the writing won't even matter, but of course he can't tell anyone what makes it so good, and ugh, I already hate him.  Evan does tell his plot, or at least, enough of an outline with the shocking twist to Jacob, but not to the reader. We just have Jacob's reaction to go on, and Jacob is thoroughly impressed. Ugh, even worse, insufferable Evan actually has an extremely good plot.

We readers are really far into The Plot before we get to see what that twist is, and by that time I was just dying to know. I often complain that not-gonna-tell-you is probably my least favorite way to build tension, but it works here, probably because there's a whole secondary storyline and so much going on. I didn't feel like I was getting heavy hints at the Big Secret and abrupt subject changes. We discover just as much of the plot as Jacob has on his mind. And I have to tell you, I was so curious about that plot. What could possibly be so stunning and still be something that bro Evan could have made up?

As Jacob falls further and further from his literature dreams, he googles and discovers that Evan died without ever completing or publishing his book. (Evan was not stabbed to death by his MFA classmates, but I wouldn't have blamed them.) With Evan gone, there's no one else who knows about the plot idea... and it's such an amazing story... sure to be a hit... and Jacob writes it without copying a single word from the couple of pages he read years ago.

There's so much tension here, as Jacob knows he's stolen his best book, and it really is a great book. All the things Evan predicted for his own success start to come true for Jacob. I mean, I didn't exactly want Jacob to be rewarded with a bestseller for being such a half-hearted writing teacher and plot-thief, but I also didn't quite want him to get caught when someone else, somewhere, knows he didn't come up with his own plot, and begins to let Jacob know in strange, unsettling ways.

You guys, there are about a hundred twists, and basically everything I noticed in the beginning of the novel and wondered about became a plot point later. How did Evan catch lightning in a bottle with that great idea? I don't want to spoil anything, because the unfolding discovery is so tense, but basically every time I noticed a detail in the description as odd or particularly memorable, that odd thing came back later.  Such a twisty plot!

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

This was well-written, and (apart from a sluggish second quarter) a page-turner. The author managed to make the reader feel for Jacob as he waited for the axe to fall. It was frequently funny in a dry way and, although I worked out the twist long before the end, it was thoroughly enjoyable.

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz
Rating: 5 stars

Summary: A published author that sold a book that really did not sell is teaching in a small remote college in Vermont. While starting a new class he runs across a student who wrote the next big seller. Oprah huge! Spielberg huge! Several years later the book is not published and he takes the general story idea and rewrites it. The book becomes a giant world wide success. With so much fame the original story is recognized and he begins receiving threats to come clean over the plagiarism he committed, or didn’t.

Comments. If you start the book set aside sometime because you won’t be doing much else. Totally absorbing original plot. Many aspects of novel writing and publishing are told. Really really finely written. A twisted ending you may not see coming. Oprah huge? Maybe

3.5 stars.

I swallowed this book in a gulp.

I knew the beginning was going to actually be slow as opposed to what the blurb says so I patiently made my way through it and then I was hooked and wanted to know what was going to happen. When it was time to sleep, I read in the dark on my phone so as to not wake my husband. I kept reading and reading because I wanted to know what happened next. It felt compulsive.

And then the book turned for me. Suddenly I could guess all the twists, one after the other.

At that point, I am not sure it mattered because I basically finished the whole thing in a blur. I really enjoyed the ride this book gave me and I could see the whole thing becoming a movie.

with gratitude to Celadon Books and netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Yes yes yes! LOVED this. I was totally into the main story and then also the story within the story and I totally loved how it all wrapped up.

Book is two stories in one.

Who is thief?
Who is guilty, who is innocent?
Once you start, will read to get the answers.

This book totally lived up to it’s hype and I enjoyed it immensely. The ending wasn’t a complete surprise and yet to read it was...wow! Highly recommend. I thank Netgalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Plot, spellbinding and dark, is a nesting Russian doll of a mystery. There’s a plot inside a plot and twists inside twists. Jean Hanff Korelitz has delivered a carefully crafted, beautifully written thriller that is impossible to put down.

Pity Jacob Finch Bonner. His first novel earned him a mention as a “New and Noteworthy” author by the New York Times. His second and third attempts sunk like stones. Now he’s living off his dwindling success teaching a writing workshop at Ripley College when he meets Evan Parker, an overly confident young man who is convinced he’s going to be the next star author because his unfinished novel cannot fail. And when Jacob reads sample pages and hears the novel’s synopsis, he knows Evan is right.

Fast forward several years. Jacob is now coordinating a writer’s program at a hotel in an upstate New York town that is reinventing itself into a tourist attraction. After a guest reminds him of Evan Parker, he searches for him online. Parker is dead. What happened to his great idea? Another fast forward and Jacob Finch Bonner is a successful, bestselling author. How did he get here? It’s not as simple as you might think.

Jean Hanff Korelitz is already an accomplished author (the award winning HBO series The Undoing was based on her novel You Should Have Known) but The Plot is in a different league. This is a sure fire bestseller and a book club must read. 5 stars.

Thank you to NerGalley, Celadon Books and Jean Hanff Korelitz for this ARC.

Jacob Bonner is an author with two mediocre books. All he wants is to hit it big. It hasn’t happened, so he’s teaching writing at a college when he meets Evan Parker. Parker is reluctant to share his plot, as he knows that it is going to be a huge hit. Jacob scoffs at first but once he hears it, he’s convinced and jealous as well. A few years later, Jake hasn’t heard anything about the book and upon a search, finds out that Parker has died. At this point, it can’t hurt anyone to use this plot, can it? That’s what he thought until he started receiving threats, calling him a thief. Jake decides he must find out who is behind the harassment, or his career, and even his life, could be over.
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz is a well written book with two parts that draw you in. Although I found the beginning to be slow, it picked up less than halfway through. The story within the story is where my interest really was. I found myself thinking about “Crib” while I was reading Jake’s part of the story. At one point, I figured out the twist but it did not detract from the story for me at all. I enjoyed The Plot and found parts of it chilling. It’s definitely a different type of story and one that give a unique look into the life of a writer.

I was happy to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. I was aware of the author, but hadn't read any of her books, and the premise of this one was appealing to me. At first, I was reminded of a book I'd read ten years ago, About the Author by John Colapinto. Ironic, considering the subject matter of The Plot.

I thought The Plot was a compelling read. I was surprised that I was able to figure out the major mysteries of the book around halfway through, but I still was interested to see how things evolved, and I did not expect the resolution of the story. The ethical issues raised in the book about writing made it a more substantial read than a typical thriller. These ethical issues would make this a perfect choice for book discussion groups. I recommend this book and look forward to reading more by the author.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

I’ll be honest, this one dipped a little bit in the last 25% right before the final twist, but it came right the funk back. I really didn’t see that coming. Five star read

Jacob Fince Bonner had such high hopes. His first and only book was well received but sadly he was never able to follow it up. Now he's a teacher and pretty much hates himself and his life. In all honestly he is kindof depressing. Which I think is the point. He feels sorry for himself and at times I wanted to literally kick his ass into gear.

Jacob has this one student, Evan Parker. Evan is kind of a douche to be honest with you. However, Evan can write. and can create things. In fact he shows Jacob some pages of a book he's writing that is basically guaranteed to be a best seller. Its the story that really makes it.

Fast forward a few years. Evan never completed the novel and is now decease so Jacob sees the perfect opportunity to get a second chance with his writing by taking over Evan's idea.

Jacob had just enough character where as much as you wanted to find him a pathetic loser, you also start to feel bad as his world begins to crumble.

I agree with most of the reviews that the book was like a slow burning that suddlenly explodes! While I had pegged this for a trypical thriller, I was completely blindsided by the ending. In fact the ending made the book worth it!

Thank you so much to Celadon Books and #NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Jacob Finch Bonner is a teacher who used to be a decent author, but hasn’t been able to write anything worth publishing in years. When a student, Evan Parker, arrogantly boasts about his amazing plot in the novel he’s writing, Jacob can’t help but drool over such an amazing story. But when the student dies without publishing, Jacob takes matters into his own hands. 👀

In a few years, Jake is enjoying the success and fame his (Evan’s) novel has brought him, until he gets an email calling him a thief. Jake starts to wonder about the true history behind this story, and who stole it from whom, as he’s hiding the truth from his publishers and readers.

Unfortunately I did not connect with this book and writing style. I hate giving reviews like this, as a writer myself, but I struggled with this one.

Right off the bat, there was a lot of backstory. It was so hard to ground myself and bond to the protagonist when I had no idea what the protagonist was even doing while all of this backstory was being charged at me. I imagined the protagonist was just sitting there, frozen in time while I went almost entire chapters without any action happening in the present. There were also huge chunks of writing, long paragraphs, and not much dialogue and white space. And reading about a building’s history right from the first page is definitely not my style.

Many thanks to Celadon Books, Net Galley and Jean Hanff Korelitz for providing me with a digital advance copy of this novel. With an interesting premise, several creative twists, and fun insight into the world of both published and aspiring writers, this thriller started slowly but kept my interest until the exciting finish.

What a fun and fantastic book!

If you write a book called “The Plot” about a story so stellar everyone wants to steal it — well, that’s a pretty good plot, too. I was captivated from the very first page of this book, which is not shy about its homage to the Talented Mr. Ripley. But, there’s a difference between homage and stealing, right? At least, that’s what Jacob “Finch” Bonner, a novelist with only one obscure book under his belt, tells himself when he stumbles upon the plot of a lifetime. But it’s not his. It’s a story told to him by one of his writing students, who dies before he can write the book.

So, if Jacob just steals the plot, but writes the whole book himself, it’s not really theft, is it?

Fast forward a few years and Jacob is the toast of the town, having written the book with the plot that captured the world’s attention. But of course, someone knows and is sending threatening missives to expose him. Will Jacob get away with it?

I gobbled this book up in 24 hours. Like the plot of the book at its center, it is delicious and shocking and fun. One problem I sometimes have about authors who write about writing — they will characterize their character’s work as spectacular, and then they’ll present the thing the character supposedly wrote, and it’s not spectacular. So all along I was worried this magical “plot” that captivated the world would end up being a disappointment. It wasn’t! It was great, and it was also tempered by Korelitz’s sense of humor and some fun wordplay. No spoilers - but let’s just say the title of Jacob’s fictional book and the book you are reading have something in common! You get to read chapters of Jacob’s book parallel with the plot of this book, and that is extremely fun and deftly done.

For lovers of a good plot (me, please!) - this book delivers. And the writing is good too. I didn’t realize initially that Korelitz had written the also-great You Should Have Known, but if you know that going into this book, it makes reading about this fictional author even more fun.

Big thanks to Celadon Books, Jean Korelitz and NetGalley. I had nonstop fun with this one! 4.5 stars rounded up for two great plots.

I loved the unique premise of this book, it def falls more into the suspense category (and very literary style writing) as opposed to a thriller so I think I went into it with false expectations but still really enjoyed it! it lost me a bit in the middle but the final third was brilliant with some truly unexpected twists.