Adrift

DEBUT Brideau’s debut set in a near-future Pacific Northwest raises questions about self and identity. Ess awakens on a sailboat with a headache, no memories, and a note telling her she needs to start over. She makes her way to a nearby port city, where she learns she may not be the only amnesiac out there. A clue to her past prompts her to make the perilous journey to the coastal city of Nanaimo, where she befriends harbor-authority agent Hito. When more amnesia refugees arrive, Ess notes the similarities—and one important distinction. Signs indicate she’s done this to herself. The more she learns about the other amnesia cases, the more she believes there’s a connection. But just when answers seem within reach, she’s forced to make the ultimate choice. The setting offers a stark glimpse of a possible future and the politics of climate displacement. Readers will root for Ess as she battles Mother Nature and herself in a quest for answers.