The Ferryman

This is going to be an extremely tricky review to write because just accidentally revealing one detail could spoil the entire novel. And God knows I don't want to do that, for Justin Cronin wrote a very good book. The sort of mind-bending story you wish there would be more of.

Alas, such tales are few and far between, which is why novels like The Ferryman are so special. It's been said before, so it is safe to claim that Cronin's newest is Westworld meets Inception. To be honest, it's much more than that, but to say more could spoil everything. For that reason, I would recommend not reading too many online reviews, as many might not be spoiler-free and that would simply kill the entire plot.

Here's the blurb:

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Passage comes a riveting standalone novel about a group of survivors on a hidden island utopia—where the truth isn’t what it seems.

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.

The bulk of the story takes place in the archipelago of Prospera. The main island of the same name is where Prosperans devote themselves to the highest aspirations: Creative expression and the pursuit of personal excellence. They are a society of musicians and painters, poets and scholars, as well as artisans of every type. The second island, known as the Annex, is home to the support staff-men and women of lesser biological and social endowments. It is connected to the main island via a floating causeway. The third island is known as the Nursery. Protected by dangerous shoals and towering cliffs, this is where the ferry takes people on the brink of going through a new iteration. While every citizen's life begins and ends at the Nursery, no one really knows anything about the place and the process behind each new iteration. How such a little slice of paradise can remain hidden and unaffected in a world decimated by war and climate change, this remains the novel's biggest secret. To leave Prospera is, as a matter of course, forbidden. Word of Prospera's existence would bring about its own doom.

The better part of The Ferryman is told from two perspectives. The first, that of Proctor Bennett, and the other, that of Thea Dimopolous. Proctor is director for District Six of the Department of Social Contracts, Enforcement Division. Also known as a Ferryman, it is his duty to accompany the elder citizens who are emotionally distressed to the ferry that will take them to the Nursery to begin a new life. Thea is an art dealer, but she's also a secret member of the rebels. Fate will bring them together following the fiasco caused by Proctor's father at the ferry pier. When the powers that be get wind of the old man's cryptic message, Proctor is being forced to retire and be reiterated for the secret truth he might know. But he doesn't and his refusal to go down without a fight could change Prospera forever. With the help of unlikely allies, they will unveil the secret of the Nursery and discover the truth about Prospera.

The Ferryman moves at a slow burn at the beginning and the pace picks up around the halfway point of the novel. Though it's never really a fast-paced affair, Justin Cronin knows how to keep readers interested and the rhythm is never an issue. Indeed, I was hooked by the prologue and never looked back. I found the characters and their storylines fascinating, and I went through what is by no means a slim book in just a few sittings. I absolutely loved the endgame, yet was not as enamored with the ending itself. Not that it wasn't good, just a little too neat for my taste.

Justin Cronin's The Ferryman is hard to put down. Do yourself a favor and read this one as soon as you have the chance!

The final verdict: 8.5/10

For more info about this title, follow this Amazon Associate link.

You can read an extract from the novel here.