This novel was somehow exactly what I expected, and also not at all. Author Justin Cronin is clearly a huge fan of dystopian sci-fi because he hits every single mark I could think of to define the world as a classic dystopia right down to the name. Prospera, a nation full of superficially happy people with nigh-magical technology that enables reincarnation. Naturally an annex of slave-laborers does all the dirty work for them. One Prosperan is different though. Unlike his peers, Proctor Bennett has always had dreams he cannot explain. His work as a Ferryman of Prospera, a guide to the reiteration process, gives him unique insight into the world. When it comes time to Ferry his own father to his next iteration, everything changes for him.

It feels almost too straight forward, garish in how obviously dystopian it is. What drew me in to begin with was how masterfully Cronin uses the trappings of genre to build a sense of something more going behind the scenes. And something more he delivers.

The plot revolves around two central pillars: the building conflict between Prospera and the Annex, and the gradual decline of Proctor Bennett. They’re intertwined in surprising ways that aren’t fully explained until what felt like the final pages of the novel. After hearing his father’s final words before reiteration, Proctor’s life becomes full of inexplicable intrigue. Those around him seem to hang on the word he heard, Orianos, but he doesn’t understand why. In fact, nobody does, and I’d challenge you to guess it in the first half of the novel. To be frank, I thought it did suffer a little from being so confusing it was compelling, but it was done so well I could hardly even care. It was hard to put down because it felt like every sentence held a new hint about what was really going on in Proctor’s life, in Prospera, in the universe at large. His whole world is upended and you’re just along for the ride, as thrown about by the unfoldings as he is. The novel does dip into other points of view, but Proctor’s is delivered from first person, past tense, while the others are all third person, present tense, clearly demarking the main character.

His journey is really weird. It takes him from his relatively simple (but already weird) life as Ferryman into territories he couldn’t have even fathomed before entering them. A mind-bending, even psychedelic exploration of his world ensues as his relationships with his wife and his job fall apart. But a new spark carries him forward when he meets Thea, a captivating woman who leads him deeper into the rabbit hole … The story is easy to get lost in, and it feels like a lot happens over the course of the novel. I can hardly fit it all in my head.

All along during Proctor’s journey, the relationship between the Prosperans and the Annex accelerates toward violence. The roots of the dystopia lie at the end of Proctor’s journey, but will he and Thea be strong enough to find the answers together?!?

Let’s just say I’m really glad the book doesn’t end in a cliff hanger.

This is easily a new favorite of mine just because it is so different yet so familiar. I feel right at home as a reader of sci-fi, but catapulted into something almost too strange for words at times. Its a really cool experience and I highly recommend it.

Thank you for reading,

Benjamin Hawley