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Kate Birkin

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The Consequence of Anna: Pulitzer Prize 2024 Nominee Kindle Edition

by Kate Birkin (Author), Mark Bornz (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

13,085 ratings

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The Instant #1 BESTSELLER . . . Inspired by a TRUE STORY . . . Soon to be a MAJOR MOTION PICTURE!

“An intense and emotional read!” – Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of The Tuscan Child

Reminiscent of The Thorn Birds, The Light Between Oceans, and Lady Chatterley’s Lover – poignant, heartbreaking, and unforgettable.

"SHAMED BE THE WOMAN WHO ALLOWETH SUCH A SIN!"

Set against the sprawling backdrop of 1930s Australia, Anna May Shahan is a wild child raised on a lush farm by the sea, always barefoot and playing in her neighbor’s secret garden. Her Aboriginal nanny teaches her the ways of the land, and she grows up to be a quirky, eccentric, and sweet woman. But she is not without her demons, as she struggles with bizarre behaviors and a haunting, dark side.

Soon after marriage, Anna inherits Sugar Alexandria, her family’s sheep station, and she and her Irish husband James lead a simple, hardworking life. That is until Anna’s beautiful widowed cousin Lottie returns from London after being absent for over a decade. Lottie confesses to Anna her heart’s greatest desire to have a child, and Anna, in fear of losing her beloved cousin again, seeks to grant her wish by means of her own husband. What happens next brings devastating consequences for them all . . .

A literary achievement and the most emotionally gripping book of the year, The Consequence of Anna is a complex historical family saga, intertwined with the haunting mystery of Anna’s mental illness and the secrets, lies, and revelations revealed through the hidden passions of Lottie and James. Layered with lush romance, obsessive love, the strong bond of female friendship, and the frightening effects of altruistic intentions gone wrong, this provocative and powerful allegory cuts through rules and boundaries and proves the old adage that no good deed goes unpunished!

Perfect for fans of Kristin Hannah, Kate Morton, and Ellen Marie Wiseman.

Reader praise for this unforgettable tearjerker inspired by true events . . .

"Storytelling on an epic scale. I had to stop reading and let myself have a good cry more times than I care to admit. This story touched my heart and soul and I will never forget it."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Robin Price, Amazon

"Gruesome and yet beautiful at the same time... This book will devastate you, tear you down, then bring you back up for air... Such a masterpiece... It's been some time since I had a good hard cry. I needed it. Thank you."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ BookLover, Goodreads

"Wow. Just wow... The most powerful novel I have ever read... It teaches you, it shocks you, it moves you... When done I cried so much it hurt. It will certainly change how you think of people who suffer with mental illness."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sherry, Goodreads

"Moody, brooding, haunting... Genius... Very well written and incredibly thought provoking. If you like To Kill A Mockingbird, The Piano, or The Light Between Oceans, you will love The Consequence of Anna."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ IrishGirl, Goodreads

"What a special book this is... An extraordinary tale about mental illness, obsession, envy and passionate love intertwined... Vivid, engrossing and inspiring. Highly recommend."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Avid Reader, Amazon

"A true masterpiece!... Brilliantly written and if you only read one book this year - make it this one!"
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Christine Cazeneuve, Goodreads

"So much sparkle! Such beautiful decadent prose... Rich with metaphors, creating shining gorgeous scenes... Dark, romantic and haunting... A must read."
– ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Shelly Perner, Goodreads

From the Publisher

A Childlike Woman with Undiagnosed Mental Illness . . .

Her Beloved English Cousin with a Secret Desire . . .

A Man of Principle Caught Between Them . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

"An intense and emotional read!"
★★★★★ Rhys Bowen, New York Times bestselling author of In Farleigh Field and The Tuscan Child

"A gripping and intense story, taking you on an emotional roller coaster. The Consequence of Anna is a masterpiece worthy of book clubs and the big screen."
★★★★★ Readers' Favorite 5 Star Winner

"Exemplary in its unique voice, writing style, and layered character appeal. A compelling love triangle with sustained tension and struggle through decades, and an excellent portrayal of people with disabilities, including deafness and schizophrenia."
★★★★★ Writer's Digest Book Award

"Where to begin? I have done nothing for two days except read this amazing book-really could not get it out of my mind. I read a lot of historical fiction, and I must say, this is above and beyond anything else I have read in this genre for a long time."
★★★★★ NetGalley

"A superb, bittersweet story unlike any I have read before, exploring the dark side of family, relationships, and love."
★★★★★ Editor in Chief, New York Publisher

"The prose is decadent, the storyline mesmerizing. I love it when a story surprises me and is full of shining themes, poetic insights, and emotional metamorphoses of its characters."
★★★★★ President, New York Literary Agency

"Lyrical and engaging; the best novel I have read in a while. The bond of female friendship, mental illness, and the fine line between love and obsession is fantastically explored, and the revelation at the end will stun you. You will not just read this book-you will consume it!"
★★★★★ Hila, Professional Reader

"Beautifully written and extremely emotional. You will fall in love with this story, I promise. It will make you laugh; it will make you cry; you will cheer for its characters and other times be upset by them, and some will endear themselves to you without fail. If you're looking for an amazing book to lose yourself in, this is it! Once you start reading, you will not put it down. Five stars, over and over!"
★★★★★ Kendra, Literary Agent

"What a masterpiece! This story is incredibly engrossing and very intelligently written. The book truly is like no other, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it get international acclaim-it's that's good!"
★★★★★ Vanessa, Professional Reader

"Outstanding! For one, and I think anyone who reads this will agree, the writers are incredibly talented. This isn't just your basic paperback you read for fun. Fantastically written and intelligently put together, this book really is special and a gift to anyone who reads it."
★★★★★ Jessica, Professional Reader

"This is a beautiful story of love and sorrow. A story of family and the many cycles of joy, love, and grief. I thought I was right there feeling all their emotions, and I never wanted the story to end. Thank you so much for letting me love and enjoy this novel!"
★★★★★ Nena, Advance Reader

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0CJM7J13L
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Viking Trade Press
Accessibility ‏ : ‎ Learn more
Publication date ‏ : ‎ September 21, 2023
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 7.3 MB
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 568 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9798989184118
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8989184101
Page Flip ‏ : ‎ Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #1,726 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #2 in Biographical Fiction (Kindle Store)
- #10 in Biographical Fiction (Books)
- #25 in Family Saga Fiction

Customer Reviews:
13,085 ratings

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Kate Birkin

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Kate Birkin is the Amazon #1 Bestselling author of The Consequence of Anna. With degrees in English Literature and History, she is an accomplished author and ghostwriter of a dozen novels and two original screenplays. Her co-author and dear friend, Mark Bornz, has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Engineering with a minor in Psychology. Together they enjoy working on their projects and writing as a team, thrilled that their stories have entertained millions of readers around the world.

Kate lives in Carmel, California, in her refurbished Victorian home overlooking the sea, where vintage oil painting portraits adorn the walls and their eyes seemingly follow you, stairs creak and doors mysteriously open by themselves, a fire is always crackling in her stone fireplace, and her two Siamese cats, Matilda and Carmichael, sit by her side while she writes.

Things that inspire her: ivy-covered wrought iron gates, deteriorating mansions from another era, long-held family secrets, hidden rooms, and beautiful places like the Land of Éire (Ireland) and the Isles of Scotland, to name a few.

As a lover of the arts, Kate also enjoys the opera, ballet, and playing her violin and piano. A passionate advocate for human and animal rights, she supports multiple charities that champion their cause.

“When I was a child, I knew books were pure magic. Portals into another realm where the book cover itself is the enchanted key to enter. To be able to time travel and experience life through someone else’s eyes is something I have always cherished. And now, as I create these stories and characters myself, I fall in love with them. It’s not just the reader who embarks on a journey as they begin one of my novels. Like Bastian in The Neverending Story, I too venture on that same journey when I write, loving every minute of it!”

Visit https://katebirkinbooks.com to learn more about Kate and her books.

Customer reviews

13,085 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the book's story captivating and appreciate its portrayal of mental illness struggles, with well-developed characters and evocative descriptions of the Australian Outback. The writing style receives mixed reactions - while some praise the beautiful poetic style, others find it frustratingly wordy. The book is described as an emotional read that makes readers aware of mental health issues, though some find it too long at 600 pages. The premise receives mixed reactions, with some finding it very real while others question its plausibility.

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Story quality Insight Character development Heartbreaking Beauty Wordiness Premise Length

272 customers mention "Story quality"234 positive38 negative

Customers find the book's story engaging, with one noting how the true tale was captivated eloquently by the author, while others mention how it kept them interested from beginning to end.

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She has a beautiful way with describing the landscape. I loved the characters and never saw the plot twists coming...." Read more

"...Can’t wait for the movie to come out. A great read" Read more

"The story was written so beautifully that I could feel it in my heart. I truly recommend reading this beautiful story." Read more

"Great story. Got a little drawn out, but in real life people often take time to make difficult decisions because the unknown is scary...." Read more

87 customers mention "Insight"82 positive5 negative

Customers find the book insightful, particularly in its portrayal of mental illness struggles, with one customer noting how it creates a rich mental environment.

"...The story was most unusual and fascinating as it explored every emotion that one can endure...." Read more

"...It’s an emotional story about love, duty, marriage, mental illness and obsessive love and family. I give the story itself..." Read more

"...It seemed to have an interesting nugget about the awful hurdles of living with mental illness. So I persisted...." Read more

"The topic of this book was enlightening in regard to marital commitments and challenges during the time frame of this story...." Read more

72 customers mention "Character development"59 positive13 negative

Customers appreciate the character development in the book, noting the richness of the characters and one review highlighting how Anna's illnesses are portrayed in a humane way.

"...She has a beautiful way with describing the landscape. I loved the characters and never saw the plot twists coming...." Read more

"I loved this story so much. The characters are so well rounded that they caused me to feel real emotions for them, many times conflicting ones...." Read more

"...feel the love, the rage, the betrayal, the hallucinations as you step into each character. Can’t wait for the movie to come out. A great read" Read more

"...Loved all the vocabulary words I hope to learn and use. Great character descriptions." Read more

44 customers mention "Heartbreaking"39 positive5 negative

Customers find the book emotionally intense and heartbreaking, describing it as a poignant and great story.

"...The characters are so well rounded that they caused me to feel real emotions for them, many times conflicting ones...." Read more

"This book, though long, kept me mesmerized. You can actually feel the love, the rage, the betrayal, the hallucinations as you step into each..." Read more

"...senses time and time again until you became one with the story was so intense and profound...." Read more

"...Memorable characters and an emotional read. I recommend it." Read more

31 customers mention "Beauty"31 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the book's evocative descriptions of the Australian Outback and its wild backdrop, with one customer noting its true sense of weather and topography.

"I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She has a beautiful way with describing the landscape. I loved the characters and never saw the plot twists coming...." Read more

"...The backdrop of Australia and the life style of the characters was well written." Read more

"...I enjoyed the evocative descriptions of Australia...." Read more

"...about a woman with undiagnosed mental illness, it was poignant and beautiful...." Read more

162 customers mention "Wordiness"86 positive76 negative

Customers have mixed opinions about the book's wordiness, with some praising its beautiful poetic writing and descriptive style, while others find it sometimes too wordy and criticize the excessive use of superfluous vocabulary.

"...It wasn’t disruptive at all. I also liked the Australian way of talking." Read more

"...of the novel except for the first section, ridiculous and/or archaic words are used...." Read more

"...Loved all the vocabulary words I hope to learn and use. Great character descriptions." Read more

"...My only criticism is the use of so many words requiring a dictionary! There were so many recognizable words which could have been used...." Read more

30 customers mention "Premise"19 positive11 negative

Customers have mixed reactions to the premise of the book, with some finding it very real and appreciating its raw honesty, while others find it implausible.

"...with mental illness for over half of my life, I appreciated the raw honesty with which Anna's character was written...." Read more

"...Sophie’s Choice,” except that Anna had a wonderful, if perhaps, unrealistic outcome...." Read more

"...You can actually feel the love, the rage, the betrayal, the hallucinations as you step into each character. Can’t wait for the movie to come out...." Read more

"An interesting story, especially as it's mostly true, but soo long! And so slow...." Read more

38 customers mention "Length"6 positive32 negative

Customers find the book's length problematic, with several noting it is too long and not worth the trouble to read, while one customer specifically mentions it drags on for over 600 pages.

"This story of a mentally ill woman in Australia was very good but so long. I wanted to edit it numerous times to make it more concise." Read more

"This story was interesting, but overly long. I enjoyed the evocative descriptions of Australia...." Read more

"An interesting story, especially as it's mostly true, but soo long! And so slow...." Read more

"...My only qualm is the length. Some of the chapters seem to be filler material. I don’t mind a long book but it felt long for no reason." Read more

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Lolly12
You are transported to Australia!
Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2025
Verified Purchase

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. She has a beautiful way with describing the landscape. I loved the characters and never saw the plot twists coming. I want to live in the windmill, it must be cozy. I do not have a college degree and it’s been 56 years since high school so there were words I wasn’t familiar with, so I was using my Kindle for definitions. It wasn’t disruptive at all. I also liked the Australian way of talking.

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2 people found this helpful

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Michelle
Loved This Story!
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2025
Verified Purchase
I loved this story so much. The characters are so well rounded that they caused me to feel real emotions for them, many times conflicting ones.

As a person who struggled with mental illness for over half of my life, I appreciated the raw honesty with which Anna's character was written.

I have only two complaints. There is too much repetition at the center of the novel. I can't give specific examples without giving the plot away, so I will say no more than easily 100 pages (yes, 100) should have been edited out.

Second, In every part of the novel except for the first section, ridiculous and/or archaic words are used. I have a Master's degree in Arts and Literature and have been an a id reader for over 50 years. There were some words that neither I nor Google recognized. There were also some "big" words that were used incorrectly. It honestly seems to me that someone went through a thesaurus to choose odd, difficult, and/or archaic words and then dropped them into odd places in the text in a failed attempt to impress the reader. Often, the word had the 3rd or lower definition listed in the dictionary. This was completely distracting and unnecessary. I only saw 2 grammar mistakes in the book.

Overall, I LOVE the story. I highly recommend this book to people of all education levels. It is a book that will kept me reading far into the night. It is a perfect book for group discussions. It is a take that I won't forget.

4 stars for the reason stated above

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23 people found this helpful

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jimbo
powerful true story
Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2025
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This book, though long, kept me mesmerized. You can actually feel the love, the rage, the betrayal, the hallucinations as you step into each character. Can’t wait for the movie to come out. A great read

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2 people found this helpful

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BLS
A Soap Opera
Reviewed in the United States on March 6, 2025
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The Consequences of Anna: Pulitzer Prize 2024 Nominee. So the book jacket says. I ask, “how on earth was this book nominated for a Pulitzer Prize? I forced myself to finish this book. I did not like any of the characters. They must be the stupidest people on earth yet the author wants the reader to believe that they all acted with the highest of moral integrity. Anna wants her husband to sleep with her cousin to give her the gift of a baby which in the beginning cousin Rose and husband James totally poo poo the idea. But finally, they gave in and agree to the idea. And not only do cousin Rose and husband sleep together, they fall in love with each other and eventually decide to runoff with each other. Anna cannot understand how they betrayed her so. And the author tries to explain this behavior by portraying these characters as having the highest of moral values. They didn’t mean to hurt anybody. The more the author paints James and Rose like moral saints the more ridiculous this whole tale becomes. Anna’s choices are excused because she is mentally ill. I do have to confess the parts of the book that dealt with Anna‘s institutionalization was interesting, but as far as the rest of this over 500 page epic, I advise any of you who believe there should be some literary value to an alleged Pulitzer Prize nominee to just skip the whole thing.

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4 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer
Mezmorising ! I wasn't able to put it down
Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2025
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The story was written so beautifully that I could feel it in my heart.
I truly recommend reading this beautiful story.

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2 people found this helpful

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Julie
Great story
Reviewed in the United States on March 23, 2025
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Great story. Got a little drawn out, but in real life people often take time to make difficult decisions because the unknown is scary. Loved all the vocabulary words I hope to learn and use. Great character descriptions.

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2 people found this helpful

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Kindle Customer
Most amazing story...
Reviewed in the United States on April 2, 2025
Verified Purchase
This This has to be the most amazing book I have read in my 72 years! The descriptions of everything that simply enveloped each of the senses time and time again until you became one with the story was so intense and profound. The story was most unusual and fascinating as it explored every emotion that one can endure.
Each of the seven deadly sins were revealed during the story but, paramount, were the seven heavenly virtues as well. has to be one if the most amazing books I have read in my 72 years!

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6 people found this helpful

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Doug Lange
never read a book quite like this
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2025
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A bittersweet story of life and death and I have never read a book where a foreign language was used and translated and never read a book written by two people

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Top reviews from other countries

jonckher
long and beautiful gothic Australian novel
Reviewed in Australia on February 6, 2025
Verified Purchase

This is a beautiful complex story which I throughly enjoyed. Though the constant use of the word straya by the characters in leu of Australia was grating and a little lazy. Combined with the excessive use of unnecessarily obscure words it all began ton feel a little classist.

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Christine Boos
Disturbing, heartbreaking and poignant
Reviewed in Germany on June 29, 2022
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Australia, after WWI, a true story at a time when mental issues were misunderstood and/or unrecognised: a novel I found disturbing and heartbreaking.
Anna is a young woman prone to strong emotions. However, her emotions do not necessarily mean the same as to most of us. For her, a lot is about control though though she is unaware of ithat fact. One can only guess what love can be in her mind!
What I loved about this novel is that the reader tries to guess what is actually wrong with her, with our modern knowledge. But we are not professionals (many of us are not!), and this puts us in a similar situation as Anna's relatives: we work on her symptoms, wondering... The author masterfully depicted the impact mental issues (diagnosed or not) have on the patient's relatives in a heartbreaking and poignant plot.
I could relate to all characters involved! Highly recommended!

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ccarol ann watson
Deeply moving story
Reviewed in Canada on October 10, 2024
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Hard to describe just how profound this novel is, it digs deep into the reader’s heart and evokes feelings of sadness, love, hope, but mostly joy. The characters are alive , the countryside of Australia becomes a canvas on which those characters dance, rejoice, betray and show unconditional love. Thoroughly an incredible read.

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Kindle Customer
Amazing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 14, 2024
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I loved this book, it kept me up long after my bed time. Really interesting insight into mental illness. I loved Anna, Rose and James and emphasised with all three of them equally.

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Nancy Fairweather
Have a dictionary handy
Reviewed in Canada on November 18, 2024
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Slow moving at first. Plenty of words to look up in your dictionary unless you have PhD in literature. Overal a very good read.

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The Consequence of Anna: Pulitzer Prize 2024 Nominee Kindle Edition

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From the Publisher

A Childlike Woman with Undiagnosed Mental Illness . . .

Her Beloved English Cousin with a Secret Desire . . .

A Man of Principle Caught Between Them . . .

Editorial Reviews

Review

Product details

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About the author

Kate Birkin

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Engrossing, captivating, beautifully told story

Top reviews from the United States

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Top reviews from other countries

5.0 out of 5 stars long and beautiful gothic Australian novel

4.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing, heartbreaking and poignant

5.0 out of 5 stars Deeply moving story

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing

4.0 out of 5 stars Have a dictionary handy

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long and beautiful gothic Australian novel

Disturbing, heartbreaking and poignant

Deeply moving story

Amazing

Have a dictionary handy