The Last Anniversary

Liane Moriarty’s The Last Anniversary (2005) is a contemporary Australian novel. Like most of Moriarty’s novels, The Last Anniversary combines elements of the romance and mystery genres and is often classified as “women’s fiction” because the author is a woman and most of the main characters are women. The themes addressed, such as Loss of Identity in Relationships, are commonly associated with “women’s fiction.” Moriarty is a critically and commercially successful author of many novels, including Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers, both of which have been adapted for television. The Last Anniversary also addresses the themes of Fate Versus Self-Determination and Female Solidarity and Secrets. The novel explores these themes by focusing on female characters whose relationships with their loved ones evolve through considerable conflict and the overcoming of obstacles.

The edition of the text used here is the 2010 Kindle edition.

Content Warning: The source text and this guide contain references to postpartum depression, suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, sexual violence, domestic violence, coercive control, anti-fat biases, and anti-gay biases.

Plot Summary

Sophie Honeywell, a cheerful and outgoing woman in her late 30s, is contacted by her ex-boyfriend Thomas, who is now married to another woman.