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shyfroglet's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
5.0
liv_rose410's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
rowan was so silly
bo0ks_are_cool91's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
On par with the hunger games for iconic dystopias! The exploration of death and the human condition here was done really well, and the world building is well serving to its purpose. Was a tad predictable at times but really good book!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Fire/Fire injury, Grief, Medical content, Gun violence, Death, Physical abuse, Murder, Blood, Violence, and Abandonment
Moderate: Child death, Suicide attempt, Suicidal thoughts, Religious bigotry, Suicide, and Racism
Minor: Torture
tiffanyruberto's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.5
effaly's review against another edition
1.0
When it comes to reading, there is almost nothing worse than stumbling over a book with an interesting premise, only to read it and find out that it's not thought through and so flawed it's painful. Like this book.
Talking about everything that is wrong with the book would take way too long, so let me tell you about the biggest flaws this book has:
- The Scythes themselves or rather how they're handled and the concept. Imagine you would have to kill 260 people each year. You have no one to talk to (except some Scythe-friend every once in a while), you have to live alone, no spouse, no children, no nothing, you're not allowed any more than "you need" aka. no entertainment to distract you even for a while and you distance yourself from the rest of humanity... and humanity distance itself from you. Sounds like the perfect receipt to create a psychopath.
- Scythes are also allowed to kill however they want. They can even torture people or burn them alive for example. I mean... WTF.
- If people resist the "gleaning" (killing) all their loved ones get "gleaned" (murdered).
- And - FOR SOME REASON - people thought it best to put THESE PEOPLE above the law. ಠ_ಠ WTF
The two main protagonists, Citra and Rowan aren't making the reading experience any better.
- Of course, they have both lousy families, so the author doesn't have to put any effort into it. It would have been very interesting to see how a "normal" family reacts if their daughter/son/sister/brother would suddenly be a Scythe apprentice, but nope.
- And they were so annoying. They accept the apprenticeship but then immediately start to complain and constantly whine about how they don't want it.
Talking about everything that is wrong with the book would take way too long, so let me tell you about the biggest flaws this book has:
- The Scythes themselves or rather how they're handled and the concept. Imagine you would have to kill 260 people each year. You have no one to talk to (except some Scythe-friend every once in a while), you have to live alone, no spouse, no children, no nothing, you're not allowed any more than "you need" aka. no entertainment to distract you even for a while and you distance yourself from the rest of humanity... and humanity distance itself from you. Sounds like the perfect receipt to create a psychopath.
- Scythes are also allowed to kill however they want. They can even torture people or burn them alive for example. I mean... WTF.
- If people resist the "gleaning" (killing) all their loved ones get "gleaned" (murdered).
- And - FOR SOME REASON - people thought it best to put THESE PEOPLE above the law. ಠ_ಠ WTF
The two main protagonists, Citra and Rowan aren't making the reading experience any better.
- Of course, they have both lousy families, so the author doesn't have to put any effort into it. It would have been very interesting to see how a "normal" family reacts if their daughter/son/sister/brother would suddenly be a Scythe apprentice, but nope.
- And they were so annoying. They accept the apprenticeship but then immediately start to complain and constantly whine about how they don't want it.
thebonekingdom's review against another edition
3.75
"Scythe" or another proof of the concept of Automatic Romance in fiction — A name I gave to the recurrent phenomenon where two MCs, of opposite genders and same age range, are automatically love interests and are bond to fall in love for no other reason than them being a boy and a girl. No chemistry needed, of course. Them being of opposite gender is a good enough reason for them to be lovers.
Don't get me wrong, this book was interesting and I enjoyed the story and its plot. The whole concept of humans being in charge of killing others to serve as a substitute of natural/accidental death was quite amusing and, while it stayed predictable, it still got my attention.
Nevertheless, I don't think I should suffer from nonsensical romance subplots in every book I read for the sole reason of the existence of this Automatic Romance phenomenon. Since it is rooted in the belief, conscious or not, that a man and a woman would automatically be attracted and fall in love with each other, writers do not bother making them have a real connection. And that's how, nearly if not all, men in Pretty Little Liars kissed at least one of the girls, Korra fell in love with Mako and, in this book, our two MCs fell in love out of nowhere.
Actually, those two MCs were the book's biggest flaw. Aren't we already done with giving stereotypical behaviours to young FMC? Why do they have to be the emotional, rude, snappy and stressed kind of characters while the MMC are just tease who are calm, reasoned and, sometimes, emotionless ?
Honestly, fuck that. At first, I hated the FMC because of this behaviour, then I learned to enjoy her presence but disliked the MMC, who I wished would just die and be hated by the FMC... but we can't forget this Automatic Romance phenomenon, here to ruin my hopes!
I'm, unfortunately, not interested enough in it to keep reading the two other volumes. I spent a nice moment listening to the audiobook —and the French narrator did an excellent job— but maybe not enough to dare try my patience by supporting this (horrenduous) romance subplot, as inexistent as both MCs interactions together are!
There is one or two characters I loved, sadly, one is long dead 🫡. You were loved, darling.
Fortunately, as annoying as the romance is, it's pretty minor and we don't see the MMC enough for me to dislike the book as a whole because of if
Don't get me wrong, this book was interesting and I enjoyed the story and its plot. The whole concept of humans being in charge of killing others to serve as a substitute of natural/accidental death was quite amusing and, while it stayed predictable, it still got my attention.
Nevertheless, I don't think I should suffer from nonsensical romance subplots in every book I read for the sole reason of the existence of this Automatic Romance phenomenon. Since it is rooted in the belief, conscious or not, that a man and a woman would automatically be attracted and fall in love with each other, writers do not bother making them have a real connection. And that's how, nearly if not all, men in Pretty Little Liars kissed at least one of the girls, Korra fell in love with Mako and, in this book, our two MCs fell in love out of nowhere.
Actually, those two MCs were the book's biggest flaw. Aren't we already done with giving stereotypical behaviours to young FMC? Why do they have to be the emotional, rude, snappy and stressed kind of characters while the MMC are just tease who are calm, reasoned and, sometimes, emotionless ?
Honestly, fuck that. At first, I hated the FMC because of this behaviour, then I learned to enjoy her presence but disliked the MMC, who I wished would just die and be hated by the FMC... but we can't forget this Automatic Romance phenomenon, here to ruin my hopes!
I'm, unfortunately, not interested enough in it to keep reading the two other volumes. I spent a nice moment listening to the audiobook —and the French narrator did an excellent job— but maybe not enough to dare try my patience by supporting this (horrenduous) romance subplot, as inexistent as both MCs interactions together are!
There is one or two characters I loved, sadly, one is long dead 🫡. You were loved, darling.
Fortunately, as annoying as the romance is, it's pretty minor and we don't see the MMC enough for me to dislike the book as a whole because of if
saardw's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-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? It's complicated
4.5
reganseidler's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
seryaa's review against another edition
4.0
um SORRY why did i love this more than i thought. WHY AM I A SIMP FOR TWO ROWAN’S NOW ????
super cute - very YA/teensy :) like 4.25ish
super cute - very YA/teensy :) like 4.25ish