Reviews

The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

bbrown0526's review against another edition

2.0

I made it to chapter 31 of 43 and have to tap out. I’ve truly never read a more boring book. It is just the internal monologue of a boring, melancholy writing professor with a boring “mystery” that I don’t even care to find out about. Maybe you’ll like it if you’re in the writing world? Idk man.

lastpaige111's review against another edition

5.0

I didn’t see it coming … and I couldn’t put it down.

kiki_13's review against another edition

2.0

2.5*

wintrovia's review against another edition

3.0

Creative writing tutors from American colleges must be the most over represented occupation in all of literature, so I was reluctant to read this story but the blurb intrigued me. A washed up writer who has ended up teaching writing at a second-rate college hears a brilliant idea for a novel from one of his students. When the student dies he steals the idea and uses it to achieve everything he ever dreamed of. The execution of the book didn't really deliver on the promise of the plot (which is ironic given a great plot equalling a great novel is basically what the whole story revolves around). I never really liked the main character and some of the elements of the story required a suspension of disbelief that I struggled with. Plus the twist is foreshadowed so heavily that it's blindingly obvious hundreds of pages before it's revealed. Not a bad book but it could have been much better.

suvata's review against another edition

4.0

• ModernMrsDarcy.com 2021 Summer Reading Guide #MMDSummerReading

• Personal Reference: Utica, NY

• Thank you to Celadon Books, a division of Macmillan Publishers, and NetGalley for providing this Advance Reading Copy. Expected publication date is May 11, 2021.

Jacob Finch Bonner is an author who wrote a semi-one-hit-wonder then hit a two decade writer’s block. To make ends meet, he teaches writing at Richard Peng Hall, on the campus of Ripley College, in northern Vermont. Enter a student professing to possess the ultimate book plot — a plot that will make him famous: NYT best seller, a movie starring mega-stars, even picked for Oprah’s book club. $$ BIG BUCKS $$ Then this wannabe writer disappears from Jacob’s world for years never to be heard from again. What could it hurt if Jacob himself brings this unbeatable plot into the world. Bonner writes the book and was becomes famous beyond his wildest dreams. That is until someone accuses him of plagiarism....

cindy_f's review against another edition

4.0

Thrilling and unforgettable! This novel gets deep in the mind of a writer and how everyone has a story to tell, even if it’s not yours to tell.

kaelaceleste's review against another edition

2.0

Feeling like I'm being reeeeal generous with my 2-star rating here considering when I finished the book I literally said out loud "that was stupid" lol but I try to reserve my 1-stars for things that I really hated and this was just moderately hated. Consider it like a 1.5.

There were definitely some things I enjoyed about this and the concept is interesting and different so it's a shame that this book was so predictable, boring, and convoluted at the same time. I figured out the "reveal" about 1/3 of the way in and hoped something else...anything else...would happen to make me second guess it but alas, it did not. I'm also annoyed that I keep reading so many books that are set (or partially set) in Seattle that are not good lol can someone please write a good Seattle book

gabija's review against another edition

emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

crazybooklady_mjg's review

adventurous challenging dark mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character

3.75

camchorse's review against another edition

dark emotional mysterious tense medium-paced

2.75