A review by chaptersofchase
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin

challenging dark emotional mysterious reflective tense slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated

3.5

r e v i e w || The Ferryman ⛴️
Thank you, Random House, for the gifted copy of The Ferryman {partner}

Genre: Science-Fiction
Trope: Mystery/Dystopian
Format: 🎧
Audiobook Narration: β˜†β˜†β˜†β˜†
Pub Date: 5.2.2023
Star Rating: β˜†β˜†β˜†.5

"There is power in a name. It is through names that we bring all things into this world, and when they leave, it is names we carry with us so they are never truly gone."

The Ferryman is a melting pot of genres and themes -  I can't say for sure that it ever settled on just one. It was a science-fiction, dystopian, mystery, and family drama with themes of health, power struggles, environmental issues, aging, marriage, child loss, and grief. The first 20% of the book reminded me of The Truman Show, and the last 30% reminded me of Inception - I still can't pinpoint what the middle reminded me of, but I'll figure it out one day.

It's one of those books that makes you think - especially with the current climate of our country (and world). But, the author may have tried to tackle too many big ideas, and because of this, the heart of the book was lost on me. I spent a good chunk of The Ferryman very confused about what was happening with the story, and I'm still not entirely sure what transpired, nor am I sure if I enjoyed it or not.

πŸŒ€ Eclectic mix of genres & themes
🎬 The Truman Show meets Inception & Westworld
🎒 Pacing that ebbs & flows
πŸ”€ Didn't love the twist

I recommend reading The Ferryman if you enjoy Blake Crouch novels!


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