I would suggest this sequel to The Plot is actually part 2 and it’s pretty vital to read The Plot first. Without knowing all the characters, I suspect the reveals may be less thrilling

So, if you haven’t read The Plot, skip this review all togetherr

I was fortunate enough to receive an audiobook and Julia Whelan is wonderful as always. Her voice IS Anna and I enjoyed listening very much

I loved The Plot, so was excited to get back to Anna, a character I very much enjoy. Unlike last time, Anna is the main character and all the action revolves around her. She’s a complex character and I enjoyed spending time with her

After the ‘suicide’ of her husband, Anna flippantly mentions she’s going to write a book too. Whoops!

Not long after, parts of Evan Parker’s original manuscript are mailed to her in-laws, her literary agents and herself - it’s all happening again

This is where I realized that The Sequel was going to be similar to The Plot - this time Anna intends to track the person down and put an end to the ‘truth’ once and for all

I enjoyed the reveals and the action packed conclusion, but I would have loved a big twist to catapult this to a 4⭐️ or above. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a twist and I wasn’t blown away the way I was last time - nevertheless, gripping writing and Anna remains a psychotic badass 3.7⭐️

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review

I received this as an ARC from NetGalley (thank you!). The premise looked pretty interesting but I realized after that it was an actual sequel so I went ahead and listened to The Plot first.

I kind of feel like I slogged through both of them. I liked the narrator for The Sequel better (fab Julia Whelen) but I think I liked the story of The Plot better.

It kind of just feels like they were the same? Maybe that's what I get for reading them so close together. They were also written in a style I don't read a lot of and there was a LOT of internal monologue and not a lot of actual dialog which I really don't prefer.

Also, this character...what is her motivation? She had a rough childhood and didn't like her parents and so she is totally fine with just murdering people left and right? Something just felt disconnected, she is a total sociopath and I was never quite sure through both books what she is actually wanting out of life? To be left alone? Then why does she keep involving herself with so many people. I don't know, both books were well done enough that I wanted to finish but I just didn't really enjoy my time spent and will probably forget all about both of them in the near future.

The Sequel - Jean Hanff Korelitz
Pub Date - Oct 1, 2024
Media - Audio
Rating - 3/5

Thoughts - I went back and read The Plot first so I could understand the story in its entirety before staring this book. The overall story was good, but the execution was not. I felt like the entire time I was listening to the narrator rant in a personal diary instead of actually telling a series of events. If this book were trimmed down and a decent amount of internal monologue was taken away, it would be a really good story and would be rated higher by me. The narrator was great - I just wasn't feeling the writing.

This book was so good! I liked it even more than the first one. It kept me guessing and I loved to see the evolution. The audiobook narrator was excellent!

I don’t want to say much about the plot of this book, as it would have massive spoilers for the first book in this series, The Plot (which needs to be read first). Both The Plot and The Sequel are satirical books about writing and the publishing world. I would recommend both of these books to readers who enjoy literary suspense, books about books, and unreliable narrators! I thought the narration of The Sequel audiobook was incredible - I didn’t what to stop listening! I would highly recommend listening to the audiobook!!

Do NOT mess with Anna Williams-Bonner. Retribution will be swift and thorough. In this captivating sequel to The Plot, Anna Williams Bonner is enjoying the spotlight as a famous literary widow and now a best-selling author in her own right. Life couldn’t be better…until she gets a very unwelcome blast from the past. Turns out a certain pesky manuscript still exists, and someone is sending pages not just to her, but to her in-laws and editor. In order to keep her darkest secrets under wraps, she sets out to find out who’s stalking her and destroy the manuscript once and for all. And her mission quickly turns deadly. (This is even more fun than The Plot!)

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

Let’s start with the narrator, she did a great job on this audiobook!
I had no idea what to expect from this sequel, but I really enjoyed the ride and the twists.

I loved THE PLOT, the first book in this series, but honestly, I devoured THE SEQUEL! This book is a book lover's dream as Anna, the late Jacob Finch Bonner’s widow, decides to write a book and plunges us into the literary world. But oh, it’s so much more. The plagiarism that plagued her husband is still at play, but now someone is determined to out Anna and her past. She’s not about to let that happen.

Wow! This was juicy, vengeful, devious, and so well-crafted - I hung on every word. I loved all the literary references, but how it all came together was just brilliant. I hope more books in the series are coming soon - The Epilogue, The Afterword, give me something!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the gifted audiobook, narrated by the remarkable @justjuliawhelan

I love partnering with @celadonbooks - thank you for a gifted book.

The Sequel is, true to its title, a great follow-up to The Plot. The stakes get higher for Anna as she follows in her late husband's footsteps and writes a novelization of her true crime. Unsurprisingly to anyone but her, this fame draws attention of the unknown person that accused Jacob of plagiarizing Crib, now coming after her in his absence. As she deals with simultaneously moving on from her life married to him and assuming his mantle of literary regard and fame, she must also keep retracing her steps to see who from her past might still know about her late brother, and even worse, her own past identity and trail.
This hunt leads to some creative scenarios, like creating an anthology of his writing students' comically horrible works and cringy book signing appearance. You'd think she would hide and at least go the Pynchon route in author photos, but her hubris prevents is and where that leads in very entertaining.
Her candor in narrating to us her mishaps, justifications, and creative ways of bumping off roadblocks is entertaining and a fun read.

The Sequel is the appropriately titled sequel to The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.

"Anna Williams-Bonner is living the life of a literary widow -taking care of her late husband's book responsibilities. Going to book signings and fighting off the rumors of plagiarism. She decides to write her own book (how hard can it be?) It becomes immensely popular but brings her out of the shadows a bit. She begins to get messages and excerpts from a novel she thought was destroyed.. What does this person want and what will they do? They must know what Anna is capable of - she will not back down."

Anna is one of those characters with a dark side.. You might even describe her as a sociopath. She is willing to do anything to protect her story, even if some killing is needed. JHK gives us more background on Anna in this book. and you understand her a little. But Anna is still a jacked-up character.

Julia Whelan is outstanding as the narrator. So glad they made a change from the first book.

A wild, crazy ending you won't see coming.

while i liked The Plot well enough (i rated it 3 stars), i wasn't particularly excited for a sequel, but i thought i'd give it a shot. this is sort of a rinse and repeat of the plot (pun intended) from the first book. this book felt too long and unnecessary to be honest. as was the case with the first book, there wasn't a lot of tension, and the pace is rather slow. there were no new characters introduced, leaving everything feeling convenient. it also didn't have the meta/self-aware charm that the first book had, although there were a couple moments here and there. at least queen Julia Whelan made the narration great.

IF YOU HAVE NOT READ THE FIRST BOOK, THE SYNOPSIS OF THIS BOOK IS A SPOILER. therefore the rest of this review contains spoilers for The Plot. READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

okay, so let's talk about the character of Anna. i feel like Hanff Korelitz wanted to make her a morally grey character (think Amy Dunne or Joe Goldberg), but she just misses the mark. Anna is just not interesting as a character and there is nothing to her aside from *still* wanting revenge on Evan and therefore Jacob. i also won't even go into the logistics of several people dying in/around her presence and the authorities don't bat an eye? i know she is living under a new identity, but really? there was too much disbelief to suspend regarding this part of the plot (and The Plot, as this critique extends to the first book as well). i can't help but compare this book to the first because there are so many similarities, but i just found Jacob to be a more interesting character.

The Sequel comes out October 1. thank you to Macmillan 2024 Audio Influencer Program for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

I have mixed feelings about this one. I read The Plot eagerly and couldn’t have predicted how it unfolded. but this one reminded me of “Whack a Mole”. When one thread was handled, another popped up.

Jake Bonner’s widow Anna has written a follow-up to his bestseller CRIB. After all, how hard could writing a novel be? To her surprise, it becomes a bestseller and she’s following in his steps, going on book tours and participating in author panels. But a problem begins when the past rears its ugly head, and by necessity her focus shifts to trying to handle one issue after another.

I listened to the audiobook, and Julia Whelan’s narration was absolutely superb, as usual.

My only negative is that I thought the situation could have been condensed. The whole thing kind of went on too long. Actually, it could easily have been part of the first book.

Four stars!

My thanks to NetGalley for the complimentary digital copy of the audiobook. My review is voluntary.

I couldn't contain my excitement when I got my hands on an advance copy of "The Sequel" by Jean Hanff Korelitz, the follow-up to the gripping "The Plot." If you haven't read the first book, you're missing out!

"The Plot" was an absolute page-turner, and the audiobook version was top-notch. Now, "The Sequel" delves into the aftermath of Jacob Finch Bonner's story, this time from the perspective of his widow, Anna. She's unexpectedly drawn into a web of intrigue when she decides to write her own book, and the consequences are more intense than she imagined.

Anna, a character with layers upon layers, will draw you in with her emotional journey. Despite her morally ambiguous actions, you'll find yourself rooting for her. At least, I did! I couldn't put this book down. Although I still have a soft spot for 'The Plot,' 'The Sequel' is a worthy successor that will captivate you from start to finish. I highly recommend immersing yourself in both of these books, ideally back-to-back.

The experience of reading and listening to the audiobooks simultaneously was not just fantastic, but also deeply engaging. I'm grateful to Macmillan Audio and Celadon Books for the gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Trust me, you won't want to miss out on this thrilling journey!

#TheSequel #Jean Hanff Korelitz #Julia Whelan #MacAudio2024 #MacmillanInfluencerProgram #macmillanaudio #MacmillanPublishers
#CeladonBooks

Dear The Sequel,
The Plot was such a unique concept for a book that I was really sure what to expect with you. I didn't know where else the story could go. But you did a great job of continuing the suspense of the first book but with a new protagonist. I was surprised at the new spin on the story, and the perspective Anna had to offer to the events of The Plot and how she explained away her actions. Despite the fact that you had the same story at your core, you surprised me with some of your twists and turns.

Oh, Jean Hanff Korelitz, I love your metafictional satire so, so much. I'm here to say that, although The Sequel wasn't quite as good as The Plot, it came so, so close.

The Sequel follows Anna Williams-Bonner in the wake of the death of her husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner. Anna decides to write a bestseller of her own -- how hard can it be, after all? -- and finds herself thoroughly enjoying all facets of her subsequent grieving widow/literary darling status. (Well, except for all those annoying, clingy fans who want their books signed, that is.) But then her past intrudes, in the form of excerpts of a novel that should no longer exist: a novel that threatens to upend the life she's so meticulously constructed. And Anna will stop at nothing to protect her story.

Technically, The Sequel could work as a standalone, but you'll be missing some important context if you haven't already read The Plot. And although the same can't be said for all sequels, this particular sequel feels completely necessary. The Plot was satisfying in and of itself, but The Sequel gave me what I didn't even realize I desperately wanted: a villain origin story.

And make no mistake, Anna is definitely a villain...or an anti-heroine, if you prefer. And yet, I found myself rooting for her -- buying into her justifications for her actions, hoping she'd outwit the next person intent on destroying her. I do love a well-written sociopath, and Anna is so psychologically interesting, narcissistic, and unashamedly self-interested that I couldn't help but be on her side. There's a sense, as things go along, that Anna has lost sight of why she is even doing the things she does; she's so focused on self-preservation, but it's no longer clear what she is trying so hard to preserve. I was left with the feeling that Anna will never be satisfied -- but I was satisfied with that, if that makes sense.

I paired my reading with the audiobook read by Julia Whelan, who voiced Anna impeccably and who, as always, gave a flawless performance overall. She is the perfect narrator to give voice to Jean Hanff Korelitz's writing -- which is astoundingly good, conversational but so incisive, and full of sly insights about the inner workings of writing and publishing. The Sequel is smart and riveting and darkly funny -- and pay close attention to the chapter titles, which are absolutely brilliant. Thank you to Celadon Books and Macmillan Audio for the early copies.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Celadon Books, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of this wonderful sequel to The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz, with the audio perfectly narrated by the wonderful Julia Whelan. All opinions expressed in this review are my own – 4.5 stars rounded up!

After the death of her husband, bestselling novelist Jacob Finch Bonner, Anna Williams-Bonner has calmed the waters about his possible plagiarism. Then she writes her own novel, The Afterword, which starts to receive much success. But then she begins to receive excerpts of a novel that should not exist. Someone knows too much.

I loved The Plot and this book is just as fabulous. Jean Hanff Korelitz is a master at giving us twisted but realistic characters and spreading breadcrumbs throughout the book. Just like The Plot, this is so creative and will have you chasing your tail! Anna is definitely not likable but, just like a train wreck, you won’t be able to look away. It’s been a while since I read The Plot and I’m sure it would be even better to read these two back to back, but the author gives enough information to enjoy it as a standalone as well. Julia Whelan made the audiobook a masterpiece, as she always does, and I enjoyed being able to switch between the two formats. I also loved the names of the chapters being sequels, with a helpful list in the back of the book. More creativity points! A must read!

I enjoyed this even more than the first! It's not as packed with twists and turns as its predecessor, which actually works to its benefit in my opinion (my head was spinning when I read the synopsis of the first one on Wikipedia to refresh my memory). Being inside Anna's head is a fascinating experience - she's a total psychopath, but she's humanized in a way that kept me super engaged. The book drags a little around the 3/4 mark, but the second "reveal" bought me right back in and I felt really satisfied by the end. A few times I wished I was reading this physically so the timeline of the flashbacks was less confusing, but ultimately I would not sacrifice the experience of Queen Julia Whelan's narration for anything.

If you loved The Plot, you will definitely enjoy The Sequel.

The story is complex at times, requiring my undivided focused attention. I will admit I had to restart a few sections several times, but it was completely worth it. Jean Hanff Korelitz expertly crafted a sequel that lives up to the OG!

I absolutely loved the chapter titles, the names so creative.

I was surprised to find The Plot had a second book, The Sequel. I was thrilled to receive an ARC of the audiobook from Netgalley. It is read by Julia Whelan, who is phenomenal.

I admit The Plot was only a three star read for me back in 2018. While I enjoyed it, the twists weren't hard to figure out and Jacob Finch Bonner annoyed me. But compared to many books from before the pandemic I actually could remember details from The Plot. The Sequel is just as much of a twisty dark story. Only now it's Jake's widow, Anna Williams-Bonner, the reader is on the journey with to keep the world from learning about the true origins of Jake's bestseller, The Crib. At first Anna was annoying, but by the end of the book I was rooting for her. Though that means I've fallen for her charms because she's a completely unreliable narrator. I saw hints of Joe Goldberg (The stalker in You by Caroline Kepnes for those who don't know) in Anna and it was refreshing for a female to behave in this fashion.

The chapter titles being other book sequels was perfection -chef's kiss!

This was a quick, entertaining read. It's a must for fans of The Plot.

I've been a huge fan of Jean Korelitz's novels since A JURY OF HER PEERS, THE SABBATHDAY RIVER, and THE WHITE ROSE. She is such a versatile, engaging, and skilled storyteller. THE SEQUEL is her first sequel and she handles the follow-up to THE PLOT so well, masterfully ripping the scar tissue off old secrets.