Seems like I may be in the minority here, but I liked this one a lot better than I liked the first.

Yes, the general underlying idea is somewhat repetitive, with both Jacob and Anna being threatened by unknown stalkers who are somehow privy to the knowledge that Jacob stole the idea for his best-selling novel from a dead man. But I think this one worked better for me because we really got to understand Anna’s motivations and why she makes many of the choices that she does. Her shift from antagonist to protagonist made for a more engaging story.

It was interesting watching everything unfold through Anna’s eyes and living in her head as both the killer and a victim. We really got to know her and to see how her mind worked and how she viewed the world, which was one of the big positives for me. We got such a deep dive into her thought processes that I found myself conflicted. She made all of her thoughts and actions seem logical and rational even when they were very obviously the opposite. I wasn’t sure if I should be rooting for her or hoping for her to get caught, and I had no idea which way it was going to go. Because of that push and pull I’m still not sure how I feel about the ending.

In reading this you do have to suspend disbelief because there are a few coincidences and some connections that were too easily made, but I ultimately thought it all worked for the story. It was a fun read that kept me turning the pages anxious to see where the story went next.

If you do pick this one up I do recommend giving The Plot a quick skim first to refresh yourself on what happened because some of the characters in there do make an appearance in this one.

Thanks NetGally and Celadon Books for the advanced copy.

The Sequel is a fantastic meta take on publishing and sequels with a main character you love to hate. It leaves off right where The Plot ended and is is a clever (the chapter titles!) and sarcastic ("You mean, like...a sequel? Is that really a good idea?...But they're never as good as the first book, are they?") romp I couldn't put down. I have no idea where a third book would go but after what the author did with this one, I'd read it in a heartbeat. One of my favorite books of 2024.

Thanks to Celadon for the copy to review.

This was fun but unnecessary. Korelitz clearly knew this sequel wasn't needed, but I did enjoy the twists and turns here. The Plot, the first book in this series, was more compelling than this one, but I had a good time.

3.75
fun!!! definitely an unnecessary sequel but it felt like the author was very self-aware about that and I will never fault a good writer for giving us an extended adventure.
she rehashes a lot of the first book in here, so I wouldn't necessarily urge you to read them super back to back, but if you liked the first one you'll probably enjoy this romp as well! I had a few gripes (where it felt like things from the first book were twisted/changed for the sake of a second), but it didn't at all taint my love of the first and has affirmed that I need to pick up more from this author.

This wasn’t as incredible as The Plot, but that book set an impossibly high bar, so The Sequel is still excellent! Anna was a fascinating character whose brilliant and sinister nature wasn’t fully revealed until the end of The Plot, and I was thrilled to have an entire book written from her perspective. The book begins with Anna enjoying success after getting away with her actions at the end of The Plot, but several loose ends soon threaten to disrupt her happy ending, and seeing how she handles minor snags as well as situations that don’t seem to offer a way out made this book unputdownable!

Thank you for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's edition. Unfortunately, I will not be able to give it the time required to write a thorough review and will be unable to read it for this purpose.

While I liked this book, it didn’t have as much magic as its predecessor, “The Plot.” I didn’t have as much connection to the protagonist in this one and the story seemed a bit scattered. This was a solid follow-up, but not one of my favorites. 3 stars ⭐️. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced copy for review.

While I loved The Plot, The Sequel not so much. The Plot moved swiftly and kept me on my toes. It sucked me in and I couldn’t put it down. The Sequel felt like a very different book to me. Slower, more convoluted, and not as true to life as the previous book. While this one wasn’t for me, I’m sure I’ll read the next book this author publishes next. 2.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Loved this follow up to the Plot. The twists kept me on my toes - and I love it when I can't predict the ending. If you loved the Plot, you will love the Sequel!

I recently finished The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz, and it was an absolute page-turner from start to finish. As a follow-up to The Plot, this novel delves deeper into the complex world of authorship, deception, and the lengths one will go to protect their story.

The protagonist, Anna Williams-Bonner, is a fascinating character—intelligent, cunning, and unapologetically ambitious. Her journey from being the supportive wife of a bestselling novelist to a literary force in her own right is both compelling and thought-provoking. Korelitz masterfully portrays Anna’s determination to control her narrative, even when faced with anonymous threats and the resurfacing of past secrets.

What I found particularly engaging was the novel’s exploration of the publishing industry and the ethical dilemmas surrounding authorship. Korelitz’s insider perspective adds authenticity to the story, making the stakes feel incredibly real. The suspense builds steadily, with each chapter revealing new layers of intrigue and moral complexity.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Love Jean Hanff Korelitz's sense of humor. I've been rooting for Anna since the moment she first mentioned <spoiler>the plot of Housekeeping</spoiler>. No spoilers on whether she survives The Sequel, but I will say I was in her corner for every unethical, illegal, and/or arrogant action. Like The Plot, there's a moment where the author gives away the game, but I missed it this time. I'm a little disappointed in myself for that, but I think it also could have been a bigger "tell". I think I would have enjoyed the ride even more had I realized where it was headed.

For readers who enjoy unreliable villainous narrators, Anna is a champ. Also for readers who are familiar with publishing. Korelitz is made of stronger stuff than I, because had I written this, there's no way I could face publishers, editors, journalists, or other writers, ever again.

Too convoluted and improbable. I love the way Korelitz writes but this story was hard to follow and was unbelievable (I know it’s fiction) so as to make it difficult to read. Will read her next one though.

I enjoyed the Plot but The Sequel didn't land for me. Maybe I have read too many thrillers in between but this one wasn't for me.

Realized that the charm of the first book was the male protagonist. Ultimately, this felt like starting over with a whole new story and a new protagonist I couldn't connect to. DNF

I really enjoyed The Plot when it came out, so I was looking forward to The Sequel. But I thought it read like... a sequel. It wasn't unenjoyable, but I found it just didn't have the pop of the original book, and a lot of it focused on backstory and regurgitating what we already knew from the first book. The Sequel definitely picked up in the end, but it felt like a sharp ending to an otherwise okay book.

From rough beginning to slow as molasses middle all the way to anticlimactic end, I just couldn’t see the point of any of this.

I can’t really understand why Jean Hanff Korelitz revisited this story if she only planned to biff it on the ground and rub dirt in its face. The Plot was so good! Like all the unnecessary Hollywood remakes and sequels why couldn’t she just leave well enough alone?!

All the cleverness and intrigue of The Plot (a struggling writer steals the main idea for his successful book from a student he taught who dies without publishing) was really lost with The Sequel. This one follows his wife Anna and she’s just the worst, boring and predictable. A whole lot of nonsense happens and I didn’t enjoy any of it. Every few pages I kept asking why—why is this character so uninteresting when she really should be riveting? Why are we here? Why isn’t it getting any better as we go? Why did I bother finishing it? Why why why?

This whole book was a lesson in restraint and why we need more of it. I’m sad, I was really looking forward to this one.

My thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ebook in exchange for my honest review.

The Sequel is truly a sequel and best read soon after The Plot. Too much time had passed for me between the two and I struggled to remember enough of The Plot to fully understand all that was going on in The Sequel. Still, an entertaining read with refreshingly new character types.

I can't help but to think that this is a sequel that shouldn't have been written. The Plot was an outstanding book and this follow up is shoddy in comparison.

Korelitz is an immensely talented writer but she went overboard here with her verbose rambling. I honestly didn't think this book would ever end. If you're a reader that likes a quick pace and short chapters then this book is definitely not for you. This was an absolute slog to wade through.

A quick re-cap of the plot to The Sequel:

Anna Williams Bonner, widow of world famous author, Jacob Finch Bonner, has penned her own wildly successful debut novel. Like in The Plot where Jacob was harassed, stalked, and accused of plagiarism, Anna now finds herself in the same situation. She begins receiving anonymous letters accusing her of what exactly? You'll have to read this to find out.

Or just skip this altogether.

The problem I had with this book was that I just didn't find Anna all that interesting. For the first 1/3 I didn't mind her but after awhile I just wanted to tell this woman to shut up, get over it, and no one cares least of all me. That's due to this entire novel being inside Anna's head with all her snarky and murderous thoughts with very little dialogue with any other characters. I usually love a snarky character but Anna is very dry and boring.

The rehashing of her brothers book and long winded excerpts of it bored me to tears. I skipped all of those sections. 🥱

Not to mention that Anna can outsmart anyone. She murders time and time again and no one is none the wiser. Outrageous and unbelievable is putting it mildly. And then it concludes with a most unsatisfying ending making me regret my choice to download this.

Korelitz does leave the possibility to revisit Anna in the future but you couldn't pay me to spend another minute with this miserable woman. 2 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for my complimentary copy.

THE SEQUEL
Anna Williams Bonner is living a contended life of a literary widow reaping the royalties and now with her own debut novel doing well something has gone wrong and someone knows too much about her late brother, late husband and even herself. She has worked too hard to get to where she is and to loose everything now is just not an option!!
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I listened to the plot kusy before reading this which was a big advantage as the story picks up from there.
I honestly didn't enjoy this as much as I enjoyed the plot...it started well but then it got quite boring and repetitive ..exp the last 25% which is good .
But overall I had high expectations from the book but felt let down with the content in terms for a full fledged book.

I was so grateful to receive a copy of this book, as it had been on my TBR for a long time. Before diving into The Sequel, I decided to pick up The Plot to fully immerse myself in the story.

I absolutely love this author! This is now the third book I’ve read by her, and I can see myself tracking down her earlier works to explore more of her writing.

The Sequel continues the story from The Plot, but it can definitely be enjoyed as a standalone. The backstory and themes from the first book are seamlessly woven into this one without feeling repetitive. The author does a fantastic job of incorporating the necessary details without overwhelming readers who might be new to the series.

The story follows Anna, who, after the loss of her husband, decides on a whim to write her own book. To her surprise, her late husband’s literary agent agrees to publish it, and Anna becomes a successful author in her own right. However, strange things begin to happen—anonymous correspondence and post-it notes start appearing, suggesting that her husband’s famous book may have been plagiarized. What follows is a tense, cat-and-mouse game centered around the mystery of a book written by Anna’s brother before his passing.

I enjoyed this book just as much as The Plot. The tension, thrilling twists, and unexpected turns kept me glued to the pages. In fact, I stayed up late last night because I couldn’t put it down once I hit the 85% mark—it was just too tempting to see how it all ended!

I’m already planning to convince my book club to read this one so we can discuss not only The Sequel but also the first book in the series. I’m so glad I had the opportunity to read this—it’s a thrilling, captivating read that I highly recommend!