Review for Scythe by Neal Shusterman
Quick View Review
Overall Rating: ***** (5/5)
Goodreads Rating: **** (4.29/5)
One Sentence Review: A perfect example of Neal Shusterman’s brilliance, this book is incredibly thought-provoking with a flawless plot and terrific characters.
Full Review:
Thou shalt kill.
A world with no hunger, no disease, no war, no misery. Humanity has conquered all those things, and has even conquered death. Now scythes are the only ones who can end life—and they are commanded to do so, in order to keep the size of the population under control.
Citra and Rowan are chosen to apprentice to a scythe—a role that neither wants. These teens must master the “art” of taking life, knowing that the consequence of failure could mean losing their own. (Summary from Goodreads)
Sooooo what took me so long? WHY DID I NOT READ THIS BOOK THE MOMENT IT WAS RELEASED?
If you follow me on Instagram, you likely know that I love Neal Shusterman’s work. I really believe he’s one of YA’s most underrated authors: his books are some of the most creative and thought-provoking novels out there, yet they don’t get half the attention they deserve.
Scythe was no exception. It messes with your head and stays with you long after you’ve read the last page; it poses a question you never would’ve thought of yourself but that, after reading, you find yourself constantly wondering about.
His characters, per the usual, were perfection. Both of our main characters were flawed and so completely realistic, and I loved seeing both of them grow as they delved deeper and deeper into the scheming world of scythes.
The plot kept me constantly on my feet, never pausing for a single dull moment. If there wasn’t some sort of action or new twist occurring, one of the main characters was reflecting on his or her experience thus far, so although this book may not have been action-packed, every single page caught my attention.
One of my favorite parts of Scythe is the little snippets of “gleaning journal” entries from various characters we encountered throughout the book. I just thought these little chapter beginnings were such a cool and unique addition to an already incredible novel that provided even more insight into the thoughts of some of the book’s most controversial side characters.
Overall, Neal Shusterman has done it again with his newest book: an amazingly creative plot, realistic characters, and a fascinating concept.
Make sure to come back next Wednesday for a new review!
Xoxo,
Jordan
