Book Review; Ferryman by Claire McFall (+ Giveaway!)

Author: Claire McFall
Publisher: Templar Publishing
Published: 1st March 2013
Pages: 334
Format: Paperback
Source:: ARC from Publisher
Add It: Goodreads, Amazon UK, TBD

There Is

As soon as I heard about this novel, I knew that it was one that I wanted to read. As a little back story, I love pretty much everything to do with ghosts, ghost hunting, reapers and the like, so a book like this instantly caught my attention. Then, I saw the cover and I was captured and instantly intrigued by the story all over again. I love how serene it seems, the use of space and colour and the vastness that it portrays. It is a stunning colour that just truly captures the story in its entirety. So when I finished the novel and found it to be an absolutely incredible story, I was just so glad that I took the opportunity to read it. It was the perfect book for me and one that actually had me tweeting; “That moment when you finish a book so incredible and delicate that you don’t want it to end.” It is one that has me struggling to find the right words to describe to do it the right justice.

A Choice

I think the most inspiring thing about this book is the fact that the entire novel is surrounding only two characters. It is their journey that we see but there is literally very little interference from other characters and this could have caused the book to become boring very easy on but instead this just helped to make the book feel more intense and, when all was said and done, I still wasn’t ready to let the characters go. The story itself was action-filled, with so many moments that get your heart-racing and your blood-pumping that you can’t help but keep turning the pages to know exactly what will happen next. It is clear that Claire McFall knows how to create tension and she does so without the reader even realising that they’re holding their breath until they let it all out when the danger has passed. In the same manner, there is a lot of emotional moments in this book that caused my heart to break just a little bit each time. I felt truly connected to everything in this book, so it is safe to say that the plot of this story was truly unique and simply brilliant.

She Must Make

From the very start, I loved Dylan. I loved how realistic she felt as a teenager, I loved that she made me love and how just everything felt so real and interesting. She was a character that was strong but didn’t know it, brave; but didn’t realise it, and totally and utterly caring as well. She was such a great character that I couldn’t help but feel for her story, to wish for a better life for her and to hope that things hadn’t turned out the way they had. I felt instantly connected to her and found her to be just an utterly amazing character. She truly made this book so stunning for me, even with all of her complaining and muttering, and a little naievity at the beginning too. She was just a well-written character that I could imagine existing in the world extremely easily.

But How

Tristian was also an amazing character that I really connected to. At first I found him to a bit irritating but it soon came to light that he was just doing his job, the one he’d done for so many years. But then, as the story continued you saw a little more of him and it wasn’t long before I was smitten with him completely. He was protective, caring, heart-warming, and always able to crack a smile if he needs to. He was fun to have around in the story but he was also fierce when he needed to be, and a little selfish at times but he was always supposed to be selfless so it was easy to see why. Really though, it was seeing him try to stop himself from falling for Dylan that made me admire him more. It showed that, despite everything, underneath it all he was capable of human emotions and was made stronger from them. Their relationship throughout the novel was compelling, beautiful, and totally and utterly captivating. It is hard not to cheerlead for them.

Could She

Above everything else, it was the writing style in this book that really swayed me. It was a narrative that flowed, with sentences strung together so delicately that just truly managed to convey the entire story perfectly. But it was also so much more than that as well. It was a narrative that switched POVs mid chapter, that showed the entirety of the landscape and the emotion and the thoughts, and well… just everything and while that could have been too much, it really, really wasn’t. It just worked so well and gave the writing just this uniqueness to it. I am certain that as soon as Claire McFall releases a new book, I will be grabbing off the shelves quickly because her writing is incredibly inspirational and just truly admirable. I am certain that it may not be to everyone’s tastes and there will be some people out there who may just really not like it, but for me personally, I couldn’t get enough of it.

Possibly Choose?

This novel starts out slow, it moves through descriptions and really sets the scene and the beginning does have the ability to seem a little boring – and I think some may stop before giving this book a chance – but then without warning, the speed picks up and then the rest of the novel is fast-paced but you barely even notice how much so until you’re at the end wondering where the rest of the novel is. It is, in that respect, a perfect pace throughout the entire novel. It is a thrilling read that is emotionally captivating, is intense, uplifting and ultimately tragic all at the same time. It is one that leaves you feeling breathless and one, as I mentioned above, that leaves you in a state of wonder when you finish and realise that it is well and truly over. I would easily recommend this book to anyone who likes a book that takes you on a captivating journey, is powerful, slightly tranquil, delicate and almost needs its own genre to describe it. It is a novel that flows well and is one that I am certain will stick with me for many years to come.

** I received this copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. **

Because I loved this book so much I have decided that I want to giveaway my ARC to someone else so that they can also enjoy this great book! The ARC has been read once before but is still in good condition but I felt that it was worth mentioning this. Now, what are you waiting for, go ENTER!

Guidelines

1. Open INTERNATIONALLY
2. Winners will be E-mailed
3. Winners will have 72 hours to respond before a new winner is chosen
4. Following the blog is NOT required
5. Full Terms & Conditions on Rafflecoptr widget. My Giveaway Policy can be found here
6. Ends 31st March

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