An interesting novel that perhaps leaves you with more questions than answers. The world building, which Justin Cronin excels at, is dynamic and multi-layered. Character’s motivations and desires are skillfully woven together and apart but maybe never truly revealed. It is a book that will have you thinking about it, re-reading it, and then thinking about it some more.

Justin Cronin writes sweeping books than encompasses a large group of people. Stories are developed well for every character.
In this one, Proctor is the lead character. He helps people retire, which in this novel means being reborn when they unplug you and reprogram you….for your next life. Much of the book involves working out is their life after your last renewal or is there more? And why do some people have such dreams? Are the dreams leftovers from previous life or something more?
All to reach a conclusion that jumps up from its hiding space to surprise the reader with what the story actually is about.
Pretty darn good novel.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC

This Novel Finally Revealed Itself As A Marvelous Novel, But Too Late

The novel opens with a prologue of the last day of Cynthia Bennett. There are some flashbacks when Cynthia and her husband, Malcolm, receive their first ward, Proctor, and she watches win his first swim meet. When the timeline returns to the present, she cooks her husband’s favorite dinner and says goodbye. She takes out a rowboat out far offshore. She sees a surveillance drone which looks like a mechanical insect with a camera lens. She looks up so that she is recognized. She cuts out her monitor that is embedded on her left forearm and tosses it into the water. She loops the anchor line around her foot, holds the anchor to her chest, leans back until she falls into the water. She does not surface.

This is a work of science fiction. The first chapter spends much time explaining the setting of the of the novel that is needed to understand what is normal in this society. It is a story of those that are privileged and not so privileged in this society. When the voice is one of the privileged, generally it is Proctor Bennett, I noticed that the prose was very rich. It was like switch drinking half-and-half after 4% milk, very rich. For me, too many words were used to convey the information that the author wanted. It slowed down my reading significantly. Also, transitions between scenes were at times abrupt, and I could not understand how one scene transitioned into another. This left me trying to understand what is happening and why. In contrast, when the voice is one of the not so privileged, the action proceeded cleanly and was easy to follow. About 80% through, the author revealed what answered all the questions I had. It was like lifting a veil from my eyes. It was at this point that I started to enjoy reading this novel.

The background on all characters is restricted to the current generations. Within that limitation, for the privileged the characters seen to be very real. Here the detailed description of their feelings combined with their interactions with the privileged and not so privileged made this true. For the not so privileged, the background is not as detailed and takes more time for the characters to develop. As the role of the not so privileged grows, the characters start to become full blown. Again, at that 80% point, the understanding of characters on both sides improved and started to contribute to the main storyline.

For the aspects that stop some readers, first there are some brief intimate scenes. For vulgar and rude words, they are at a noticeable level. It was not near a level that concerned me. Even though some violence is described as it occurs, for me these generally did not rise to the level that was edgy. Therefore, readers be forewarned for these aspects.

Usually, I start off with what bothers me, then what I like. What I like occurs in the last 20% of the novel that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I liked the ending. My major loose ends and issues were tied up. I was happy with the ending. Unfortunately, it was not enough to overcome the first 80% that I found difficult and had to force myself to continue reading most of the time. With science fiction, I am interested in how the author depicts the future. The technology in this novel is frozen as of the year, 2132. During the last 20%, some of the technology appeared to be late 20th century. I did not find anything of interest with this aspect either.

This is the first novel that I have read by this author, but after reading this novel, I have placed him in May-Read category of authors that is just above Won’t-Read. It can be different and probably is for other readers, so just be forewarned. I rate this novel with three stars as I had mixed feeling after reading it.

I received a free prepublication e-book version of this novel through NetGalley from Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine. My review is based only on my own reading experience of this book. I wish to thank Ballantine Books for the opportunity to read and review this novel early.

In Justin Cronin's book, The Ferryman we are placed in an alternate universe called Prosperia and on these islands we have two different types of people who live there: Prosperans and the support staff. If you are a Prosperan you live long lives and are encouraged to be creative and do what you love to do. Health is measured by a monitor attached to your arm that tells you your health score and when your score gets too low you have to retire to the Nursery where you'll start over in a new life. The support staff are like regular humans aka having natural death but they are the service workers to the Prosperan people.

While I have never read a Justin Cronin novel before I was sucked into the story and finished it in two days because I needed to find out how everything was going to play out with Proctor, the main character. The Ferryman gave elements of sci fi and had some comparison to The Handmaids Tale with the discrepancy between the Prosperans and the support staff.

Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group/Ballentine for letting me read an early copy!

The Ferryman is my first Justin Cronin book and it didn't disappoint. I'm not quite sure how to summarize this one: it has elements of dystopia, horror, and fantasy. A sci-fi adventure for adults that will have you frantically turning the pages...

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine.

The ending! Did anyone else notice the parent trap reference you will be best friends, eat together, play together and do everything else together...Loved Of course didnt happened until the second to last chapter. It's now all I can think about.

Overall this story will mess with your mind. Read it grab your copy May 2, 2023

My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Ferryman is such a creative story. Although it is fantasy based, it has a realism element too. I felt like it was plausible and relatable although removed from current times.

The story takes place far in the future on Prospera, a fictional island that is essentially “perfect.” People on the main island live to advanced ages, technology is part of their existence more than I could have ever imagined, and life is the same but so very different. There is a island called the Annex for working lower class people, but people from Prospera rarely venture there due to the dirtiness and higher danger rate.

I don’t want to say too much, because the story unfurls itself like silk ribbon from a spool as you read. Not a lot makes sense, until suddenly it does. I will say that this is a phenomenal read and you won’t be able to imagine where it goes until you’ve arrived.

This story touches on the topics of life and death in a way I have never quite encountered before. If you know me, you know I love long existential discussions, so this was a great fit for me as a reader. If you’re a fan of the Netflix show, Black Mirror, you will enjoy this novel. It had me questioning what “reality” even is.

This book isn’t horror, but there is an unsettling quality to a storyline about a futuristic government shrouded in mystery and secrets, and the destructive nature of humanity. I definitely was on the edge of my seat at moments and stared at the book with wide eyes a few times.

So, I am happy to say that I will be reading through all of Justin Cronin’s backlist now. I need all his work for my library. He’s a new favorite author.

I described this one to my husband as "Divergent at the beginning, WandaVision by the end... with a little Lost in the middle." And I stand by that statement! But, with the paper version expected to come in well over 500 pages, there is obviously a lot more nuance between those basic comparisons.

Our main character is Proctor Bennett, who is a Ferryman in his forties. His job is to collect Prosperans who are nearing the end of their lives, and escort them to the ferry that will take them to the Nursery. He is married, with no kids. He has a leadership position within his profession. Some people are spooked by what he does for a living, but he sees it as helping people.

What I consider the "inciting incident" happens pretty early here, when Proctor is assigned to take his own father to the ferry. His father, seemingly ok with his circumstances at first, suddenly becomes manic and seems to be trying to tell Proctor something. Is it just the ramblings of an old man out of his depth, or no?

As Proctor starts asking questions, his life starts to unravel around him - and so does the world of Prospera. Coincidence? Of course not. But what does it all mean?!

This brings me to the "Lost" comparison. Yes, it's an island where not everything is as it seems. Certain characters feel more like symbols than real people. There's even a section where they are literally in a waiting room. But if you're the type that felt constant frustration at the ol' TV show, have faith... all does get revealed here in time.

And, as we can see, this is a far cry from the YA themes found in "Divergent," as well. This is real grown-up sci-fi, where we see characters dealing with midlife crises - marital strife, asking whether their lives to this point have had meaning, etc. - as well as some characters dealing with the ends of their lives.

9 / 10 ✪

https://arefugefromlife.wordpress.com/2023/04/30/the-ferryman-by-justin-cronin-review/

—<i>Your dreams are made of you</i>—

Prospera is comprised of three islands, each of them with a specific purpose. There’s the island proper: where the sun warms picturesque beaches, gentle rains frequent, and the citizens go about their idyllic lives in tranquility from rebirth to redeath. Island #2, the Annex—the home of the support staff for Prospera. Here, the populace does the unsightly jobs that normal Prosperans couldn’t possibly bother with. Of course they aren’t allowed to settle with the upperclass folk, and therefore have their own—out of the way—island. There are differences to the two people that define their origins. Prosperans are stronger, paler, more well-fed, muscled and healthy. Natives of the Annex look a bit like… prey, basically.

The third and final island is the Nursery. This is where Prosperans are reconditioned when their number is up. Soaring cliffs, crashing waves, an isle only accessible via ferry. Hence, the “Ferryman”.

Proctor Bennett is an interesting character, but not the most interesting one. In my opinion, that’s what you want out of your lead—that they’ve got some depth to them, but they’re not the most fascinating character out there. For this we’ve got the painter, Proctor’s ailing father, his absent mother, and the most mysterious of them all—Caeli. While his dreams make him interesting in his own way, Proctor can’t compete with the girl.

The language took me some getting used to, as it wasn’t what I expected from a thriller, though the Ferryman is primarily billed as a dystopia science fiction, so I guess that’s why. It’s slower build, possessive of greater detail. It doesn’t just start in with a hook and then bolt—forcing the reader to catch up or fall behind—which is something I’m a big fan of.

I mean, characters, description, and language aside… I guess there’s always the plot. Which is pretty good. A good dystopian mystery with an equally good twist—albeit when the other shoe finally drops. I actually had this one called well in advance, but it wasn’t an obvious conclusion, just a lucky guess. I did think that the twist came a little early, and the pacing struggled to make sense of what it was supposed to do down the stretch.

TL;DR

Excellent characters, world-building, writing and language. A well thought-out mystery with a good hook and satisfying twist at the end. While not the most thrilling thriller, it read like an excellent scifi dystopia, reminding me of a more sedate Crouch novel. You know, I don’t have much negative to say about this. It was a fantastic adventure, one of my favorite reads in quite a while! I’ve not read Justin Cronin before, but now I’m more interested to check out more of his work. Great book—heartily recommended!

Wow. "The Ferryman" by Justin Cronin is one amazing book! After finishing it, I immediately went out and bought all of the author's other works; if they are half as good as this one is, I may have a new favorite author.

"The Ferryman" is a deeply cerebral novel and is definitely not a light read. The writing is rich and complex, the characters well developed and alive. This is an author who knows the importance of showing the reader the story rather than simply telling the reader the story. He is a true master of world-building and I was completely immersed in the place he created.

Set in the future and in a utopian island chain separated from the rest of a world ravaged by climate change and humanity, Prospera has a dark side, which becomes more apparent as the story progresses. The plot twist caught me completely unaware and I gasped out loud when I realized what was happening.

Part science fiction and part dystopian drama, "The Ferryman" is a book I won't soon forget. I was entirely engrossed from the first page to the last and regretted when I had to put it down to take care of real life's responsibilities. It is a lengthy read, but I savored every exquisite sentence and never felt overwhelmed or intimidated by the length or language.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine Books, and the author for the privilege of reading what will definitely be considered one of the best works of fiction for 2023.

This was my first book by Justin Cronin and I know that I definitely need to read more. I loved the setup and the world building and the suspense of the first half of this book. I thought the reveal was good but the delivery of the reveal left a bit to be desired. The main character was just told everything around 60%. And I did begin to lose interest after this a little bit. And my main reason for this not being 5 stars is the ending. I just felt like it didn't fit the character I had spent the last 500 pages getting to know.

What a ride.

The Ferryman was complex and thought provoking, a sci-fi tale that wasn’t necessarily what it seemed to be.

With any utopia/dystopia, I was waiting for the shoe to drop. What was outside of this society and why was it a secret? But I was intrigued by the characters, especially Proctor’s family, so I wanted to see where those layers would lead. I had so many questions.

I enjoyed the world building, the concept, and the characters.

I have mixed feelings about the reveal. I loved what the actual reveal was. I also feel like not enough time was spent fleshing out the end of the book and it all happened so fast. I wanted to spend more time there. It felt a little inception-ish in a bad way for a minute, too, which I could have done without.

But then I think back to how things came full circle for Proctor as The Ferryman and I feel like overall the story was clever.

I think the pacing could have evened out better, maybe by having the reveal sooner so it didn’t feel so rushed at the end. As the reader, we got to be in Proctor’s head for so long, understanding what made him tick in the most mundane of ways in Prospera, and then I felt like after the reveal he kind of shut himself off. We did later discover he was sort of not telling everyone something, but I wished the reader could have been more a part of that to better understand what he was looking to accomplish and why. I think that’s a large reason why I felt the end was jumbled because it kind of was in comparison to the beginning.

Despite my frustrations, I felt like this book was very well done and interesting and I do recommend it.

It’s one of those books you have to savor a little and I’m glad I gave myself time to read it little by little instead of trying to devour it in fewer sittings. Mulling it over and getting excited about the reveal was fun.

I think this will be a huge hit, but like any book with a reveal or a twist, there will always be people who feel like it wasn’t what they wanted to see happen. I felt like it was good and I enjoyed the journey, even if I wanted more from it in some ways.

Cronin does it again. He is such a master world-builder. Just when you start to think you know what's going on, the whole book changes. And then just when you think you know how it's going to end, it changes again. It's EXCELLENT. It's science fiction, it's a meditation on society and power; it's about what makes a family; what are dreams; what's real and what isn't. And the characters! So many full-fleshed out characters, with different motivations that are slowly revealed. I don't want to say too much, and I absolutely am not going to summarize the plot - because this is a book best read without any pre-conceived notions. I'll leave you with the publisher's summary and the exhortation to READ THIS NOVEL!!!

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.

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process--and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming--which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group--known as "Arrivalists"--who may be fomenting revolution.

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized--and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.

Thanks to Random House - Ballantine for the free ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Title: The Ferryman
Author: Justin Cronin
Genre: Fantasy
Rating: 3 out of 5

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.

Proctor Bennett, of the Department of Social Contracts, has a satisfying career as a ferryman, gently shepherding people through the retirement process--and, when necessary, enforcing it. But all is not well with Proctor. For one thing, he's been dreaming--which is supposed to be impossible in Prospera. For another, his monitor percentage has begun to drop alarmingly fast. And then comes the day he is summoned to retire his own father, who gives him a disturbing and cryptic message before being wrestled onto the ferry.

Meanwhile, something is stirring. The Support Staff, ordinary men and women who provide the labor to keep Prospera running, have begun to question their place in the social order. Unrest is building, and there are rumors spreading of a resistance group--known as "Arrivalists"--who may be fomenting revolution.

Soon Proctor finds himself questioning everything he once believed, entangled with a much bigger cause than he realized--and on a desperate mission to uncover the truth.

I’m sorry, but this just felt like a chaotic, jumbled mess to me. Parts of it were interesting, parts of it were just chaotic---and most of the characters weren’t that likable. Even after finishing the novel, I’m still not 100% sure what the whole point of it was, so this was clearly not a novel for me.

Justin Cronin is a bestselling author. The Ferryman is his newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House/Ballantine in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 5/3).

This book centers around 3 islands cut off from the rest of the world. Prospera is where the wealthy live and government is centered; the Annex is where the blue collar, shop workers, and housing staff live; and the Nursery where the old are sent to “retire”. Proctor Bennett works as a ferryman, meaning he escorts older people to the ferry that goes to the Nursery. Once at the Nursery, they will be reiterated, meaning brought back to life again in a younger form. Sadly, he is called to escort his own father to the ferry. While in the car to the ferry, his father starts saying nonsensical things. Proctor keeps going over the words in his head, and decides they weren’t nonsense after all. In the meantime, his health meter is dipping lower and lower each day. It’s only a matter of time before he will be “retired” too. He has to figure out what his father meant before being sent away. I found this book pulled me in right from the beginning. The pacing did slow down a bit in the middle, but ramps up again with the big twist at the end. I’m still thinking about the ending trying to decide if I liked it, but the world building was amazing, so I would recommend this to other sci-fi readers. Special thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy.

The Ferryman

The Ferryman contains multitudes: Part dystopian novel, part sci-fi exploration of eternal human themes, part detective story, and part action-packed thrill ride, it is a compelling examination of interpersonal relationships, resilience, and human consciousness. When the story starts, there is no real build-up—the story drops the reader right into this world Cronin has created, which is similar enough to our own that we can relate to its inhabitants even while sensing that something isn’t quite right.

The result is a novel that is labyrinthine but never really confusing. All threads are kept distinct, even as they intertwine through multiple timelines, shifting perspectives, and narration that switches from first to third person and back again.

Proctor Bennett, the ostensible hero, is likable and competent. His actions are understandable and internally consistent with what we know of his character and his experiences in the world he inhabits. As the story develops, it takes on a Truman Show quality where the seemingly perfect world starts to show its seams and the characters all present a facade that masks their true natures and motivations.

Cronin has a real facility for making up worlds and then putting characters into them that act in ways that are perfectly understandable while never being exactly predictable. His creativity is, of course, a strong suit, but he has an uncanny ability to write believable dialogue and descriptive passages with just the right amount of detail and depth.

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ferryman. It touches on many relevant issues, such as the looming threat of climate change, the human tendency to foster and exploit class distinctions, and the struggles associated with personal loss. This was a meaningful meditation on deep themes and a wonderful book. I am grateful to NetGalley, Ballantine, and Random House for the opportunity to read and review The Ferryman.

Such a hard book to review. For the first third of the book I was totally captivated, enjoying the characters and the well paced story. For the next third, I was somewhat lost trying to figure out what was real, what was imagined, and what was madness. The final third of the book became pretty convoluted and I started losing interest in the storyline and didn't really care what happened to any of the characters.. Hard to recommend

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for an advanced reader copy.

I absolutely devoured The Passage series (I don't really do re-reads and I read the first book, all 800 pages of it, twice) so I was so excited to see Justin Cronin out with something new. This wasn't *quite* as epic but still a very fun read, I loved getting immersed in the world that he built.
*
On the surface, this is about an island where people are able to essentially reboot their bodies and memories once their physical and mental health starts to decline, giving them a chance to start fresh. The island is essentially paradise, but unrest starts to grow in some of the support staff, and talk of revolution starts.
*
But there is so much more to it than that. Everything you think you know about the characters and the plot gets turned on its head multiple times. It does a great job of building a tense atmosphere, dabbling in dystopia, covering environmental and societal issues.
*
It's a long book but with the way it develops, it never feels like it. And for a science fiction book, it's quite light on the actual science, so I had no trouble following it. (Although for actual science buffs, I can't actually comment on the accuracy of the science that was there)
*
I didn't quite hit 5 stars, because the ending left me with some questions, and maybe because I just had too high expectations after The Passage, but I still very much enjoyed it and am glad I got a chance to get an early copy! Thank you @netgallely and @randomhouse !

Really loved the first three quarters of this novel before confusion set in. By the end it mostly became clear but the premise was very convoluted and not especially satisfying. I do admire the world-building and the lovely descriptions. Some of the characters played dual roles which confused the story. The transition between the majority of the novel to the concluding chapters felt abrupt.

Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the ARC to read and review.

This one will be a great one for true sci-fi fans as well as readers who like some excitement and a deep story to think about. There is a lot to figure out and keep straight! It is real? Is it a dream?

It starts out with Director Proctor Bennett, who is the Ferryman. It is a sad job because he is taking older people to the Nursery to be “reiterated.” Later, they will come back to the island as young adults to be taken in and parented by a guardian. Proctor is good at his job because he has learned to deal with the different reactions that people have as they get onto the Ferry -- some are not very happy to go.

However, an unsettling incident that happens on the Ferry makes Proctor start to feel unsettled. Thereafter, his life starts to change, and as he begins to try to figure out what is going on -- The Whole Story Changes!!! It is amazing, and you start to feel like you need to go back and reread the beginning so that you can look at it all from a completely different direction!

I don’t want to give anything away, so I won’t go on -- but it is Very Unusual and Very Exciting! Justin Cronin does not disappoint in his telling of this unexpected story of love, life, and the future of the world!!

I’d like to thank NetGalley, Justin Cronin, and Random House/Ballantine Books for the advanced reader's copy in exchange for my unbiased review.