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johomann's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
This was a great conclusion to the series, but I didn’t find it as gripping as the first two. Familiar characters and new kept the story going. As always, a bunch of ethical questions to ponder.
floydfelix's review against another edition
3.0
(3.0) this was a bit of a disappointing conclusion to the trilogy to me. this book was dense with (frankly) pointless information, and felt disjointed with frequent POV switches and lots of characters i didn't care about. the climax fell flat and felt rushed considering the length of this book. as much as i liked the themes and concepts here, this just didn't have the same charm of the first two books. the main characters aren't in this book much, and feel underdeveloped in the end. i just wanted a little more from this. i really love this series though
lakishafrey2024's review against another edition
5.0
The startling conclusion of the Arc of the Scythe series is overwhelming and just plain exhausting, in a good way. Time has passed and the scythedom has had some history making changes. Things are dangerous because now that Goddard is in power and many scythes are aligning with the new order. The old guard is almost silent. Anastacia and Rowan are missing or are they? The pacifist Tonists are becoming more aggressive. Greyson Tollivar is no the only being that can communicate with the Thunderhead. It is a world gone mad! So many twists and turns. Get ready for this roller coaster.
kika1994's review against another edition
3.0
La serie no está mal pero me costó un montón para simpatizar con los personajes y y terminar los libros.
eclipse888's review against another edition
2.0
I'm freeeee \o/ I kept reading, because I didn't want to abandon a series so close to the end, but it was 3/4 of almost nothing happening and then me not caring about the stuff that does happen in the last 1/4, so...
dmoatmeat's review against another edition
2.0
First two were great, this one just fell apart and was way, way too long. Skimmed the last 100 pages cause I just didn’t care anymore.
catherines_atheneum's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars. Weaker in my opinion than the other two books in the series, but an incredibly approached premise for the series as a whole nonetheless.
rdh2014's review against another edition
5.0
It’s been longer than I think I’d even realized since a book or series stirred the emotions within me that Shusterman churned over these 1,500 pages.
One of the most wonderful worlds ever built through words left me with some of my favorite fictional characters ever, each with a resolution and an ending their own. Some bittersweet, some cathartic, some heartaching, but resolutions all the same. Shusterman built this entire society, the entire premise of the series, upon death and our approach to it. And after a million words about love and loyalty and deceit and everything in between, he reminds you gently in the final 15 pages what the whole thing has been about this entire time. And the circular nature of the franchise, a reception for Faraday in a quiet home, brought some mist to my eyes. And several character moments, each created by a seemingly innocuous fact about the world they inhabit, made me text a friend in a rush to extol the execution.
For lack of any other sufficient compliment, these books make me want to write.
Pacing-wise, this book is a work of art. Shusterman cycles between points of view in a mad frenzy, without set order for how long or short he’ll remain with a storyline. It results in two major characters, two of my favorites, for being abandoned for 150 pages at a time, something I often consider a cardinal sin or an irredeemable flaw. Yet the other stories created are so important, so gripping, you almost don’t notice the absence until you realize why it existed. A detail or a development you needed to reach for the abandoned character to have agency again, the ability to advance the plot. And the second you realize you’ve missed them, you yearn to connect with them again, the next page grants your wish. The long absences are rewarded with no meandering seconds wasted, you never check on a character for the sake of doing so. Every moment you spend with each one moves the story forward, moves them forward and moves you forward.
I think the execution is occasionally (rarely) messiest in this book compared to its predecessors. Rowan’s plot often feels like an afterthought and gets resolved with a little too much haste, and the comeuppance for the overarching villain, one of the characters I’ve most enjoyed hating, is a bit too swift and unceremonious. If Goodreads allowed half-stars, this would be a 4.5. But it doesn’t, and I can do what I want.
A few other moments teetered toward ret-con territory and left me doubting the author’s forethought and planning, but in the moments I furrowed my brow at Shusterman, he always provided me an ample enough reason to recant (i.e. the origins of Goddard’s name explaining his backstory).
I’ve told myself that, shall a day come when I decide I want a tattoo, I want to get three for the most impactful works of fiction in my life. I’ve long decided on a trident for Percy Jackson and something from the Spider-Verse movies, perhaps Miles Morales’ air-brushed logo. But the third spot remained elusive, a revolving door of works and symbols important but never enough so.
After tonight, I’m starting to think I might get a small scythe.
One of the most wonderful worlds ever built through words left me with some of my favorite fictional characters ever, each with a resolution and an ending their own. Some bittersweet, some cathartic, some heartaching, but resolutions all the same. Shusterman built this entire society, the entire premise of the series, upon death and our approach to it. And after a million words about love and loyalty and deceit and everything in between, he reminds you gently in the final 15 pages what the whole thing has been about this entire time. And the circular nature of the franchise, a reception for Faraday in a quiet home, brought some mist to my eyes. And several character moments, each created by a seemingly innocuous fact about the world they inhabit, made me text a friend in a rush to extol the execution.
For lack of any other sufficient compliment, these books make me want to write.
Pacing-wise, this book is a work of art. Shusterman cycles between points of view in a mad frenzy, without set order for how long or short he’ll remain with a storyline. It results in two major characters, two of my favorites, for being abandoned for 150 pages at a time, something I often consider a cardinal sin or an irredeemable flaw. Yet the other stories created are so important, so gripping, you almost don’t notice the absence until you realize why it existed. A detail or a development you needed to reach for the abandoned character to have agency again, the ability to advance the plot. And the second you realize you’ve missed them, you yearn to connect with them again, the next page grants your wish. The long absences are rewarded with no meandering seconds wasted, you never check on a character for the sake of doing so. Every moment you spend with each one moves the story forward, moves them forward and moves you forward.
I think the execution is occasionally (rarely) messiest in this book compared to its predecessors. Rowan’s plot often feels like an afterthought and gets resolved with a little too much haste, and the comeuppance for the overarching villain, one of the characters I’ve most enjoyed hating, is a bit too swift and unceremonious. If Goodreads allowed half-stars, this would be a 4.5. But it doesn’t, and I can do what I want.
A few other moments teetered toward ret-con territory and left me doubting the author’s forethought and planning, but in the moments I furrowed my brow at Shusterman, he always provided me an ample enough reason to recant (i.e. the origins of Goddard’s name explaining his backstory).
I’ve told myself that, shall a day come when I decide I want a tattoo, I want to get three for the most impactful works of fiction in my life. I’ve long decided on a trident for Percy Jackson and something from the Spider-Verse movies, perhaps Miles Morales’ air-brushed logo. But the third spot remained elusive, a revolving door of works and symbols important but never enough so.
After tonight, I’m starting to think I might get a small scythe.
bookbearreads's review against another edition
4.0
A really great ending to the story. Kept me intrigued right up until the end. The beginning was a little slow in terms of pacing but it was worth the wait and once the story picked up, it took off running. Really excited that I read through this series!