‘Three of them adrift on the narrowboat.
Mother, son, and wickedness.
Peggy Jenkins and her teenage son, Samson, live on a remote stretch of canal in the Midlands. She is a writer and he is a schoolboy. Together, they battle against the hardness and manipulation of the man they live with. To the outside world he is a husband and father. To them, he is a captor.
Their lives are tightly controlled; if any perceived threat appears, their mooring is moved further down the canal, further away from civilisation. Until the day when the power suddenly shifts, and nothing can be the same again.’ (Synopsis courtesy of Waterstones.)
Adrift is the third novel I’ve read by Will Dean, having previously enjoyed The Last Thing to Burn and The Last Passenger (The Last One-US title); both incredibly gripping reads. I was lucky enough to attend one of Will’s launch events in York recently to hear all about Adrift which made me even more eager to dive in.
The book opens with a chilling glimpse into the dark teenage mind and actions of Andrew (Drew), and the tension is set immediately in a perfectly executed prologue. From those first pages, it’s clear we’re dealing with someone deeply troubled and dangerous.
We then move to the present, joining Drew, Peggy and their teenage son Samson on their narrowboat. The setting feels instantly claustrophobic, which mirrors Drew’s controlling, emotionally and financially abusive behaviour. His demand for complete silence each night while he works on his novel is unsettling enough – but as the story unfolds, it becomes clear he is capable of far more than control alone.
At the heart of the novel is the relationship between Peggy and Samson. There is so much love between them, and their bond is both joyful and heartbreaking as they try to navigate life under Drew’s control. Samson’s experiences at school, particularly the bullying he faces, made me feel for him even more.
I absolutely despised Drew, probably more than any other character I can think of -and because of that, I haven’t rooted so much for characters in a long time as I did for Peggy and Samson. Peggy is a loving and determined mother and I ached for her as she reached deep inside herself to have hope and plan (against so many odds) for a better future, a safe future away from Drew. There were glimmers of hope at several points that are stamped on by the actions of Drew; I was so angry with him!
There are several small but important supporting characters in this novel which give Peggy and Samson support and hope, such as Mr Turner, Phoenix and Peggy’s supervisor at the local library where she volunteers. I loved them all.
This was a gripping, immersive read that I found it hard to put down. It’s not always an easy read – it will make you angry – but it’s powerful, emotional, and ultimately comes together in a sad but beautiful way. I think this novel will stay with me for a long, long time and I look forward to reading Will’s next release.
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