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The Drifter
Megan Abbott meets M.O. Walsh in Christine Lennon's compelling debut novel about a group of friends on the cusp of graduating from college when their lives are irrevocably changed by a brutal act of violence. Present Day… For two decades, Elizabeth has tried to escape the ghosts of her past…tried to erase the painful memories…tried to keep out the terrifying nightmares. But twenty years after graduating from the University of Florida, her carefully curated life begins to unravel, forcing her to confront the past she’s tried so hard to forget.
1990s, Gainesville, Florida… Elizabeth and her two closest friends, Caroline and Ginny, are having the time of their lives in college—binge watching Oprah , flirting for freebies from Taco Bell, and breaking hearts along the way. But without warning, their world is suddenly shattered when a series of horrific acts of violence ravage the campus, changing their lives forever. Sweeping readers from the exclusive corners of sorority life in the South to the frontlines of the drug-fueled, slacker culture in Manhattan in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, when Elizabeth is forced to acknowledge her role in the death of a friend in order to mend a broken friendship and save her own life, The Drifter is an unforgettable story about the complexities of friendships and the secrets that can ultimately destroy us.
1990s, Gainesville, Florida… Elizabeth and her two closest friends, Caroline and Ginny, are having the time of their lives in college—binge watching Oprah , flirting for freebies from Taco Bell, and breaking hearts along the way. But without warning, their world is suddenly shattered when a series of horrific acts of violence ravage the campus, changing their lives forever. Sweeping readers from the exclusive corners of sorority life in the South to the frontlines of the drug-fueled, slacker culture in Manhattan in the ‘90s and early ‘00s, when Elizabeth is forced to acknowledge her role in the death of a friend in order to mend a broken friendship and save her own life, The Drifter is an unforgettable story about the complexities of friendships and the secrets that can ultimately destroy us.
352 pages, Paperback
First published February 14, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 157 reviews
April 11, 2017
I read this as a "blind date with a book" so I went in with few expectations, and I thought it was a fairly solid debut novel. The story absolutely held my interest, though I did expect more of a mystery element based on the blurb on the back cover describing it as "a gripping thriller". It was really about the aftermath of violence and the havoc guilt and regret can wreak. There was some unevenness in the writing and some inconsistencies that irked me, but overall it was an enjoyable experience. This "blind date" isn't going to end in marriage but will be remembered fondly enough. 3.5 stars.
January 6, 2017
I'm going to be in the minority in disliking this book. It was too full of minuscule details.
October 24, 2016
The book begins in the present, with Elizabeth sitting across the street from her daughter's Manhattan preschool, monitoring it's security. She does this every morning, despite entreaties from her husband and teacher that her daughter will be safe.
Flashback to Elizabeth's life in college in Gainesville, Florida: Elizabeth was a party girl, as were her sorority friends, Caroline and Ginny. Though Elizabeth could no longer afford the sorority dues, she still crashed in the girls' rooms. She cruised on a pink bike to her job at a bagel place, where she had a steady stream of friends, and earned enough money to pay for drinks at all their favorite bars. Classes, job, friends, new boyfriend, all is well until one night when an act of tragic violence causes Elizabeth to leave Gainesville forever.
She and her boyfriend end up in New York City, where Elizabeth uses cocaine to dull the pain of the tragedy that led her to New York. Eventually, she and her boyfriend marry and have a daughter, but Elizabeth's secret sadness keeps her from getting close to anyone. When her husband convinces her to return to Florida for a reunion, she finally confronts the demons that have haunted her for all these years and realizes turning to friends and loved ones, instead of away from them, could have made huge changes in her life.
The beginning of The Drifter, when Elizabeth was in college, was a fast read. I loved reading about college life; it brought back a few old memories. Once Elizabeth (and her secret) got to NYC, not only did she become depressed, but I did too. Obviously the author did a great job of conveying Elizabeth's mood, but each chapter went on too long. I used the fine art of skimming, as the years went by and Elizabeth's gloomy despair rarely changed. I think the NYC years needed a little editing.
However, the end wrapped things up nicely for me, and it's a good beach read. A beach read will never get a 5 from me, and with the overly depressing middle, I hesitated to give this book a 4, however; I'm writing this review weeks after reading the book, and I still remember the plot, and Elizabeth's whimsical personality. For me to remember that much about a book a couple of weeks after reading it is unusual, and makes it more distinctive than another book I just read and can't remember, yet gave a 4.
Received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
Flashback to Elizabeth's life in college in Gainesville, Florida: Elizabeth was a party girl, as were her sorority friends, Caroline and Ginny. Though Elizabeth could no longer afford the sorority dues, she still crashed in the girls' rooms. She cruised on a pink bike to her job at a bagel place, where she had a steady stream of friends, and earned enough money to pay for drinks at all their favorite bars. Classes, job, friends, new boyfriend, all is well until one night when an act of tragic violence causes Elizabeth to leave Gainesville forever.
She and her boyfriend end up in New York City, where Elizabeth uses cocaine to dull the pain of the tragedy that led her to New York. Eventually, she and her boyfriend marry and have a daughter, but Elizabeth's secret sadness keeps her from getting close to anyone. When her husband convinces her to return to Florida for a reunion, she finally confronts the demons that have haunted her for all these years and realizes turning to friends and loved ones, instead of away from them, could have made huge changes in her life.
The beginning of The Drifter, when Elizabeth was in college, was a fast read. I loved reading about college life; it brought back a few old memories. Once Elizabeth (and her secret) got to NYC, not only did she become depressed, but I did too. Obviously the author did a great job of conveying Elizabeth's mood, but each chapter went on too long. I used the fine art of skimming, as the years went by and Elizabeth's gloomy despair rarely changed. I think the NYC years needed a little editing.
However, the end wrapped things up nicely for me, and it's a good beach read. A beach read will never get a 5 from me, and with the overly depressing middle, I hesitated to give this book a 4, however; I'm writing this review weeks after reading the book, and I still remember the plot, and Elizabeth's whimsical personality. For me to remember that much about a book a couple of weeks after reading it is unusual, and makes it more distinctive than another book I just read and can't remember, yet gave a 4.
Received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
February 11, 2017
First off, I have to comment by saying that this book did not do it for me. The only appealing aspect of this book was the time period and location. I did feel like I was back in the 90's but that was the only thing that I liked about this book. Not to say that I did not give it the college try. I read about half way. Yet, reading and actually immersing myself into this book are two different outcomes.
To be begin with, Elizabeth was not that interesting. Well not the present Elizabeth anyways. I honestly don't know why Elizabeth, Caroline and Ginny were friends as they did not really act like best friends. Maybe casual friends. My issue with this book was that it dragged on and on without really going anywhere. I kept trying to guess what the big, dark secret was but it seemed to take forever to get to the point. I finally jumped ahead to see what the event was that changed every ones lives. At this point I had no reaction. Sadly, this book was not my cup of tea.
To be begin with, Elizabeth was not that interesting. Well not the present Elizabeth anyways. I honestly don't know why Elizabeth, Caroline and Ginny were friends as they did not really act like best friends. Maybe casual friends. My issue with this book was that it dragged on and on without really going anywhere. I kept trying to guess what the big, dark secret was but it seemed to take forever to get to the point. I finally jumped ahead to see what the event was that changed every ones lives. At this point I had no reaction. Sadly, this book was not my cup of tea.
June 1, 2017
3.5 stars. The first 30% of the book was the strongest, the last 15% was the weakest. The middle was decent. A pretty good read but probably not overly-memorable.
February 21, 2017
One more semester. Just a few final months to go before the end of college and the next phase in Betsy's life. But the semester is not off to a great start. After crashing all summer in her friends' apartment, Betsy has become a third wheel.
She, Ginny, and Caroline met at rush and have been friends ever since, but things between Caroline and Betsy have become more than strained. Things were fine while Caroline was gone for the summer, but now she's back and things are weird as ever. To make matters worse, Gainesville has become the new stomping grounds for an apparent serial killer. In a town full of women, it's unlikely any of the three will ever cross his path. Or so they think.
Twenty years later, Betsy still hasn't recovered from the death of her friend. She's overly cautious and afraid of letting her daughter out of her sight. Things aren't helped when she receives an invite from a sorority sister to attend their twenty year reunion. If she's ever to move on with her life, it appears she'll have to face the horrors of her final months in Florida.
The Drifter wasn't quite what I expected. It's being compared to Megan Abbott and M.O. Walsh, the latter of which is actually a pretty perfect comparison in retrospect.
As with Walsh's debut, The Drifter is less a thriller than an examination of how events shape our lives. We're introduced to Betsy in 2010 as her daughter is beginning preschool, and it's clear that Betsy has issues. She's obsessed with background checks and security at the school and is even caught lurking outside. But what the school doesn't know is that Betsy's fear is grounded in a very real and tragic event - her best friend's murder.
Cut to 1990 and everything is apparently, mostly, hunky dory. Betsy is carefree and happy, somewhat. Yes, the trio of friends is experiencing a rocky patch, but all is fairly normal. Except that two women have been murdered in their little college town.
While we do get some chapters beyond Betsy's final months in college, much of the story is focused between August 22 and August 30, or the days leading up to the murder of one of Betsy's friends. From there, it's clear her life could only be influenced by that event. Understandably.
From the description, I definitely did expect more of a thriller. And while The Drifter certainly has thriller leanings and aspects, it's more a coming of age tale about a woman whose life is affected by a great tragedy. It's also about healing from, and dealing with the guilt of, that event.
To that end, The Drifter is not necessarily paced like a thriller. There's much more introspection and examination of the time leading up to the event. (As is the case with Walsh's title, hence the apt comparison.) And by honing in on the tiny details that make up the days leading up to and even beyond the crime in question, Lennon really gives readers a chance to get inside Betsy's life and mind. To experience the emotions and the uncertainty of those final days of college, the testiness of a close friendship, and the tragedy of loss.
The book is set at an interesting time, in my opinion. 1990 did mark a significant change from the 80s. There was a different feel to everything: fashion, music, movies... I may be biased because I lived through it, but I'd say anyone my age likely feels the same. To set the tone, Lennon created a Spotify playlist. I highly recommend listening along as you read as it really does create a great mood for the book. You can also check out a great guest post by Lennon over at BookClubGirl.com.
She, Ginny, and Caroline met at rush and have been friends ever since, but things between Caroline and Betsy have become more than strained. Things were fine while Caroline was gone for the summer, but now she's back and things are weird as ever. To make matters worse, Gainesville has become the new stomping grounds for an apparent serial killer. In a town full of women, it's unlikely any of the three will ever cross his path. Or so they think.
Twenty years later, Betsy still hasn't recovered from the death of her friend. She's overly cautious and afraid of letting her daughter out of her sight. Things aren't helped when she receives an invite from a sorority sister to attend their twenty year reunion. If she's ever to move on with her life, it appears she'll have to face the horrors of her final months in Florida.
The Drifter wasn't quite what I expected. It's being compared to Megan Abbott and M.O. Walsh, the latter of which is actually a pretty perfect comparison in retrospect.
As with Walsh's debut, The Drifter is less a thriller than an examination of how events shape our lives. We're introduced to Betsy in 2010 as her daughter is beginning preschool, and it's clear that Betsy has issues. She's obsessed with background checks and security at the school and is even caught lurking outside. But what the school doesn't know is that Betsy's fear is grounded in a very real and tragic event - her best friend's murder.
Cut to 1990 and everything is apparently, mostly, hunky dory. Betsy is carefree and happy, somewhat. Yes, the trio of friends is experiencing a rocky patch, but all is fairly normal. Except that two women have been murdered in their little college town.
While we do get some chapters beyond Betsy's final months in college, much of the story is focused between August 22 and August 30, or the days leading up to the murder of one of Betsy's friends. From there, it's clear her life could only be influenced by that event. Understandably.
From the description, I definitely did expect more of a thriller. And while The Drifter certainly has thriller leanings and aspects, it's more a coming of age tale about a woman whose life is affected by a great tragedy. It's also about healing from, and dealing with the guilt of, that event.
To that end, The Drifter is not necessarily paced like a thriller. There's much more introspection and examination of the time leading up to the event. (As is the case with Walsh's title, hence the apt comparison.) And by honing in on the tiny details that make up the days leading up to and even beyond the crime in question, Lennon really gives readers a chance to get inside Betsy's life and mind. To experience the emotions and the uncertainty of those final days of college, the testiness of a close friendship, and the tragedy of loss.
The book is set at an interesting time, in my opinion. 1990 did mark a significant change from the 80s. There was a different feel to everything: fashion, music, movies... I may be biased because I lived through it, but I'd say anyone my age likely feels the same. To set the tone, Lennon created a Spotify playlist. I highly recommend listening along as you read as it really does create a great mood for the book. You can also check out a great guest post by Lennon over at BookClubGirl.com.
June 10, 2020
Beautifully written
February 19, 2017
Overall I enjoyed the story. I love how one moment changes you. How you relive the fear and the guilt and how it creates the fear and wariness. How it grips you and doesn’t let go but you still find someone to help you. How you find a way to move on even if it wasn’t a complete life but hollow. That is what Betsy feels after one night in Gainesville all those years ago. Betsy goes from being flaky and bold to lost and just trying to survive the guilt and nightmares. She has Gavin to help and love her. She has someone kind and patient to be there and give her love and safe arms to lie in but even this doesn’ t help.
betsy and gavin are great main characters. Flawed but honest and caring. They are what the other needs. The calm before storm and for Betsy Gavin is her rock.
this is the life of betsy and how she lives after one gruesome night that years ago she still has nightmares and fears. That she still feels she could have changed the outcome. She goes on a downward spiral but Gavin is there to pick her up and be there. How she finally finds a way to move on even when it seems a bleak concept.
At times the description was too much for me. That doesn’t mean it detracts but I just didn’ t need it all. I did love the build up and how the killer was familiar and when you are told why it is eery. I love the story of Gavin and Betsy and how he is her rock. The story of three girls and how they start as close friends but have one moment that has them become distant but were still friends. One night shatters that friendship and now both deal with anger, guilt and nightmares. Years later they learn to talk once again but we also get them to forgive one another and themselves.
A well written, eerie at times but captivating book about one gruesome moment in time and how it affects those around them and how they cope and survive.
betsy and gavin are great main characters. Flawed but honest and caring. They are what the other needs. The calm before storm and for Betsy Gavin is her rock.
this is the life of betsy and how she lives after one gruesome night that years ago she still has nightmares and fears. That she still feels she could have changed the outcome. She goes on a downward spiral but Gavin is there to pick her up and be there. How she finally finds a way to move on even when it seems a bleak concept.
At times the description was too much for me. That doesn’t mean it detracts but I just didn’ t need it all. I did love the build up and how the killer was familiar and when you are told why it is eery. I love the story of Gavin and Betsy and how he is her rock. The story of three girls and how they start as close friends but have one moment that has them become distant but were still friends. One night shatters that friendship and now both deal with anger, guilt and nightmares. Years later they learn to talk once again but we also get them to forgive one another and themselves.
A well written, eerie at times but captivating book about one gruesome moment in time and how it affects those around them and how they cope and survive.
April 14, 2017
Betsy, Ginny and Caroline became friends after meeting at a sorority rush. But when Betsy left the sorority, her relationship with Caroline began to crumble. With one semester left, Betsy couldn’t wait to leave Gainesville and start her life. But the town has been terrorized but a serial killer that makes their lives even worse.
Twenty years later, Betsy is living in NYC and still can’t deal with the murder of one of her friends and the ruination of her friendship with the other. Then comes the invitation to her twenty year reunion. Will she go? Will it hinder the ability to move on with her life?
This novel is about the how certain events define a person and who they become. The author really gets into Betsy’s psyche and as a reader we feel what makes Betsy tick. I found it quite enthralling. Not what I expected, but still had me thinking afterwards.
Twenty years later, Betsy is living in NYC and still can’t deal with the murder of one of her friends and the ruination of her friendship with the other. Then comes the invitation to her twenty year reunion. Will she go? Will it hinder the ability to move on with her life?
This novel is about the how certain events define a person and who they become. The author really gets into Betsy’s psyche and as a reader we feel what makes Betsy tick. I found it quite enthralling. Not what I expected, but still had me thinking afterwards.
February 20, 2017
Smart, sharp, funny, insightful, and creepy in all the right ways. A perfect escape at the end of the day!
February 16, 2017
Narrated the audiobook. A gorgeous, chilling, nuanced coming of age story that had me bawling at times with its portrayal of female friendship and the reverberations of trauma. Funny, time-specific, beautiful. It really moved me.
November 19, 2016
Loved this book! Lennon is a writer to watch. The Drifter is unsettling and creepy, I couldn't put it down!
March 8, 2017
Ok, The Drifter is a good back. For some a great book, but I felt slightly mislead by what I thought I was reading like so many others, which is why my review is a 3/3.5 star and not more. If you are going into this book because the cover looks creepy, the synopsis looking dark and thrilling and you are expecting a suspense thriller to rock your world... keep on walking. This book is general fiction with a side of a slight, very mild thriller. This is not the fault of the author, its whoever categorises the books - publisher maybe? Amazon (As that's where I got it from?).
The story is long, so long. If you want to here more information that necessary about the heirachy of a sorority house, or what Betsy ate for breakfast etc, then read on. The attention to detail and inner monologues of Betsy drove me insanity. If it wasn't for that 'i'm sure its going to get exciting soon' deep part inside me, I'd have given up.
The story could easily be condensed, but I do find in general fiction that's how these things work. This book is about characters growing, or should I say Betsy growing up and living on after a terrible incident. I didn't love Betsy, she was ok and her story, yes different, but she was just a bit too blah for me at times. Especially when there is actually only 4 years age difference between myself and her I didn't really relate to her or her parenting - my son would be the same age as Remi.
Characters were all ok, I didn't love or loathe any of them. Well, actually I liked Caroline, but probably because she seemed to have more layers and as the books comes to the end you see things differently.
No, The Drifter was a fine book, but it wasn't for me as it was labelled wrong and at the end I was left with that 'Is that it?' feeling. If I had seen this under general fiction I wouldn't have given it a second glance, I'm just putting this out there to others that its not a thriller ok? Oh and on a final note, Remi... I like a person who gives their children individuality - from one mother to another.
The story is long, so long. If you want to here more information that necessary about the heirachy of a sorority house, or what Betsy ate for breakfast etc, then read on. The attention to detail and inner monologues of Betsy drove me insanity. If it wasn't for that 'i'm sure its going to get exciting soon' deep part inside me, I'd have given up.
The story could easily be condensed, but I do find in general fiction that's how these things work. This book is about characters growing, or should I say Betsy growing up and living on after a terrible incident. I didn't love Betsy, she was ok and her story, yes different, but she was just a bit too blah for me at times. Especially when there is actually only 4 years age difference between myself and her I didn't really relate to her or her parenting - my son would be the same age as Remi.
Characters were all ok, I didn't love or loathe any of them. Well, actually I liked Caroline, but probably because she seemed to have more layers and as the books comes to the end you see things differently.
No, The Drifter was a fine book, but it wasn't for me as it was labelled wrong and at the end I was left with that 'Is that it?' feeling. If I had seen this under general fiction I wouldn't have given it a second glance, I'm just putting this out there to others that its not a thriller ok? Oh and on a final note, Remi... I like a person who gives their children individuality - from one mother to another.
February 6, 2017
2.5/5
This book took me SO long to get through and I've finally figured out why.
First things first, the fact that this book is categorized as a mystery is misleading. This book is not a mystery, at least not in the sense that the reader is meant to solve said mystery alongside the protagonist, leading to a dramatic finale in which "Oh, I should have seen it all along!" In fact, the campus murders that are referenced on the back cover's blurb occur in the background, nearly secondary to the plot. Actually, this book is a subtle story that tracks a woman from her sorority days in college for twenty years, with frequent reflections on how the murders personally affected her through the passage of time.
As far as the writing goes, I will say that technically, the skill level is sound. Lennon certainly has a way of filling up the page with rich detail, detail that fully brings the reader into the characters' lives. However, in my opinion, this book was just too heavy handed with the detail. To be honest, not much actually happened; if I were to edit all the description, I could cut the book in half. There weren't any shock moments, really no twists (except if you want to count the last revelation in the final ten pages of the book, although even that made me "eh"), and altogether I just wished that MORE happened.
I think that if you're searching for a slow burning and rich, detailed book that chronicles young adulthood in the 1990s, from city living, sex, and the party and drug scene, you really might be into this one.
And can we give the cover artist credit, too??? Swoon.
I received a complimentary, uncorrected proof of The Drifter in a Goodreads Giveaway.
This book took me SO long to get through and I've finally figured out why.
First things first, the fact that this book is categorized as a mystery is misleading. This book is not a mystery, at least not in the sense that the reader is meant to solve said mystery alongside the protagonist, leading to a dramatic finale in which "Oh, I should have seen it all along!" In fact, the campus murders that are referenced on the back cover's blurb occur in the background, nearly secondary to the plot. Actually, this book is a subtle story that tracks a woman from her sorority days in college for twenty years, with frequent reflections on how the murders personally affected her through the passage of time.
As far as the writing goes, I will say that technically, the skill level is sound. Lennon certainly has a way of filling up the page with rich detail, detail that fully brings the reader into the characters' lives. However, in my opinion, this book was just too heavy handed with the detail. To be honest, not much actually happened; if I were to edit all the description, I could cut the book in half. There weren't any shock moments, really no twists (except if you want to count the last revelation in the final ten pages of the book, although even that made me "eh"), and altogether I just wished that MORE happened.
I think that if you're searching for a slow burning and rich, detailed book that chronicles young adulthood in the 1990s, from city living, sex, and the party and drug scene, you really might be into this one.
And can we give the cover artist credit, too??? Swoon.
I received a complimentary, uncorrected proof of The Drifter in a Goodreads Giveaway.
May 6, 2018
Don't let the cover or description deceive, this is not a thriller, horror, or mystery. This is about three young women in 1990 Gainesville, and one is killed by a serial killer (based on actual events). Part one sets the tone of alcohol fueled youth shaken by the murderer arriving. The rest is about the next 20 years-- living with regrets, losing friends, climbing into middle age without a clear direction in life. I really liked this.
October 27, 2018
Don't expect page turning thrills or heart pounding twists...a more quietly unfolding story about friendship and the lasting impact of one terrible moment, one split second choice. An exploration of grief and the way trauma can continue to ripple through a person's life years after you've left it behind. Dense with details about Florida and sororities that sometimes felt like minutiae, this story wasn't what I expected but I enjoyed it.
April 9, 2017
Received via William Morrow Books/Harper Collins and Edelweiss in exchange for an completely unbiased review.
Also posted on Silk & Serif
The Drifter was a dark and thought provoking novel that took me a very, very long
time to get through. The unrelated details throughout this novel added realism to this novel in a way that made this book perhaps a little too real for me and resulted in many "breaks". The details evoked personal feelings that were perfectly related to the experiences of the three young friends Caroline, Betsy and Ginny who, although completely unalike, were best friends until the shining future of all three women are changed by one horrific night. I felt connected to the characters by virtue of experience from my own university days. My university days were not spent with sorority friends or even really socializing – but I do remember the excitement and expectation of Frosh Week and drunken nights spent in my mid-20s during a time when I still had absolutely no clue who I would be in life (and lets be honest, the only thing that has changed since those days is my excessive drinking habits!). The Drifter is written in a way that anyone can relate to characters that, written by another author, would be completely unrelatable.
Regardless of what other reviewers have said, the enormous amount of “useless” detail I’d learned about the daily life of our narrator only ensured that the ending of this novel could be understood on a deeper level. The mundane details that made this novel an woefully long read also made me love this novel - the characters, situations and their reactions were real thanks to the realism developed from all the boringly mundane details included by our narrator. I don't think the ending would have been as powerful without he long, plodding journey.
The summer in the early 90s that changed everything was just like any summer in the early 90s. The life of our narrator is destroyed and is forever slightly off axis until she can confront what really happened all those years ago.
My only complaint about this novel upon completion is the thematically depressing and dark narrator who, in the beginning is struggling to ‘fit in” and then spends several decades hiding a secret that slowly tears her sanity apart. The dark and twisted road that Betsy takes towards becoming a healthy individual after her friend is murdered was both difficult to read, and frustrating. I saw enough in Betsy to relate to her plight, but not enough to understand why she would keep such a secret for so many years. I also found it difficult to understand how anyone would continue to be in her life during her spiraling mental state, but perhaps Betsy was a better actress than she gave herself credit.
In the end, The Drifter was a depressing and beautiful novel about friendship, personal discovery and the deeply scarring effects of losing someone as a result of murder. Although many cannot understand the anguish of losing someone in these circumstances – I felt Lennon created a realistic and captivating narration of Overcoming and Acceptance.
I would not suggest reading this novel if you are looking for a quick read. The novel drags and spends enormous amounts of time describing Betsy’s life before and after the murder, her life’s development over twenty years and highlighting her deteriorating mental state. Very little happens for most of the book in terms of moving the plot along. The murder of her sorority sister is the major event of this novel, yet when we learn about the murderer and his fate, it is a side line to the drama of Betsy’s life - which hijacks the rest of the novel until the surprising conclusion. I expected the murder, the catching of the serial killer and the eventual closure for Betsy and those affected would be the focus of this story – but it isn’t. The focus of The Drifter is on a specific person and the effects of violent and unexpected crime has on her life.
Was The Drifter worth reading? Yes. Was is dark, depressing and emotional? Absolutely, but it was also inspiring to see the strength of friendship and the perseverance of the human condition.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological dramas, novels with deep meaning and rich character development. This novel is dark and deals with sad/uncomfortable situations that can be often difficult to read due to the exceptionally subversive writing style. I would recommend this book to readers seeking a "meatier" read with intense meaning and dark subject matter.
**Side note: The Drifter is in part based on true college murders and the author's own experiences in a sorority.
Also posted on Silk & Serif
The Drifter was a dark and thought provoking novel that took me a very, very long
time to get through. The unrelated details throughout this novel added realism to this novel in a way that made this book perhaps a little too real for me and resulted in many "breaks". The details evoked personal feelings that were perfectly related to the experiences of the three young friends Caroline, Betsy and Ginny who, although completely unalike, were best friends until the shining future of all three women are changed by one horrific night. I felt connected to the characters by virtue of experience from my own university days. My university days were not spent with sorority friends or even really socializing – but I do remember the excitement and expectation of Frosh Week and drunken nights spent in my mid-20s during a time when I still had absolutely no clue who I would be in life (and lets be honest, the only thing that has changed since those days is my excessive drinking habits!). The Drifter is written in a way that anyone can relate to characters that, written by another author, would be completely unrelatable.
Regardless of what other reviewers have said, the enormous amount of “useless” detail I’d learned about the daily life of our narrator only ensured that the ending of this novel could be understood on a deeper level. The mundane details that made this novel an woefully long read also made me love this novel - the characters, situations and their reactions were real thanks to the realism developed from all the boringly mundane details included by our narrator. I don't think the ending would have been as powerful without he long, plodding journey.
The summer in the early 90s that changed everything was just like any summer in the early 90s. The life of our narrator is destroyed and is forever slightly off axis until she can confront what really happened all those years ago.
My only complaint about this novel upon completion is the thematically depressing and dark narrator who, in the beginning is struggling to ‘fit in” and then spends several decades hiding a secret that slowly tears her sanity apart. The dark and twisted road that Betsy takes towards becoming a healthy individual after her friend is murdered was both difficult to read, and frustrating. I saw enough in Betsy to relate to her plight, but not enough to understand why she would keep such a secret for so many years. I also found it difficult to understand how anyone would continue to be in her life during her spiraling mental state, but perhaps Betsy was a better actress than she gave herself credit.
In the end, The Drifter was a depressing and beautiful novel about friendship, personal discovery and the deeply scarring effects of losing someone as a result of murder. Although many cannot understand the anguish of losing someone in these circumstances – I felt Lennon created a realistic and captivating narration of Overcoming and Acceptance.
I would not suggest reading this novel if you are looking for a quick read. The novel drags and spends enormous amounts of time describing Betsy’s life before and after the murder, her life’s development over twenty years and highlighting her deteriorating mental state. Very little happens for most of the book in terms of moving the plot along. The murder of her sorority sister is the major event of this novel, yet when we learn about the murderer and his fate, it is a side line to the drama of Betsy’s life - which hijacks the rest of the novel until the surprising conclusion. I expected the murder, the catching of the serial killer and the eventual closure for Betsy and those affected would be the focus of this story – but it isn’t. The focus of The Drifter is on a specific person and the effects of violent and unexpected crime has on her life.
Was The Drifter worth reading? Yes. Was is dark, depressing and emotional? Absolutely, but it was also inspiring to see the strength of friendship and the perseverance of the human condition.
This book will appeal to readers who enjoy psychological dramas, novels with deep meaning and rich character development. This novel is dark and deals with sad/uncomfortable situations that can be often difficult to read due to the exceptionally subversive writing style. I would recommend this book to readers seeking a "meatier" read with intense meaning and dark subject matter.
**Side note: The Drifter is in part based on true college murders and the author's own experiences in a sorority.
March 17, 2017
As a Georgia girl that went to a college in the 80's about an hour north of University of Florida, this story hit very close to home to me. It's based on how the author felt as she attended UF during the time that Danny Rolling murdered several women on campus. I could not put this down. Recommending to all my friends!
February 7, 2017
I won an "uncorrected proof" of this book in a Goodreads Giveaway. The Drifter is due to be published for real in February 2017. The blurb on the back of this copy reveals way too much of the plot. It's not a mystery in the who-done-it style, actually not a mystery at all, perhaps that's why every turn of the plot except the last one (which is a whopper) are outlined on the back cover. So, I didn't race through this book to find out what happened next because it was obvious from the start. Even the author herself let the reader know how things would end up by beginning near the end of the story and then telling almost all of the rest of it in one, long flashback. I found myself hoping that Betsy (the protagonist) and Gavin would hook up and then stay together then remembered that I had found out in the first chapter that they end up married, living in NYC and having a child. I still raced through parts of the book, totally engaged and enchanted but I would've preferred a more suspenseful narrative. My favorite genre is psychological thriller and I guess this wasn't one. Maybe my expectations were off-genre. Anyway, it was still almost a great read. Close to the end, when the story is about Betsy's life in NYC, her job, her relationship with Gavin, their marriage and the birth of their child, things droned on and I had to slog through for a little while until the pace picked up again.
Then I devoured the last fifty pages where the only surprise is revealed. Unfortunately, this secret is revealed in an "information dump" that doesn't blend naturally with the narrative before it. Every detail is exposed in the dialogue instead of a direct action sequence, which I think would've made it a better book.
Now for the book's most brilliant features. Most of it (about 90% or so) is beautifully written and immerses the reader in the world of 1980's college sororities. The school is a large state college in Gainesville, FLA and the characters' conversations, actions, life decisions and mistakes are all mixed in with the way they relate to the weather, the demographics of the population (students and townspeople), the history and geology of the area. Fascinating, absorbing, ingeniously atmospheric. I loved this part, which thankfully is most of the book. Throw in a serial killer who's appearance and modus operandi are similar to the real-life murderer Ted Bundy (who ended his horrific career in a college town in Florida) and you have the recipe for an almost great read, not perfect, but definitely within shouting distance of great.
Then I devoured the last fifty pages where the only surprise is revealed. Unfortunately, this secret is revealed in an "information dump" that doesn't blend naturally with the narrative before it. Every detail is exposed in the dialogue instead of a direct action sequence, which I think would've made it a better book.
Now for the book's most brilliant features. Most of it (about 90% or so) is beautifully written and immerses the reader in the world of 1980's college sororities. The school is a large state college in Gainesville, FLA and the characters' conversations, actions, life decisions and mistakes are all mixed in with the way they relate to the weather, the demographics of the population (students and townspeople), the history and geology of the area. Fascinating, absorbing, ingeniously atmospheric. I loved this part, which thankfully is most of the book. Throw in a serial killer who's appearance and modus operandi are similar to the real-life murderer Ted Bundy (who ended his horrific career in a college town in Florida) and you have the recipe for an almost great read, not perfect, but definitely within shouting distance of great.
February 27, 2017
A good read. While not a totally engrossing book I felt it did keep my interest. An example of how things that happen in our lives can affect us for a very long time. When we finally come to terms with how an event actually happened it can free us. Characters were fairly well developed and easily related to at that time in our lives as well.
February 19, 2017
A special thank you to Edelweiss and William Morrow for a complimentary reading copy in exchange for an honest review. Review to follow.
December 20, 2016
https://www.rtbookreviews.com/book-re...
Lennon's novel is a blast from the past about college life in the early ’90s. Unfortunately, the book can't quite settle on whether it's a coming-of-age story or a mystery, and both fall a bit short in the telling. The suspenseful portrayal of the Gainesville murders would have been better had the author paid some tribute to the real victims of these horrific events, because changing the names and some of the details will only serve to puzzle those who know what truly happened. The situations dealing with friendship, betrayal and moving on from tragedy make this book a worthwhile read, if one can ignore the shortcomings.
Elizabeth joins a sorority at the University of Florida in Gainesville in the early ’90s. She meets Caroline and Ginny, and the three are inseparable. Competition between the girls is fierce, but they remain loyal, until a tragic event separates them. Elizabeth moves to New York, reinventing her life, but never quite able to put the past completely behind her. She must confront her old demons in order to move on and become whole again.
Lennon's novel is a blast from the past about college life in the early ’90s. Unfortunately, the book can't quite settle on whether it's a coming-of-age story or a mystery, and both fall a bit short in the telling. The suspenseful portrayal of the Gainesville murders would have been better had the author paid some tribute to the real victims of these horrific events, because changing the names and some of the details will only serve to puzzle those who know what truly happened. The situations dealing with friendship, betrayal and moving on from tragedy make this book a worthwhile read, if one can ignore the shortcomings.
Elizabeth joins a sorority at the University of Florida in Gainesville in the early ’90s. She meets Caroline and Ginny, and the three are inseparable. Competition between the girls is fierce, but they remain loyal, until a tragic event separates them. Elizabeth moves to New York, reinventing her life, but never quite able to put the past completely behind her. She must confront her old demons in order to move on and become whole again.
November 30, 2016
Christine Lennon has written a stylish thriller of a debut novel about a group of friends whose lives are forever changed following a brutal act of violence. Set in Gainesville, Fla., and NYC, THE DRIFTER travels from southern sorority culture to 90s slacker drug-fueled Manhattan in a visceral, haunting story that tests the bonds of female friendships. Lennon's unforgettable characters and startling details make THE DRIFTER an absolute must read!
September 7, 2017
I loved this book, and I related to so much of it - from the great 90s references to the complicated female relationships. This is a world I recognize from my own youth and that I loved escaping into. It reminded me how intense everything feels in college, which was obviously heightened by what was going on in their community that summer. I had a hard time putting this down and definitely recommend it.
October 27, 2016
3.5...i was expecting more of a mystery/psychological thriller than this was so maybe that is why i was a bit disappointed with answers appearing throughout the book, rather than a lot of buildup and suspense. Interesting premise and held my attention, pretty good a debut!
December 2, 2016
The protagonist, Betsy, was immediately compelling as an ex-sorority girl who didn't fit in. She is confused about where she fits in the world when an unfathomable tragedy turns that world upside down. The book is gritty and intriguing. Well written.
September 8, 2017
Since when does August have only 29 days?!?
Page 35: subtitle "August 23, 1990"; "It was the last Friday in August..."
?!?
Page 35: subtitle "August 23, 1990"; "It was the last Friday in August..."
?!?
October 7, 2019
DNF - got about 75 pages in and I just couldn't get into the story.
May 17, 2019
I’m not sure what made me like this book so much. It begins with Elizabeth having a hard time letting her daughter go to preschool and her husband, Gavin, being understanding and helping her out. Then it focuses on the past when Elizabeth/Betsy and her friends Caroline and Ginny, are in college in Florida during the time that a murderer is killing college girls (which is based on true events that I remember). SPOILER: Ginny is murdered and unbeknownst to Betsy, she was in the apartment during the murder. This is at about the 45-50% mark of the book.
The second half is Betsy isolating herself from everyone but Gavin. After graduation they move to NY, she grapples with her guilt. She sees Caroline once and they are horrible to each other. They are both abusing drugs and trying to dull the guilt. Betsy gets herself cleaned up, Caroline comes into town, and after a huge fight they admit their own feelings of guilt and hug it out.
Part 1 begins at University of Florida in Gainesville. This part is told over five days.
Elizabeth goes by Betsy in college. She’s in a sorority with her friends Caroline (who is bitchy) and Ginny ( who is sweet) but then drops it. All three of them get drunk and do drugs a lot and are always together, but really Ginny is the common denominator friend. News of a murderer is going through the college town just a week or two before the semester begins. But since there wasn’t social media, the news travels in snippets and rumors. Betsy meets Gavin, and the first 3 days of their relationship, along with Betsy’s friendships with Ginny and Caroline, are developed. There are more victims, and the campus is reacting. The University delays the first week of school so everyone takes the extra time to party. At one party, Betsy gets high and drunk which makes her totally paranoid and she gets mad at Gavin and irrationally runs to Caroline and Ginny’s. When she gets inside, she feels creeped out and then thinks she hears something so she runs outside and into Gavin, who left the party looking for her. They decide they need to get away from the constant threat and end up going to New Orleans. They are in N.O. when they hear from the news that there were two more victims. One of them was Ginny and Betsy realizes she really had heard something. The killer was in the apartment when she thought she heard something and ran out.
Part 2 Betsy is isolating herself from everyone but Gavin. She’s moved back home and finished her degree by mail. When Gavin graduates, they move to New York. The murderer is caught.
Part 3 Betsy leads a very “Devil Wears Prada” life, while also getting into drugs heavily behind Gavin’s back. She’s also waking up on strange men’s couches or beds. She and Gavin are married but messed up. Caroline comes to town for their friend’s wedding. They see each other for the first time and are mean and vengeful to each other. Betsy then hears that Caroline has been blowing off work and clients and going downhill.
Part 4 Betsy has pulled herself together and now she and Gavin have a child. Their reunion is coming up and Betsy is unsure of how she’ll handle it. She and Caroline see each other and nothing’s changed — fighting and mean comments and then it alllllllll finally comes out. Betsy has felt guilty this whole time because she thought if she’d done something that she could have saved Ginny. Caroline has felt guilty because she picked him up one night and that’s why he knew where they lived. They had also run into him at the store when buying markers for a rush poster and Ginny almost hit him with her car by Taco Bell. Both of those times Ginny was polite to him while Caroline and Betsy were rude, so it could have been any one of them that he was after. Betsy for being rude, Caroline got picking him up and not having sex, or Ginny because she was nice.
The thing about this book that I enjoyed, although normally it would make me dislike a book, is that there’s lots of extra info setting up the story.
* Bagelville, where Betsy works, is described so well, as is her Filipino manager who works for his parents. Tom is the first person to warn Betsy about the murders. There’s an entire part about getting drunk after work with two girls that work at the pizza place by Bagelville. No real needed reason, but entertaining and described very well.
* For a while it seems to be a book about being in a sorority and getting ready for rush. Again, it was more detailed and longer than it needed to be, but I enjoyed the writing, so no complaints here.
* The whole working and living in New York is like a mini book in itself. The drugs and her dependence not only on the drugs but also on the dealer was fully described.
* By the end of the book, Betsy has pulled herself together and her mothering side is shown.
BONUS POINTS for being the only book I’ve ever read that has a soundtrack! All the bands and songs mentioned were perfectly reminiscent of the early 90s.
The second half is Betsy isolating herself from everyone but Gavin. After graduation they move to NY, she grapples with her guilt. She sees Caroline once and they are horrible to each other. They are both abusing drugs and trying to dull the guilt. Betsy gets herself cleaned up, Caroline comes into town, and after a huge fight they admit their own feelings of guilt and hug it out.
Part 1 begins at University of Florida in Gainesville. This part is told over five days.
Elizabeth goes by Betsy in college. She’s in a sorority with her friends Caroline (who is bitchy) and Ginny ( who is sweet) but then drops it. All three of them get drunk and do drugs a lot and are always together, but really Ginny is the common denominator friend. News of a murderer is going through the college town just a week or two before the semester begins. But since there wasn’t social media, the news travels in snippets and rumors. Betsy meets Gavin, and the first 3 days of their relationship, along with Betsy’s friendships with Ginny and Caroline, are developed. There are more victims, and the campus is reacting. The University delays the first week of school so everyone takes the extra time to party. At one party, Betsy gets high and drunk which makes her totally paranoid and she gets mad at Gavin and irrationally runs to Caroline and Ginny’s. When she gets inside, she feels creeped out and then thinks she hears something so she runs outside and into Gavin, who left the party looking for her. They decide they need to get away from the constant threat and end up going to New Orleans. They are in N.O. when they hear from the news that there were two more victims. One of them was Ginny and Betsy realizes she really had heard something. The killer was in the apartment when she thought she heard something and ran out.
Part 2 Betsy is isolating herself from everyone but Gavin. She’s moved back home and finished her degree by mail. When Gavin graduates, they move to New York. The murderer is caught.
Part 3 Betsy leads a very “Devil Wears Prada” life, while also getting into drugs heavily behind Gavin’s back. She’s also waking up on strange men’s couches or beds. She and Gavin are married but messed up. Caroline comes to town for their friend’s wedding. They see each other for the first time and are mean and vengeful to each other. Betsy then hears that Caroline has been blowing off work and clients and going downhill.
Part 4 Betsy has pulled herself together and now she and Gavin have a child. Their reunion is coming up and Betsy is unsure of how she’ll handle it. She and Caroline see each other and nothing’s changed — fighting and mean comments and then it alllllllll finally comes out. Betsy has felt guilty this whole time because she thought if she’d done something that she could have saved Ginny. Caroline has felt guilty because she picked him up one night and that’s why he knew where they lived. They had also run into him at the store when buying markers for a rush poster and Ginny almost hit him with her car by Taco Bell. Both of those times Ginny was polite to him while Caroline and Betsy were rude, so it could have been any one of them that he was after. Betsy for being rude, Caroline got picking him up and not having sex, or Ginny because she was nice.
The thing about this book that I enjoyed, although normally it would make me dislike a book, is that there’s lots of extra info setting up the story.
* Bagelville, where Betsy works, is described so well, as is her Filipino manager who works for his parents. Tom is the first person to warn Betsy about the murders. There’s an entire part about getting drunk after work with two girls that work at the pizza place by Bagelville. No real needed reason, but entertaining and described very well.
* For a while it seems to be a book about being in a sorority and getting ready for rush. Again, it was more detailed and longer than it needed to be, but I enjoyed the writing, so no complaints here.
* The whole working and living in New York is like a mini book in itself. The drugs and her dependence not only on the drugs but also on the dealer was fully described.
* By the end of the book, Betsy has pulled herself together and her mothering side is shown.
BONUS POINTS for being the only book I’ve ever read that has a soundtrack! All the bands and songs mentioned were perfectly reminiscent of the early 90s.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2017
2.25 stars.
Took me almost a month to get through this. Wasn't feeling it for the vast majority of the book. It's not in any way a mystery/thriller, though I'll likely leave it on my mystery shelf too, for lack of better shelf to place it on. Very little of it is creepy. There may be a serial killer in the book, but he's out of focus for most of the beginning, only mentioned in passing, really, and while the fallout of his actions influence everything in the latter half, he has almost no "thriller" significance. The book is mostly about survivor's guilt and mid-life crises (because survivor's guilt can't really explain all of the characters' feelings and motivations) and friendships that have little depth. While a few of the characters are developed decently, they're people (and their relationships) that I really cannot relate to. That's not a complaint I like to make very often in books, because even if I can't relate to them subjectively, I can usually at least understand where they're coming from objectively. I can get the survivor's guilt, but everything else is just stuff that I would dismiss in any real human as "people I simply wouldn't engage in any way with unless forced". I don't care about stupid sorority girls and the things they struggle with. I don't care about them now, and I thought as little of them back when I was barely twenty, too. I didn't care about their sexual explorations and obsessions with illicit substances and their desperate need to fit into some sort of shallow community back then, and there was no little nugget that gave me an "a-ha" moment within what we're shown for me to feel any differently in this book.
Elizabeth and Ginny and Caroline's friendship was too shallow for me to feel anything beyond "Ah, these are the sorts of shallow friendships real people have all the time and still try to get the people around them to believe that they're unironically 'totally BFFs!'" Even having a casual acquaintance murdered by a serial killer is undoubtedly a mortifying experience, but then again, the only thing that I could truly believe was the survivor's guilt aspect of it, not that "one of my closest, dearest friends ever was killed, and I can't get over that!"
The New Yorkers encompass all the indifference that they're always written with in any work of fiction outside of children's books, and I felt that same indifference toward every New York character and situation and place during that segment of the book. Basically, a big chunk of boring. Oh, maybe the drug dealer guy was vaguely interesting. Similarly, the Stepford Wives or whatever Elizabeth's former sorority sisters have become for the tailgate party reunion was just more wasted words I didn't care about. Admittedly, we really aren't supposed to think much of them at any point in the book, as Elizabeth herself is dismissive of them, dehumanizing them into little more than common female baby names, but with so much of the book covering so much plodding, boring territory that I could not bring myself to care about, even two minutes worth of these characters acting as background description was too much for me.
The very last thirty minutes or so of the book is made up of revelations and catharses and honestly makes up for a *lot*, but it's definitely too little, too late for me. The book's more appealing to those who can better identify with the characters, I think, but for people who feel more like I do about them, I don't think the payoff is worth it.
Took me almost a month to get through this. Wasn't feeling it for the vast majority of the book. It's not in any way a mystery/thriller, though I'll likely leave it on my mystery shelf too, for lack of better shelf to place it on. Very little of it is creepy. There may be a serial killer in the book, but he's out of focus for most of the beginning, only mentioned in passing, really, and while the fallout of his actions influence everything in the latter half, he has almost no "thriller" significance. The book is mostly about survivor's guilt and mid-life crises (because survivor's guilt can't really explain all of the characters' feelings and motivations) and friendships that have little depth. While a few of the characters are developed decently, they're people (and their relationships) that I really cannot relate to. That's not a complaint I like to make very often in books, because even if I can't relate to them subjectively, I can usually at least understand where they're coming from objectively. I can get the survivor's guilt, but everything else is just stuff that I would dismiss in any real human as "people I simply wouldn't engage in any way with unless forced". I don't care about stupid sorority girls and the things they struggle with. I don't care about them now, and I thought as little of them back when I was barely twenty, too. I didn't care about their sexual explorations and obsessions with illicit substances and their desperate need to fit into some sort of shallow community back then, and there was no little nugget that gave me an "a-ha" moment within what we're shown for me to feel any differently in this book.
Elizabeth and Ginny and Caroline's friendship was too shallow for me to feel anything beyond "Ah, these are the sorts of shallow friendships real people have all the time and still try to get the people around them to believe that they're unironically 'totally BFFs!'" Even having a casual acquaintance murdered by a serial killer is undoubtedly a mortifying experience, but then again, the only thing that I could truly believe was the survivor's guilt aspect of it, not that "one of my closest, dearest friends ever was killed, and I can't get over that!"
The New Yorkers encompass all the indifference that they're always written with in any work of fiction outside of children's books, and I felt that same indifference toward every New York character and situation and place during that segment of the book. Basically, a big chunk of boring. Oh, maybe the drug dealer guy was vaguely interesting. Similarly, the Stepford Wives or whatever Elizabeth's former sorority sisters have become for the tailgate party reunion was just more wasted words I didn't care about. Admittedly, we really aren't supposed to think much of them at any point in the book, as Elizabeth herself is dismissive of them, dehumanizing them into little more than common female baby names, but with so much of the book covering so much plodding, boring territory that I could not bring myself to care about, even two minutes worth of these characters acting as background description was too much for me.
The very last thirty minutes or so of the book is made up of revelations and catharses and honestly makes up for a *lot*, but it's definitely too little, too late for me. The book's more appealing to those who can better identify with the characters, I think, but for people who feel more like I do about them, I don't think the payoff is worth it.
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