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A review by pagesplotsandpints
The Sequel by Jean Hanff Korelitz
2.75
Read Completed 3/6/25 | 2.75 stars | Book #27 of 2025
I enjoyed THE PLOT and was really interested in where we went from there, so I didn't wait long to pick up THE SEQUEL. Ultimately, I was a little disappointed. The book was readable enough, but it was too much of the same thing. We basically just went through the same steps of THE PLOT, with similar motives, the SAME EXACT CONCEPTS, and it just really didn't present anything new. I felt like this was just repeating the whole plot of... THE PLOT and it just really didn't have its own story in any way. We really didn't learn anything new to add to this story to make it worth writing. There were certainly events that had some shock value, and with what we know of Anna, you know there's going to be something unhinged happening here.
I didn't really feel like this was a good character arc, either. It just really didn't feel satisfying. I guess when someone is a psychopath, you may not end up with a lot of character growth, but there was something a little fun with a Joe Goldberg type vibe. We do dig into some things that were set into motion in book 1 and before that made things interesting, but ultimately, I felt like there was so much more to explore here. I really wanted this book to be its own and it just felt like we were repeating Jacob's story all over again. I found it a little hard to believe that Anna was magically some gifted writer who wrote a book so effortlessly too. I'm a reader and I read tons of books but that doesn't make me a writer. I've tried writing a book and it's wildly hard and it was utter crap. Maybe with proper motivation it's a little easier but for her to just sit down and blurt out a best-selling novel? I supposed some people just have the talent to do it, sure, but something about it didn't feel right here. Like we were just forcing her into this role because it was easier for the plot rather than it being something true to her character.
The ending was fine. We already know Anna's character and sometimes villain stories can be a little anticlimactic when you already know what they're capable of and it isn't a surprise. I don't know. It just should have hit me harder than it did, but I'm sure others have loved it and will love it.
I enjoyed THE PLOT and was really interested in where we went from there, so I didn't wait long to pick up THE SEQUEL. Ultimately, I was a little disappointed. The book was readable enough, but it was too much of the same thing. We basically just went through the same steps of THE PLOT, with similar motives, the SAME EXACT CONCEPTS, and it just really didn't present anything new. I felt like this was just repeating the whole plot of... THE PLOT and it just really didn't have its own story in any way. We really didn't learn anything new to add to this story to make it worth writing. There were certainly events that had some shock value, and with what we know of Anna, you know there's going to be something unhinged happening here.
I didn't really feel like this was a good character arc, either. It just really didn't feel satisfying. I guess when someone is a psychopath, you may not end up with a lot of character growth, but there was something a little fun with a Joe Goldberg type vibe. We do dig into some things that were set into motion in book 1 and before that made things interesting, but ultimately, I felt like there was so much more to explore here. I really wanted this book to be its own and it just felt like we were repeating Jacob's story all over again. I found it a little hard to believe that Anna was magically some gifted writer who wrote a book so effortlessly too. I'm a reader and I read tons of books but that doesn't make me a writer. I've tried writing a book and it's wildly hard and it was utter crap. Maybe with proper motivation it's a little easier but for her to just sit down and blurt out a best-selling novel? I supposed some people just have the talent to do it, sure, but something about it didn't feel right here. Like we were just forcing her into this role because it was easier for the plot rather than it being something true to her character.
The ending was fine. We already know Anna's character and sometimes villain stories can be a little anticlimactic when you already know what they're capable of and it isn't a surprise. I don't know. It just should have hit me harder than it did, but I'm sure others have loved it and will love it.