Wednesday, February 01, 2023

The Drift by C.J. Tudor

 
First Line: They circled the body in the snow.
 
Three strangers find themselves fighting for survival in a world turned upside down and buried in snow.
 
Evacuated from an exclusive boarding school, Hannah finds herself trapped in a wrecked van high in the mountains during a snowstorm. She and the other survivors will have to fight to escape and survive the wolves outside.

Meg finds herself trapped in a cable car high above the ground. Neither she nor the others know how they got there... or how they're going to get out.

Carter is in an isolated ski resort that he and his companions call home. With the generator beginning to fail during the blizzard, something deep within the depths of the resort threatens to escape.

The dangers faced by Hannah, Meg, and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in the shadows is an even greater threat.

~

Would C.J. Tudor's The Drift be as claustrophobic and unsettling if the world wasn't still dealing with Covid-19? I don't think so. Now readers are more familiar with a pandemic and its far-reaching consequences. The driving force behind this book is a disease that has blindsided the planet's population. How far would we go to safeguard our children and ourselves? How far would we go to combat the disease? How far would we go to find a cure?

In the world of The Drift, euphemisms have sprung up like mushrooms. In this world, lies are the grease that oil daily life. This world is stricken with an airborne virus that has many (even deadlier) variants, and survival has become a solitary business. Even though the world is reeling from one blow after another, people still want to believe that everything will return to normal. But there are realists amongst them. Realists who know that "normal" is in the past. Realists who know that you're either a good guy or a survivor... and dead good guys far outnumber the survivors.

The storytelling in The Drift is non-linear, and that may cause a bit of confusion from time to time, but that confusion blends well with the feelings of claustrophobia, paranoia, and doom. As I read the stories of Hannah, Meg, and Carter, I found myself wanting them to survive, and I found myself wanting to know not only what had happened but what was going to happen. 

The Drift is compelling and unsettling reading that drags you right into its frozen heart. Thinking about it now still makes me shiver.

The Drift by C.J. Tudor
eISBN: 9780593356579
Ballantine Books © 2023
eBook, 352 pages
 
Post-apocalyptic Thriller, Standalone
Rating: A-
Source: Net Galley

11 comments:

  1. This really does sound powerful, Cathy, and, yes, unsettling. The premise is really interesting to me, but I think I'll wait until I'm ready for this sort of read.

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    1. Yes, this is the type of read you have to be in the mood for... if it's your cup of tea at all.

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  2. I'm reading this one now. It's a 'cold' book so far, but I've gotten through one round of the three main characters' viewpoints. Obviously more to come. Maybe not the best book to start during the ice storm Texas has been having, but our area has not been hit the worst. And the sun is supposed to come out either late this afternoon or tomorrow. ;-)

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    1. Yes, I normally wait until the depths of summer to read a book like this. ;-)

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  3. I'm glad to read your review of this one and that you liked it...I've been on the fence a bit on whether or not I wanted to read it. sometimes I don't love too many character POVs and non-linear storytelling. But I've liked several of Tudor's other books, so I think I should give this one a try. :D

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    1. I'm interested in seeing what you think of this one if you get a chance to read it, Lark.

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  4. I've seen this book mentioned enough recently that I was curious about it. But I'm in the group that doesn't feel the need to experience a pandemic in fiction since we're still dealing with one in reality, ao your review let me know that I can give this one a pass.

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  5. OK, I finished THE DRIFT and have my review on my blog today. I still feel cold. As I said in my review, now I need a 'nice' murder that takes place in summer. Ha!

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    1. I am in complete agreement. Now I'm off to read your review. Thanks for letting me know.

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