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The Last Anniversary
Sophie Honeywell always wondered if Thomas Gordon was the one she let get away. He was the perfect boyfriend, but on the day he was to propose, she broke his heart. A year later he married his travel agent, while Sophie has been mortifyingly single ever since. Now Thomas is back in her life because Sophie has unexpectedly inherited his aunt Connie's house on Scribbly Gum Island -- home of the famously unsolved MunroBabymystery.
Sophie moves onto the island and begins a new life as part of an unconventional family where it seems everyone has a secret. Grace, a beautiful young mother, is feverishly planning a shocking escape from her perfect life. Margie, a frumpy housewife, has made a pact with a stranger, while dreamy Aunt Rose wonders if maybe it's about time she started making her own decisions.
As Sophie's life becomes increasingly complicated, she discovers that sometimes you have to stop waiting around -- and come up with your own fairy-tale ending.
As she so adroitly did in her smashing debut novel, Three Wishes, the incomparable Liane Moriarty once again combines sharp wit, lovable and eccentric characters, and a page-turning story for an unforgettable Last Anniversary.
402 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2006
About the author
Liane Moriarty
41 books68.2k followersLiane Moriarty is the author of the #1 New York Times bestsellers Big Little Lies, The Husband’s Secret, and Truly Madly Guilty; the New York Times bestsellers Apples Never Fall, Nine Perfect Strangers, What Alice Forgot, and The Last Anniversary; The Hypnotist’s Love Story; and Three Wishes. She lives in Sydney, Australia, with her husband and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 9,287 reviews
December 10, 2012
I actually feel jealous of all the people who still have all of Liane Moriarty's books to read, when I'm going to have to wait for her next one to come out.
While this isn't my favorite of her books I did really like it and feel she is an incredibly talented author. Maybe her books won't win Pulitzers or whatever, but her characters have so much detail and depth that it is sheer pleasure to know them through the books.
Sophie broke up with Thomas a few years ago, right before he was about to propose. She broke his heart. She wonders if she has made a mistake, as she is still single and childless and is approaching 40 like a steam engine - full speed ahead. Thomas' family are considered somewhat of a celebrity family in Australia, as Thomas' grandmother? great aunt? can't remember - found and adopted the Munro baby, daughter of Alice and Jack Munro who mysteriously disappeared one day, leaving a cooling marble cake and a half-finished crossword puzzle, along with a newborn baby. Connie passes away, and shockingly leaves her house to Sophie. Along the way, Sophie will discover the truth about the Munro baby, fall in love, meet old friends and make new, and will still hate the fact that she has a blushing disorder.
Sophie is the main character but one of my favorite characters in this book is Margie, Thomas' Mom. Margie is a overweight, motherly type, whose husband Ron is always making fun of her and treating her as if she's a lesser person. Margie starts going to Weight Watchers and begins losing weight, beginning a new adventure with surprising discoveries about herself and Ron along the way. We get narration from nearly all of the characters - Ron, Enigma, Rose, Sophie, Callum, Grace - I thought all the characters worked well together and I loved the tight-knit family vibe while still having issues as all families do. Sophie fits right in and is loved by all.
Now to wait until Moriarty's next book comes out :)
While this isn't my favorite of her books I did really like it and feel she is an incredibly talented author. Maybe her books won't win Pulitzers or whatever, but her characters have so much detail and depth that it is sheer pleasure to know them through the books.
Sophie broke up with Thomas a few years ago, right before he was about to propose. She broke his heart. She wonders if she has made a mistake, as she is still single and childless and is approaching 40 like a steam engine - full speed ahead. Thomas' family are considered somewhat of a celebrity family in Australia, as Thomas' grandmother? great aunt? can't remember - found and adopted the Munro baby, daughter of Alice and Jack Munro who mysteriously disappeared one day, leaving a cooling marble cake and a half-finished crossword puzzle, along with a newborn baby. Connie passes away, and shockingly leaves her house to Sophie. Along the way, Sophie will discover the truth about the Munro baby, fall in love, meet old friends and make new, and will still hate the fact that she has a blushing disorder.
Sophie is the main character but one of my favorite characters in this book is Margie, Thomas' Mom. Margie is a overweight, motherly type, whose husband Ron is always making fun of her and treating her as if she's a lesser person. Margie starts going to Weight Watchers and begins losing weight, beginning a new adventure with surprising discoveries about herself and Ron along the way. We get narration from nearly all of the characters - Ron, Enigma, Rose, Sophie, Callum, Grace - I thought all the characters worked well together and I loved the tight-knit family vibe while still having issues as all families do. Sophie fits right in and is loved by all.
Now to wait until Moriarty's next book comes out :)
January 6, 2016
Not my favorite Liane Moriarty read by any means, but an interesting mystery just the same.
So.........What happened to Jack and Alice Munro? Well, you'll have to read through "several" family related side "stories" to find out. For me, it just took too long to get to the meat of the MUNRO BABY MYSTERY, and Sophie's "story" in particular, turned out to be rather a disappointment.
I did like Margie and the outcome of her "story" but the very best part of the whole book (IMHO) was when Rose told the Mr. Egghead "story" uncovering the BREADBOARD MURDER MYSTERY. Way to go Rose!
Overall, am sorry to say, this multi-"storied" novel turned out to be a bit of a tedious read, but I do so love this author and look forward to reading more of her work.
November 29, 2018
This woman tells a wicked story. This is Liane Moriarty's second book, and I have read most of them, and all out of order as well. Her first two are just as good as the rest in my opinion!
As always I love the Aussie references throughout, it's all gold. This setting, not too far from where I live, seems like a little slice of heaven. The storyline asks us to suspend belief a little, but it's easy to do so as it's just so heart warming! The characters are self deprecating and loveable, and of course, very charmingly Aussie!
Contemporary issues here are important ones, post natal depression, 'late' motherhood and the tick tock of the clock, stale marriages and women's insecurities. These stories tie in with realness and nuances captured with each situation. Grace is a character that was portrayed with an honesty that was very clear and real, the author captured this struggle eloquently. This topic of PND and the struggle for a mum to bond with her mum is shied away from sometimes, but not here at all.
A cosy family mystery has become local folk lore after a new born is left by a young couple, abandoned in their house, with a cake cooling on the table, blood stains and mysterious facts abound. The gorgeous mostly female members of this family are the only residents on this little island of Scribbly Gum.
Eva Cassidy is mentioned in this book, so I have to say Liane you are amazing! Also, and so not important al all, but these are the things I love.. who knew the plural of beau was beaux?!
Worldwide fame has found this author, deservedly so. Love that her first works are as good as her new.
As always I love the Aussie references throughout, it's all gold. This setting, not too far from where I live, seems like a little slice of heaven. The storyline asks us to suspend belief a little, but it's easy to do so as it's just so heart warming! The characters are self deprecating and loveable, and of course, very charmingly Aussie!
Contemporary issues here are important ones, post natal depression, 'late' motherhood and the tick tock of the clock, stale marriages and women's insecurities. These stories tie in with realness and nuances captured with each situation. Grace is a character that was portrayed with an honesty that was very clear and real, the author captured this struggle eloquently. This topic of PND and the struggle for a mum to bond with her mum is shied away from sometimes, but not here at all.
A cosy family mystery has become local folk lore after a new born is left by a young couple, abandoned in their house, with a cake cooling on the table, blood stains and mysterious facts abound. The gorgeous mostly female members of this family are the only residents on this little island of Scribbly Gum.
Eva Cassidy is mentioned in this book, so I have to say Liane you are amazing! Also, and so not important al all, but these are the things I love.. who knew the plural of beau was beaux?!
Worldwide fame has found this author, deservedly so. Love that her first works are as good as her new.
June 29, 2021
Als Familienoberhaupt leitete die 91-jährige Connie die Geschicke ihrer Familie. Nun ist Connie verstorben, und die Familie sinniert über ein Leben ohne die energische alte Dame.
Sophie (39) hofft immer noch auf die große Liebe. Warum hat sie nur vor Jahren Connies Neffen Thomas vor dem Traualtar stehen lassen?
Die schöne Grace scheint das Glück schon gefunden zu haben, aber etwas quält sie, das sie niemandem anvertrauen kann.
Margie (Mitte 50) schließt einen seltsamen Pakt mit einem Fremden.
Und Rose geht plötzlich eigene Wege, nachdem ihre Schwester Connie nicht mehr bestimmt, wo es langgeht...
**
Dieses Buch erzählt die Geschichte von ganz unterschiedlichen Charakteren. Sie alle leben auf einer kleinen australischen Insel und sind alle irgendwie miteinander verwandt. Und ein großes Geheimnis umgibt ihr Leben...
Im Großen und Ganzen ganz nett geschriebener Roman, bei dem mir aber das gewisse Etwas gefehlt hat. Die Geschichte bzw. die Charaktere haben mich nicht wirklich berühren können.
Trotzdem eine gute und unterhaltsame Lektüre.
Sophie (39) hofft immer noch auf die große Liebe. Warum hat sie nur vor Jahren Connies Neffen Thomas vor dem Traualtar stehen lassen?
Die schöne Grace scheint das Glück schon gefunden zu haben, aber etwas quält sie, das sie niemandem anvertrauen kann.
Margie (Mitte 50) schließt einen seltsamen Pakt mit einem Fremden.
Und Rose geht plötzlich eigene Wege, nachdem ihre Schwester Connie nicht mehr bestimmt, wo es langgeht...
**
Dieses Buch erzählt die Geschichte von ganz unterschiedlichen Charakteren. Sie alle leben auf einer kleinen australischen Insel und sind alle irgendwie miteinander verwandt. Und ein großes Geheimnis umgibt ihr Leben...
Im Großen und Ganzen ganz nett geschriebener Roman, bei dem mir aber das gewisse Etwas gefehlt hat. Die Geschichte bzw. die Charaktere haben mich nicht wirklich berühren können.
Trotzdem eine gute und unterhaltsame Lektüre.
December 14, 2022
I liked Little Lies so much I’ve been working my way back through the author’s back catalogue. This is one of her early works and it’s easy to see that by the time she got around to writing LL she’d honed her craft and worked out how to extract the best from her particular way of telling a story. That’s not to suggest that this book doesn't have any merit – it does – but I do think it lacks the polish of her later work.
Here we are introduced to a large group of characters who have some link (largely familial) to two sisters who grew up on a small privately owned island close to Sydney. The sisters became local celebrities after finding an unattended baby in one of the homes on the island. The parents were missing, never to be found. Many years later one of the sisters has died and this is the point we pick up the tale. Except that’s not quite how Moriarty shapes her stories. I’ve learnt that we tend to start close to the end, with a mystery to be resolved, and then delve back into the past before working our way forward to the final solution.
The main plot line is actually a bit thin here. The mystery of the baby and the circumstances surrounding its discovery is an ever present and is only resolved quite late on – but there are signals throughout and I’d expect most readers will have worked it all out well before then. What kept me interested were the sub-plots involving the wider cast. Grace is beautiful but depressed, a mother who can’t quite bring herself to like (let alone love) her new baby; Veronika is aggressive and mixed up and decidedly unhappy with the terms of the will left by the recently deceased sister; Sophie is attractive and career successful but lacking a man in her life and keenly wanting to settle down and have babies. And there’s loads more. If all this sounds a bit chic-lit, well that’s because it is… a bit. And chic-lit is not my thing. But what saves it for me is the darker undertones that always inhabit Moriarty's books. She has a great way of delving into the underbelly of life and drawing out some of the more unpleasant characteristics of her players. The tensions we’ve all experienced in life and particularly in family interactions are here, writ large. Consequently, the individual, smaller, stories are much more interesting than the ‘big’ mystery.
It’s an entertaining yarn and I really enjoyed elements of it. The downsides for me were that it was too long and drawn out, particularly towards the end - I think it could have been wrapped up in about two thirds the length. Also, although most of the female characters were very well drawn this couldn’t really be said of the male participants who mostly seemed to be archetypal Aussie blokes who, with one exception, had few redeeming features.
Overall it’s a decent story with a good dose of humour and enough tension to keep it all rattling along. I’ll certainly be looking out for her next offering.
Here we are introduced to a large group of characters who have some link (largely familial) to two sisters who grew up on a small privately owned island close to Sydney. The sisters became local celebrities after finding an unattended baby in one of the homes on the island. The parents were missing, never to be found. Many years later one of the sisters has died and this is the point we pick up the tale. Except that’s not quite how Moriarty shapes her stories. I’ve learnt that we tend to start close to the end, with a mystery to be resolved, and then delve back into the past before working our way forward to the final solution.
The main plot line is actually a bit thin here. The mystery of the baby and the circumstances surrounding its discovery is an ever present and is only resolved quite late on – but there are signals throughout and I’d expect most readers will have worked it all out well before then. What kept me interested were the sub-plots involving the wider cast. Grace is beautiful but depressed, a mother who can’t quite bring herself to like (let alone love) her new baby; Veronika is aggressive and mixed up and decidedly unhappy with the terms of the will left by the recently deceased sister; Sophie is attractive and career successful but lacking a man in her life and keenly wanting to settle down and have babies. And there’s loads more. If all this sounds a bit chic-lit, well that’s because it is… a bit. And chic-lit is not my thing. But what saves it for me is the darker undertones that always inhabit Moriarty's books. She has a great way of delving into the underbelly of life and drawing out some of the more unpleasant characteristics of her players. The tensions we’ve all experienced in life and particularly in family interactions are here, writ large. Consequently, the individual, smaller, stories are much more interesting than the ‘big’ mystery.
It’s an entertaining yarn and I really enjoyed elements of it. The downsides for me were that it was too long and drawn out, particularly towards the end - I think it could have been wrapped up in about two thirds the length. Also, although most of the female characters were very well drawn this couldn’t really be said of the male participants who mostly seemed to be archetypal Aussie blokes who, with one exception, had few redeeming features.
Overall it’s a decent story with a good dose of humour and enough tension to keep it all rattling along. I’ll certainly be looking out for her next offering.
March 23, 2021
This was not as good as other books I’ve read from this author. There are lots of different POV, scandalous mysteries, etc. all that you’d expect (if you’ve read any of her books). 😉 But this one felt a bit flat to me. 😬 It’s not a bad read, but didn’t wow me... 🤷🏼♀️
August 18, 2010
I gave up. Life is too short, and I was too bored.
September 7, 2024
Far to slow for my liking. Probably my least favourite from the author. 2.5 rounded up.
June 21, 2012
After I went crazy about Liane Moriarty's "What Alice Forgot" last month, I ordered another of her books, "The Last Anniversary." What a disappointment! I will agree with the book jacket's assessment, "her characters are eccentric." To say the least. They're actually downright weird. And quite perverse, in some cases. The storyline completely collapses and toward the end of the book you feel very frustrated that you wasted the time to read it. Do NOT bother with this one. I may have overstated my praise for "What Alice Forgot" when I compare it to books like "Ahab's Wife" for example, but let me just say that based on this experience, if you're going to read Liane Moriarty, read "What Alice Forgot" and check out the others at your own risk.
February 15, 2017
Give Liane Moriarty her due. Nobody can introduce a story quite like her. Immediate, smart, funny, upbeat, energetic. Throw in the characters one by one and soon the reader is on a fast boat to an exciting thrill.
Sophie Honeywell: terrifyingly thirty-nine years old, mortifyingly single; blessed with a disorder called ‘Idiopathic Craniofacial Erythema’, or ‘severe facial blushing'.
Thomas Gordon: her ex-boyfriend; Their break-up was spectacularly bad; he is part of an eccentric family living on Scribbly Gum Island, where everyone hid a secret of their own.
It all started in 1882, when the great grandfather won the island in a cricket bet. For the first time since the game became popular, Australia beat the English on English turf. Nobody ever expected that to happen. Hence it became the family's property ever since. It would also become the place where two of the descendants, Connie and Rose Doughty, would cook up the mystery of the Munro Baby, in 1932, which for the next seventy three years would make them secretly independent, well-to-do women with good husbands. Well, sort of. Jimmy Thrum wrote the scoop which introduced the Munro Baby Mystery to the world; Callum Tidyman whistled Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 2 to baby Jake, Ron Gordon discovered the secret behind listening to his wife for the very first time. But despite it all, their involvement in the family did not guarantee them happiness as they thought it should be.
When Connie passes away, a surprising inheritance brings Sophie back to the island, against the wishes of Thomas's sister, who despised Sophie for what she did to Thomas the night he proposed, four years earlier.
As the drama unfolds, with Connie ruling from the grave; Grace suffering from postnatal depression; grandma Rose becoming slightly forgetful, especially when at the age of eighty eight years old she constantly forgets to keep a secret; Margie Gordon is losing more than two stones of weight while attending Weight Watchers meetings and spreading her wings at the age of fifty five; Veronika the blabbermouth goes through a relationship metamorphosis; and the men on the island become mere shadows of the female rulers, Sophie learns how to make her own fairy tale happen, the night of the last anniversary. Connie always maintained that love was not a feeling, it was a decision.
Once again a family entertain and capture the reader's attention the Moriarty style. Never a dull moment. And everybody is eccentric but good. And once again I feel like closing a book on a likable group of people I would rather be part of forever. I would love to enjoy their conversations while they dish up Thomas's marzipan tart; or Margie's almond cake; or Sophie's coffee and walnut liqueur cake, or the most famous of all, Connie's marble cake. For each of the cakes, a recipe was needed, but a different story was baked into it. The marble cake had the most important story to tell!
A relaxing, feel-good, wonderful read!
Sophie Honeywell: terrifyingly thirty-nine years old, mortifyingly single; blessed with a disorder called ‘Idiopathic Craniofacial Erythema’, or ‘severe facial blushing'.
Thomas Gordon: her ex-boyfriend; Their break-up was spectacularly bad; he is part of an eccentric family living on Scribbly Gum Island, where everyone hid a secret of their own.
It all started in 1882, when the great grandfather won the island in a cricket bet. For the first time since the game became popular, Australia beat the English on English turf. Nobody ever expected that to happen. Hence it became the family's property ever since. It would also become the place where two of the descendants, Connie and Rose Doughty, would cook up the mystery of the Munro Baby, in 1932, which for the next seventy three years would make them secretly independent, well-to-do women with good husbands. Well, sort of. Jimmy Thrum wrote the scoop which introduced the Munro Baby Mystery to the world; Callum Tidyman whistled Mozart's Violin Concerto No. 2 to baby Jake, Ron Gordon discovered the secret behind listening to his wife for the very first time. But despite it all, their involvement in the family did not guarantee them happiness as they thought it should be.
When Connie passes away, a surprising inheritance brings Sophie back to the island, against the wishes of Thomas's sister, who despised Sophie for what she did to Thomas the night he proposed, four years earlier.
As the drama unfolds, with Connie ruling from the grave; Grace suffering from postnatal depression; grandma Rose becoming slightly forgetful, especially when at the age of eighty eight years old she constantly forgets to keep a secret; Margie Gordon is losing more than two stones of weight while attending Weight Watchers meetings and spreading her wings at the age of fifty five; Veronika the blabbermouth goes through a relationship metamorphosis; and the men on the island become mere shadows of the female rulers, Sophie learns how to make her own fairy tale happen, the night of the last anniversary. Connie always maintained that love was not a feeling, it was a decision.
Once again a family entertain and capture the reader's attention the Moriarty style. Never a dull moment. And everybody is eccentric but good. And once again I feel like closing a book on a likable group of people I would rather be part of forever. I would love to enjoy their conversations while they dish up Thomas's marzipan tart; or Margie's almond cake; or Sophie's coffee and walnut liqueur cake, or the most famous of all, Connie's marble cake. For each of the cakes, a recipe was needed, but a different story was baked into it. The marble cake had the most important story to tell!
A relaxing, feel-good, wonderful read!
August 25, 2019
In The Last Anniversary, Sophie inherits a house on Scribbly Gum Island, the site of a mystery, when her ex-boyfriend's aunt passes away. She moves there and is soon swept along in the drama of everyone who lives on the island. There promises to be intrigue everywhere, as it seems each person is hiding something.
Honestly, the secrets were over-hyped. There wasn't much to them even though the book seems to make a big deal out of them. This is definitely more of a family drama, and I found the first half of the book to be a bit dull. It took quite a while for Sophie to even move into the house, and then once there, the same part of the plot is told repeatedly from different people's perspectives, making it feel repetitive and slow. I also had trouble keeping track of the relations between family members, and had to draw myself a family tree to keep it all straight.
Thankfully, the second half of the book picks up, and the last 100 pages positively flew by. The ending was fun and wrapped everything up with satisfaction, even adding in a little twist I didn't see coming.
While the first half of this book was a little boring, the second half made up for it, turning this into a fun and enjoyable read overall. And I continue to appreciate Moriarty's writing style. She sprinkles her typical wit and sharp observations throughout, which never fails to get a few good chuckles out of me.
Honestly, the secrets were over-hyped. There wasn't much to them even though the book seems to make a big deal out of them. This is definitely more of a family drama, and I found the first half of the book to be a bit dull. It took quite a while for Sophie to even move into the house, and then once there, the same part of the plot is told repeatedly from different people's perspectives, making it feel repetitive and slow. I also had trouble keeping track of the relations between family members, and had to draw myself a family tree to keep it all straight.
Thankfully, the second half of the book picks up, and the last 100 pages positively flew by. The ending was fun and wrapped everything up with satisfaction, even adding in a little twist I didn't see coming.
While the first half of this book was a little boring, the second half made up for it, turning this into a fun and enjoyable read overall. And I continue to appreciate Moriarty's writing style. She sprinkles her typical wit and sharp observations throughout, which never fails to get a few good chuckles out of me.
September 19, 2015
Another entertaining and totally charming book from Liane Moriarty. I loved all the characters. I loved the setting which was actually not far from where I live! And I loved the way the quirky and the funny was mixed with serious issues like post natal depression and anaphylaxis. The final revelation about who the Munro baby actually was came as a delightful surprise and then right at the very end Rose has one final little shock for the reader. All written in this author's very readable style. I believe I have now read all her books so I will look forward to what she publishes next:)
August 29, 2022
Liane Moriarty is a hit or miss author for me. I enjoy her writing style, but sometimes her books just don't hit right. The Last Anniversary was one of those books where I just thought there would be... more to it. It was a fantastic idea and it hit for a while, but then it felt like it went off the tracks. There was so much more this book could have been, but then it rushed it's way to the end, and the end was kind of dull... I expected something much more mind blowing and crazy than the ending we got.
This book had a lot of potential but it just didn't do it for me. I wish there had been more thought and more follow through on the many ideas and strings brought forward in this book.
Two out of five stars.
This book had a lot of potential but it just didn't do it for me. I wish there had been more thought and more follow through on the many ideas and strings brought forward in this book.
Two out of five stars.
March 20, 2024
Chiar dacă nu e la același nivel cu celelalte, talentul autoarei pentru enigme este evident. O demonstrație de "femei la putere". O familie compusă din femei care au reușit să înșele o țară doar pentru a ascunde un secret și a nu mai muri de foame.
March 10, 2018
Another longish book by Liane Moriarty, but this time it didn't bother me as it was the case with Truly Madly Guilty, because I enjoyed the time spent in the company of several very interesting, yet ordinary characters.
Liane Moriarty has women penned down perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, the wonderful thing about Moriarty's books is that all characters are very realistic. Their gripes, struggles, hang-ups, relationship issues are relatable. They're simple yet complex, they're imperfect.
While this novel didn't have the big dramatic reveal, it was a very enjoyable book, well worth listening to for 15 hours. Caroline Lee, the narrator of this book and of all Moriarty audiobooks, was again, excellent.
This books goes towards Aussie Author Challenge on http://bookloverbookreviews.com/readi...
Liane Moriarty has women penned down perfectly. As far as I'm concerned, the wonderful thing about Moriarty's books is that all characters are very realistic. Their gripes, struggles, hang-ups, relationship issues are relatable. They're simple yet complex, they're imperfect.
While this novel didn't have the big dramatic reveal, it was a very enjoyable book, well worth listening to for 15 hours. Caroline Lee, the narrator of this book and of all Moriarty audiobooks, was again, excellent.
This books goes towards Aussie Author Challenge on http://bookloverbookreviews.com/readi...
March 29, 2016
2.5★
My least favorite of the Moriartys. I only finished hoping for that trademark twisted surprise ending and what little there was of that disappointed. I had to resort to the Evelyn Wood approach to reading to get through this one. I'm ready for some man-lit.
My least favorite of the Moriartys. I only finished hoping for that trademark twisted surprise ending and what little there was of that disappointed. I had to resort to the Evelyn Wood approach to reading to get through this one. I'm ready for some man-lit.
July 28, 2014
If not for my curiosity over this novel's Munro Baby Mystery, I would surely have abandoned the book. I did not enjoy getting to know any of the characters, least of all Sophie, who kept me wondering exactly what anyone could see in her. Even the more endearing characters (Connie & Rose) are disappointing by the time it's all over.
December 17, 2016
Typically, when reading a good book, I think of “the story” in terms of a character. I’m usually reading about “their” story. This is the first time, where “the story” (AKA “the secret”) felt like an entity of its own, with the characters circling around it, each adding to the overall greatness I was reading. (if that even makes ANY sense at all)
At first, my thoughts when starting The Last Anniversary was “there are too many characters. How am I meant to keep track of all of them?” As I kept reading, though, I realized how each of them was enriching the overall plot in such a way that I couldn’t stop reading.
So what was this story about? I really like Liane Moriarty’s storytelling so I didn’t even read what this was about going in. The book description is just one part of this story. Ultimately, The Last Anniversary was about a close kept secret and the quirky family that held it. And what a quirky set of characters it was. Everyone who visited Scribbly Gum Island wanted to know what happened to Jack and Alice Munro after their mysterious disappearance so many years ago.
While enjoying all that was Scribbly Gum Island, I spent the entire book trying to guess the secret. It wasn’t really a hard secret to guess, but it was so much fun having the secret unfold through Sophie, Grace, Connie, Rose and the rest of the Doughty clan's point of view. I got so emotionally involved while racing towards the end and I was almost completely satisfied.
I have to say that the climax , when all was finally revealed, was where the secret took a backseat and the characters came out to shine. This will definitely go on my list of favourite reads for 2016!
At first, my thoughts when starting The Last Anniversary was “there are too many characters. How am I meant to keep track of all of them?” As I kept reading, though, I realized how each of them was enriching the overall plot in such a way that I couldn’t stop reading.
So what was this story about? I really like Liane Moriarty’s storytelling so I didn’t even read what this was about going in. The book description is just one part of this story. Ultimately, The Last Anniversary was about a close kept secret and the quirky family that held it. And what a quirky set of characters it was. Everyone who visited Scribbly Gum Island wanted to know what happened to Jack and Alice Munro after their mysterious disappearance so many years ago.
While enjoying all that was Scribbly Gum Island, I spent the entire book trying to guess the secret. It wasn’t really a hard secret to guess, but it was so much fun having the secret unfold through Sophie, Grace, Connie, Rose and the rest of the Doughty clan's point of view. I got so emotionally involved while racing towards the end and I was almost completely satisfied.
I have to say that the climax , when all was finally revealed, was where the secret took a backseat and the characters came out to shine. This will definitely go on my list of favourite reads for 2016!
January 13, 2018
Hot Mamas Book Club - took one for the team.
Whether it's dentists, doctors, or authors, performance generally improves with experience. If we were to pay for the service of drilling a tooth, removing an appendix, or penning a novel, a seasoned hand often gives us confidence of the outcome.
That's not to say that inspired, focused debuts aren't often terrific. Here, however, this genre is way outside my circle of choice. If chick lit is not exceptionally well done by an experienced writer, it feels like getting a cavity filled without benefit of novocain. I don't want to have my mouth drilled into in the first place, but if it's got to happen, I want it to be as painless as possible.
This early work of Liane Moriarty shows the prowess that will, in her later works, propel her to garner my praise. I've been placed in the dental chair of chick lit before for my ladies' book club and was pleased with the outcome of Moriarty's most recent two novels.
With that said, there are caricatures here aplenty. Cold-hearted women so shallow that they do not grieve for a dead loved one. A Weight Watchers member who obsesses over having accidentally swallowed a Tic-Tac. A bossy old matriarch running everyone's life. The fairy tale of inheriting a gorgeous old house from a spinster one has met precisely twice. A (stunningly beautiful) single, nearing-40 career woman pining for a husband and family. A husband who ignores his adoring wife until she grows a backbone and pursues her own interests. A hidden family secret. A late-revealed secret you didn't know was a secret...the classic "end with a bang" strategy.
In all the books I've read by this writer, she does introduce serious issues that ought to be looked at from the perspective of those going through it. Whether it is domestic abuse, infidelity, guilt, or post-partum depression, it is admirable to see these topics with some depth.
As for new things, I've never read about suicide by cookie before. The repeated lust for cinnamon toast and the compulsion to read romance novels while gobbling Turkish delight was also different for me.
Sadly, these sickeningly sweet concepts inserted repeatedly reminded me that I was again put by my book club commitment in that dental chair of chick lit. Not quite a root canal, but close. 2.5 rounded down
Whether it's dentists, doctors, or authors, performance generally improves with experience. If we were to pay for the service of drilling a tooth, removing an appendix, or penning a novel, a seasoned hand often gives us confidence of the outcome.
That's not to say that inspired, focused debuts aren't often terrific. Here, however, this genre is way outside my circle of choice. If chick lit is not exceptionally well done by an experienced writer, it feels like getting a cavity filled without benefit of novocain. I don't want to have my mouth drilled into in the first place, but if it's got to happen, I want it to be as painless as possible.
This early work of Liane Moriarty shows the prowess that will, in her later works, propel her to garner my praise. I've been placed in the dental chair of chick lit before for my ladies' book club and was pleased with the outcome of Moriarty's most recent two novels.
With that said, there are caricatures here aplenty. Cold-hearted women so shallow that they do not grieve for a dead loved one. A Weight Watchers member who obsesses over having accidentally swallowed a Tic-Tac. A bossy old matriarch running everyone's life. The fairy tale of inheriting a gorgeous old house from a spinster one has met precisely twice. A (stunningly beautiful) single, nearing-40 career woman pining for a husband and family. A husband who ignores his adoring wife until she grows a backbone and pursues her own interests. A hidden family secret. A late-revealed secret you didn't know was a secret...the classic "end with a bang" strategy.
In all the books I've read by this writer, she does introduce serious issues that ought to be looked at from the perspective of those going through it. Whether it is domestic abuse, infidelity, guilt, or post-partum depression, it is admirable to see these topics with some depth.
As for new things, I've never read about suicide by cookie before. The repeated lust for cinnamon toast and the compulsion to read romance novels while gobbling Turkish delight was also different for me.
Sadly, these sickeningly sweet concepts inserted repeatedly reminded me that I was again put by my book club commitment in that dental chair of chick lit. Not quite a root canal, but close. 2.5 rounded down
May 11, 2017
★★★½
I tried to read this book before, about two years ago, and didn't finish. This month, it is the BOTM in one of my favorite groups so I'd figure I would give it another shot. Again, I found the plot slow and the character development to be overkill, taking up the first half of the book just reading each character's perspective on every little thing. I remembered why I DNF'd the first time around. But, I am so glad I stuck it out because when the family dynamics and mysterious plot began to take shape in the latter half of the book, I became thoroughly invested and ultimately enjoyed the experience.
This ended up being a perfectly timed read with Mother's Day just a few days away. The Last Anniversary shows a variety of mothers doing the best they can, the best they know how, even if their best creates complicated secrets and even if all they know how to do is keep their child alive. Multiple relevant themes were introduced and one in particular: postpartum depression brought out incredible emotion in me. I experienced this condition myself after the birth of my son and Moriarty's depiction of a new mother struggling with this brought both memories and tears. Although I struggled with feeling engaged in any way during the initial half of this book, I would still recommend it. I didn't know what was waiting right around the corner during my first attempt, but like they say, timing is everything. Happy Mother's Day ♥
My favorite quote:
"And that’s when it happens, and she can hardly believe it, because, oh my God, it is just like all those stupid mushy new mothers said it would be, a shot of joy straight to the heart, just like the adrenaline that saved her life–a burst of pure, mind-clearing euphoria, powerful, primal, lustful, blissful love for her son. She presses her lips to the soft springy skin of his cheek.
‘Actually, I love you more than anyone,’ she whispers in his ear.
‘More than your daddy, even, but that’s our secret.’
Jake grabs her hair tighter and gurgles contentedly, as if he never doubted it for a moment."
I tried to read this book before, about two years ago, and didn't finish. This month, it is the BOTM in one of my favorite groups so I'd figure I would give it another shot. Again, I found the plot slow and the character development to be overkill, taking up the first half of the book just reading each character's perspective on every little thing. I remembered why I DNF'd the first time around. But, I am so glad I stuck it out because when the family dynamics and mysterious plot began to take shape in the latter half of the book, I became thoroughly invested and ultimately enjoyed the experience.
This ended up being a perfectly timed read with Mother's Day just a few days away. The Last Anniversary shows a variety of mothers doing the best they can, the best they know how, even if their best creates complicated secrets and even if all they know how to do is keep their child alive. Multiple relevant themes were introduced and one in particular: postpartum depression brought out incredible emotion in me. I experienced this condition myself after the birth of my son and Moriarty's depiction of a new mother struggling with this brought both memories and tears. Although I struggled with feeling engaged in any way during the initial half of this book, I would still recommend it. I didn't know what was waiting right around the corner during my first attempt, but like they say, timing is everything. Happy Mother's Day ♥
My favorite quote:
"And that’s when it happens, and she can hardly believe it, because, oh my God, it is just like all those stupid mushy new mothers said it would be, a shot of joy straight to the heart, just like the adrenaline that saved her life–a burst of pure, mind-clearing euphoria, powerful, primal, lustful, blissful love for her son. She presses her lips to the soft springy skin of his cheek.
‘Actually, I love you more than anyone,’ she whispers in his ear.
‘More than your daddy, even, but that’s our secret.’
Jake grabs her hair tighter and gurgles contentedly, as if he never doubted it for a moment."
March 27, 2022
What an unexpected wonderful surprise of a book! I have been an avid fan of Liane Moriarty's work for a while, and now I'm reading her earlier novels so that I can catch up on most everything she's written. The Last Anniversary was not at all what I assumed it would be about... instead, it's a true multi-generational family drama filled with secrets and heartache. In 1932, sisters Rose and Connie supposedly found an abandoned baby in the neighbor's house. They lived on a remote island in Australia, and no one ever located the parents. The sisters raised the baby who went on to have two daughters and three grandchildren. Now, each of the 5 descendants is married or a parent, and when Connie passes away, she leaves the family house to one of the grandchildren's ex-girlfriends. What could that story be about? It would be difficult to share much more without giving away too many spoilers. Rest assured, it is unexpected, and even when readers learn the truth, there is another twist at the very end which completely changes everything. But at its core, this is a treasured story about parenting, growing older, fall in and out of love, and wishing for a different life. Every character is basically good/decent, tho some can be too harsh at times... yet you see the love and the brilliant family dynamics. I would put this at the top of the list for my favorite Liane Moriarty books, and I am excited and sad there is only one more left. Technically, she still has some earlier ones but they didn't get many reviews and don't seem to be part of her typical novels, so I'll probably pause there and maybe go back in the future.
March 10, 2017
Liane Moriarty is genius in writing her characters, her characters are full of life and colour. It's hard not to have fun reading her books. So Australian, so relatable! Despite all the fun and frivolity there are many strong issues and themes here. This one revolves around a big crazy family who are all involved in a mystery set in the fictional place called Scribbly Gum island. The setting is unique and the storyline is straight out wacky the family deal with the generational family business surrounding this mystery and how it has affected them all in different ways. The author is able to meld serious topics amongst all the mayhem bringing the seriousness of post natal depression, marriage dilemmas, and parenting issues to the story. The book could have easily turned into a farcical mess but she was able to restrain enough to keep it on track without turning it into a parody act. It's a fine line she treads but she manages to pull it off keeping me cheering this crazy lot the whole way.
September 22, 2014
Disappointing Ms Moriarty. I've read some of your other books and they have been much better. Your characters in this book were either boring or ridiculous in spite of all your obvious effort in making them cute and quirky. Didn't work. You did touch upon some very important themes- loss, abandonment, motherhood, marital relationships, adultery, post partum depression, single motherhood, being single in a "married" world, spinsterhood, family relationships, friendship, the list goes on.. ( and I don't want to add any spoilers) But you didn't delve into any one particular theme with any great care or depth. All these big ideas remained on the surface and were solved superficially as well. It's a wonder I finished the book.
In my opinion, not really worth the read. Moriarty has done better.
In my opinion, not really worth the read. Moriarty has done better.
July 11, 2021
Sophie was the one who broke Thomas’s heart just before he was about to propose, but since then he managed to get married and have a kid, while Sophie has remained steadfastly single in the three years since the breakup, and forty is looming ominously against her desire to become a mother. When Thomas asks her to meet with him, she certainly didn’t expect him to say that his Aunt Connie had left her house to her. The house is on a tiny island, which became famous when Connie and her sister, Rose, found a baby and her two parents had just disappeared—leaving an overturned chair, a teapot about to scream, bread fresh from the oven, and . . . is that blood on the floor?
Sophie moves to the island and befriends the beautiful Grace, who has a doting husband and a new baby. Grace seems to have it all, but things aren’t always what they seem.
This isn’t my favorite Liane Moriarty novel, but it’s fun.
Sophie moves to the island and befriends the beautiful Grace, who has a doting husband and a new baby. Grace seems to have it all, but things aren’t always what they seem.
This isn’t my favorite Liane Moriarty novel, but it’s fun.
December 27, 2015
Liane Moriarty delivers another solid "beach read with a brain" in "The Last Anniversary".
Like many of Moriary's books, "Anniversary" has a good plot and a terrific cast of believable characters. Much of the plot centers on relationships -- romantic, familial, platonic, etc. This one has a lighthearted "mystery" thrown in, which most readers will at least partially figure out fairly easily.
Readers who hate ambiguity may not enjoy the ending of this one.
While not as good as "The Husband's Secret" or "Big Little Lies" it was still very enjoyable.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
Like many of Moriary's books, "Anniversary" has a good plot and a terrific cast of believable characters. Much of the plot centers on relationships -- romantic, familial, platonic, etc. This one has a lighthearted "mystery" thrown in, which most readers will at least partially figure out fairly easily.
Readers who hate ambiguity may not enjoy the ending of this one.
While not as good as "The Husband's Secret" or "Big Little Lies" it was still very enjoyable.
3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.
December 28, 2015
The main character is the most spoiled, ignorant twit on the fictional planet. She breaks up with her perfect boyfriend on the eve of his marriage proposal and then wished she could have postponed the breakup for the free trip to Fiji. Despite that, I was really interested in the Munro baby mystery and Grace's battle with postpartum depression. When the main character confessed to being jealous of an armless and leg less woman with a handsome husband and asked if the woman rode by on s skateboard and pulled on his trouser leg to get his attention, I had had enough.
August 28, 2017
I have now officially exhausted my supply of Liane Moriarty novels, and am missing them already:-( This was possibly my favorite, along with What Alice Forgot and her most recent, Big Little Lies. Moriarty just has a style that sucks you in immediately, and the characters are ones I feel an instant interest in, though I sometimes do not take much of a liking to them (as was the case with The Husband's Secret - which still managed to be entertaining).
The Last Anniversary is set largely on a slightly odd little island near Sydney, called Scrubbly Gum Island, which is famous due tho the mystery of an abandoned baby some eighty years ago. I won't go too much into the plot, but the story is told through various POVs, which I happen to like, but I know others can be quite put off by this. In any case, it is not confusing in this novel. I also really enjoyed the multi-generational aspect of the story, and the fact that the older ladies were so spunky and fun. This blend of humor and depth is not always present in books labeled 'chick-lit', but Moriarty is really very good at creating it.
Can't wait for her next book!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
The Last Anniversary is set largely on a slightly odd little island near Sydney, called Scrubbly Gum Island, which is famous due tho the mystery of an abandoned baby some eighty years ago. I won't go too much into the plot, but the story is told through various POVs, which I happen to like, but I know others can be quite put off by this. In any case, it is not confusing in this novel. I also really enjoyed the multi-generational aspect of the story, and the fact that the older ladies were so spunky and fun. This blend of humor and depth is not always present in books labeled 'chick-lit', but Moriarty is really very good at creating it.
Can't wait for her next book!
Find more reviews and bookish fun at http://www.princessandpen.com
March 1, 2015
First book by this author that I did not enjoy. I was racing through it, trying to finish, so I could read something good. Convoluted plot, many unlikeable characters, and I saw the "secret" coming from nearly the beginning. Very disappointing read.
February 28, 2021
4.5 Stars
With each new Liane Moriarty book, Moriarty moves one position up on my favorite authors list.
Her books are so distinctively unique. So soap-opera like and juicy... and yet so deep and insighful. So funny and heartwarming... and yet so serious and heartwrenching. So light and straightforward... and yet so dark and mysterious. So predictable... and yet so original. So complex... and yet so simple and fun. So full of imperfect, almost unlikeable characters... and yet you grow attached to them all.
With each new Liane Moriarty book, Moriarty moves one position up on my favorite authors list.
Her books are so distinctively unique. So soap-opera like and juicy... and yet so deep and insighful. So funny and heartwarming... and yet so serious and heartwrenching. So light and straightforward... and yet so dark and mysterious. So predictable... and yet so original. So complex... and yet so simple and fun. So full of imperfect, almost unlikeable characters... and yet you grow attached to them all.
December 17, 2014
This book had some great moments, but there were way too many characters with way too many plots. It felt like a series of broken up vignettes rather than a complete book. There was no real resolution to any aspect of the story, and if this was intended to be a glimpse into the life of a weird clan-like family, the "mystery" element was really not necessary, especially as it wasn't much of a mystery at all. I'm bummed that I didn't like this because I was really into the beginning. Ultimately, I kept waiting for something to happen and nothing really did. As a sidenote, I was disappointed in the handling of the post-partum depression plot as well as Veronika's plot.
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