A review by davinmotion
The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz

dark mysterious reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I enjoyed this overall- it was a quick and fun read. The discussion about plagiarism that this book stirs up, whether you read it on your own or with a group of people, is very insightful. There’s no “right” answer and it brings to mind, for me, the controversy with art and AI. Plagiarism and what falls under its umbrella will continue to be debated for years to come, so it’ll never not be present. This book also though, really tries to sell you that the plot Jake may or may not have plagiarized is a brand new literary device. The build up to it is so great you’re nearly furious to know what it is, so that when you finally hear it…you’ll have opinions. I admire what this author did and how they pieced together this story, but I think I’ll always prefer Stephen King’s novella with the same question of plagiarism since I prefer the character of Morton Rainey more. That said, I still think the story that Jean Hanff Korelitz spins is worth the read if you want a fun and fast mystery.  

Also, the passing reference to Josh Kilmer-Purcell and his husband was not lost on me and was incredibly unexpected. I highly recommend his books if you haven’t already, for his voice is a unique look into a life many of us have likely never experienced firsthand, and his humor despite some of the circumstances he finds himself in, is fantastic. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Drug abuse

Moderate: Stalking

Minor: Adult/minor relationship, Pregnancy, Murder, and Death of parent

I think “Anna” is supposed to feel like a more mature manic pixie girl in her introduction, but I found her suspicious fairly quickly. I really wonder if we were intended to pick up that something was off about her and consistently question her arrival as the story progressed, or if we were to focus on instead on Talented Tom being Martin or someone we were yet to meet. This is the weakest part for me, as well as the question of plagiarism in the first place, since some in my book club felt he never plagiarized at all. So to people that see little wrong in taking Evan’s plot, the whole novel becomes more of a character study of Jake and why he is so distraught, which loses some of the appeal.