I ended up DNFing this book. The writing style was not for me. I got about 50% of the way through before I gave up. It was very slow and I felt like we were reading about the same points over and over again. I did enjoy the idea of the book; just don’t think that it was executed effectively. I was very bored and wanted more action to happen for a mystery/thriller.

I wanted to love this book but I just didn’t. It felt like such a long read & it's not even a very long book. The story didn’t feel very original &. I only finished it to know what happened.

Thoroughly enjoyed this read by Ms Koreltz. Nicely written. Characters well developed. Hope to see the next one soon. Fun book!

Absolutely loved this book! It was first and foremost incredible that it had not only the captivating main plot, but also the second story nestled in it, essentially two novels at the same time. The tension was built so gradually and so well; I knew that "something" was going to happen and was torn between wanting to savor the writing and needing to know how it ends. The reader and the main character made the same discoveries at the same time, and this worked really well in the scope of the story - having too much dramatic irony would have lessened the impact of the ending. I did predict part of the twist, but that didn't take away from the eventual reveal. Rarely do I think I would enjoy re-reading a mystery after I know what happens, but this is definitely one I'll return to, and recommend to anyone who will listen.

A great story, the original "plot" might not seem original, but the story as told by Jean Hanff Korelitz is definitely an original. Every story has more than one side, this one has several and each leads the reader on a different journey. A once successful writer who now finds himself teaching while he waits for his next great story, has a student, a young man with the potential to be a huge success. the young man dies too soon....yes we've seen this plot before, but stick with it, you will defnitely be surprised. I freaking loved this book, read it in one loooong sitting.

The Plot was one of this summers hottest books and I’m so glad I was able to read this! The Plot is a “book within a book” style and it really grabs you without being confusing.
A writer turned teacher starts getting threatening notes saying his new book plot is stolen and that’s all you need to know until this book grabs you! I was completely immersed in Jake’s story.
Thank you Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book!

The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz's literary thriller, is just a delight from start to finish. A clever, suspenseful plot and engagingly realistic characters are depicted through frankly ebullient, often tongue-in-cheek, prose, as the mystery is carefully but excitingly constructed, bit by bit, toward its dramatic conclusion. I gobbled this book up in just a couple of sittings, and enjoyed every minute of it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advance digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book blew me away! I'll be honest, it started off slow and I was not a fan of the writing style, there were lots of thoughts in parentheses and exclamation points and I felt they really detracted from the story. However, once the true story actually began and Jake was enjoying success from his novel based on a former student's plot the writing style changed. At this point I could not put the book down. I just had to know who was threatening Jake. I also absolutely loved the excerpts from Jake's bestselling novel that were included throughout the book. Knowing what the story was that caused such an uproar made the whole story feel real.
I did not see the massive twist at all. Once that started to unfold I knew I wasn't putting the book down until I had read the last page. This is a book that will stick with me.
Read this book!!!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was fantastic! Many twists and turns with one wild ending! It started out slow & was difficult to get into for me and I was worried it would be a long read. So for anyone who thinks the same, keep reading!! Excellent

DNF-no rating cuz it’s probably just me…

I'm going to put this one on the back burner for now.
I have been struggling with this one for awhile. Based on others reviews, this is a slow burn, and things don’t pick up until about 35% in. I’m ok with that. But the writing style is giving me pause as well. I have trouble connecting with sentences that are so wordy they end up as long as a paragraph.

The plot still intrigues me, so maybe I’ll give this another go, once my TBR pile gets shorter.

ARC provided by NetGalley

What I loved about this book was the premise that "art" imitates other artists. All the time. So when one is truly down and out in their profession, why not steal someone else's "art." Only a line is drawn. You get ideas from another writer's work because let's face it, that is where ideas come from. But when a writer goes overboard his world begins to terrorize him. Propelled by guilt? Or his own imagination? Or a haunting? Read on. A very good read!

This book was fantastic! Many twists and turns with one wild ending! It started out slow & was difficult to get into for me and I was worried it would be a long read. So for anyone who thinks the same, keep reading!! Excellent 😁

The Plot, by Jean Hanff Korelitz, does exactly what you want it to — provides you with an interesting mystery, a bit of a thrill, and an amusing, often tongue in cheek examination of teaching, writing, and the publishing industry. The story is twisty and exciting, but the real star is the prose, which is fresh and funny, and keeps you turning the page.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Jake Bonner wrote a really good, very popular book. But he was in danger of remaining a one-hit wonder when chance threw an opportunity in his way. Many years ago, when Jake was a teaching at a low-rent writer's workshop, a student told him about the plot of the book he was writing. Recognizing that the idea was sure to become a bestseller, Jake couldn't help but be jealous. Several years later, he comes to learn that the student has died, his book never written. So Jake takes the idea and runs with it.

Sure enough, the book is a hit, jumping onto the bestseller list, becoming an Oprah pick, everything Jake always thought he wanted. But he can't enjoy his fame and fortune, because he's just waiting for someone to expose him. And then one day, he gets a note: "You are a thief." Someone knows his secret, but who? And what do they want? As the threats of exposure intensify, Jake falls down the rabbit hall of his former student's life, where he unearths more secrets than might be quite healthy for him.

Like other reviewers, I too found the plot twist to be kind of predictable, but there was still plenty of suspense as I read to find out how Korelitz was going to pull it all off. On one level, this book is a disturbing, twisty story, with a somewhat pathetic main character you couldn't help but have some sympathy for. On another level, this book is a meditation on the ownership of ideas and the responsibility wrtiers have to one another. On either level, the book falls a little short, as characters and ideas aren't as fleshed out as one might like, but that doesn't prevent it from being an overall enjoyable read.

FTC Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for this review.

Wowsers!!! I did not see the plot twist coming in this book!

Jake Finch Bonner is teaching in a MFA program when a student tells him a plot that will haunt him forever. A few years later, he finds out that the student has died without ever writing the book, so he decides to write it. Then one day, he receives a note - “You are a thief.”

I enjoyed the story within a story structure and appreciated the insider’s view of the writing and publishing industry.

A fiction novel, about a best selling fiction novel, that includes THE fiction novel? I was sold by the description alone. I mean who doesn’t like reading books about books, bookstores, or authors? A twist that was *fairly* predictable but still provided overall enjoyment, this was a fun and enjoyable read.

OMG! I absolutely LOVED The Plot. I mean what's not to love about a book within a book? The story is interesting and I found myself glued to the pages. It's been a while since I have been so delighted by a book, and so satisfied. It's a terrific book and one of my faves this year. I look forward to seeing what the author comes up with next. Thank you to Celadon books and NetGalley for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read mixed reviews on this one, but I actually really enjoyed it. I have seen many references to the story being done before, but I can’t recall any I’ve read. I think the author’s writing style was fabulous and very well paced. The ending was a bit predictable; however, I do read a lot of mystery/thriller/suspense, so a lot of books are predictable to me. I would definitely recommend this to a fellow fans of those genres of books I previously mentioned.

Thank you for the review copy. :)

Terrific pacing and suspense, a real page-turner. The only issue I had with the book, which is about a professor of writing who steals a student's plot, is that the plot feels ripped off from a well-known book, later adapted for the big screen, about a professor who steals his student's plot. I mean, the plot of THE PLOT feels stolen! As the book poses the question of who owns stories, I kept expecting the author to acknowledge or make a nod to the book and film the plot was taken from, but that moment never came, which felt strange and disappointing.

I think the writing is strong, but the plot is weak and obvious. There was no big reveal or hold your breath moment. I was so excited to read this book and I was really disappointed.