THE FERRYMAN
Justin Cronin

Superbly narrated, expertly written, and mind-blowing from start to finish.

On Prospera, a utopian island, life is perfect. And anything that isn’t is quickly removed or eliminated. Every person on the island of Prospera has a monitoring device that measures their health and wellness.

As they age or deteriorate in some capacity, their meter goes down. Once they are at 10%, they are retired to THE NURSERY where they are unwound and made new again.

For Proctor, a ferryman, life on Prospera is idyllic, until it isn’t. His job on Prospera as THE FERRYMAN is to transport those who were retired from Prospera to THE NURSERY. We meet up with Proctor on a fateful day that will change the course of his life and change his feeling about Prospera forever.

This book took such a varied course each chapter felt like a new adventure. A new world. I envisioned it as a glass-walled elevator where while ascending you experience different realities.

As the book progresses, more and more truth is revealed yet instead of feeling better, more knowledge feels worse. And you find yourself wanting to go back to a time when things were simpler, and everything made more sense.

I appreciated the writing and the feeling of doom I felt for certain characters. I also liked how twisty and windy the story was. It was just enough outside of my comfort zone to feel like a good stretch.

THE FERRYMAN is out now where books are sold.

Thanks to Penguin Random House Audio, Netgalley, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books for the advanced copies!

THE FERRYMAN…⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC publication for an honest review.

It has been a while since I have read a true Sci-fi novel. This book constantly had me going "what?!" with all the intricately detailed world building in this dystopian fantasy. Our main character is Proctor, but there are a lot of supporting characters. While all the characters were well written, I sometimes felt like I should be making a chart to keep track of everyone and their roles.

There are a lot of twists and turns, mystery, action and suspense, and so much stuff that simply blows your mind! I enjoyed the book, but honestly, I was almost exhausted by the end. There is a lot of information to unravel...and just when I thought I had figured the direction of the story...nope!

4 stars

Unfortunately I was unable to finish the book. I do appreciate the Advanced Reader copy from NetGalley and the publisher.

Ah Dystopia, that most homogeneous of subgenres.

I’ve never been a fan of Dystopia for Dystopia’s sake, and if you are, you’ll probably like this more than I did. But it’s a shopworn genre that mostly just recycles the same plot over and over, and this book is unfortunately no different.

For Dystopia to be truly good for me, it has to be both action-heavy and scary. Otherwise, it’s just depressing, particularly post 2016, since when we’ve been living in a Dystopia of sorts. There are two that come to mind for me that are truly good: The Hunger Games books, of course, and Justin Cronin’s Passage trilogy.

Which is why I decided to give this book a shot despite being pretty much over Dystopias. Sadly, this doesn’t have much in common with the Passage stylistically, atmospherically, or in terms of plot. The Passage was good because it was both unique and terrifying, and this book is neither. The story is slow, the world building is derivative, and the creepiness is non-existent.

Cronin is still a far better writer than most in the genre and the book has some solid subtle humor, but otherwise, it’s one more in a large pile of forgettable dystopian novels.

I feel like Cronin can only write epics. His style is long, poetic, and not for everyone. But it is for me. The characters move the world, and he does a great job with those characters.

I wanted to like this book, but found this book to be overly complicated and confusing. The plot was hard to follow and I was not sure what was their reality and what was a dream, which may have been the point.

VERY good dystopian thriller that certainly did not end the way I thought it would. Great world-building, character development, and pacing really hooked me and kept me invested. I had a hard time putting this one down!

On the island of Prospera, everyone is safe. The outside world is in chaos.

On Prospera, people live long and healthy lives and are monitored by an implant in the arm. Once the health level falls below 10 percent, it is time to retire. Memories are wiped out, new body, new life.

Proctor is a Ferryman. He assists the retirees when it's time to go. Proctor has begun to have doubts about the system.
Meanwhile, there's an uprising brewing in the poorer community.
Things are not as perfect as they seem.

I enjoyed the beginning of this, but the twist towards the end did not work for me. I did not like the end at all.
I didn't like the characters either. I liked Thea, but that's it. I don't think this will be very memorable for me.

Synopsis: Founded by the mysterious genius known as the Designer, the archipelago of Prospera lies hidden from the horrors of a deteriorating outside world. In this island paradise, Prospera’s lucky citizens enjoy long, fulfilling lives until the monitors embedded in their forearms, meant to measure their physical health and psychological well-being, fall below 10 percent. Then they retire themselves, embarking on a ferry ride to the island known as the Nursery, where their failing bodies are renewed, their memories are wiped clean, and they are readied to restart life afresh.

My thoughts: Cronin's dystopian world reminded me of the movie, Inception, where the walls keep changing and the world keeps growing. It's a complex world with many stories happening at the same time layering over each other. Prospera is a dystopian society, an idyllic place, hidden away from a crumbling planet, where humans live long, satisfying lives, until they ‘retire’ and are ferried to an island to be renewed once more. Like anything that sounds too good to be true, the island of Prospera is paradise for some, but not all.

The Ferryman was my first read from Justin Cronin. He's created an intricate futuristic world full of mysteries. With over 500 pages, it 's a twisty, fast-paced story that kept me guessing. If you love secret-filled dystopian worlds and mind-bending ideas, this is the book for you!

Many thanks to Netgalley, Random House - Ballentine Books for introducing me to Justin Cronin.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin is a honker of a sci-fi novel. I was really interested in the world and the mystery throughout the first half of the book, but then it was almost like the pace of the novel flipped and I just found myself... bored? I know I'm definitely in the minority here but ultimately I just think that this book wasn't for me / I wasn't in the mood for this book!

The Ferryman is a mind-bending, dystopian sci-fi thriller, and it is so very much more too. It is a tough book to review without spoiling the fun. I'm not going to make comparisons to other books or movies. The story does remind me of a few other books/movies, but is totally unique in its own way. It's a long book that doesn't feel long because of the thrilling moments and mysteries within.

Cronin starts by introducing an Intriguing world and interesting characters. He sets the stage and had me wondering, what the heck was up with this perfect island paradise. The characters are mysterious and clearly had interesting backstories. That and the questions about what was really happening in Prospera combined to propel me through the story.

Highly recommended book. Don't be intimidated by the length, or the sci-fi genre, this book has something for everyone!

Notes: longish chapters, multiple povs, dystopian, thrilling, shocking twists

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an eArc. All opinions are my own.

Some people like to guess at endings when they read a book. I'm not usually one to do so - I enjoy the journey to the ending, but I found myself making assumptions throughout the Ferryman as the story unfolded. And I was wrong every single time.

Cronin creates an interesting world where things are not as they seem, yet, everything comes together at the end. The story poses larger philosophical questions about big topics (climate change, fate/free will, wealth/social status, etc.) but lets you, as the reader, ponder nuances amid the layers of these questions. It's a long book that is well-paced and keeps moving so you're not stuck in any one moment, rather, the pieces come together building something even bigger than what you might have even considered at the start. This was a satisfying read that definitely leaves you thinking even after the final chapter ends.

Imagine mixing Inception with The Giver. This sci-fi story is one that will keep you guessing because you never really know what is reality and what is not.

Director Proctor Bennett is a ferryman. As members of Prospera retire or fall low in their happiness monitors, he is in charge of moving them along on the ferry to the nursery where they will begin their lives again and reintegrating into society. This process continues and those reintegrated start off as youth and get placed with adoptive parents. Prospera is an oasis. An ideal world where happiness is of the upmost importance and the citizens live seemingly very happy and wealthy lives. But echos of the past keep occurring to Proctor in dreams. Is he remembering something from a past life, or is there more to Prospera than meets the eye.

Honestly this book was thrilling. Just as you think you understand what is happening another curveball hits and the book takes an entirely new course. I loved it. A great mix of sci-fi, action, and mystery and I couldn't wait to find out what would happen next. Great read!

Thank you to Random House Publishing-Ballantine Books and NetGalley for granting me a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Open this book and enter the lush, carefully curated world of Prospera. Justin Cronin makes this world come alive. We are there under its blue skies where the citizens come from the Nursery as teenagers, then return to be reiterated when they are aging. It is the Ferryman's duty to accompany the citizens to the pier when they are called to be return to the Nursery. In this dystopian world, there are undercurrents of tension between the privileged class and the working class. As we spend more time in their world, we realize that it is not so different from our own. People are people and when they are not valued and/or recognize the purpose behind their life, trouble is not far behind. What can Proctor Bennett, our Ferryman, do to save those closest to him? I hope this book will surprise you as it did me with the richness of the narrative and the beauty of loving your neighbor.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

I made it 65% of the way through the audiobook from my library and I literally had no idea what was going on. And I started it over twice. So. I don’t know if it was me or the book.

Justin Cronin’s latest novel is a multilayered and thought provoking journey of a read. I’ve admittedly never read any of his books, but even I saw the blurb for this one I told myself this sounds interesting.

I waited months until I got closer to the publication date and I now regret it. This is the best book I’ve read all year. I really don’t know what I’d have changed in the plot. It hit all the points.

I enamored from the opening chapters. 75% in I wondered how this could possibly end. The ending was not only satisfying, but the final paragraph was perfect.

I think it’s better if you read it without knowing too much. This is an adult speculative fiction/science fiction novel.

I’ll be quickly adding Cronin’s other books to my TBR. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader's copy of the Ferryman. I was so excited to read another book by the author of The Passage. The Ferryman did not disappoint. It is a beast of a book and you have to pay attention but it's worth it. There were many unexpected twists and I appreciated the various connections made throughout the story. I can't say too much about the plot without giving it away but if you like sci-fi, twists and big books, check this one out.

4 1/2 stars

For those that live on the archipelago of Prospera, life seems idyllic. They live well and are patrons of the arts. Money isn't an option for them and they have few struggles. The only down side is that they wear monitors to keep track of their life force. Once they fall below ten percent, they are basically expected to voluntarily retire or else it is forced. Once identified for retirement, the citizens are sent via ferry to The Nursery where they are basically reset to a new version of themselves. Then they are sent back as sixteen year olds to new guardians with no memories from the past. Prospera butts up to another area, known as The Annex which is home to many of the working class people and also some who have differing beliefs about what happens at the end of life. There is friction between the ruling class and authority of Prospera and those inhabiting The Annex which is starting to turn violent.

The main character, Proctor Bennett is a ferryman - - one who escorts those identified for retirement to the ferry. He insures that their transition is smooth and calm with no upset and he's been very successful at his position. But when he is sent to ferry his guardian father, his life drastically changes and starts an avalanche of doubts to surface. Proctor starts to feel unmoored and at a loss. Things he has believed his entire life suddenly don't make sense the way they did previously. As his life starts to unravel, so does the environment around him. Prospera and The Annex seem to be at odds and there are storms hitting the area and causing extreme damage. In addition to Proctor, there are several other pivotal characters involved in the storyline. All of their stories blend together to create a rich and creative plot. Even though there was some predictability to this book, there were also a few surprises. It was all done quite well and The Ferryman is a book that keeps you thinking long after you finish the last page.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Ballantine Books for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Look for it now in your local and online bookstores and libraries.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book takes place on an idyllic island paradise called Prospera. Hidden away from the rest of the world, Prosperans live long and fulfilling lives. When nearing old age, they are retired to a mysterious neighboring island known as The Nursery, where their bodies are renewed and their memories are wiped clean so they can begin a new iteration of life. Proctor Bennett works for the Department of Social Contracts, and his job as a ferryman is to gently usher the aging citizens of Prospera into retirement. Of course, it wouldn’t be dystopian fiction without things being not quite what they seem.

There is a lot of mind-blowing action in this book, and I really liked it. A mix of dystopian and science fiction, it’s a little outside of my comfort zone. A good book is a good book is a good book, though. I’ve discovered so many amazing authors and stories as I’ve begun to branch out by reading books that challenge me. Justin Cronin and The Ferryman are perfect examples. If you don’t mind a long book (560 pages), I recommend this one.

This is the first Cronin novel that I have read and I enjoyed it a lot. The world building was exceptional, the characters were very flawed, but that just made more realistic, and the truth about this supposed utopian society was excellent.

So why didn’t give this a higher rating? The ending. Sure, I could be happy with the open ending and the possibility of humanity surviving on without future troubles, but I feel like the characters spent too much time trying to escape to essentially end up exactly where they started. I guess I just wanted something a little more believable at the end.

Recommended for: sci-fi readers; dystopian fans

I received a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.