22 -- A Plot Similar To Another Book

[Lindsey]

22. A Plot Similar To Another Book

The next two prompts are closely tied together. For this first one, we want you to pick a book that has a plot similar to another book.

This is another prompt that is open to broad interpretation. It’s up to you how similar the books should be or what those similarities are. Maybe they’re very similar on the surface level, but the style and details within are vastly different. It may be a retelling or spin-off of a popular myth or fairytale, or a case in which one author accuses another of plagiarism.

The books may have similar covers, titles, or genre – or they may be completely different. It may even be two books by the same author. The comparison between books may also be made by the publisher, “For fans of…” or “If you liked _____, you’ll love this!”

Books often have similar themes, tropes, and storytelling methods. How specific you want to get for this prompt is up to you! As always, if you think a book fits the prompt – it does!


Click here for our Goodreads List of suggestions

Also, when viewed in the Website (not the app) you can add comments/reasons mentioning the other similar book to each title you add or vote for. These can be viewed by clicking on "1 person voted" or "3 people voted" etc.

[Nicole Brown]

I'm planning on Reading Daisy Darker by Alice Feeny. It's got a similar plot to Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None.

[Steph]

I've wanted to read Maeve Fly. This will certainly be one of my darker reads, but I think I will find another slasher horror book. (To be honest, most of my 52 books will likely be horror, thriller, or gothic in nature.) I think it could be fun to look at how different authors approach similar tropes.

Edit: I will likely go with Sister, Maiden, Monster as the pairing. Neither book is an adaptation of the other, but they have enough similarities that it gives me an excuse to plan on reading both of these books in the upcoming year :)

[Lianne]

I may go for two books by the same author! Robin McKinley wrote two novels based on the Beauty and the Beast story, Beauty and Rose Daughter). I ready Beauty many *many* years ago, so maybe I'll read both next year

[Michelle]

Lindsey wrote: "I'm planning on reading Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher, it's a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre"

Thanks for the suggestion! I have Escaping Mr. Rochester on my TBR list, so I might go with these two.... Or find two Persephone/Hades Retellings. I've always had a weak spot for that story. Read two this years, should be able to find more.

[Aquaria]

The Goodreads list doesn't make it clear what books are related to each other. V. difficult to know what options we have for this prompt and the next one.

I knew Giver of Stars(boo hiss) was the "similar" (putting it mildly) book to Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek, but the list has them several selections apart. So that means we don't always know what the 'pairs' are supposed to be with less familiar entries.

There's a way to construct the list so that the pairings match up.

[Steven and Jessica Stewart]

The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn

[Barbara]

I plan to read Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano. I will reread Little Women by Louisa May Alcott for the other prompt.

[Aquaria]

Oh--and I'll go total classics and read the Jack London pairings of White Fang and Call of the Wild.

[Lindsey]

Aquaria wrote: "The Goodreads list doesn't make it clear what books are related to each other. V. difficult to know what options we have for this prompt and the next one.

I knew Giver of Stars(boo hiss) was the "..."

Unfortunately there's nothing we can do to make it super clear, but as mentioned above if you view the list in the Website, not the App, most titles will have a comment listing the other similar book if you click on the "1 person voted" button beside each.

[Natasha]

Lindsey wrote: "I'm planning on reading Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher, it's a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre"

I will also follow the Jane Eyre route, but will read Mr. Rochester by Sarah Shoemaker instead. :)

[Shoshanah]

One For My Enemy by Olivie Blake is a Romeo & Juliet retelling

[Lianne]

A suggestion for others would be The Decagon House Murders by Yukito Ayatsuji, which is inspired by And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie

[Mia]

Demon Copperhead - Barbara Kingsolver

[Shonna]

Mia wrote: "Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver"

That's a great idea Mia! I think I will read this and David Copperfield too. I haven't read the Dickens book, and recently got Demon Copperfield as a gift. I had already decided I should read the Dickens one first anyway.

[Alyssa]

I see The Secret History on this list, but it doesn't say what it is related to when you click on who voted. Does anyone know what its pair is? Thanks!

[Gaby]

Alyssa wrote: "I see The Secret History on this list, but it doesn't say what it is related to when you click on who voted. Does anyone know what its pair is? Thanks!"

I feel like you could pair TSH with some of the modern Dark Academia books. While it has its own differences, If We Were Villains has a similar, start from the end whodunit structure with an ensemble cast of messed up people who are deeply committed to a particular academic pursuit (in their case, Shakespeare). I'm less familiar with These Violent Delights by Micah Nemerever, but that one is another popular book that often gets put in the dark academia category.

[Tanu]

I am thinking of doing Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and would appreciate it if someone could suggest a plot similar to that one. Cheers all.

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Aquaria wrote: "The Goodreads list doesn't make it clear what books are related to each other. V. difficult to know what options we have for this prompt and the next one.

I knew Giver of Stars(boo hiss) was the "..."

Agreed, I paused on planning this one as I have to figure it out between the two> Have the Book lovers to read on one list and will try to find the corresponding match on the second list, I think

[Erin *Proud Book Hoarder*]

Tanu wrote: "I am thinking of doing Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty and would appreciate it if someone could suggest a plot similar to that one. Cheers all."

That's an excellent book - I want to read more of that author as well. I would look for anything that involves new found friend support, friendship secrets, hidden abuse, or a murder secret kept amongst a group of people.

[Denise]

I am going to pair two sets of baseball essays:
1. The Only Way Is the Steady Way and .....

[Michele]

I think I'm going to read The Wartime Matchmakers by Lauren Smith, which is a book "based on true events," then read the non-fiction book about the events it's based on.

[Jenny Barnard]

I found this quite a tricky category, but I think I'm going to read Chloe Gong's 'These Violent Delights' paired with 'One for my Enemy' for two retellings, or 'Romeo & Juliet itself.

[Annie]

Kristen Hannah’s The Four Winds and Olivia Hawker’s October in the Earth. Great Depression both on the Historical Fiction spectrum.

[Kari]

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han is similar to The Kissing Booth by Beth Reekles and Every Summer After by Carley Fortune and Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren

[Carla]

I will re-read Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver since it was such an enjoyable book and I’ve wanted to read David Copperfield forever.

[Emma]

The Women of Troy (followed by The Iliad)

[Liana]

I plan on reading Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi and Mickey 7 by Edward Ashton because they are both sci fi and have creatures indigenous to the planets the characters are on.

[April]

My book choices are The Return by Nicholas Sparks and then The Lucky One by Nicholas Sparks for the other prompt.

[Sam]

I’m going to be reading Deadly Education by Naomi Novik and my similar plot is Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros.

[KC]

If you are a romance reader the books Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren and Every Summer After are very similar plots

[Lisa Marie]

I will be reading The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes which has a similar plot to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michele Richardson

[Paula]

Does a retelling of the same story count? If I read Pride and Prejudice and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, would that count?

[Lindsey]

Paula wrote: "Does a retelling of the same story count? If I read Pride and Prejudice and Pride, Prejudice, and Other Flavors, would that count?"

Absolutely! I'm going to read 2 retellings of Jane Eyre

[Zeljka]

I might go with something light - like 2 different books about book clubs, or about bookshops. This shouldn't be hard to find. First coming to my mind are The Little Paris Bookshop and Out of the Easy

[Molly]

Hag-seed - Margaret Attwood and The Tempest

[Celina]

For this prompt, I'll be reading Same Time Next Year on KU. The other book will be Meet Me at the Lake.

[Shauna]

Any of the books in the Hogarth Shakespeare series would work! https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/se...

[Michele]

Michele wrote: "I think I'm going to read The Wartime Matchmakers by Lauren Smith, which is a book "based on true events," then read the non-fiction book about the events it's base..."

This book can also be used for: Non-chronological order (the prologue takes place a couple of years before the main story starts), includes a wedding (they're matchmakers, for Heaven's sake), chapter headings are dates, and 40 or more chapters.
I was recommending this book before I finished it, and it made me happy cry at the end.

[Lori]

I finished Anne of Green Gables and will read Pollyanna as they are both about little orphan girls.

[Kara]

Marmee, story of Little Women from her viewpoint.

[Tyler]

According to hasty Reddit research, “The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo” by Taylor Jenkins Reid and “The Thirteenth Tale” by Diane Setterfield have similar plots, in that two end-of-life interviews are being given by interesting old women. So let’s go with that.

[Niki Likes]

I read Bridge to Terabithia for this prompt. I’ll be doing My Girl for the one that is similar.

[Sasha]

I'll be reading The Giver of Stars. After reading the reviews, it was suggested this was similar to another book :)

[Denise]

Sasha wrote: "I'll be reading The Giver of Stars. After reading the reviews, it was suggested this was similar to another book :)"

Yes it is similar to The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek....but imo The Giver of Stars is Better. Enjoy

[Heather]

I have decided to go with The Hacienda and Rebecca as they are both about young second wives coming to their new rich husband's creepy house and being terrorized by the "ghosts" of their predecessors. Both also include grumpy female inhabitants/servants of the property.

[CiCi]

Without Merit by Colleen Hoover

[Lucilla]

Michelle wrote: "Lindsey wrote: "I'm planning on reading Salt & Broom by Sharon Lynn Fisher, it's a witchy retelling of Jane Eyre"

Thanks for the suggestion! I have [..."

If you want suggestions, Destroyer of Light by Jennifer Marie Brissett was an amazing retelling of the Persephone/Hades myth.

[Lucilla]

I read Wake, Siren: Ovid Resung by Nina McLaughlin, a retelling of Ovid's Metamorphoses. I didn't like it, but am looking forward to reading Stephanie McCarter's translation of Metamorphoses.

[Devika]

I read See You Yesterday and The Do Over for these challenges. They are both romances with time loops.

The Do-Over is definitely lighter than See You Yesterday which does touch upon some more serious topics. I enjoyed both books, but The Do Over slightly more.