Prospera is an island utopia that the mysterious Designer founded to shield people from climate change and the general chaos of the outside world. Death is not known in Prospera. All residents wear a monitor embedded in their arms, and those monitors measure their physical and mental health. Once the meter falls below 10 percent, the citizens must retire to the Nursery. There, their memories are wiped, their bodies rejuvenated, and they are readied to start life again as a teenager. But things are beginning to change in Prospera. The support staff, who mainly live in the Annex, are beginning to question their place in the social order of the island, and a resistance group is formed. While that is happening, Proctor Bennett, the Director of Social Contracts, is having a crisis. He has been dreaming, something no one on the island should be able to do. Proctor also received a cryptic message from his father shortly before his father forcibly retired. Running into roadblocks, Proctor starts to realize that there is more going on in Prospera than he realized and that Prospera isn’t what he thinks it is. What will happen when Proctor uncovers the truth? Will he be able to handle it?

I first heard about The Ferryman when I read several reviews on blogs I follow. What I read got me very interested in reading it. But I figured I would have to wait for it to be published to read it. It so happens that I saw it was on Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine’s NetGalley page as a wish. So I figured I would wish for it and see if I got it. And as you can see, I did. I was very excited; this became the book I read this spring. I hyped it up in my mind, and I became a little wary about it. Usually, when I get so excited to read a book, I get let down. Not in this case. Nope, this book definitely delivered for me!!

The Ferryman centers its storyline around Proctor. Proctor is an Elite. From the age of 15/16, he grew up lacking nothing on Prospera. He eventually married an artist and became head the Director of Social Contracts (who oversaw the ferryman). Life was good until it wasn’t. The author briefly explains Proctor’s early life, including the death of his beloved mother. More focus was on Proctor’s dreams, his rapidly falling stats on his monitor, and his shaky mental health. Everything started to happen after Proctor was forced to retire his father, and his father kept repeating a word over and over. That starts Proctor’s digging into the truth, and what he uncovers is amazing and, frankly, a little scary (and I am applying what was revealed in the last part of the book to this statement)

The other main storyline in The Ferryman centers around Thea, The Annex, Mother, and the resistance. The author did a wonderful job of keeping me guessing how Thea was involved and why she sought out Proctor. And when he melded the storylines, it was gold. I loved it!!!

There was a major secondary storyline involving the heads of the society. I can’t get much into it, but everything they were doing made sense once it was explained. I can’t give any more detail than that. But I was a little surprised by what Proctor did at the end. I was left scratching my head at first, but then I thought of the old saying: Keep your friends close but your enemies closer. Then it made perfect sense.

The characters in The Ferryman were well-written and fleshed out. I wish I could go more into them because there is more to their characters than what is revealed at first. I loved the comparisons once the author dropped his bombshell. It made sense.

I liked Proctor. He was a natural leader, but he was so confused by what was happening to him. I liked that even his dreams kept telling him to do things. I also liked that his dreams hinted at something that could destroy him. When that was revealed, it did. But then he got back up and resolved to keep fighting.

I thought Thea was awesome. I had her pegged as someone totally different than what she was portrayed as. Her actions throughout the book showed that. She loved Proctor to the point where she was willing to let him go.

The end of The Ferryman was amazing. The author explained everything that was going on in the book. And when I say everything, I mean everything. All of my questions were answered, and then some. Did I agree with what Proctor did at the end of the book? Not really, but I got why he did it. There was also a big twist involving Thea that I maybe should have seen coming, but I didn’t.

I recommend The Ferryman to anyone over 21. There is language, mild sexual situations, and violence.

Many thanks to Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine, Ballantine Books, NetGalley, and Justin Cronin for allowing me to read and review The Ferryman. All opinions stated in this review are mine.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

Published: May 2, 2023
Ballantine Books
Genre: Dystopian Science Fiction
Pages: 530
KKECReads Rating: 4/5
I received a copy of this book for free, and I leave my review voluntarily.

Justin Cronin is the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage, The Twelve, The City of Mirrors, Mary and O’Neil (which won the PEN/Hemingway Award and the Stephen Crane Prize), and The Summer Guest. Other honors for his writing include a fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Whiting Writers’ Award. A Distinguished Faculty Fellow at Rice University, he divides his time between Houston, Texas, and Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

“And just like that, it’s done.”

Proctor lives on the beautiful island of Prospera, where things are almost perfect. He enjoys his job, even if it’s slowly draining him. When he starts dreaming, he realizes there is more to his story.

This was a weird book. But I liked it. The story flowed well, and I found the plot to be unique. This would make a great series if done correctly.

I enjoyed the characters and found them well-developed. Proctor was relatable, and I enjoyed his humor. I liked Thea and her confidence.

There were several well-placed twists throughout this book. The seamless way the story developed, flipped and continued was fantastic.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This was a rather surprising, inventive book. By the time I got sucked in, I imagined it would be a certain kind of book and looked forward to the thriller-ish, vaguely disquieting, potentially nightmarish dystopia.

I mean, sure, there are certain things that are very wrong here. How people are adopted, how they leave the world, all of that really gives me a Charon kind of feel. I thought it was definitely going to be THAT.

And then, much later, when things get weirder, well after the half-way point, I am proud to admit that I got bait-and-switched and I LOVED it.

I cannot say a damn thing about it, either, or it's massive spoiler territory, but I WILL just say that this made the book for me. It's quite clever, and while I think that certain people should have experienced a bit more punishment for the crime, I can't fault the intent behind it.

There's a lot of good storytelling here. As a novel-structure, broad outlines, it's pretty fantastic. The mirroring and assumptions we must go through come back around to eat itself. I love that kind of stuff.

The island of Prospera appears to be an paradise where citizens are protected from a hostile outside world and enjoy long, extended lifetimes until monitors embedded in their skin show a significant drop in their physical and mental health. Those citizens can then “retire” by taking a ferry to The Nursery, a nearby smaller island, where their bodies are renewed, their memories wiped, and they can then come back to start a new life on the island.

Proctor Bennett, Prospera’s ferryman, enjoys his job guiding retired people on their journey of renewal. But one day a retirement doesn’t go according to plan. Also, the ordinary laborers on the island have slowly stopped doing their jobs. The strange and bizarre become more normal, and Proctor begins to question what is real and what isn’t.
I loved this story so much! Anytime a story takes place on an island it automatically captures my attention. Islands always seem to be apart from the normal world. They’re places where things always seem a bit out of place and time. The Ferryman captured that feeling perfectly.

The novel often left me confused in the best way possible. It created the perfect atmosphere of mystery and unease, a puzzle that became more clear until by the end I could see how each piece was important to building the inevitable end.

This is the story of a utopian gone wrong. A story where the beginning is a very different place from where the story ends. It does have many familiar tropes that I have read before, but it plays with those tropes in new and fresh ways. While the answers at the end won’t necessarily surprise you, I found myself thinking about this story long after I was finished.

If you enjoy dystopian stories with clever new twists, if you love that feeling of confusion and unease while reading and if you enjoy sci-fi stories that focus on social commentary and philosophy, I’d highly recommend reading The Ferryman.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books for the digital arc. All opinions are my own.

The Ferryman put me off for awhile because of the length and because the genre seemed to be sci-fi. Sci-fi isn’t always my favorite genre, I usually find it hard to get into and connect with the characters… but this book? It blew me away. It honestly may be my favorite book I have read this year. It had everything I look for in a book and it was unique. I was so enraptured with this story and could not put this book down. I could honestly read 500 more pages of this book and still be intrigued. It’s just one of those really special books that you never want to end. I can’t wait to go back and read some of this author’s previous works!

And on the day it’s published, I finally finish! 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The Ferryman was everything that I hoped it would be.
Some dystopian, lots of wild plot twists, sci-fi concepts, and a plot that’s entertaining and complex.

The Ferryman is about three islands in a utopian-like setting that is safe from the brutal and horrifying conditions of the outside world.

The main island is called Prospera.
It’s paradise and the lucky few that get to live there are in luxury, wealth, and good health.
They live long lives until their monitors start to decline. Monitors have been inserted into forearms and when this device starts failing, it alerts the Designer and Prosperan government that the person needs to be retired.

When this happens, a ferryman will come to the rescue and take the citizen of Prospera to an island called the Nursery.
At the Nursery, the failing body and mind is renewed, and they will start a new life.
Not much is known about the Nursery other then it's a secret island of rebirth and renewal.

The island next to Prospera and the Nursery is called the Annex. The occupants on this island are the laborers that serve Prospera. The living conditions on Annex are not good and things are about to get interesting in this "utopian" type of setting.

You might be thinking that this whole plot summary sounds wild, and you would be correct.

I went into this book not knowing a thing and you should take the same approach.
When the plot twists start coming, your mouth will hit the ground and you’ll think, “What in the hell is going on?!”

I loved this book!

The concept of this book works for me. I'm a sci-fi geek that loves dystopia and post-apocalyptic stories and I could not be happier after reading The Ferryman.

I thought the ending was handled well and I bought it.
The characters are interesting and strange enough that you’re not sure who’s good or bad. As the reader, you’re caught in the mystery of this world and just hanging on for the twisty ride.

It’s a plot that I will remember years from now. I’m so glad that I got the chance to read this one for the publishers and Justin Cronin!

I tried to get into this one but I couldn’t it’s not really my style of book. However it was beautifully written. He’s a fantastic writer !

I was so excited to receive a copy of The Ferryman on NetGalley. The Passage was one of my favorite books, so I dove into The Ferryman without even knowing anything about it. I wasn’t at all disappointed. In fact, I couldn’t put it down! I love post-apocalyptic, creepy, what-is-going-on stories. The story completely engulfed me and I really had no idea what was going on as I frantically read the 445 pages.
.
The story did feel like a little familiar to me in some ways, paying homage to movies like The Matrix and the TV show, Lost. And the dialogue felt a bit stilted and strange at times. But the island of Prospera was a very strange place. I almost wish I had saved reading The Ferryman for a summer vacation day or a thunderstorm-filled night. I loved this book.
4.5 stars

I am completely blown away by this book! I found it to be very original and exciting. Thank you very much to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advance reader copy in return for an honest review. I also bought a physical copy because my family wants to read it too!

The story unfolds on three islands, Prospera, The Annex and The Nursery. This group of islands is shrouded from the rest of the deteriorating world. The weather is sunny and mild. Prosperans are encouraged to live their best (and long) lives and each has a monitor embedded in their arm that measures their health and psychological wellbeing. When a Prosperan's monitor falls below 10%, a ferryman will escort them to the ferry that will take them to The Nursery where they will be rejuvenated and returned again. The Annex is where all the support people live and they are starting to become agitated.

Proctor Bennet is a ferryman and has found success and satisfaction in shepherding the Prosperans through the retirement process. It doesn't always go smoothly. Proctor is beginning to notice changes in himself and society and then there's the dreaming...

I don't want to give much more away. At 560 pages, you can settle into this story and connect with the characters. It's mysterious, thrilling and mind bending. I highly recommend picking this one up!

4.5 stars

I’m not quite sure where to begin (or end) with my thoughts on Justin Cronin’s new book “The Ferryman.” It’s a complex, trippy, dream-like rabbit hole of a read that follows Proctor Bennett, a ferryman of Prospera, as he slowly descends into (what seems to be) madness.

Bennett leads a picturesque life as a ferryman on Prospera (an island paradise hidden from the decimated outside world). When he is charged with retiring his father because his monitor has dipped below the acceptable percentage, a disturbing encounter ensues that slowly leads to the unraveling of everything and everyone Bennett thought he knew.

While the story is very much Bennett’s, there are a lot of sub-plots and secondary characters that play large roles in this lengthy book. We have Bennett’s sudden and startling loss of reality and while his quest to uncover the truth is the driving plot, it umbrellas the “The Support Staff” or “Arrivalists” narrative as they work to overthrow the current rule. We also get an interesting perspective from Bennett’s mother, who had an unfortunate incident when he was younger, as well as the mystery of the Nursery island and what lies beyond the islands’ borders. Let’s just say there is a lot going on. At times you wonder if there’s actually a finished puzzle by the end of the book considering how many pieces we are given. There is. Maybe not wrapped up as neatly as your exhausted brain hopes, but wrapped up nonetheless.

While this sits firmly in the sci-fi genre, you will notice elements of dystopian fiction, fantasy and even the thriller genre. Cronin’s writing is mesmerizing and gives off a dream-like feel to the narrative. You are constantly waiting fo the ball the drop…and then it does. And then it does again. And just when you think you have a grasp on everything, another drop. It’s truly sci-fi at it’s best as a mind-bending and thought-provoking read. You will be exhausted after reading it from the psychological torment Bennett endures to the gut-wrenching emotion and the constant presence of unavoidable and constant chaos.

The Ferryman is set to be one of the spotlight sci-fi books of 2023 and for those who love a book with a seemingly never-ending psychological rabbit hole, this is definitely one for you.

Intriguing sci-fi book with a pretty good twist.

I became a fan of Justin Cronin and his worldbuilding when I read The Passage series. This is a great standalone follow-up to those books. I feel like it's best to go into this without any preconceived notions and just go with it. There are a few parts that were a little circuitous and confusing, but for the most part this is part sci-fi, part mystery, part thriller.

The land of Prospera is an archipelago in the middle of the ocean. It is divided into three islands: Prospera, where the wealthy, elite members of society live; The Annex, where the working class and support staff live; and The Nursery. Everyone in this utopian society is embedded with a monitor in their arm measuring their health and well-being. When the percentage reaches a critical low number, that person is taken to the Nursery where they are essentially rebooted and come back to the island as a new iteration. These new iterations are adopted wards of those on the island, where they learn and the cycle repeats.

Proctor Bennett is a ferryman, whose job it is to escort those to the ferry back to the nursery. He is contracted (married) to Elise. Proctor deeply desires to take on a ward, but Elise is completely resistant. After his mother committed suicide years before, Proctor became estranged from his father. One day when he comes into work, he finds out that his next assignment to escort to the ferry is his father. Some strange things happen, and on the way there his father makes some odd statements that resonate with Proctor, but he doesn't know why. This sends him in a surprising direction that no one could predict.

This is a complex story with many themes throughout. An exploration of class divide, nature vs. nurture, the quest for perfection, and many others I can't discuss without getting into spoiler territory. Much of this book is told through Proctor's first person point of view and I really connected with those parts of the book as he slowly peels away layers of what he knows vs. what he thinks he knows.

Although this is a lengthy tome, I never felt bogged down because the narrative keeps moving forward. There are a couple of major twists and those made the story that much more fascinating for me. I do have to say though (view spoiler)

If you like solidly written, imaginative books, then definitely pick this one up. I can't wait until more of my friends read it so we can talk about it!

What a trip! This is sci-fi with so much depth and detail that you have to pause sometimes to take in all you just read.

A futurist society full of haves and have nots mixed with anarchism, deception, and plenty of reveals. You can’t go wrong with this book if you’re a sci-fi fan.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an ARC of this book.

I don’t even know where to start with this one or how to explain what I just read. In fact I’m not even going to try to. I mean even by reading the books description you won’t truly going to get a feel for what the book is about. Rather let me say this is just one of the trippiest books I’ve read in a long time. It’s an incredible journey and one I wish I could wipe from my mind just so I could read it again for the first time. The story just kept my mind working in overdrive. It seemed like every chapter would remind me of different books or movies or tv shows I’d read or watched over the years. Something would happen and I would think ‘this kind of reminds me of The Village’ or ‘I’m getting a serious Lost vibe here’, etc. With The Ferryman Justin Cronin gives a masterclass in storytelling, weaving together a world and tale you’ll find yourself still thinking about even days after you’ve finished reading it. I’d like to thank Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read and review Justin Cronin’s absolutely brilliant The Ferryman.

https://www.amazon.com/review/RMIRG7VT2RFFM/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

This review is going to be super unfair of me, because I didn’t finish this book. I didn’t even get close to finishing this book. I would normally never do this, except considering the success of The Passage, I think the author can probably handle my uncharitable opinion, if he were to ever even run across it (which is doubtful).

This book gave me the sense that the author had something Really Important to Say about something. You can tell this just by the voice and tone of the book, right from the beginning. The landscape of the island and how it works is painted in excruciating and beautifully rendered detail.
The book begins with a Mysterious Death. Why would someone want to throw themselves in the ocean tied to an anchor from a small boat when everyone on their island is effectively immortal? We don’t know. What we do know is that once someone has lived out their “life” on the island, they are sent to a Mysterious Place where they are effectively recycled and sent forth to live another life.

How does this happen? Why does this happen? How long has this been going on? Sorry, but I can’t answer those questions. I’m sure they’re in the book, but again… I didn’t finish it. Much like The Passage, this book is epically large. Comically large. Brandon Sanderson large. Honestly, the only reason why I got through The Passage at all was because I had it on audio book and had nothing better to do at work then. That was a beautifully written story that could have made a wonderful 90 minute movie (and maybe it did? I have no idea) and would have saved me 40 hours of my life.

Let me be utterly honest: this concept is unique and intriguing, but the mechanics of reading this book is a grueling slog that made me want to read something, anything else. On the other hand, I desperately want to know how the story ends. It’s a conundrum, and something that isn’t unique to this author for me, but does appear to be a theme.

At some point, on that mythical Someday when I have read everything else on my list and have nothing better to do, I might return to this story and try again. Until then, someone please come and spoil the ending for me.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin is available today if you’d like to read it and disagree with me on the internet.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.

Genre: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Speculative Fiction, Speculative Family Saga, Thriller, Mystery, Survival Sci-Fi
Spice Level: Pretty low
Violence Level: Low - Medium
Content warnings will be at the end.

This adult novel reminds me of the good things from the sci-fi of the 80s with its big ideas and sweeping landscape. Seriously had some Asimov vibes for me. I would classify this as an idea story because everything is constructed to explore the idea of human nature, society, survival, etc.

Proctor Bennett is a ferryman, taking people who are ready to "retire" to the nursery where they will be reborn for a new life. But when he must retire is father, things go sideways. Why has his father given him a mysterious message? Should Proctor tell anyone that he dreams?

Proctor is interesting because at first he seems like an average middle-aged man, but once the mysterious message takes over his wonderings, he acts in new ways. I was often surprised by his choices—both good and bad. His actions have serious consequences.

Elements in this book:
Two classes
Secret emerging religion among the working class
Social unrest
Power shifts
Surpises and twists
Humanity's nature
Survival

I loved the first 60% or so of the book. Then it became a touch confusing. And finally, we had the last portion to wrap up the ends. It's the ending 30%ish that put me off a bit because I thought it was too long, and it seemed like it was wrapping up every loose end. For me, in sci-fi, I prefer a little bit of ambiguity.

Is the book worth reading?
Absolutely!
With the themes of classism and privilege it feels pertinent to our society.

I recommend this book!

Happy reading,
Michelle

Content Warnings: Death of a child, classism, some violence

The author of The Passage has written a standalone door stop of a novel called The Ferryman. The plot is part science fiction, part fantasy and part mystery. For someone who loves genre mashups, did the entire book thrill me as much as its blurb?

The Plot
Prospera is a remote trio of islands whose bioengineered and privileged citizens live for a century without many cares. As each citizen ages, they are monitored. Once their health declines to 10%, the citizen is “retired” to a mysterious island called the Nursery. There they are recycled into a new citizen with no memory of their prior life. Citizens are encouraged to become guardians of these newly formed residents because citizens cannot have biological children of their own.

To make this idyllic society work, a support staff of biological humans do the manual labor. These second-class people live in squalor on another island called the Annex. A wave of sick-outs among the Annex’ residents is causing consternation among Prospera’s highest echelons. There is a new religion fermenting rebellion that is slowly moving through the workers.

Proctor Bennett is a ferryman, who shepherds the soon-to-be retired to a ferry to the Nursery. One day he is asked to assist his father to the retirement ferry. His father freaks out on the dock and states the world is not real. Proctor begins to question his entire life’s meaning and soon descends into a whirlwind of bad choices.

My Thoughts
I absolutely adored the world-building in the first third of the book. While reminiscent of other classic stories, it was a highly original meshing of literary with science fiction. However, that feeling came to a screeching halt when the first large twist hit the plot. Really? Why would you insert such an overused trope into what up until then was such an innovative plot? Heavy sigh…

After finishing the book, I have some perspective about my disappointment. It started out clearly as a 5 star favorite. The Ferryman fell to 3 stars after the twist but somehow managed to rise to 4 stars by its conclusion. It is a satisfying choice for fans of high-concept science fiction plots like The Matrix and Minority Report. Just don’t raise your expectations too high. It’s a good book but not as great as promised by its blurb.

Thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for a digital review copy of the book.

The Ferryman is an intelligently written tale that is part sci-fi, part dystopian, part thriller and despite its multi-leveled narratives and timelines, it is easy to follow and never leaves the reader behind. The main character is likable, sympathetic, and his choices make sense, especially by the end of the book. At that point, the reader will find themselves rethinking the many layers of this tightly written standalone about the entitled citizens of the archipelago of Prospera and the laborers who populate the Annex and the inevitable class war between the two.

While the people of the always sunny Prospera live in their own bubble and are able to enjoy their yoga sessions, art shows, parties, games of tennis and easy going lifestyle, they are unable to produce their own children so they become guardians of “wards” adopted from the island called the Nursery. It’s well known that the wards are young reiterations of the elderly who have come to the end of their monitored lives. These are people who have been taken to the docks, whether they are amenable or not, where they are ferried to the Nursery and their memories are scrubbed clean so they can start a new life on Prospera.

Proctor Bennett, one of the directors of the Department of Social Contracts, AKA a Ferryman, is one who drives these elderly to the docks. He is more than just a director, he holds their hands, gives them words of support so they may leave with peace, and dignity. Written in first person narrative, Proctor finds himself satisfied. He lives at the beach with his artistic wife, Elise, where he can swim blue waters each day. They have a fifteen year renewable marriage contract, a beautiful house, and many friends. His world is perfect and despite Elise resisting the idea of adopting a ward, they are very happy. Then comes the day Proctor is assigned to bring his estranged father to the docks and his life begins to unravel.

The voices of other Prosperans, of the dissatisfied citizens of the Annex, and those of the revolutionaries known as the Arrivalists, are written in third person but it is never confusing or jarring. One of those voices is that of Thea, owner of an art gallery on Prospera, who lives a double life. When not assisting the entitled choose uninspired works of art to match their living room sofas, she meets with Mother, a leader of the Arrivalists, to share intel and take on new assignments. Her latest assignment: Proctor Bennett.

The first half of the book is phenomenal in its introduction to the characters and to the disparate worlds of Prospera and the Annex. Then, the author brings it all crashing down and what the characters know and what the readers think they know is turned on its head. This is when the reader’s begin to question everything they read so they may begin to put together pieces of the thought-provoking puzzle the author has gifted his readers. It tests the reader with its complexities but never drowns them with convolution or implausibilities. We believe everything.

The Ferryman is an amazing piece of work that is satisfying and mind-bending. The author is skillful at weaving a tale such as this and his writing is first-rate. Please, enjoy.

I'll be honest, this was a slow start for me, but with a BIG payoff at the end!

A literary distopian book that focuses on a never-ending life, punctuated by rebirth based on your mental health...

Huh.

I was intruiged. As I read further, I became confused. Character growth was good, but it seemed something more was under the surface. As the do in distopian stories, things get worse, but due to the literary bent, I found myself getting pulled out of the action... there was still SO much book to go.

Then the story bent, and all the pieces came together.

Ultimately, this was a masterwork about the strength of relationships, the hope inherent in the human spirit, and the ability to rise over challenges... even those that come from within!

I just wish I didn't have the 35% slog!

But so, so worth it!

My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

So, I came into The Ferryman having read The Passage series, so I had a good sense of what I was possibly getting into with his general style and subject matter. I loved how he dipped into the apocalyptic, vampire soaked genre with those books.

The Ferryman has those elements, but also mixes in this utopia element of people living on this island in a seemingly pretty great setup. It almost reminded me of an expensive wellness retreat you see touted for the rich and well rested. But, whenever that trope comes up, you almost always know things are gonna get ugly, and of course they do.

I'll just say it here - I think Cronin's overly verbose and detailed to death writing kind of kills the momentum that the book builds in the first half. I could get behind getting the context of this strange island, the secrets, and the tension building to all hell breaking loose, but then once the action starts to really pour out, the book kind of fell apart for me in that it became kind of boring, like a not interesting apocalyptic novel. Kind of like he pumped the beginning so much it ran out of steam.

The beginning kept me interested, but by the last 1/3, I was pretty much skimming. If you are a fan of his, you'll probably be drawn to the book, like I was, and I wouldn't say it's a waste of time, but I guess don't build it up to much more than your run of the mill dystopian clash of the classes novel.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin is a work of science fiction, apparently by a master. I am not sure what made me chose it as I am not a science fiction reader. It was an interesting story of a post-apocalyptic society in which souls were remade into new people when the person got old, or was disabled, or chose to go. The Ferryman escorted them to the ferry that would take them to the island where all this happened. Many went willingly. Some did not. Today’s assignment was his father, or what passed as a father in this society. When people were ready to be parents they received a partially grown person from this same island. I felt like it tended to be rather cold, until everything I had read turned out to be wrong.

I was an engaging novel, if not just a little confusing for an amateur. It was well-written and Cronin imbued his characters with individual personalities that made them endearing, or not, as the case may be. The plot was a good one, if a little confusing as time wore on. It was an engaging read and flowed smoothly, surprising me as the story unfolded. That was probably my inexperience with the genre. I enjoyed the read, although I will be avoiding the genre in the future.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of The Ferryman by Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #RandomHousePublishingGroupBallantine #JustinCronin #TheFerryman