Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an ebook copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Ooh! This was one long and windy road... I enjoyed each minute of it! A sci-fi book about survival in a new world with flash backs to the past and the future. This was one riveting story which keeps you guessing about what the heck is going on! As you read more truths unfold and unravel making you wonder and question the story. It is deep and twisty, I cannot say I know exactly what happened but I do know I would ride it again. This reminds me of a great series - LOST , in which the truths you think you know may not really be true.
You like a book that keeps you guessing , check this one out. Well done as in his previous Passage series all wrapped up in one stand alone book.
A must for fans of Sci-Fi and Fantasy!

This was a great book. Some parts moved slow and some parts moved fast. But overall, amazing! It’s such a great story with a good ride.

First time reading Justin Cronin, and really enjoyed this book. Epic in scope, with well developed characters and a great story. Will definitely need to read more from Justin Cronin. #TheFerryman #NetGalley

Magical, extraordinary and something out of a dream! An absolute must read!

Sometime in the future there is an island called Prospera. People can live a long time here, and when their bodies eventually start to deteriorate, they retire. Retiring for them is they are basically born again in a new body without their previous memories. The "Ferryman" is the man who escorts the retirees to the ferry and takes them to where they are reborn.

A unique story, fantastic characters, and a very satisfying ending. Our library patrons will love this as their next sci-fi pick!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book flew by, it was so easy to read because I was hooked by this dreamlike, mysterious utopic world the author created. You are taken along for the ride as Proctor discovers the hidden underbelly of Prospera, and what the truth means for the people he cares about and this society. This was my first read from this author, and I loved the surprising turns in the story and the level of detail in his writing.

In the secluded island nation of Prospera, the citizens never die – when their quality of life (monitored by the government) dips below a certain level, they are taken to the Nursery to be revitalized, their bodies renewed and their memories wiped so that they can return to society as blank slates to live a new life. Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman, and it’s his job to ensure that those whose lives have declined to that point, as well as those who choose to go, are safely placed on the ferry to the Nursery. But Proctor’s own monitor shows a decreasing level of satisfaction, and he is plagued by dreams, in a society where no one else experiences them. And when his own father’s departure on the ferry goes wrong, ending in a struggle and a cryptic final message, Proctor’s life begins to unravel. Meanwhile, there is a revolution stirring among the Support Staff, Prospera’s less fortunate worker underclass.

I haven’t read a dystopia in a while – at one point I was fully sick of them – but apparently it’s been long enough, because I really enjoyed this novel. There’s a mystery at the heart of the story – part of which I had an inkling of what was happening, but mostly, it was a surprise. The writing is great and the story is well-paced, with a fascinating premise and plot. Give it a try if you like Science Fiction!

Representation: POC characters, disabled characters

TW: suicide, child death

I received an advance copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

THIS is the dystopian I have been waiting for literally all of 2023. I was questioning literally everything as I read and couldn't stop turning all 500+ pages. I don't want to say much about this book because I'm afraid revealing literally anything might take away the fun from so many of the reveals. I can't wait to read the next Cronin because he simply does not miss.

A heavy, intriguing, possibly triggering post-apocalyptic story. It became more suspenseful than I expected, but it just added to the story. The characters were wonderfully developed and it read a lot faster than the number of pages would lead you to believe.

What a journey! This book was the perfect one to get that dystopian-vibe I was looking for. The characters were strong, the story was strong, and overall I truly enjoyed reading it!

Thanks for the ARC Netgalley!

A post-apocalyptic society has emerged from the destruction of the planet. Proctor Bennett has the job of ferrying citizens back to the home base shop when their monitors head down to single digits. There they will be re-born in a nursery and emerge as youngsters to start a new life. However, something is faulty with Proctor's programming. He is dreaming of things past. That is not supposed to happen. A counter-culture secret rebel group is planning an action. What will be the result? Do not miss this extraordinary sci-fi/fantasy tale. My thanks to the author and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of this book.

My brain feels wrung out and thoroughly exercised—in the best kind of way. This is the kind of novel where you can’t stop gripping the edge of your seat and the journey is wild from start to finish. I adore books with twists and turns and this book checks all of the boxes for me. I am so obsessed.

Prospera seems like an idyllic island paradise, separated from the deteriorating outside world. Proctor Bennett is a ferryman on Prospera, meaning his job is to help people "retire" when the time is right. After "ferrying" his own father through this process, things start to go very wrong and it becomes clear Prospera is not as perfect as it seems.

I LOVE dystopian novels, and I was really excited to read this! The world-building was really thorough and smart, and I loved the little bits that kept dropping to make the place start to feel insidious (they always are!). There were a lot of twists and turns that I definitely didn't see coming, which is always a delight to me. There were definitely some parts that felt a little long and my attention started to wain a bit, but I was quickly wrapped back in by another plot twist. The book was so detailed, which I appreciated, but it felt almost at times there were too many stories/subplots happening at once, and I wanted to get back to the "main" story. In the end, everything did tie together really well and I was picturing the whole thing in my head unfolding like a movie, which doesn't always happen when a book isn't developed well. It's hard to describe without divulging too much, and the enjoyment of reading this really does improve the less details you know going in. If you're a a regular sci-fi reader/dysptopian reader, you must add The Ferryman to your TBR!

Nothing is as it seems in this Sci-fi dystopian mystery. Just when you think you know what's going on, the story takes unexpected turns that leave your head spinning. This is a hard book to review without giving spoilers, I'll just say it is worth the read.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin is an unusual, original, provocative novel about a futuristic society, with many secrets and layers to uncover. Engaging and interesting! Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the review copy. All opinions are my own.

The Ferryman is a fascinating mix of Brave New World and The Truman Show. Our main character, Proctor, lives on the island of Prospera, a utopian society where the privileged citizens are almost perfect specimens, never having to experience childhood or extreme old age. But there is trouble brewing amongst the working class of Prospera, who are not afforded the same luxuries as the others. But is this the real danger of this world? Is anything real at all?

I really enjoyed the level of world-building that went into The Ferryman. While there were points I got confused, especially when the novel switched perspectives, it felt like I was constantly on the edge of cracking it's secrets. The Ferryman was able to use old tropes in a new and refreshing way. It lulled slightly around 2/3 through, but the climax and ending were definitely worth the read!

I enjoyed this book and I could not put it down. I really enjoyed the characters and the writing was really well done. It made you want to keep reading.

At first glance, the isolated archipelago of Prospera seems like a utopia. Residents are free to pursue a life of luxury and the arts and are reborn as teenagers once more before old age hits them, and it's Proctor's job to help residents at the end of their current life transition into the next one. However, as he begins to unravel the island's secrets, he begins to question his role and whether the island is the paradise he once believed it to be.

The Ferryman by Justin Cronin presents readers with a literary sci-fi … or at least it tries to be one.

Don’t get me wrong. The opening prologue with Cynthia is fantastic and haunting and really hooked me in, but once we get to Proctor's first-person POV, the book quickly went downhill from there.

Proctor’s narrative voices comes off more as someone poorly imitating the style of 19th century writers. He lapses into long pseudointellectual internal monologues after banal conversations and gives page upon page of info dumps that aren't even relevant to the current scene. For, instance, no, I don't need a lesson in the island's infertility issues when the main character is casually taking a morning swim.

Overall, and if you're looking for a thought-provoking dystopian that delves into aging and the importance of memory, you'd be better off watching “San Junipero” or reading Kazuo Ishiguro's works.

well, this was crazy.

the majority of this novel had me thinking, "beautifully written but why don't i care about any of these characters?" which made for a bit of a slow read, but the premise was so strange & implausible that i just wanted to find out what the hell was going on. it definitely had the feel of a parable rather than a straight-forward novel.

after the big reveal in the last quarter(?) of the book, everything is explained & i *think* the vagaries & nebulousness of the characters could be attributed to the deux ex machina in the last act.

this is a long book but it contains many themes: family units, income inequality, privilege, mourning, climate change.

this was a challenging but rewarding read.

The Ferryman is yet another creative writing product from the mind of Justin Cronin. I am sitting here mulling over whether I liked it, sort of liked it, or really liked it. I believe I really liked The Ferryman although I am not sure as to why. I began reading and the first half of the book I believed to be a sophisticated murder mystery. The middle part of the book I transitioned into the belief that Cronin had me immersed into a sophisticated romance novel. Then the last part of the story convinced me that this novel is essentially a gentle, evocative science fiction story.

Thank you NetGalley for the adventure of reading The Ferryman. Now I am going to read a bunch of reviews by fellow readers that will deepen my understanding of what I just finished reading!