The Sequel is the follow up to "The Plot". The story starts with Anna Williams-Bonner, who decides to write her own book after the death of her husband. She finds out someone is after her and accusing her of wrong doing. It is full of twists and turns and will have you on the edge of your seat until the end.

If you enjoyed "The Plot", you'll enjoy "The Sequel".

I enjoyed the page-turning “literary” thriller The Plot, and this book is an enjoyable follow-up. "The Sequel" by Jean Hanff Korelitz offers a compelling exploration of fame, creativity, and the often tumultuous relationship between an author and their audience. Korelitz's prose is sharp and engaging, capturing the nuances of her protagonist’s internal struggles. The themes of identity and artistic integrity are woven seamlessly into the plot, prompting readers to reflect on the nature of success in the literary world. However, I did find the pacing uneven at times, particularly in the middle sections where the introspection can feel prolonged. The supporting characters are well-drawn but occasionally lack depth, leaving some subplots feeling underdeveloped. Overall, "The Sequel" is a thoughtful commentary on the complexities of the creative process, enriched by Korelitz's keen insights into human nature.

The Plot was one of my favorite books of the year when it came out and I was surprised how well done it was in every aspect. So I was a little surprised to see a sequel pop up. I didn’t learn my lesson and went into this one with meager expectations and was once again blown away. The writing is superb, the characters nasty and wonderful, and the plot a rip roarer that is both entertaining and substantial. Amazing.

Definitely propulsive fiction. And such an unlikable narrator, yet I actually quite liked her. She has morals and standards, even if they are quite different from what most of society has. I found her sympathetic even though she committed so,so many murders. Quite the ride. Glad I took it.

The Plot was one of the best books I read the year it was published so no doubt I was going to pass up The Sequel! I was not disappointed. It picked up very close to where The Plot left off and continued with Anna Williams-Bonner's life. An excellent and intriguing book! Loved it.

What an exciting and suspenseful novel that pulls you in right from the start. The main character, Anna Williams-Bonner, is an interesting and complex figure who does whatever it takes to protect her secrets and maintain control of her story. The plot twists and turns in unexpected ways, keeping the reader guessing as Anna’s carefully planned life starts to fall apart.

Korelitz’s writing style is engaging and filled with sharp humor, which makes it fun to read, even as the suspense builds. The book also gives readers an inside look at the publishing world, which adds another layer to the story.

I was interested to see how this would continue The Plot now that Anna has gotten rid of her husband. It seemed to be more of a retelling of The Plot than a Sequel to it. Anna is a completely unlikable character, which is usually fine, but Anna lacked any of the spark or humor or complete darkness that makes an unlikeable character fun to read. While the story was loaded with twists and turns of varying believability, , I found it to be a bit boring.

Thank you to NetGalley and the to publisher for this eArc in exchange for my honest review.

2 stars
The Sequel
Jean Haniff Korelitz

I have never started a review this way but .... I am so glad that book is over! I am an outlier again, based on the high praise I have seen for The Sequel. When I read The Plot, I thought the premise sounded intriguing, but the execution of that novel fell flat for me. In my opinion, this was worse. I found this story to be quite repetitive, not only in the re-telling of The Plot plot, but also, in the excruciating detail of every action the main character took. The author also seemed to enjoy re-hashing what the character had done and what she was planning to do, over and over. I made no connection with Anna, the protagonist in The Sequel and I wished her dead often throughout the novel, just so all would be finished. Anna was a straight-up psychopathic serial killer with a list of characters that had wronged her, without any proof of these accusations, except in her own twisted mind.
I relish a great, twisty novel with depth, an interesting storyline, well-developed characters and a plot that goes somewhere. The Sequel did not produce any of those characteristics. I found the author's style of writing to be pretentious and condescending. I think a great editing job could have reduced the novel in half and maybe encouraged a more developed plot - a more interesting story.
I would like to thank #Netgalley and Celadon Books for the eCopy of The Sequel. I present an honest review,from my point of view.

The newly widowed Anna surprises herself by deciding to write a novel. Even more surprising, she turns out to be very successful at it. Unfortunately, she starts getting contacted by a mystery person who seems to know way too much another book from her past.

This is a very entertaining book featuring a villain for whom I found myself rooting. It can be read as a standalone, because the author rehashes most of the plot of the first book, but I recommend reading “The Plot” first. It is also an entertaining book, and if you read “The Sequel” first it will completely spoil “The Plot”. I liked the author’s snark about writers and the publishing industry. There was even a passage that perfectly reflected what I wrote in my review of “The Plot”:

“First of all, it wasn’t even that hard. The way they went on, all those writers, so incessantly, so dramatically, they might have been going down the mines on all fours with a plastic spoon clenched between their teeth to loosen the diamonds, are wading in raw sewage to find the leak in the septic line, running into burning buildings with forty-five pounds of equipment on their backs. But this degree of whining over the mere act of sitting down at the desk, or even reclining on a sofa, and … typing?

Julia Whelan did a wonderful job narrating the audiobook. She expressed all of Anna’s sarcasm, anger, anxiety, envy and bitterness. (You won’t really find lighter emotions in Anna.) 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.

Given how much I loved Jean Hanff Korelitz’s literary thriller The Plot, it should come as no surprise that when I heard Korelitz had written a sequel to that book – aptly titled The Sequel – I was dying to read it (pun intended, lol). The Plot was a book that blew me away – clever, creative, and so masterfully done, with an ending that was wholly unexpected (but made sense given the clues hidden throughout the story). It was so well done, in fact, that I initially couldn’t help but wonder whether a sequel would be able to live up to the original (even Korelitz gives a shout out to this common cultural sentiment when one of her characters in The Sequel states that “they’re never as good as the first book, are they?”). Well, it seems that the jury is still out with this one, as there seem to be varying reactions to it from what I can see – some readers feel the second book is better while others feel the original is still the best; for me personally, I would have to say that I fall into the second camp. While I did enjoy this one and found it to be every bit as clever as the first book (I absolutely loved the way Korelitz named each chapter the title of a real-life literary sequel, as half the fun of reading this book, for me at least, was figuring out which book the sequel title belonged to), I also felt that it was not as tightly-written as the first book was and much less “suspenseful” in comparison.

Before I go any further, I have to say this: despite what people may say about it being fine to read this one as a standalone, I actually feel it is absolutely necessary to read The Plot first, for multiple reasons. First and foremost is the fact that this book starts off where the first one ended; second, much of the story expands upon many of the plot points from the first book, particularly as it pertains to Anna’s background; third, many of the characters from the first book also show up again, with a few featuring heavily in the storyline this time around; and fourth, there are a few points in the book where the big “twists” from the first book are mentioned. So basically, if you have not read The Plot but try to read The Sequel, you will either be completely lost with the storyline or you will encounter so many “spoilers” from the first book that there’s no point going back to read it anymore. To be honest, even reading the “blurb” on the jacket of the sequel is not a good idea if you haven’t read the first book, since there are some references to plot points in that story that, in my opinion, can be “spoiler-ish.”

In any case, with that out of the way – as I mentioned earlier, I feel that this book was enjoyable but the original was definitely better. I think part of the reason why I feel this way is because The Plot was unique enough on its own, from all aspects, whether storyline, characters, format (the “story within the story” concept was particularly well-done), tone, voice, flow, etc. – it all came together brilliantly. With The Sequel, I feel that Korelitz was trying to rehash essentially all the same elements, except this time around, with Anna as the protagonist instead of Jacob (for obvious reasons). This gave me a little bit of a “been there, done that” vibe for one, and two, it made the storyline a lot more predictable – case in point: with a few minor exceptions, the first book largely had me guessing as to the direction that Korelitz was going to take and I was genuinely shocked with ending; with this book, I already had everything figured out midway through the story and not only that, I ended up being exactly on-the-dot in terms of the ending.

I also have to say that I’m not entirely sure how I feel about Anna being the protagonist in this story given all the horrible things she did (and continues to do). The blurb on the jacket states that with The Sequel, Korelitz “gives readers an antihero to root for” – well, this wasn’t really a true statement for me because with Anna, I honestly did not see anything worth rooting for (though I understood Anna’s motivations, I still found her behavior and actions beyond appalling). But I guess this is more a case of “it’s me, not the book,” since I’m not really a fan of diabolic, villain characters as protagonists.

Overall, this was a worthwhile read, especially if you’ve already read The Plot, as this story fills in nearly all of the gaps that were left open-ended from the first book (and it’s definitely a thrill to be able to recognize a character or plot point from the first book and wonder what the implications will be for the new protagonist who wasn’t involved in the interaction the first time around). As for whether I would read a third book (if there were to be one – which, all indication so far is that there might be), probably yes, but definitely with less anticipatory excitement, especially if Anna is also going to be the protagonist the third go around.

Received ARC from Celadon Books via NetGalley.

This book took a long time to get through but was interesting. It didn't hold my attention until the very end, and I forgot most of the ending of the previous book to fully follow the beginning of this book. It likely would work better to read both books back-to-back.

This book was insufferable. Nothing happens for at least 60% of the story. Anna publishes a book. That's it. In the first 60% that's the only thing that happens. For this part we just stay on Anna's head, reading over and over and over again how better she is than other people, how annoying her readers are, how easy it was for her to write the book, and how she has no empathy for people that went through a horrible tragedy. I read the first book, The Plot, and really liked it - and I liked Anna's part in it. I never say that, but having in mind what the author did here, this book is completely unnecessary.

Just read the first one.

Thank you Netgalley, author, and publisher for the ARC.

The sequel is the follow-up to 2021’s breakout hit, the plot. In this novel, we follow the widow of the “ author” of the plot as she wants to enjoy a quiet life on her husband’s Royalties. Soon, she becomes obsessed with writing her novel and finds it a breakout hit with her husband’s publisher. However, as she begins to enjoy her own success, a manuscript resurfaces with secrets of her past and her husband’s. Who knows all of this and who keeps sending her these manuscripts of her own long-buried story?

Much like the plot, the characters are strangely intriguing even though they aren’t likable. This is darker in tone, but very self aware and knowing about the pitfalls of sequels and the pressure to produce after a hit bestseller. If you like smart and savvy thrillers with a darkly comedic tone, or if you liked the plot, read this!

Thanks to the publisher for providing this arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Just when I believed the narrative couldn’t improve, along comes The Sequel. What a smart continuation of such an exceptional tale! This installment resolved several unanswered questions from the first book and expanded the storyline significantly.

Although I wasn't a fan of the protagonist, I could see how her negative actions stemmed from the desire for revenge against her husband's misdeeds. Every time I thought she was about to face the consequences of her actions, she always managed to wriggle her way out and keep moving forward. I found myself so excited to see what would come next!

Thank you Net Galley and Celadon Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A very dark final (?) installment to The Plot.

While The Sequel does a little recapping, of The Plot, I also do a bit more in my website review.

I thought The Plot was such a clever book. The Sequel is much more straightforward in narrative structure and even darker in tone, with a higher body count.

If you didn't like the ending of book one, you will REALLY not like the ending of this one.

This was a great follow up to the plot! I thought the events of this book and the pacing were done very well. The narrator is so unlikable but at the same time I was rooting for her to get the justices she felt she deserved. The ending felt a little crazy to me but overall really enjoyed this one!

Loved The Plot so well written multi layered and tense and the Sequel is just as good.You can read The Sequel as a stand alone but the Plot is to good to be missed,a perfect follow up.Thanks #netgalley#celadonbooks

Anna Williams-Bonner is living a contented life as the literary widow of Jacob Finch Bonner - happy to collect his royalty checks after putting both him, and the accusations of plagiarism regarding his last book, to rest. Then Anna decides to release a novel of her own to swift literary acclaim. But with all this increased attention, Anna soon becomes harassed in much the same way her late husband was, except this time she’s being sent excerpts of another story she knows all too well. Someone out there knows too much about her and the bodies she’s left behind, and she’ll do anything to hold on to ownership of her own story.

The Sequel is the follow-up to Jean Hanff Korelitz’s 2021 release The Plot. In The Plot, Jacob Finch Bonner is unhappily teaching at Ripley College, a lowly MFA program, while struggling to write another novel after his initial success. There he meets arrogant student Evan Parker, who declares the plot of his novel as a sure thing and Jacob is frustrated to realize that might be true. But the book never comes to fruition due to Parker’s untimely passing. Jacob then secretly appropriates the story and publishes it himself, relishing once again in fame. That is until he begins receiving anonymous threats indicating that someone out there knows of his plagiarism. This prompts him to begin investigating his former student and what he discovers both amazes and terrifies him, as he realizes there may be blurred lines between fact and fiction, and Evan Parker might just be a thief himself.

You definitely need to read The Plot first to understand this story, although I’ll admit after three years I didn’t remember it as well as I’d hoped to understand some of the nuance. However, we pick up from Anna’s point of view shortly after Jacob’s passing. She’s not always a likable character and she really makes some questionable choices but it’s hard not to root for her. These were both unexpected thrillers for me with a slow burn. I found some plot points a little confusing and some of the connections between characters a bit of a stretch but overall really enjoyed this.

Thank you to @netgalley and @celadonbooks for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review!

3.75⭐️

There is something absolutely delicious about the compartmentalized point of view of a well-written psychopath. Even though the person does horrendous things, there is a kind of untainted clarity about what they are seeing. And oddly, her logic is easy to follow and even identify with. I found myself wanting the protagonist to get away with everything.

In The Sequel, Anna (the murdering wife of a novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, who in the precursor novel The Plot, appropriated a plot that was not his) sees the world of novelists desperately seeking success in all of its insanity. This is an "inside publishing" novel that anybody involved in the industry, but especially writers, will love and laugh at.

From there, the "who-done-it" or "is-doing-it" threatening from the past takes off. As with The Plot (a necessary read before approaching this book), the plotting, character development, and writing are wonderfully entertaining.

This book was a great escape from anything that was concerning me in real life.

The widow of an acclaimed author writes a novel but remains haunted by the same plagiarism allegations that haunted her husband while alive.
I flew through this book and could not put it down. I really love the wry way Korelitz presents the narrator, who gives off anti-hero main character vibes again in this novel. I also love the insider info about the world of publishing and academia. I will read anything by this author!
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!