Jacob Finch Bonner, known as Jake, aspires to be a well-known writer; he once was, with a promising future ahead of him, but after the success of his first novel he has been unable to repeat that success with his subsequent works. Relegated to the sidelines, Jake works in an MFA program teaching writing, where he meets Evan Parker and hears about a story idea that really sticks with him. In fact, this plot makes such an impression on him that when he discovers his former student has died, Jake decides that this story needs to be told and that he is just the person to tell it, but just as Jake is starting to enjoy the recognition and accolades that come with the success of this novel, Crib, he receives an ominous email from someone that goes by TalentedTom. “You are a thief,” it says, but who could possibly know that, and how far is this person willing to go to expose Jake to the world?
The Plot has one of the most jaw-dropping endings I think I have ever read. I wasn't very surprised by who TalentedTom was--I had my suspicions for some time--but the final event absolutely blew me away with its unexpectedness. It is an enjoyable novel, although it did not keep me on the edge of my seat like I had hoped it would. There were times when it just seemed so slow and somewhat uneventful as I waited for something to happen. I really like how Korelitz chose to tell the story, inserting portions of Crib into the narrative of The Plot, as well as the way she makes the reader wait to find out what the big event is in Crib that everyone is talking about. I also really like the double meaning of the title of The Plot; brillant! Jake was an interesting, sympathetic character; I found myself rooting for him while also disagreeing with his theft of Parker’s plot.
If you want a novel that will blow you away with its ending, I recommend The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.
The Plot has one of the most jaw-dropping endings I think I have ever read. I wasn't very surprised by who TalentedTom was--I had my suspicions for some time--but the final event absolutely blew me away with its unexpectedness. It is an enjoyable novel, although it did not keep me on the edge of my seat like I had hoped it would. There were times when it just seemed so slow and somewhat uneventful as I waited for something to happen. I really like how Korelitz chose to tell the story, inserting portions of Crib into the narrative of The Plot, as well as the way she makes the reader wait to find out what the big event is in Crib that everyone is talking about. I also really like the double meaning of the title of The Plot; brillant! Jake was an interesting, sympathetic character; I found myself rooting for him while also disagreeing with his theft of Parker’s plot.
If you want a novel that will blow you away with its ending, I recommend The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz.