Novelist JB Blackwood is on a cruise with her husband, Patrick, to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Her one-time professor, Patrick is much older than JB. A maverick when they met, he seemed somehow ageless, as all new gods appear in the eyes of those who worship them. He is a film director. A cult figure. But now his success is starting to wane and JB is on the cusp of winning a major literary prize. Her art, which has been forever overseen by Patrick, is starting to overshadow his.
For days they sail in the sun. They lie about drinking, reading, sleeping, having sex. There is nothing but dark water all around them.
Then a storm hits. When Patrick falls overboard, JB is left alone, as the search for Patrick’s body, the circumstances of his death and the truth about their marriage begins.
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The Anniversary by Stephanie Bishop is a cleverly written, tension-filled tale that will keep you turning the pages long after you planned to turn out the light and go to sleep. You find yourself thinking, I’ll just read one more chapter… before you know it you’ve read several and still don’t want to put the book down. Read this book when you have plenty of time. While reading this, I deeply connected with the main character, JB. I could feel her despair, grief and confusion as the story unfolded. I could see the characters so clearly, it was like I was watching them from another room. Well-written characters like JB and Patrick remain with you long after you have read the last page. I will be looking for more books by this author and look forward to engaging with and delighting in new characters created by her. Margaret, VIC, 5 Stars
This book is a ‘slow burn’ which drew me in and stayed with me after I’d finished. JB Blackwood, a successful author, is on a cruise with her husband Patrick to celebrate their anniversary. There’s a terrible storm and Patrick is lost overboard. During subsequent days and weeks, JB struggles to cope and we gradually learn more and more about the true nature of her relationship with Patrick. JB appears to be an unreliable narrator and her stress and unravelling make compelling reading. This book won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but I found it hard to put down! Denise, QLD, 5 Stars
In The Anniversary, successful writer JB recalls the events surrounding an anniversary cruise taken with her husband to rekindle their dwindling marriage. The writing is excellent and I was drawn into the characters and settings quickly. Although the book centres on one event, it jumps between locations and places in time – but this is done very effectively and kept me engaged throughout, I think because I felt very much inside her head as she circled through layers of memories to build up a picture of events. Although the main ‘action’ happened early, the unnerving feeling that built through the book and the little hints that there would be more to tell made this a real page-turner for me. Chloe, VIC, 5 Stars
The Anniversary is an enjoyable read. It is narrated by Lucie, who is married to Patrick, a much older and famous author and filmmaker. The novel begins with an expected anniversary cruise to Japan, for Lucie & Patrick to spend valuable time together. When a tragedy unfolds, Lucie’s world is turned upside down and she begins to share her life story. Stephanie Bishop has an adept way of portraying the past and the present in an ongoing narrative. She gives explanations of what it is like to admire someone you love and how that can become damaging for both people involved. This novel kept my interest from start to finish and I would recommend it most highly. Lorraine, VIC, 5 Stars
One word: Wow! This book has just become my best read of the year. It is a stunning, multi-layered epic that has to be enjoyed slowly so as to savour the magnificent writing. Bishop gives us a powerful drama that takes us into the world of award-winning author J.B. Blackwood and her husband Patrick as they are about to embark on a cruise to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary. We get a deep and powerful description of events as they unfold, leaving J.B. a widow. Bishop’s words have the ability to transport us across the globe with such intensity, you can feel the heat of the Melbourne summer, the bracing cold of winter in Hokkaido. But it is the characters where Bishop is so masterful. She allows us access to thoughts, feelings, emotions like nothing I have read before. All are so richly endowed with detail and depth. I can’t think of any other author whose work I have read who can describe even the simplest thing (like umbrellas) with such intensity and detail. I have been blown away by this writing. So much so, that I wonder how on earth I have missed reading Bishop’s previous three novels! Leslie, NSW, 5 Stars
JB Blackwood marries a much older man named Patrick. Patrick is a professor of film and a cult figure. JB has always lived the life that Patrick wanted, leaving her career in the background. JB is on the ride of her life to win a literary prize, and Patrick is falling beyond in the background of their marriage. Something he doesn’t feel comfortable with. They decide to go on a boat adventure cruising around the islands, to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Patrick falls off the boat and goes missing. So the search begins and JB must navigate her future. A brilliant read…. Highly recommended. Noeleen, WA, 5 Stars
What a fascinating book! The premise seems straightforward—on their anniversary cruise, Lucie’s husband drinks too much and falls overboard during a storm. But this is only one version of the truth, and there is much more to unpack. The storytelling is a fluid stream of consciousness from Lucie’s perspective, drifting between past and present. In the middle of a conversation, her ideas and recollections become fully realised scenes from her past, or sometimes detailed philosophical discussions around the issue at hand. The effect is disconcerting but brilliant. I felt like I was literally living inside the protagonist’s fevered mind, seeing the world through her eyes, coloured by her experiences. Stephanie Bishop has a wonderful gift for dropping reveals and plot points like little explosive breadcrumbs, which unexpectedly detonate at the end of seemingly innocuous sentences. Yet every time I thought I’d grasped the kernel of the story, it slipped away from me again. While I personally did not emotionally connect with the resolution, I do not hesitate to recommend this book. It is densely packed with ideas about creation, partnership, identity and how we rewrite our lives to make sense of them. If you can, savour it slowly. Lisa, QLD, 4 Stars
Stephanie Bishop’s The Anniversary provides an engaging insight into (one side of) a long-term marriage and professional partnership. Topical issues of celebrity, gender, and power dynamics are explored here, and there is meta commentary on the writing industry itself. It’s beautifully written, but with a plot full of questions that kept it moving at a good pace. I hadn’t read any of her previous books, but I will be looking at reading them after this one. Georgie, NT, 4 Stars
A young novelist is on a cruise with her husband to celebrate their anniversary when the unthinkable happens. When JB Blackwood’s husband falls overboard, her life changes forever. Stephanie Bishop tells the story from the deep perspective of not only what happens during shock and despair, but what led to this point? Where will Blackwood’s life now take her? Writing about a writer could feel cliche but this book takes you through the past, present and the future in a way that holds you spellbound and will leave you reviewing your own life and how tragedy would impact it. Tess, TAS, 4 Stars
A delightful account of a writer living life, getting qualifications, falling in love, and celebrating her anniversary – only to have it all taken away. Then a retrospective of her life and relationship in greater detail. All in all, a fascinating account of a life well lived. Dale, VIC, 4 Stars
A story about JB Blackwood, a young author who has reached the pinnacle of her career with a win of a prestigious literary prize. Her husband is Patrick, a famous film director, much older than JB, who was her uni professor. During a cruise to celebrate their anniversary an accident occurs, and from here the book becomes a mystery novel in addition to the exploration of JB and Patrick’s relationship. I really enjoyed this book. It was easy to keep the pages turning and I was kept interested to the end. For the most part, the writing is exquisite, and the imagery impressive. My one criticism is that sometimes the writing becomes bogged down, and I think it would have benefitted from a more ruthless edit to keep the pace moving and make the more descriptive passages even more striking. Even so, I definitely recommend this book. Clare, NSW, 4 Stars
This book delves into many aspects of relationships, individual opinions and career choices! At times there’s a lot going on and the descriptive text is very in-depth. The storyline dissects friendships, perceptions of marriage and expectations! The characters are varied and complex. The story is told through the eyes of ‘JB’, the younger wife of Patrick. JB is devoted to Patrick, spending time on his interests, trying to keep their marriage together. The mystery of how we communicate with family and friends, the experience of directing films and publishing books is all slowly unraveled! JB and Patrick are on a cruise when a storm hits, resulting in Patrick falling overboard. The storyline twists and takes the reader in different directions, emotions are high! JB’s life should have been moving in an exciting direction but so many questions are going to be answered along the way! Vikki, TAS, 4 Stars
The Anniversary is a beautifully written novel that takes you through the life of the narrator. Well-told and well-paced, this novel is engaging and moving. Riley, VIC, 4 Stars
I enjoyed the twists and turns in the storyline in this novel. It shows how your past always lurks in the background no matter how successful you become. Patrick dominated her life no matter how successful her career was. Families are complicated and this one certainly was. Kaye, VIC, 4 Stars
Even though I never read books written in the first person, when I began The Anniversary, the writing intrigued me enough about the character to keep reading. Even though relationships are supposed to be based on balance and reciprocity, the main character, even though she seems aware that people are taking her for granted and that her needs are not as great as others, allows them to in some way manipulate her with their own demands and selfishness. I found the book on the whole to be engaging, and in the end, I wanted to find out where all the deception and lies led her and her future. Not the ending I expected, but there are times that the writer needs to change our way of thinking, or hope, and that is what Stephanie Bishop has done. Joan, VIC, 4 Stars
Highly recommend The Anniversary for anyone interested in gaining insight into the life and mind of a writer. The author shares some deep thought processes and at times goes into much detail. It is considered, thought-provoking and intelligently written. Even though this book is reasonably intellectual, it is still easy to get through and an element of mystery keeps you interested until the end. Coral, VIC, 4 Stars
I have not read any of her work previously. I found the book beautifully written and a compulsive read – I read the whole book in just over 24 hours. The premise: JB Blackwood is a rising author, who heads off on a cruise to Japan to celebrate her anniversary with her much older husband Patrick. Patrick is a film director and former professor whose star is waning just as JB’s is soaring. And then during a storm, Patrick falls overboard and is lost at sea. It is a compelling read – and in some ways disquieting and disturbing, a novel that will stay with you. I suspect it will be one I will reflect on over the coming days. I would recommend it – especially if you can carve out some time to really engross yourself in the story. Nicola, NSW, 4 Stars
Interesting book. I felt like I was part of the story in some parts. The description of Australia in summer is so true and you can feel the heat and discomfort. For me, there was something that kept me turning the pages. The end was not what I expected and I want to know what life is like in 6 months’ time. Pat, QLD, 4 Stars
This was such a beautifully written novel that explores grief, love, family, relationships, the writing process, and finding yourself. J.B. was a likeable character and I enjoyed getting to know her and learning more about her, her family and her relationship with Patrick. You became dizzy with her whilst dealing with grief and you could feel her starting to settle as things became clearer along the way. It was a bit of a slow-burn novel but I was engaged the whole way and was quite taken by surprise by the ending. This is my first novel by Bishop and I’m definitely keen to read her others now. Kirsten, ACT, 4 Stars
The book was so different to what I was expecting, it read like a slow-burn mystery fiction. The writing was beautiful yet complex. Highly recommend this book for people who like complex or unlikeable main characters. Brea, NSW, 4 Stars
The Anniversary was not what I was expecting. The story sits around JB and her husband Patrick, and an anniversary cruise which is bought to an expected ending with Patrick falling overboard – or did he? I had expected the story to be a little more fast-paced than it was. JB self-narrated a lot of past events, to give context for the present – around their meeting, marriage and individual careers – though I found this slowed the story down and I was at times skimming these pages. The writing style was not for me. The end of the book did pick up and I enjoyed the twist. Leticia, QLD, 3 Stars
I am in two minds about this book. Although it was well written, there were times where I felt my mind wandering with the descriptiveness of situations. I did enjoy the unfolding of the power imbalance of their relationship and that things are not always what they seem. It was worth sticking with it for the secrets that were revealed. Gail, WA, 3 Stars
This book begins with the premise of husband and wife J.B. and Patrick. They are celebrating their wedding anniversary on a cruise when Patrick goes overboard. J.B. then has to find the strength to go on after her husband dies and as the story develops we see her struggles. We learn their relationship is not how it seems, particularly how we all have our own ‘truths’ or side of the story. Through J.B’s eyes, we start to see the relationship challenged. At times there seems to be little happening, but subtle ‘hints’ are revealed along the way as the story starts to come together. The author has a lovely writing style, able to use deep meaningful sentences to convey feeling, although at times I was a bit frustrated and questioned if this was necessary in the context it was used during the back and forth of dialogue between current and past events. Overall, it was a great read that had me captivated and wanting to read on until the end. Melissa, VIC, 3 Stars
A story of a novelist about to win a big prize when her husband falls overboard on their anniversary trip and then the back story unfolds. After reading the abstract for this book I was looking forward to a great read. Unfortunately, it didn’t end up being that for me. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it. Had me interested enough to want to finish it but I didn’t connect to the characters and found it to be just too “wordy” at times. Katrina, VIC, 3 Stars
The Anniversary was captivating. Stephanie Bishop knows how to make you feel like you’re part of the story and have that connection with the characters. This was an unsuspecting storyline that I hadn’t envisioned would take the journey it did. I enjoyed the ever-changing theme. This is a must-read. Kody, QLD, 3 Stars
I found the characters unlikable and even though Stephanie created them with a lot of depth I just wasn’t that interested in them. I persevered and the ending saved this book for me. Trudy, SA, 3 Stars
The Anniversary was quite a lengthy read, but did take you down quite a few memory lanes that helped get her story across, to try and get you more involved. The storyline was good, and the author’s descriptive use of words was quite impressive. Overall it was a good read. Katrina, TAS, 3 Stars
The Anniversary is so much more than its blurb, about a death on a cruise. Bishop’s slow narrative style allows the reader to be taken along the winding path that investigates the powers within relationships. It also follows the way in which the characters are reliant on one another in their own writing and the consequences that follow when this reliance is no longer available. Throughout the book is an overarching sense of dread and foreboding. If I was to nitpick at all, it would be that there is a significant absence of a likable character. One must not be expecting a happy read; but as a psychological thriller, The Anniversary certainly delivers. Jessica, NSW, 3 Stars
The Anniversary starts with novelist JB and her famous filmmaker husband Patrick setting off on a cruise. Patrick falls overboard during a violent storm. Interestingly, Patrick was Lucie’s former professor. After the incident, JB’s grief is explored and obscurely she attends promotional events for her novel in the aftermath. At times I found the writing style confusing. I really enjoyed that part of the novel was set in Sydney. KJ, QLD, 3 Stars
J.B. and Patrick have hit a bump in the road with their marriage so J.B. organises a cruise to celebrate their anniversary. This book explores the events leading up to and after the tragedy with what I thought was a twist at the end. I enjoyed this book and I have previously read another of Stephanie’s books, The Other Side of The World. Fiona, VIC, 3 Stars
I wanted to love The Anniversary, but unfortunately, it fell short of the expectations set by the exciting first few chapters. I did like delving into the theme of unequal power balances in relationships, and I did feel as though I was reading this book in a fog, as I felt like JB would have experienced. Hayley, VIC, 2 Stars
I found this book quite heavy. The writing style is dense with multiple flashbacks. This complicated style reflects the main characters’ confusion after the event. I struggled with this one. Lina, VIC, 2 Stars
I did not enjoy this book as much as I thought I would as it felt like there was too much going on with enough twists for two books. However, I did like the descriptive writing, in particular the journey through the cold Japanese countryside was beautifully written. I also enjoyed the introspection presented by JB. The storyline, however, did not always seem very real to me. Wendy, TAS, 2 Stars
Award-winning Writer J.B. Blackwood is in that stage of marriage where you get a bit lost as to who you are without the other person, so she books a cruise with her husband, Patrick, to celebrate their 14th wedding anniversary. This book was a hard one to read: the constant back and forth was a lot, it had lots of pointless details, and the description of Australia was horrible without much research on how Australians live. Jelena, NSW, 1 Star
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