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Nan
All these people saying that they figured things out so quickly? Maybe some are reading this novel purely as a a whodunit, rather than the story of a man who is tortured by what he's done and an examination of who owns a story...if anyone. That's what made it intriguing for me.
Connie
I figured it out early, but that didn't keep the book from being suspenseful. I loved that there were really three plots - the actual events, Evan's story, and Jake's story. Each took unexpected turns. Clever and creative structure.
Lisa
I'm guessing, given how masterful of a writer she is, that she wanted us to know, but yet wait for a twist that never came. As others have said, the twist was that there was no real twist. I think Jake was a very sympathetic character despite his weaknesses, which made the end especially disturbing. I also thought her change in tone was masterful.
Will Fang
I wondered the same thing. Not only does the book make such a big deal about how shocking and unexpected Jake / Evan's plot is, I heard a few interviews with Korelitz where she seemed to agree with the interviewers' premise that her own plot is equally singular. So I felt somewhat let down.
Stephanie
I too figured it out early on and yet still kept reading as if I were caught up in the same haze as the protagonist despite being told repeatedly that they recycle the same stories. I was holding out for a completely new and different plot twist which sadly never came. In that regard, this was a complete "gotcha" by the author.
Victor Digiovanni
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Arlyne B.
The similarities kept creeping up on me and when I was about 60% into the book, I had strong suspicions. I'm not very astute when it comes to figuring out "who done it," so if I can, then anyone can. My answer to your question is Yes, I do think the author intended the reader to become suspicious early on.
Thanks for your question, Mike.
Thanks for your question, Mike.
Laura Stewart Schmidt
This is not a Whodunit. The Bad Guy is quite obvious. The reader reads on to figure out Whydunit, and if Jake will wise up.
Andrea D
Yes, she must have done it intentionally! She definitely laid several clues although I didn't figure it out until about half-way though. For me it added to the tension knowing who it was and Jake not knowing- my heart was racing at the end waiting for him to figure it out and having some idea what was going to happen.
Gabrielle
I saw it coming miles away. Like, the second Anna mentioned having a tragic past. And I agree with other who pointed out the "stolen" plot is not all that new or different either. It's similar to the swapped identity/murder subplot of "Body Heat" (which overall is a far more interesting story!). And then, the idea about "a story goes looking for an author and you have to grab it" is straight out of Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic", which I assume Korelitz read, as she practically quotes it. Indeed, I hope her reference to Gilbert earlier in the novel (as being the favorite author of two of Jake's female students) is a nod to her, even if Jake takes a somewhat snotty tone when mentioning her. (BTW, Gilbert is also a far more original author than Korelitz!)
Diana
If you'd read a certain book by Marilynne Robinson, it was like a neon sign shining in the middle of the book. I still really enjoyed this, though.
Sketchbook
Of course, the author deliberately lets us know who the blackmailer is! The "knowing" adds to the fun & originality of this week.
Tiffany Reynolds
It probably was intentional. Too coincidental that the texts started right when that character was introduced. I rarely read mysteries and almost never figure out who did it, and even I suspected it.
Lenore Vickrey
I agree with you. I kept hoping for a different ending, but alas.
Liv
I actually assumed no, it wasn't intentional. I guessed it even without certain Iowa-related clue (which I wouldn't have got because I've not read that book), simply because of the structure - that element of the plot was getting too much page space unless it was related. Even if it was intentional then the reveal was really clumsily handled. It became increasingly ridiculous that Jake has no idea. He never even fully gets to realise, because it's all over in about 3 pages. The change in both tone and narrative perspective is really unsatisfying. It might have been salvaged if she'd just allowed 2 more pages for him to actually react. The reader has EARNED a moment of dawning horrified realisation, by putting up with all the obvious twists being presented as 'gotcha' moments and the non-obvious twists being entirely due to the author withholding information (such as the really not that groundbreaking plot of 'Crib', which I ALSO saw coming). I felt cheated.
Kevin Wolcott
I felt there was always the possibility I was wrong.
Ellen
It undermines the whole book for the main character to lack fairly basic knowledge in his own academic field. It's like a biologist unaware of DNA.
Beth
It was pretty obvious to me that Anna was the culprit, and I figured the author wanted me to know it. I kept waiting for Jake to figure it out and try to outwit Anna. Right up the end I was hoping he had something up his sleeve. At least I hoped he would leave an email to his agent or something.
Andrea
(SO MANY SPOILERS) I don't think the author gave readers enough credit, ergo I don't think it was intended. If you're a reader, you know how this will go. I appreciate she tried to leave clues so it wasn't TOO sensational (like, there's a TWIN sensational, puh-lease). She tried too hard to show how "perfect" Anna was which was a huge red flag (other than the tragic, allusive past and gray hair) and then the attempt to throw us off the scent with her reaction to Jake going to Georgia. If she was who I figured she was the whole time, would she be able to react like that? Or "act" like that? It was a nice attempt to throw my half-the-book suspicions off the scent, but not quite enough. You can't try too hard or it will make the reader angry vs. shocked. I think the author did a nice job of demonstrating that Anna/Deanne was a true sociopath in the full sense of the word - dissociated, a top notch actor, narcissistic, highly manipulative and completely without empathy. Still, the motivation for her to go after Jake like that for telling her murder story is a little far-fetched. Did she really think it would play out like that? Why name Even Parker at all? Why not just let your story be out there and take thrill in the fact you got away with it? The most frightening part for me was the interview at the end when she talked about not ever having been a mother and what that must feel like to lose a child (ie Jake's mom). She was truly evil then. Ouch.
Shari
It had to be intentional. At the halfway point I’d figured it out so I assumed the book was meant to be more of a suspense novel than a mystery. I was hoping for a twist at the end and not just the reveal I’d already sussed out.
Carolyn
Being led to suspecting who the blackmailer was did not spoil my enjoying the book, because the full context and the blackmailer's actions weren't revealed until the very end. It got a little confusing keeping the characters in the "Crib" chapters and Bonner's reality straight at one point, but not to the extent of ruining the story.
Jamie Hetherington
I think we were meant to understand it from the get-go; he met her the same day the harassment started up. The entire time we are yelling at him “its Anna!!”. I kept thinking one of the townies would see a pic of Anna on his phone and be like “thats Deanna!” The suspended for me was wondering if he’d figure it out in time
Anne
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Mirkat
I didn't figure it out until shortly before it was revealed. And I don't think I'm an especially dumb/naïve reader.
Jan Boyarin
I didn't catch on until near the end and I found it something of a let down. Something went a bit flat for me at the end. It was a bit too "Gone-Girlish."
Karen
It was so obvious that I was looking for a twist at the end to prove me wrong and was disappointed when there wasn't one. I liked the book, though.
Manjira Chakrabarti
Yes absolutely. I think the author intended the twist to be obvious but readers will continue reading to see how it ends. I loved the book
Erin
Same. I actually wrote a note on my tablet while reading recording my prediction, which was correct. I continued reading it because I did find it enjoyable. I'm glad I'm not alone in figuring out everything. I seldom figure out twists.
Katherine
I figured it out earlier, also. And I read a lot of mysteries and rarely do. I was kind of relieved, because the book was such a nailbiter. It was nice to get that out-of-the-way. But I don’t think the author intended us to figure it out. There were two twists along the way that were kind of obvious before they happened. The final one, obviously, and the earlier one that led to the final one.
Lormac
Agreed. I was going to say in my review, that if you do not know what is going on by the time you are one-third through the book, you are just not thinking carefully. I mean this is a book with very few characters, but then I realized that would give it away.
Emily
That is what I kept wondering--is it a subtle critique of the characters' egos (both KJake and Evan's), or is it just highly predictable?
Cynthia
I absolutely agree! I caught on around page 100 but still enjoyed it.
Dan
You really want to keep readers off-balance at as many points as possible for as long as possible. It was hard to stay invested in what is otherwise a clever book when a key bit is so glaringly obvious, and the author makes no real effort to throw anyone off the scent with regard to the villain. The Plot may be a good thriller, but it doesn't work as an homage to Columbo, nor should it try.
Greg
Mike, yes, I think the author did indeed intend the 'big reveal' to be obvious. Because it was so obvious. Thus, the real twist for me, when I turned the final page, was 'what was the author's REAL plot'?
Susan
I guessed "the bad guy" but could not figure out their motivation until the other twist in the story was revealed, at which point it all came together, but that was in the last third of the book, so okay by me.
Lorie
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Susan
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Ellen
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