A Good Plot Ruined by Poor Writing

A story so good you can't help but steal it. Jacob Bonner was once a promising young novelist, but now he's a down-on-his-luck professor struggling with writer's block. When one of his students dies, Jake decides to use that student's sure-fire plot. Yet, with success comes threatening messages that make Jake realize he got in deeper than he ever intended.

Korelitz's book hinges on the premise that with a plot so good, anyone can write it. Yet, I've found the opposite to be true. Good writers can make watching paint dry interesting whereas poor writers can screw up even the best of stories. Sadly, The Plot falls more into the latter end of the spectrum.

The entire book consists of the protagonist worrying about his guilty conscience. With no red herrings and a tiny cast of characters, the ending was obvious from the beginning. Or rather the middle since the story developed so slowly. I kept wanting to read Jake's sure-fire story from the book rather than the book I was actually reading. 

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Celadon Books. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.