Reviews tagging 'Death of parent'

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

38 reviews

shayna14's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Kidnapping, Child death, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Death, Medical content, Murder, Physical abuse, Self harm, Suicide, and Suicidal thoughts

heather_harrison's review against another edition

adventurous dark funny reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

3.5 *

I loved the premise but just felt like the follow-through was a bit lack-luster. There was so much happening, and so much crammed into the plot, but there were huge elements of this Utopian world with a rumbling dystopian underbelly that were kind of left unanswered. 

That being said, I'm probably going to read the second one because FOMO 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death

Moderate: Violence

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Suicide attempt

theunderfold's review against another edition

dark medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

I'm not sure what I expected from this book, to be honest. It felt too violent for the demographic, but also not specific enough in ways. It's really hard to categorize it. 

Honestly, I felt like most of the beginning of the book felt a little boring, even though they were trying to keep me engaged with salacious murders (excuse me, "gleanings" lol). And the end did pick up the pace a bit, but it all felt like it wrapped up a little too conveniently for my taste...your mileage may vary.

Don't think I'll be reading the sequels, but this one was an overall decent read.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide attempt, Violence, Genocide, Blood, Suicide, Murder, Mass/school shootings, Child death, Death, and Death of parent

shanbles's review

adventurous dark emotional fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Blood, Gun violence, Child death, Murder, Violence, Fire/Fire injury, and Suicide

Moderate: Classism, Gore, and Car accident

Minor: Hate crime, Terminal illness, Torture, Self harm, and Suicidal thoughts

mxdegroot's review against another edition

adventurous hopeful inspiring reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I have too many things I want to write down and none of them I can explain properly, so here's a list of bullet points.

• This was the perfect introduction to a series. It didn't yet hold the stakes that the series likely will in the future, but it perfectly introduced the world, the characters, the systems, it's flaws, everything. And the stakes that were were perfect. I'm so excited to read the next book soon.
• I love how this book perfectly yet subtly states how the world is neither perfect nor horrible. It has its flaws, but those flaws are handled. But is it really the way things are supposed to be? That is left up to the reader. The best way I can describe is is the same that I did in my review for The Outrage: perfection doesn't exist.
• Rowan and Citra's character developtment was simply amazing. Not many thought processes were completely written out, but the changes that happened made sense, even while they weren't explicitly explained.
• The ending. 10/10.
• I am simply very excited to read the next book in this series.

"I'm sure the founding scythes must be rolling in their graves - but the point is, they are in their graves..."

"The kindes thing you can do is win that ring when Winter Conclave comes, and glean the boy quickly, before that acid burns any deeper than it already has."

"I love it when it rains here," he told her. "It reminds me that some forces of nature can never be entirely subdued. They are eternal, which is a far better thing than to be immortal."

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Blood, Fire/Fire injury, Gore, Body horror, Death, and Injury/Injury detail

Moderate: Confinement, Gaslighting, Suicidal thoughts, Violence, and Murder

Minor: Child death, Death of parent, and Suicide

laurenedeaton's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark mysterious reflective tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

YEAH

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Death of parent, Death, Murder, Grief, Gun violence, Mass/school shootings, Car accident, Kidnapping, Child death, and Violence

Moderate: Suicide

rachel_anne_krauz95's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional mysterious sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Violence, Grief, Murder, Torture, Emotional abuse, Suicide, Death, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Classism, and Blood

bessadams's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Suicide, Blood, Physical abuse, Murder, Death, Injury/Injury detail, Violence, Self harm, Fire/Fire injury, and Religious bigotry

Moderate: Gun violence, Body shaming, Death of parent, Bullying, and Alcohol

jadejade's review against another edition

adventurous mysterious reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

If you want Young Adult melodrama with interesting worldbuilding, this might be for you. It explores what a world would be like where humanity has conquered death but still needs to cull people to avoid overpopulation. Of course a pair of teenagers end up being in the centre of events that will reshape the world. Of course they end up being so highly skilled (and within a very short period) that they are able to deal with most people who get in their way: I think towards the end of the book, one the character is executing flips while doing so. There's an antagonist who may as well be twirling his moustache, and there's a scene near the end which I swear was inspired by Anakin's speech to Padme in Star Wars Episode II about the Tusken Raiders he slaughtered. Thunderhead is giving me the slightest vibes of Aiden from the Illuminae Files, which is also piquing my interest.

I didn't mind following our two main teenaged characters but they aren't interesting enough alone to make me want to follow their story. However, I found the different philosophies of the different Scythes, and the general population's response to a world where death is not inevitable, to be interesting enough that I think I will continue the series. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Suicide attempt, Death, and Emotional abuse

Minor: Fatphobia, Torture, Medical content, Gun violence, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail, Child death, Murder, Death of parent, Religious bigotry, and Grief

kat_rowlen's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

5.0

Loved this book so much! I was hooked from the beginning and the pages basically turned themselves. The ending is so satisfying. I literally got chills!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Child death, Mass/school shootings, Death, Gore, Grief, Gun violence, Injury/Injury detail, Suicide, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Torture, and Gaslighting