Item: The Drift
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by C. J. Tudor

Three ordinary people risk everything for a chance at redemption in this audacious, utterly gripping novel of catastrophe and survival at the end of the world, from the acclaimed author of The Chalk Man.

Hannah awakens to carnage, all mangled metal and shattered glass. During a hasty escape from a secluded boarding school, her schoolbus careened over a hillside road during one of the year's heaviest snowstorms, trapping her inside with a handful of survivors, a brewing virus and no way to call for help. If she and the remaining few want to make it out alive, with their sanity--and secrets--intact, they'll need to work together or they'll be buried alive with the rest of the dead.

A former detective, Meg awakens to a gentle rocking. She is in a cable car suspended far above a snowstorm and surrounded by strangers in the same uniform as her, with no memory of how they got there. They are heading to a mysterious place known only to them as "The Retreat," but when they discover a dead man among their ranks and Meg spies a familiar face, she realizes that there is something far more insidious going on and begins to use the skills from her former life to interrogate her fellow passengers.

Carter is gazing out the window of the abandoned ski chalet that he and his ragtag compatriots call home. As the years drag on, the view of pine forests and mountaintops has become wallpaper. Together, they manage what they can to survive--mostly manufacturing vaccines against a deadly virus in exchange for life's essentials. But as their generator begins to waver, the threat of something lurking in the chalet's depths looms larger, and their fragile bonds will be tested when the power finally fails—for good.

The imminent dangers faced by Hannah, Meg and Carter are each one part of the puzzle. Lurking in their shadows is an even greater threat—one that threatens to consume all of humanity.

Book Summary:

Would you take it if you were given a chance to redeem yourself? What about the potential cost – the risk of such a decision? Would you think it through, or just dive right in and hope for the best?

Three tales. Three stories. Three sets of people, all doing everything in their power to survive. One set is trapped in a mangled boarding school. The other is a cable car suspended over nothingness. The final races against time, fighting to find a vaccine before it is too late.

My Review:

So this should go without saying, but don't read The Drift if you're looking for a pick-me-up style story. This is a post-apocalyptic tale, with some strong survival elements thrown in for good measure.

I really enjoyed that the story is comprised of three different series of events. It added to the tension, obviously. But it also allowed the pacing to bend and flow as things went on. I won't say that it gave readers a break because the whole thing is intense, but it helped.

If you enjoyed C.J. Tudor's The Chaulkman, you will love The Drift. Trust me.

Highlights:
Multiple plots
Dystopia
Mystery/Thriller
Horror Elements

Trigger Warnings:
Trapped
Intense survival situations

Thanks to Ballantine Books and #NetGalley for making this book available for review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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The Drift

by C. J. Tudor

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Jan 27, 2023

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