Book Club: The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty

I can’t remember how I stumbled upon The Last Anniversary by Liane Moriarty. When I sat down to write this post, I thought I found it on some list of books to read before they turned into movies in 2016, but alas I cannot find it anywhere.

I started this book with typical chick lit expectations – girl meets boy, girl falls for boy, boy does something dumb, boy corrects mistake and falls for girl, then they live happily ever after. That was not what Moriarty delivered, much to my surprise and delight. Instead, she takes the reader on a ride through the stories of the residents of Scribbly Gum Island. You meet Aunt Rose, the second of two kids who is still following her older sister’s orders in her elderly years. You meet Grace, an ethereal beauty battling a dark secret. And you learn of the mysterious Jack and Alice Munro, which is the needle that threads everyone together.

While the main character, Sophie, does wonder about her love life (or lack of for that matter) a lot, the book weaves a brilliant tapestry of quirky characters with depth and truly human qualities. I often read books and try to envision myself in the character’s shoes. Most of the time, I can’t relate because I’m not a trust-fund kid or a lucky twenty-something who landed a dream job right out of college in New York City. But with Moriarty’s characters in The Last Anniversary, I felt like they were people I could meet along my travels.

I am completely horrible when it comes to spoilers, so I will stop here. I highly recommend giving this book a chance over a long weekend, preferably one with unlimited amounts of sunshine and hammock time.

Overall rating: 4 of 5 Sour Patch Kids

 

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