Book Review: The Last Anniversary

The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

I always turn to Liane Moriarty when I want to read something I know I’ll like. As usual, this novel had great characters, a fast-moving plot, and some mysteries to keep me engaged. It’s romantic without being overly romantic, and it’s mostly lighthearted, without violence. The setting is a charming little island off the coast of Sydney called Squiggly Gum, which, sadly, is not a real place.

You can read a synopsis of the plot from any of the other reviews. Suffice it to say it revolves around a charming woman named Sophie, who inherited a house on Squiggly Gum from the great aunt of a man she was once engaged to. I love the way Moriarty introduced the past relationship between Sophie and Tom and told the story of their failed engagement in a way that set good microtensions and also made both parties sympathetic and likeable. Sophie is spoiled but not rotten, and I genuinely wanted her to succeed.

Grace is beautiful and sad but not in a self-aware and tragic kind of way. She resents herself for feeling depressed, which I think will ring true with any readers who have also been through postpartum depression. Her story is the most tragic in that she needs help but doesn’t want it, and her friends want to help but don’t know help is needed. I felt bad for her husband and the way she was treating him, but also could see her deep love for him underneath her constant irritation.

I figured out the mystery of the Monroe baby pretty quickly on, but I’m going to chalk that up to me being terribly clever because doing so puts both me and Moriarty in the best possible light. I feel that Connie and Rose were well drawn sisters, and both felt real to me. The scene when they’re at Connie’s funeral and Rose realizes she’s saving up interesting bits to tell Connie later on made me tear up a bit.

This was an entertaining novel, charming and fun. It wasn’t as tense or as dark as her other ones, but it was still quite good.




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