The perfect beach read fully of zippy one liners and clever dialogue. This novel deserves the enormous praise it is receiving.

The idea of this story sounded really intriguing, but I felt it was just an alright read in the end. I found most of Jake’s actions unbelievable and predicted the twist really early in the book.

The underlying story was good and I liked the set-up at the college. I felt it made you sympathise with Jake as Evan seemed quite a tool. However, I soon lost my sympathy when his reactions seemed a bit odd. That said, I thought the very last bit of the book was done well.

Unfortunately I think a bit too much detail was provided early on, as it meant I knew what the twist was going to be which removed some of the enjoyment of the story. Additionally, I never felt the pace ramp up and felt there were a lot of words when less would do.

Overall, this was just a so-so read for me, I’m disappointed as the premise looked promising and it has got good reviews.

Thank you to @JeanHanffKoreli and @FaberBooks for this advanced copy of The Plot in return for an honest review. The Plot was published on 5th August 2021 and you can get a copy here.

Description 🔖

Jake is a failed novelist. He’s teaching a creative writing class but his heart most definitely isn’t in it. Evan Parker is one of his students and is extremely arrogant. He is certain that he has the plot to a very successful novel, however he dies before he is able to write it.

Jake decides to inherit the plot, writes the novel and enjoys all of the success that it brings. However someone knows that the plot wasn’t thought of by him. If he doesn’t figure out who that someone is, then he could end up losing more than just his career.

General Thoughts 🤔

It was the cover that originally caught my attention with this book. I don’t particularly know why, but it just looked dramatic and different. When I started reading, the book ended up being something that I really wasn’t expecting. I knew that the entire story couldn’t be about “stealing” someone else’s plot, but I didn’t anticipate the huge plot twist that was about to smack me in the face.

I thought a lot about how writers pull together a plot after reading this book. Surely nearly every plot has some influence from others and it has to be near to impossible to come up with something that has literally never been done before. Granted, Jake took this plot from Evan, however he wrote it himself. He didn’t use Evan’s manuscript and re-work it. So I don’t know quite where I stand on the morality of what Jake did. I found it a really interesting thinking point though.

Characters 👬👭👫

Jake kind of annoyed me a little through the book. I wanted him to just own what had happened as in my opinion I think he deserved the success regardless. But instead I thought he was a little weak and decided to hide away from the problem rather than confront it. I understand that his career was at risk, but I think he could have got in front of it and handled the situation better.

I am really cautious to talk about any of the other characters in the book as I would hate to give any spoilers. I have strong feelings about one of them in particular though. I plan on scouring some other reviews once I’ve written this to I can see if other readers felt the same as me.

Writing Style ✍️

I haven’t read any other books from this author and I’m kicking myself now as I really enjoyed the writing. It wasn’t overtly dramatic but rather an understated, bubbling under the surface kind of tension.

The mix of sections from the novel and present time chapters was fantastic and the timing of the story unfolding was perfect. Every section of the novel I read gave me a clue about what was going on in Jake’s story and kept me flicking through the pages at pace.

Conclusion & Scoring 🎖️

I don’t know why this book took me by such surprise, but it did. I don’t think I’ve read a book with a storyline quite like this and I thought it was fascinating. It’s by sheer coincidence that the last two books I’ve read have been about writers and both have been quite different. The Plot was my favourite of the two and I’d really like to discover more about this author. Now all I need is to find someone with a really great plot so I can write a novel.

Thank you for the opportunity to review an advanced copy of this book. Unfortunately, despite many attempts I couldn't get into the book. This is due to the slow pace but mostly due to the writers style and constant use of parenthesis. It jarred my reading experienced and I got frustrated and DNF. It's a brilliant concept for a novel and stunning cover design. I wish the book and the author every success.

I do love a book about books, or more specifically in this case, about writing and writers. The premise of this really grabbed me and it reminded me a little of A Ladder to the Sky by John Boyne.

We start with Jake at a teaching post, two published novels behind him, the first moderately successful, the second barely making a mark. He is unmotivated to write any more and makes his money giving advice and teaching to prospective writers. It is in this most recent teaching post that he comes across an arrogant young man who clams to have a fail-safe plot which will make him famous; a plot that he somewhat reluctantly shares with Jake

Having found out later that the young man has died, and the novel has not surfaced, Jake takes the story and crafts a novel around it, which, as anticipated, becomes a huge success.

Jake struggles with the ethical dilemma of what he has done throughout the book, especially as he eventually starts to uncover the origins of the plot itself. It causes the reader to do the same…..what would you REALLY do in that situation?

We jump forward to Jake after the publication of the book, where he is successful and living a much more comfortable life, at least on the surface. Underneath it all though, he still struggles with what he did, and lives his life waiting for it to unravel and come back to bite him. Unsurprisingly, this does eventually happen, with increasingly menacing anonymous correspondence arriving, first through email, then social media posts, then through his letter box and directly to his publisher. The events in Jake’s current life are also interspersed with excerpts from the novel.

The guilt and anxiety Jake feel really seeped out of the book for me. The great career-ending event that he had been dreading appears to be getting closer and closer, with a certain inevitability that he can’t avoid, and I really felt that along with him.

The “plot” itself was revealed little by little rather than shared at the outset, which made me read on to see exactly what this sure-fire hit of a plot could be. In the end, it was interesting but not exactly something that has never been seen before, which calls back to Jake’s early commentary about stories all having been told before. The build up and hints of the plot’s uniqueness perhaps built up a certain amount of hype that couldn’t be delivered on.

Finally, the plot of the ACTUAL book was perhaps a little predictable. I’m not sure if this would be the same for others, but I could see the identity of the anonymous blackmailer from a mile off. That said, it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of the book, I enjoyed seeing how it all unfolded and was still engaged enough to read on and discover exactly what had transpired.

My first book by this author o will definitely check out further books though.

This was a great concept a book within in a book. I really enjoyed it and loved all the twists

3.5 / 5

I was a bit disappointed by this in the fact that I guessed the big plot twist early on in the book, something that usually never happens to me. The writing style was great and the general storytelling was highly entertaining. However, in a book like this, knowing what's coming takes a lot of the fun out of the reading experience. Still highly recommended. I got vibes of Happiness (Will Ferguson) and Eight Perfect Murders (Peter Swanson)

A book within a book means one huge twist is coming…
When Jake Bonner, aspiring best selling novelist, chooses to teach a writing course to adults, the course of his life is changed forever. Evan Parker, one of his mentees, tells Jake to plot of his own aspiring novel and it is ….brilliant. Jake knows Evan will have a bestseller on his hands, when the book is written.
Over the years, Jake watches out for Evan’s book. It never arrives, probably as Evan died shortly after sharing his plot with Jake. But with Evan gone, without his book being written, means the world will never hear the plot. Enter Jake, who writes the story and passes off the plot as his own creation to his publisher, readers and the best selling list. Until one da, when he gets a message telling him he is a thief. Someone out there knows what Jake did and they aren’t going to keep quiet….

Slow starter but then builds into a very enjoyable read.
Loved the plot and was a quick read.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to see an arc

I love this, I can't believe this is my first Jean Hanff Korelitz. The characters in The Plot are super interesting and unique, I loved our main character Jacob and seeing his thought process. It was an interesting insight into the life of a writer also. It was good to get actual chapters of the book rather than hearing about it.

Beautifully written and very enjoyable, particularly for those who love the world of books. The book ‘twist’ was great but the finale less surprising. A really good read though

Writing a book within a book was a really interesting concept for a thriller & I absolutely loved it!! After his first novel soars, Jake is left teaching creative writing seminars on the formerly promising writers heap. Where he meets Evan Parker, a student with a great plot for a story, but a bad attitude to writing. years later Jake discovers Evan's death and after finding out the novel never materialised he chooses to final write the story, selling it as his own. The book rockets to success, with film offers on the table, when he is threatened to be exposed by a mysterious email. As the threats increase Jake sets out to find out who is behind the threats and unravels the real life twists and turns as the climax of the novel is also revealed through chapters. I loved the interspersing of the novel sections throughout the book to show how fiction and reality may be more connected that he ever believed! Gripping, page turner with such a unique plot!

Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book!

(Spolier alert ahead...)

I loved the concept of this one, a writing professor steals a plot from one of his late students. Genius. The only problem is that I guessed the ending very very early on, the second he met Anna I was like hmmm I bet she’s the mum! Other than that it was a really good read and I enjoyed the book within a book aspect and the chapters we got from Crib. I have another book on my tbr from this author and I’m really excited to read it now!

This book was pretty slow in the beginning yet I couldn't stop reading it. Whenever I have put it down I just had to pick it up again. Loved the style of writing and loved twist and turns. Worth reading if you are looking for something unusual.

Synopsis: When a young writer dies before completing his first novel, his teacher, Jake, (himself a failed novelist) helps himself to its plot.

The resulting book is a phenomenal success. But what if somebody out there knows?

Review:
5 STARS
We follow Jake Finch Bonner, a failed writer with a few novels under his belt, in his job as a lecturer of upcoming writers. He meets a student, Evan Parker, who tells him the most compelling and incredible plot he has ever heard.
We fast forward three years and Jake meets someone that reminds him of Evan, making him think of that story and whether it was ever published.
When Jake finds that it hasn't been, he jumps at the chance to tell it, and has predicted, the public love it.

The story develops from there when Jake gets an anonymous message telling him that the story was stolen.

I loved how this was told, we had chapters from Jake's published novel in amongst the chapters which was so cleverly done.

I read most of this in one sitting - it truly was unputdownable. I was shouting at some of Jake's decisions, and gasping as the plot unfolded. It was so good!

This book is a slow burner. I nearly gave up on it at about a fifth of the way through, it I’m so glad I didn’t! The pace picks up and the lengthy, wordy sentences either stop or I no longer noticed them as I was so engrossed in the unfolding story. The second half of the book romps along,to a very satisfying conclusion.

The Plot is a very clever book about the world of writing and whether stealing a plot really constitutes plagiarism.

Jacob Finch Bonner is a teacher at an MFA writing program in the US. Once a successful novelist, he's now approaching failed writer status. The book starts by giving us great insights as to what it's like on these programs -as a teacher and a student. My issue is that I just wanted to get on with 'The Plot'!

It takes a good while to lead up to meeting the obnoxious student with a story he just knows is going to be a bestseller, and a while longer to do anything about it. All the while you're waiting to understand how this book has the BEST twists ever.

Okay, okay. The story within the story has pretty good twists. The story within The Plot is signposted so blatantly that pretty much anyone will see what's coming. The question is - does knowing what's coming make the rest more enjoyable or less?

I enjoyed the book, but it was a little too putdownable at times for me. The slow way of getting into the plot meant I wasn't hooked as early as I expected to be. A good read and cleverly written, just not a favourite.

I did like the question it poses - what constitutes plagiarism? You can't copyright an idea, but here it's the idea that's stolen. Our main character writes every word and changes all the little details. Is he still wrong to have stolen the story? Or is it wrong just because of where the story came from? Things like this will make The Plot a popular book group read, methinks.

A book of two parts. A one book wonder author struggling to find inspiration struggling with doubts related not only to his chosen career but all aspects of his sad lonely life. Reduced to teaching aspiring students with little or no talent, he becomes involved with an unlikely individual with an unattractive personality but embryonic talent and a hugely exciting plot for a novel, who will ultimately become the catalyst for a mystifying serious of incidents and accidents that form the second dramatic events that will change the life of our protagonist. No spoilers allowed in this thoroughly enjoyable murder mystery that slowly draws out the story of a tragic family alongside our failed author struggling to enjoy his success,. Now the recipient of a best selling book, a loving relationship and the trappings of fame he finds himself alongside the huge shadow of an elephant in the room threatening everything he has struggled to achieve and destroy the new relationships that have so long alluded him. Brilliant conclusion, inevitably a blockbuster movie waiting in the wings from a carefully constructed plot and detailed characterisations that lifted this book into a five star read. Many thanks to Author, publisher and NetGalley for this most enjoyable much appreciated ARC.

The Plot is based on deceit and plagiarism. I think the premise is original in the way the narrative is structured, but I’ve really struggled to invest with characters and become engaged with the pace and plot. I find it incredibly slow, to the point of being frustrating and in the first third, I feel the author is trying too hard to be clever. I’m really disappointed as I was excited to find this book and it looks so promising.

There’s some humour but as I’m not enjoying the story or the way it’s written, after a few tries, I’ve put it to one side, unfinished. Not something I do very often, but maybe I’ll get into it a little better another time.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley.

The Plot tells the riveting story of what happens when Jake Finch Bonner, a once ‘new and noteworthy’ writer publishes a bestselling - and unbelievable - novel, but the story isn’t his to tell.

I love books about books (who doesn’t?) and thrillers/mystery novels, so this is a perfect combination! The story unfurls at pace and has enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged throughout.

The only problem I had was that I managed to work out the ending a little bit too early and found the final chapter a little too straightforward and unsatisfying.

It’s definitely gutsy to include extracts to a fictional bestselling book throughout but I thought it worked quite well and can’t imagine how Hanff Korelitz could have told the story otherwise.

Twisty and fun, if a little predictable. 3.5⭐️

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley and Faber and Faber. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher.