Every May 1st in The Anniversary, a serial killer strikes in a small Midwest town. One year he spares super popular high schooler Jules from death but not from a harrowing evening. On the same night, Quinn, a high school misfit who has somehow befriended Jules, accidentally injures someone while breaking up a fight. Quinn goes to juvie and is released a year later when he turns 18.
By that time, Quinn’s family and familiar life are gone. Even Jules, racked by survivor’s guilt, has changed from the carefree girl he remembers. The rest of the book revisits these two people’s stories once a year on The Anniversary of the fateful night that changed them both forever.
This book began with a momentum that slowly ground to a stop by the middle of the book. I didn’t find the characters engaging so I wasn’t compelled to find out what happened. In fact, if I wasn’t reviewing the book, I probably would have stopped reading it. Many other reviewers enjoyed the book much more than I did. But for me, The Anniversary was a disappointment from someone who used to be one of my favorite authors. 3 stars.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.