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A review by maryhannawilson
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Mankind has conquered hunger, disease, war, and even death. Now the only people who can end a life are the scythes -- the ones tasked with the horrible job of population control. Unfortunately, not every scythe dreads their job. Some have started to enjoy it and things are beginning to shift in the Scythedom. It is at this point that Citra and Rowan are chosen to become scythe apprentices and master the art of taking life. Neither wants the job but they slowly begin to realize just how much they are needed.
I love this book. It is my kind of book -- dystopic. This one is pretty violent but it works for the story. You have to accept it as part of the plot, but it can be pretty violent. It could be disturbing for sensitive or younger readers. There is plenty to talk about with your teen though!
I enjoyed the characters and the different ways they looked at the problems in the Scythedom and came up with solutions. The alternating POV from Citra to Rowan gave much deeper insight into the plot of the story, though we were kept in the dark about many events. Citra and Rowan each brought their unique view of the world to the storytelling as well. Rowan makes allowances for more morally "gray" situations while Citra seems to think things are more clearly defined. Of course, this is one of the challenges to consider in this book.
This is an engaging, award-winning dystopic story and an excellent start to the trilogy. (Yes, I did decide to continue reading so stay tuned for more reviews!)
I love this book. It is my kind of book -- dystopic. This one is pretty violent but it works for the story. You have to accept it as part of the plot, but it can be pretty violent. It could be disturbing for sensitive or younger readers. There is plenty to talk about with your teen though!
I enjoyed the characters and the different ways they looked at the problems in the Scythedom and came up with solutions. The alternating POV from Citra to Rowan gave much deeper insight into the plot of the story, though we were kept in the dark about many events. Citra and Rowan each brought their unique view of the world to the storytelling as well. Rowan makes allowances for more morally "gray" situations while Citra seems to think things are more clearly defined. Of course, this is one of the challenges to consider in this book.
This is an engaging, award-winning dystopic story and an excellent start to the trilogy. (Yes, I did decide to continue reading so stay tuned for more reviews!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Murder
Moderate: Suicide attempt