Et cetera : What We're Reading: The Plot

I apologize in advance, but the plot thickened in 'The Plot' by Jean Hanff Korelitz! Jacob Finch Bonner is teaching in a lackluster MFA program after once being a young novelist with a future ahead of him but you're only as good as your next novel and his last novel was an utter flop.

Enter: quiet desperation.

Bonner ultimately finds himself in a morally questionable position where he decides you can't "steal" a plot from another writer if they haven't actually written the story. Is an idea up for grabs if not claimed? The novel seems to darkly take aim at plagiarism: exploring the idea that every work of art is some form of plagiarism eventually.

I've read a few books now where a story/plot/entire manuscript has been stolen but this novel took a new turn with this concept, and I thoroughly enjoyed the deadly twist ending Korelitz conjured up. I also will not be stealing anyone's ideas any time soon.

With a 3.82 on Goodreads.com, I recommend this mystery thriller. I'm also looking forward to the follow-up novel out this Fall titled 'The Sequel.' (hahaha!)

~Heather, Circulation Manager