Adrift

by Paul Griffin

[Kelly]

3.5 Stars.
http://www.divabooknerd.com/2015/07/adrift-by-paul-griffin.html
Adrift was terrifying. A psychological thriller and fight for survival. Imagine being stranded at sea, no land in sight and with strangers you had only met hours prior. That's what faces the both Matt and John, best friends who neither are strangers to violence. Dri is a Manhattan girl, but cousin Stef and her boyfriend JoJo are Brazilian nationals, enjoying the summer before it all begins to fall apart. Told from Matt's point of view who has limited medical knowledge, Dri who had basic survival skills and John, with his calm exterior that has him dubbed the Iceman. JoJo spends most of his time fawning over the heavily injured Stef, her arm torn to pieces and the limb now turning grey. It's eerie. Between the group of five, it seems inevitable that one is on the verge of snapping.

As they started to turn on one another, I found myself incredibly anxious. With a hammer and makeshift harpoon as potential weapons, the storyline has a dangerous undercurrent of unpredictability and I loved every moment. My only real issues were how the group came to be out there in the first place. An idiotic snap decision when there seemed to be no real danger at the time, yet there were no safety checks on the boat and no one, even the stoic John, showed any real common sense. Although superbly written, it lacked emotion sadly. The thriller aspect was pure perfection, but the quieter moments between the characters, especially Matt and Dri fell flat. Matt was still coming to terms with a horrific incident that he and John were involved in three years prior, but even as their story emerged, I felt emotionally disconnected to them both. I really enjoyed it. I loved the thriller aspect and survival story, but it needed a little more emotion within it's characters and their plight. It's the only difference from it being a good read into an incredible read.

Adrift was an enthralling thriller that simmers along, leaving readers anxious and defenseless. Well written and a unique tale of survival in the most desolate of conditions. Thoroughly enjoyed it.