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Adrift

Paul Griffin - Author

This is a survival story centred on five teenagers from different circumstances, brought together by a risky trip at sea. Their changing situation gives the book a strong focus on what they may need from one another.

More about this book

"Matt and Mike are best friends, just two working-class guys trying to earn some money in Montauk for the summer. When they meet Driana, JoJo, and Stef, three friends who live a much different life of privilege, Matt and Mike find themselves in a sticky situation where temptation rivals sensibility. Worlds collide when the group ventures out to sea aboard a small boat that Stef sneaks out from her dad's dock. As the waves rise and the fragile vessel weakens, things go horribly wrong. Adrift at sea for days, who will have what it takes to survive?" --

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Book Analysis

At a Glance

Discover

Danger· ExplainedSurvival· ExplainedGroup response· Explained

Consider

Fear and suspenseFrightening scenes

Personalised Fit

Beyond the Cover

dangersurvivalgroup responseclassfriendshipadolescence

FictionNovel

Themes in Context

Survival at sea

Five teenagers are adrift for days as waves rise and their small boat weakens.Exploratory / explanatory

How the book presents it: The worsening conditions make survival the central pressure on the group, with the teenagers adrift for days in a weakening boat.

Talk about: What does each teenager do when the boat and conditions become more dangerous?

Different circumstances, new friendships

Matt and John, described as working-class friends, meet Driana, JoJo and Stef, who live a more privileged life.Provisional reading

Talk about: Does getting to know one another change how the teenagers understand their differences?

Why It May Be Worth Reading

The contrast between Matt and John’s working lives and the privileged friends they meet sets up questions about class and friendship. The peril at sea shifts attention towards choices under pressure.

What Deserves Attention

The teenagers face danger at sea: waves rise, their small boat weakens, and they are adrift for days. The story’s survival peril may be intense for some readers.

A Conversation Worth Having

How do the teenagers’ different backgrounds affect the way they respond to being at sea, and whether they can rely on one another?

Reading Approach

Consider reading together or checking in as the danger at sea escalates. Pause to ask what feels most pressing to the characters, then compare how each person’s choices affect the group.

Confidence & Basis

Theme indicators describe how the book presents a topic; they are not a verdict on the whole book or your family's values. Confidence reflects how much book-specific material was checked. Only part of the book information was available, so some details remain unconfirmed.

What remains unconfirmed

Survival at sea: The ending and the characters’ eventual survival outcomes are not established.
Different circumstances, new friendships: The details do not establish how the friendships develop or resolve.

Adrift - Paul Griffin - Google Books

Limited information

Checked: 1 October 2026.

Relevant to: Survival at sea; Different circumstances, new friendships

Adrift by Paul Griffin | Open Library