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A review by archytas
The Anniversary by Stephanie Bishop
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Psychological thriller is one of my least favourite genres, and the Anniversary has a foot too firmly in that camp for me to love it. The execution here is almost flawless, however, with a fine balance between tension around what is going on, and tension around how the reader might feel about what is going on. This is all sharply laced with social commentary around gender, fame and careers.
Bishop pulls no punches in highlighting the very different expectations that women face to be considered brilliant, and also the very different expectations they face around providing familial support. By weaving these themes tightly into the plot, the book stays both focused and multi-faceted. She demands respect and empathy for her protagonist, while refusing to turn her into a paragon of relatability, and this is probably the thing I liked most about it.
Bishop pulls no punches in highlighting the very different expectations that women face to be considered brilliant, and also the very different expectations they face around providing familial support. By weaving these themes tightly into the plot, the book stays both focused and multi-faceted. She demands respect and empathy for her protagonist, while refusing to turn her into a paragon of relatability, and this is probably the thing I liked most about it.