Elements of Surprise: Our Mental Limits and the Satisfactions of Plot

Tobin, an assistant professor of cognitive science at Case Western Reserve University, addresses the literary “tradition of the well-made surprise” in her academically oriented but appealingly playful book. Her declared intent is to “open the hood” to look at the machinery that drives various kinds of plots, especially but not exclusively those of mystery and thriller novels. To that end, she provides an admirable array of targeted literary citations, including Jane Austen’s Emma and John le Carre’s The Spy Who Came In from the Cold. Tobin also has a knack for dropping in catchy subheads—“The Managed Reveal,” “Finessing Misinformation”—to present some of the book’s more demanding concepts; under “Presumptous Presuppositions” is a discussion of how different grammatical tools can be used to conceal information. Elsewhere, she touches on “twists that turn on trickery” and relates the sense of betrayal one may feel at the revelation of an unreliable or “unhelpful” narrator (as Roland Barthes did at reading one of Agatha Christie’s most popular books). Tobin also provides a demystifying and reassuring explanation of how those people who “always see the surprise coming” manage to do so. Readers who can get past the more esoteric passages will find a charming study of how skillful authors construct plots that are both surprising and, once concluded, seemingly inevitable.[em] (Apr.) [/em]