The Plot

Crib. Good fiction can lead readers to reflect about human nature and help us appreciate the complexity of people just like us. In her novel titled, The Plot, Jean Hanff Korelitz presents protagonist Jacob Finch Bonner, a young writer whose career trajectory has plunged after showing initial promise. While teaching creative writing in a bottom tier program, a student tells Jacob the plot of a planned novel that Jacob sees could be a real unicorn: an untrod story that would sell plenty of books. After he learns of the student’s death, Jacob decides to crib the student’s plot idea and use it for a novel of his own. Korelitz satirizes the publishing business with skill, and captures the anxiety faced by many writers who try to get their works published. Fans of literary fiction and observers of the publishing world are likely to enjoy that part of the novel. The intricate construction of this novel will also thrill those readers who appreciate such things. She also presents a thriller, and fans of those novels will likely find her efforts too predictable to be satisfying, but nonetheless a page turner. I, for one, was ready for several different final twists at the end of the novel, and closed the book wishing she pursued at least one of them. Fans of psychological fiction will reflect on several characters and how they responded to the challenges of their lives. There’s a great story at the core of this novel, and that is likely to sell a lot of books to be appreciated by different types of readers. Rating: Five-star (I love it) Click here to purchase The Plot from amazon.com.