The Ferryman
Author: Justin Cronin
When I first read the blurb for this story, I had instant nostalgia for similar stories I enjoyed in the past - Soylent Green, The Island/Parts, Logan's Run.... Loved them all! So, of course, I had to read and review this book!
The basics: People who live on Prospera are born, live their lives, and then they retire. Their lives are ordered and controlled. Nobody ever leaves Prospera. Everyone pursues personal excellence, marries by contract, and follows the rules. Once a monitor in their arms reads a health rating below 10%, the people take a ferry ride to another place called The Nursery. Here, they are re-born, revitalized and start life again fresh. Proctor Bennett is a cog in the wheel of this process. He's a Ferryman, taking people to The Nursery. But things get confusing for him as he watches his own monitor click down and he also is faced with providing the ferry trip for his own father. Soon, he finds himself questioning the process and looking for the truth.
Scary concept!! I think this type of story hits home with me because, although they are obviously fictional, the tales have enough parallels to the truth to be disturbing. While we don't have clocks ticking down to our doom, as we age life does get increasingly difficult. We are all ticking down to retirement, old age, death..... It's all part of life, but terrifying. What will retirement be like once it's our turn? Will there be enough money? Will we be respected for our wisdom, or looked down on as a unproductive waste of resources? How close are we to a day and age where aged adults are seen as only a costly drag on society?
I believe I find these stories compelling because they are just that fine line past truth....just fiction enough to be believable and horrifying. What if we took that last little step across that line? Could a life that was completely controlled ever truly be happy?
Great story! The plot sucked me in right from the start and kept my total attention until the final page. This book is well written, suspenseful and disturbing!! This is the first book I've read by Justin Cronin. I plan to read more!! And, if they made this book into a movie, I would definitely watch it!
** I voluntarily read a review copy of this book from Random House/Ballantine. All opinions expressed are entirely my own**
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