Reviews

Trueno by Neal Shusterman

lindakat's review against another edition

adventurous challenging dark emotional hopeful mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

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

5.0

 

Definitely my favourite of the three which surprises me because when it was at its peak popularity I heard a lot of people were disappointed with the ending. I honestly can’t work out why, it was the ending the series needed. It was the only path that would have made sense even though it was heartbreaking. 

There were lots of moments throughout where I just stopped reading and reflected on plausibility and humans innate (though inexplainable) need to destroy what they create. This is what I love about well written dystopian futures, when it feels applicable to current life, like yes, that could be our future because at its core that was what Scythe was to me, a story about people. Sure, there was a completely different world, a new religion, death existed in a new form but at its heart (or at least to me) it was about people. Even Goddard, as the villain, in the end had told his story in a way that sounded reasonable from where he was sitting. As a character reader, that’s what I want, complex characters that make sense no matter the setting they’re thrown into. 

I also loved the dual timeline at the start of the chapters with the original Scythe’s journals and how everything came together in the end and the series was completed plot hole free. Such brilliant writing. . 

Brilliant series, hope the movie/TV show is going to do it justice. 

fearlessknitter's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious tense fast-paced

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

5.0

So good, the whole series! Very satisfying ending. Thank you!!

xaijar's review against another edition

adventurous dark emotional funny inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This book and the series as a while was ingenious! I greatly enjoyed getting advancements of events in small enough increments to not give too much away, but also enough to give a sense of mystery, drawing me in further. 

So many twists and reveals that left my jaw on the floor. 

The Thunderhead is one of my favourite characters. It was super funny, compassionate and crazy smart. I can't believe half of the strategies it pulled off. 

A new favourite series and probably my favourite dystopian series. Please make this series into movies or TV series. 

ohmadeline's review against another edition

adventurous medium-paced

3.75

amygatzemeyer's review against another edition

adventurous challenging hopeful tense medium-paced

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

4.75

brandis_book_bureau's review against another edition

adventurous dark hopeful tense medium-paced

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

5.0

romanaromana's review against another edition

slow-paced

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

1.5

 1.5 stars.

(Here are some content warnings. Nothing in this review).

That was extremely long and mostly unenjoyable if I'm being completely honest.

One of my biggest issues with this book was the absence of its two protagonists. Yep that's right - The Toll has two main characters and manages to spend most of its time with anyone but them. Ultimately, without Citra and Rowan this book really struggled. Don't get me wrong, I like some of the other characters and thought their stories were somewhat interesting, but I don't particularly care about them. Citra and Rowan were the best part of the first two books (especially book two, where some of the other elements were lacking), so I missed them in this instalment.

I guess I understand why they were left out of things. Or, at least, I understand why they could be left out of things - because there is a lot going on plot-wise that is a lot 'bigger' than their two characters. But just because you can doesn't mean you should, Shusterman. Just saying.

Thing is, the plot couldn't save their absence because it was incredibly slow and dragged out and long, long, long. There is a reason I couldn't read this book quickly, and why the whole thing felt so sluggish. The fate of the world was at stake but the pace was moving like a snail who hadn't had his weetabix.

I'm going to leave it on that left-field metaphor.
It's late. I'm glad I got through this series, but it's a real shame that it ended like this. 

lvinvader's review against another edition

adventurous emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

A lovey ending to an enjoyable trilogy 

iwazuminachem's review against another edition

Dnfed the series after book 2
It gets progressively worse, not interested couldn't care less

spiritblossom's review against another edition

adventurous dark mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

4.5