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A review by drblockbooks
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
5.0
I really liked this book and am excited to read the next two books in the Arc of a Scythe Trilogy.
SCHYTHE ticked most of the boxes for a story I like. It was a thoughtful exploration of a possible future for humanity. A society where death and disease have been conquered, but where a small portion of the population must still be "gleaned" each year to make room for newborns. It reminded me in some ways of Brave New World.
Some readers might find the story a bit "boring" because it isn't action-packed like some YA novels, but I thought it was the right balance of drama and introspection. There are hints of romance between two of the characters, but the romance plot line is a very small part of the book. I think some YA novels focus too much on the romance stories -- which they all seem to have -- at the expense of the world-building and character arcs. That is NOT the case with this book.
I recommend this book for ages 12+ (or precocious younger readers), but must note that there are some brief, very violent scenes. So, if you don't like reading realistically violent scenes, you may want to skip this book or skip ahead a few pages once the blood starts to flow.
SCHYTHE ticked most of the boxes for a story I like. It was a thoughtful exploration of a possible future for humanity. A society where death and disease have been conquered, but where a small portion of the population must still be "gleaned" each year to make room for newborns. It reminded me in some ways of Brave New World.
Some readers might find the story a bit "boring" because it isn't action-packed like some YA novels, but I thought it was the right balance of drama and introspection. There are hints of romance between two of the characters, but the romance plot line is a very small part of the book. I think some YA novels focus too much on the romance stories -- which they all seem to have -- at the expense of the world-building and character arcs. That is NOT the case with this book.
I recommend this book for ages 12+ (or precocious younger readers), but must note that there are some brief, very violent scenes. So, if you don't like reading realistically violent scenes, you may want to skip this book or skip ahead a few pages once the blood starts to flow.