The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐫𝐞𝐬: Sci-Fi, Dystopia, Mystery
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭: Physical/Audio
#DeepDiveThisBook

QUICK BITS
•Evolving plot
•Slow burn
•Fever dream-like
•Philosophical/psychological

REVIEW
WOWOWOOW. I did not expect this reading experience.

As you will see portrayed in my pace score, the first half of this book is a slow burn. However, much like my experience with Cloud Cuckoo Land (of note: CCL ended up in my top 3 of 2022) by the time you get halfway it is unputdownable.

I will say going into this one, unlike me initially, don't fight the slow burn. All the details and story components are SO worth taking your time with. Because if you don't you will likely be dying to go back and start it over when everything starts to be revealed.

Much like a Blake Crouch novel, the book you think you are reading is not the book you realize you are reading by the end-- aka mind blowing.

One of those books I quite literally can't tell you anything more about...you just have to pick it up and experience it for yourself.

If you are apprehensive about longer slow burns (up until 50%), then I HIGHLY recommend the audio! I read this in both ebook and audio and BOTH are great.

So...are your ready to sail away and start questioning what you consider to be reality? The ferryman is knocking at the door, will you answer it?

RATINGS
10 Characters
8 Atmosphere
9 Writing Style
10 Plot
6 Pace
8 Intrigue
8 Enjoyment
5 SOS Bonus
4 Impact Bonus
TOTAL= 59+9= 68/14= 4.89

5.00/5.00 SOS Rating
--Truly I had not foreseen where this book was going... by the time you get to the 50% mark everything just starts to be revealed and it's hundreds of pages of internal screaming and crying

4.00/5.00 Impact Rating
--Love when I get to use my impact rating on fiction, this book goes places emotionally I was not prepared for...I will feel the reverberations of this book for the years to come

5.00/5.00 Rounded Rating

This book was a ride, for sure (no pun intended). If the movies “In Time”, “Passengers” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” had a threesome, you’d get something close to this book.

Proctor Bennett is a Ferryman living in Prospera, an isolated community who escaped the horrors that climate change has caused to the planet. In Prospera, people can live basically forever; everyone there has a monitor implanted in their forearm that measures their mental and physical health. When a person’s monitor falls below 10%, it’s time for them to retire to The Nursery, where they will be reborn (iterated?) not as babies, but as children/teens, and assigned new wardens (parents). Thus, the circle of life becomes many.

Proctor’s job means he is one of the trusted people who take “retirees” to the ferry, so they can be reiterated at The Nursery. One day, the person who needs transport is his father - after some kind of mental fugue, his father’s last words are confusing and haunting. What does “Oranios” mean? Why is anyone who heard him say that word being taken to The Nursery? What will happen to Proctor?

That’s about all that can be said without spoiling anything or making this sound cheesy, as is too easy to do when explaining a science-fiction story. There is a sort of opposition group living in “The Annex”, and they call themselves Arrivalists. What arrival are they waiting for? Why do they choose to not live in Prospera? If war breaks out, which side would win?

This book was beautifully written, with a few great characters who help keep the reader invested. I thought the premise was relatively fresh, and executed well; the ending did seem cluttered, due to a lot of what I’ll call, for lack of better words, alternate timelines. This is a slow book to savor while enjoying the writing, and I did enjoy it…3.5 stars, rounded up.

(Thank you to Ballantine Books, Justin Cronin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.)

It took a while to pull me in because it's a confusing world, to begin with. It's familiar but something feels off, which later turns out to be brilliant writing because things are definitely off in the land of Prospera.
We first meet Proctor Bennett as he's having a bit of an existential crisis that feels a lot like a mid-life crisis. He's a ferryman, one of the people that help those ready to end their current life get to the ferry that will take them to The Nursery for a new beginning. He's restless and bothered by something he can't put his finger on, but he has no time to dwell on that because he gets a notice that his father is his latest charge. Things don't go well, and Proctor's restlessness turns into a series of tough decisions and unreal events that lead him to question everything about Prospera and how it operates.
There are conspiracies, intrigue, secrets, danger, and so much more in this book that starts out one way and continually twists to keep surprising readers. I kept getting surprised by the new elements that Cronin threw at me. It's not often a book can keep me so in the dark about where it's going and I'm recommending it in large part because of that.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the thought-provoking read!

I had no clue what I was getting into with this book, and honestly I'm still a little lost.

Did I enjoy this book? Yes! I kept listening because I wanted to figure out what was happening. Did I understand what was going on in this book? HELL NO.

If you are looking for an first time book to ease into sci-fi, don't pick this up solely because at about the 75% mark, things start getting way more confusing and honestly lost me for a second. If you're a seasoned sci-fi veteran, then I think you will be absolutely fine with this book.

I really liked Proctor and all the other characters, but with things changing around so much, I got confused on my perceptions of them and if I actually did like them or not.

Overall... yes read if you have enough time in your life and are looking for a little confusion. No if you want to stick to something a little easier. 3.5/5 but rounded down to 3.

This book started as a good story and had an interesting description. Imagine a world in the future consisting of three areas, one where most of the people lived in luxury, one where the “workers” lived, and a third where people went to die and be reborn. The story starts out in the luxury area following a husband and wife. You get to know the people, etc. and follow their lives.
<spoilers> Then one day something odd happens; the father is ready to die and the son has to take him. From that point on, the son’s lifestyle breaks down and It turns out that everyone is on a spaceship in suspended animation. The life he is living is really only a dream or actually a nightmare being generated for everyone by his wife who went insane after their daughter died a few days before the spaceship was to leave earth.
The story reads like a nightmare from that point forward (about a third way through the book). It is impossible to follow the plot and the characters are difficult to follow, jumping from one “nightmare” to another. We never really find out what is going on in the other areas of the community, and I guess since it is only a “nightmare” and they don’t really exist, we don’t need to.
Overall, not a good read and no awards from me!

This was an interesting dystopian novel. I found Proctor to be relatable but not loveable. The ending was good. I would read more in this universe from Cronin, and I think this was a good follow up to the Passage series.

I received a copy of the Ferryman through NetGalley for my honest review.

I have a deep love for The Passage Trilogy by Justin Cronin and recommend his series to everyone I met. So seeing that he wrote a new novel I was instantly intrigued!

The Ferryman did start off on the slower side but it didn't take long to build into something that I couldn't put down. I loved that you never knew exactly what was happening there were so many twists and turns.

I dont want include any spoilers but I loved the ending of this book! I do wish the ending had a longer story line, there was alot of untouched territory.

I would definitely recommend this book to family, friends and anyone in need of good page turner

THIS BOOK!!! Hands down, without a doubt, will be one of my top reads of the year!!! I am in awe of the grip this book had on me. From the start, The Ferryman took hold of my heart, mind, and soul, and held tight until the very last page. This book has the perfect balance of action-packed thriller and mind-bending science fiction that will leave you speechless. For fans of Blake Crouch’s sci-fi thrillers, Justin Cronin’s writing has a very similar feel in that it builds upon scientific ideas and goes places you can’t even believe. Throughout, I was mesmerized by the world building and felt like I was transported instantly. There were gasping, jaw-dropping moments where pieces finally came together that left me shook. It’s so unbelievably clever that it had my brain hurting in the absolute best way possible. While a couple unanswered questions, in no way did they take away from the enjoyment of the book.

Picture this: The island of Prospera, hidden from the rest of the world. No one comes, no one goes, they simply remain. Leaving is forbidden. What’s beyond? No one knows. Our main character, Proctor Bennett, has a very special job as the ferryman. The ferryman’s duty is to escort emotional elderly, or those that are failing in health, to the ferry where they will be sent back to Nursery to be reborn into a new, fulfilling life.

As if Proctor’s job isn’t emotional enough, he’s assigned the challenging task of guiding his own estranged father to the ferry for his “retirement”. While at the pier, his father has a seemingly delusional episode, yelling things like “the world is not the world…you are not you…it’s all Oranios.” Proctor is extremely shaken by this interaction, leaving him puzzled and questioning. Simultaneously, the incident at the pier attracts much unwanted attention by others, sending the story in a tale-spin of events.

As to not spoil the many surprises and twists along the way, I’m going to leave it at that. Divided into eight parts, each part is so unique and bold that I never got bored for a moment. Each part builds on each other in one connected story, but I also never knew what new excitement was in store for me. If you love nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat action and suspense combined with questioning EVERYTHING, then please read this!!

Thank you so much to Ballantine Books, Justin Cronin, and NetGalley for the advance readers copy in exchange for my honest review!

You know how every now and then a book comes along that reminds you why you love reading? The kind of book that you can immerse yourself in completely, the room you’re in simply melting away as you become absorbed in another world? This was one of those books for me.
The Ferryman is a dystopian fever dream with so much depth and imagination I am in awe. It is SO GOOD, incredibly layered with mystery upon mystery and a steady crescendo of tension that keeps you glued to the page.
The story is rife with double-meaning and I loved the connections that fell into place as the tangled web of plot unraveled and everything becomes clear. I finished this in a day and will be thinking about it for a long time. Obvious five stars.

Love Justin Cronin's writing and this was not a disappointment in the slightest. Good storyline that kept me hooked from the beginning. Glad I gave this one a try because I really liked it.

This book was so bizarre. It reminded me of Blake Crouch's books in the way that you are left wondering what goes on in this guy's brain? I don't even know how to review this book without giving anything away. All I can say is you need to read it for yourself and go on one heck of a wild ride. 4.5 stars. Thank you, NetGalley for the eARC.

Pub date: 5/2/23
Genre: sci-fi, literary fiction
Quick summary: Proctor is a ferryman, accompanying the residents of Prospera on their journeys to "retirement" before they are reborn. But all is not well in Prospera, and Proctor begins to question his place in the system.

This was my first book by Justin Cronin, and I wasn't sure what to expect. But I found myself quickly immersed in the story and the world of Prospera. Proctor was a great "everyman" protagonist, and I enjoyed how Cronin portrayed his journey of discovery. There were plenty of twists I didn't see coming, and I stayed engaged with the story throughout despite it being over 500 pages!

I preferred this one on text over audio because it was easier to keep track of all the plot points in the text. The male narrator's performance also didn't keep me engaged with the story. I think literary fiction and sci-fi fans will enjoy this one a lot!

Thank you to Ballantine Books for my e-ARC and Librofm/PRH Audio for my complimentary audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There was a lot going on here 😂.

I spent like the first half of this novel thinking everyone was going to end up being robots, but that’s not the case. It’s like an unreliable narrator, but sci-fi vibes instead of psychological thriller.

As I listened I kept feeling like I’d read something with a similar story, and thought of Wayward Pines? But without the monsters. So if you read that and liked it, I think you’d like this (note, I’ve only watched some of the show not the books.)

There’s a lot of twists and turns, you trust people and then you don’t, the POV bounces around to a couple different people and that’s sometimes a little tough to keep track of.

The epilogue seemed sort of pointless after you learn the twist. But I get why the author included it to have a hopeful ending.

Overall, this was an interesting read. A little long, but mostly thorough. I had some questions I wish I had answered for me in all the narration/storytelling, but I guess if I don’t overthink it I’m good.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I loved The Passage trilogy so I was really looking forward to reading The Ferryman. Unfortunately, while enjoyable, this tale didn’t capture my attention in the same way. The story opens with the apparent suicide of a woman whose life isn’t proceeding in the way she’d like. She’s off her game, and her friends are starting to notice. Suicide seems like a very drastic choice given her seemingly minor problems. When she cuts her arm open in order to remove her tracking chip, the book took a depressing turn for me, and didn’t recover. I don’t want to give too much away, but humans are terrible. We are making our planet unlivable with our insistence on convenience and ‘beauty’ and competition. Naturally we are looking to outer space to provide our salvation, but will human nature evolve enough to keep us from ruining that as well? There is a lot happening here, and it was hard to follow at several points. I recommend reading it slowly, and maybe taking notes. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House/Ballantine for an advance copy in exchange for a candid review.

Book Summary:

The world is crumbling. Thankfully, places such as Prospera, an isolated archipelago, help protect humanity from the horrors of the world. Well, mostly. In this world, everyone has their health (physical and mental) monitored. Should they drop below ten perfect, they must retire.

That's where Proctor Bennett comes into play. He's a Ferrymen – one of the people who help (or force) others to retire. The proximity to the process allows Bennett realize that things are not as they seem and that his world is built on lies.

My Review:

Do you remember that 2005 film, The Island? That's what The Ferryman immediately made me think of. And that feeling kept cropping up, even as I was in the depth of this book. So if you're looking for a modern rendition, The Ferryman is the book for you.

Interestingly, The Ferryman combines many different elements and genres together. It isn't wholly science fiction, nor is it wholly fantasy. And it certainly has more than a dash of thriller and dystopian elements. It felt like the right balance between these parts, keeping the tension rising as we go along.

The Ferryman is admittedly a larger book – clocking in at over 500 pages. That said, it's worth the read! The pacing makes it so that you don't feel the page count, and it is easy to stay invested when there's always some new twist peeking around the corner.

Highlights:
Dystopian World
Thriller
“The Island” vibes

Set in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic society of Prospera, the Ferryman follows protagonist Proctor Bennet as he begins to question the society and its way of life. This is different from the Passage books by Justin Cronin, but engaging--reminded me a bit of a darker version of the Truman Show with some elements of Blake Crouch.

I am a huge fan of The Passage series and was really looking forward to the release of this book. The Ferryman revolves around a utopian society set on an island called Prospera. On Prospera you get to live an enviable life free of all the encumbrances of most societies. You live this fabulous life until your government installed health monitor shows your health has dropped below 10% and then you are greeted by a Ferryman who shuffles you off to a boat which brings you to "retirement:. Seems like an alright process, no? Well, NO. Proctor Bennett is one of these Ferryman and he has a secret. He dreams which is not supposed to be able to happen. His health monitor is dropping like nobody's business and he doesn't know why and when he is called to shepherd his own father into retirement it does not go down well and he is left with more questions than answers. I don't want to give away too much but as most other reviewers have said the first half of the book is tres magnifique while the second half falters a bit. Of course this book is full of what is happening is not what is REALLY happening and there are some pretty gnarly twists. I liked this one but didn't love as much as his previous books. It is definitely one of those that leave you mentally unpacking it for quite awhile after you put it down.

What a wild ride this was! I loved the brain tingling feeling my brain got reading this, the suspense was perfect, the atmosphere felt real, the futuristic elements were spot on. I really enjoyed this book and think it would make for a great book club.

I enjoyed the plot line, it was interesting. But the ending ruined the book for me. What a letdown. Kind of reminded me of a couple of major blockbuster movies. I didn't know what to expect when I started reading this book. It started off well and I was engrossed in the story. But then it started to unravel. The twist and the ending was confusing.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Justin Cronin for a copy of "The Ferryman" in exchange of an honest review.

This book was absolutely incredible, it was the type of book that you just can't stop turning the pages to see what happens. I liked the science fiction concept of the story, but what really drew me in was the characterization. I've read this author's previous works and this is my favorite one!