Drift
Stories
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A "wonderfully realized" story collection that "scrapes off the glitter" of posh Newport Beach, California (Publishers Weekly).
Welcome to Newport Beach, California—a community that often seems dazzling from a distance, but isn't always as glamorous as we imagine. In this fresh and fearless collection of interconnected stories, Victoria Patterson introduces us to a homeless stoner named John Wayne; a trophy wife who is cheating on her husband—who in turn has a secret of his own; and a confused teenager named Rosie whose wayward coming of age is depicted with frank honesty and piercing insight.
Through the lives of these and other denizens of this coastal city, Patterson's Drift offers "keen perspectives on life lived on the fringe" while plumbing the depths of female friendship and what it means to be an outsider (Booklist).
"Drift is one of the truest depictions of Southern California I've read yet. . . . Subtle, honest, and a great pleasure to read." —Danzy Senna, author of New People
"Patterson is our generation's heir to John O'Hara and Edith Wharton. Several times I had to put this book down just to catch my breath." —Michelle Huneven, author of Jamesland
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Patterson illustrates how deceiving initial impressions can be in her dark debut, a collection of 13 interconnected stories. At first glance, the characters seem to be blessed, living in tony Newport Beach, Calif., but Patterson quickly scrapes off the glitter, examining the complicated lives of Rosie, a confused teenage girl; John Wayne, a brain-damaged, homeless stoner; Anne, a lesbian psychologist in love with Rosie's mother; Melody, a trophy wife cheating on her husband, Henry Wilson, who has a secret of his own; and Joe/Christina, a transvestite. The majority of the stories feature Rosie, a nerdy teenager whose attempts to make sense of her life lead her down increasingly self-destructive paths, though she remains touchingly aware of others' suffering. In "Winter Formal: A Night of Magic," Rosie and a seemingly perfect blonde princess have a nightmare evening; in "The First and Second Time," Rosie violently loses her virginity. Later, in "Joe/Christina," Rosie, now an alcoholic community college student, finds an unlikely savior in the local transvestite. Patterson's unflinching account of the seedy side of a real-life Xanadu is frightening, immersive and wonderfully realized.
