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A review by kba76
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin
challenging
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
A book to savour, where nothing is quite as it seems and where I found myself, regularly, having to review what I’d read and learned so I could make sense of what I’d been told.
The Ferryman is a thought-provoking read. It explores what it is to be human and how we forge our place in the world, while presenting us with a dystopian view of how things could be.
Our main character is Proctor Bennett, the ferryman of the title. He is responsible for escorting people on their final journey before they are rebooted and sent back to their world to live a new life.
Things start to go wrong when Proctor begins to recall events he should not remember and becomes conscious of dreaming. In this world, it should not be possible. There is something being kept secret from the residents of Prospera and we follow Bennett as he tries to work out what it is.
There’s a languid quality to this writing that really is something to savour. Passages seem almost dream-like and I frequently found myself wondering quite to what extent I could trust what I’d just read.
Once the book picks up the pace a little, we are privy to a quite substantial twist of events. This made me take a moment to step back and review everything that had come before, and to wonder exactly what was going to transpire.
I’ve had The Passengers trilogy on my radar to read for ages, and in light of how much I enjoyed this I think I might have to get round to it sooner rather than later.
The Ferryman is a thought-provoking read. It explores what it is to be human and how we forge our place in the world, while presenting us with a dystopian view of how things could be.
Our main character is Proctor Bennett, the ferryman of the title. He is responsible for escorting people on their final journey before they are rebooted and sent back to their world to live a new life.
Things start to go wrong when Proctor begins to recall events he should not remember and becomes conscious of dreaming. In this world, it should not be possible. There is something being kept secret from the residents of Prospera and we follow Bennett as he tries to work out what it is.
There’s a languid quality to this writing that really is something to savour. Passages seem almost dream-like and I frequently found myself wondering quite to what extent I could trust what I’d just read.
Once the book picks up the pace a little, we are privy to a quite substantial twist of events. This made me take a moment to step back and review everything that had come before, and to wonder exactly what was going to transpire.
I’ve had The Passengers trilogy on my radar to read for ages, and in light of how much I enjoyed this I think I might have to get round to it sooner rather than later.