I received this book for free from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin Published by Ballantine Books on May 2 2023
Genres: Adult, Dystopian
Pages: 538
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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The nitty-gritty: A twisty, fast-paced story that will keep you guessing.
All is not as it seems in The Ferryman, Justin Cronin’s new novel, an epic, mind-bending tale that takes place in a future dystopian world. I had a blast with this book, and the twist was not what I was expecting at all. I had a few theories but I was dead wrong. This is a gripping and emotional story that had me in tears at the end, and I wanted to go back and read it again from the beginning with different eyes.
And because I don’t want to spoil anything for you, this review is probably going to be shorter than normal. The story takes place on a remote island called Prospera, hidden away from the rest of the world by something called the Veil. Proctor Bennett works for the Department of Social Contracts as a ferryman, someone tasked with ushering those whose time is up to the Nursery, a mysterious island where your memory is wiped clean and you are reborn in a younger body, ready to start your next iteration on Prospera.
But Proctor has been dreaming, something that Prosperans aren’t supposed to be able to do. He’s also met a strange girl on the beach, a girl named Caeli who seems very familiar. When his father Malcolm’s health starts to decline, he’s assigned to accompany him to the Nursery, but before they can board the ferry, Malcolm suffers a mental breakdown and tries to run. Before he’s whisked away, he utters an unfamiliar word to Proctor: Oranios.
Unfortunately, the Board of Overseers recorded the entire event, and now they want to know everything that Malcolm said to Proctor. Was he trying to warn his son about something, a coverup perhaps? As the mystery deepens and Proctor searches for answers, he realizes that the serenity of Prospera might just be a lie.
There is a lot going on in The Ferryman, way too much for a simply story recap. Cronin has created an intricate futuristic world, but it’s full of mysteries that aren’t explained until much later in the story. In addition to Prospera and the Nursery is a third island called the Annex, where all of the lower and middle class residents live. These are the cooks, maids, shop keepers and others who work behind the scenes to make Prosperans’ lives more comfortable. Part of the story involves an impending uprising against Prospera, as those in the Annex are becoming unhappy with their lot in life and jealous of the Prosperans. We also meet an art dealer named Thea, a Prosperan who is secretly visiting the Annex in order to help them. Then there’s Callista, who is not only Proctor’s mother-in-law, but the chairman of the Board of Overseers, where yet another mystery is brewing within their ranks.
I mention all these elements because it was hard at first to figure out how everything tied together. I was confused for most of the book, although it was one of those “good” confusions where you may not understand everything at the time, but you have faith that the author will eventually explain things. Cronin’s ability to write an engaging mystery made me eager to figure things out, and his intriguing characters and their relationships kept me flipping the pages.
There are plenty of exciting action scenes as well. Proctor gets himself into a boatload of trouble and has to run for his life, and I loved these fast-paced, tense sections. Other characters disappear without warning, and there are terrible storms that threaten the lives of everyone on Prospera and the Annex. And then there is the mystery of the Nursery, where no one is allowed unless it’s your time to be retired. What really happens there? Proctor eventually finds out in one of the strangest and creepiest scenes in the book.
When the truth is finally revealed at around the 75% mark, I’ll admit my mind was blown. I absolutely loved the idea, and finally having all the answers brought the first part of the story into sharp focus. And the epilogue is probably one of the best epilogues I’ve ever read. Proctor makes an unexpected decision that added so much heart and emotion to the story, and I can’t image a better ending.
I’ve barely scratched the surface of this complex story, which is probably for the best. If you are a fan of secret-filled dystopian worlds and mind-bending ideas, you’ll want to go into The Ferryman as blind as possible.
Big thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy.
You’re too naïve, Tammy
Glad you liked it though!!
I have no idea what that means, lol.
While I reasonably enjoyed Cronin’s The Passage, I was not encouraged to move forward with this series, even though it focused on the vampire apocalypse, and I always pay attention when vampires are concerned ;-). But this latest novel by Cronin is receiving only positive comments, and your review confirms me that I have to give him another chance: this one might prove a far better, more engaging read than than his previous works.
Thank you so much for sharing this!
Maddalena@spaceandsorcery recently posted…PALADIN’S GRACE (The Saint of Steel #1), by T. Kingfisher #WyrdAndWonder
It’s very different from The Passage, you may enjoy this one!
I have read The Passage by Justin Cronin yeaaaaars ago and I wasn’t a fan: I found it way too long and meandering. The Ferryman sounds nothing like The Passage and after reading your review, I am very intrigued by it! On the TBR, it goes! 😉
Maryam (@thecurioussffreader) recently posted…April Wrap-Up & May Reading Plans | Wyrd & Wonder 2023
It’s completely different from The Passage, definitely worth checking out:-)
Great review, Tammy! I love books where when something is finally revealed that it blows my mind. Especially if it’s something I had theories about but in the end didn’t expect it at all. Always hits so good!
Stephanie @ Bookfever recently posted…It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?
Thanks Stephanie! I’m really bad at guessing twists, and I never would have guessed this one:-)
Great review T ammy!! I’m glad that you enjoy the book. And didn’t that ending just blow your mind!! I’m hoping that he writes more books in this universe.
Thanks Jolie! Yes that twist was a good one:-)
I assumed (for whatever reason) that this wouldn’t be a book for me, but now I’m interested! I’ll add this to my list of longer books to tackle over the summer!
Summer would be a great time to read this, especially if you have more time for longer books:-)
I love dystopia so I might really enjoy this one.
Anne – Books of My Heart recently posted… Drowning by TJ Newman @T_J_Newman #StevenWeber #LauraBenanti @SimonAudio #LoveAudiobooks
It ended up being very unique:-)
Yeah, I really do need to try something by Justin Cronin one of these days.
This is completely different from The Passage, but very well done.
I am going to listen to it very soon (I just need a few more hours to finish listening – finally – to the awesome Warcross, by Marie Lu). so I just read your intro and conclusion. I want to dive in without knowing much about it. But looks like I made the right choice to accept an audio review copy. That will be my first by Cronin, I can’t wait.
Emma @ Words And Peace recently posted…The top 7 books to read in May 2023
Hope you enjoy it!
This review makes me happy. I have such high hopes for this book, I’m only a few chapters in but I’m liking what I’m seeing so far!
I’m looking forward to your review!
I love a reveal that takes you totally by surprise, where you’ve made a guess as to what’s been going on and then the reveal is totally not what you expected 😀
Pages and Tea recently posted…Book Review: The Unexpected Return of Josephine Fox (Josephine Fox #1) by Claire Gradidge
Me too, twists can be tricky, and I think he pulled this one off:-)
Ooooo, am intrigued!
I haven’t read anything by this author, but this one is tempting me so much more than The Passage did. Glad it was a hit for you!
I totally agree- it would be so interesting to reread it, knowing all the things! It was definitely mind blowing, I think my qualm was, the more I think about it, that I almost wanted MORE of the second part, if that makes sense? But I definitely enjoyed it, and I was shocked by it as well!
Shannon @ It Starts at Midnight recently posted…Reviews in a Minute: May Beginning Batch
I find it a bit long (though bearable thanks to the good narrator – audiobook format. But I’m getting close to the reveal, and now I’m curious to see if I’m guessing right or not! I am probably not!
Is this a standalone or will it be part of a series? I’ve seen so many good reviews for this, and I did enjoy The Passage by this author, although I need to finish that series. So I will have to give this a try. Great review!
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