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Scythe
by Neal Shusterman
It's official. Scythe has reinforced my love of YA dystopian novels. It could've easily been written as a cheesy star-crossed love story, but instead the author chose to masterfully write it as it is - a story that explores morality and the meaning of life.
Scythe takes place in the future, the exact date is unknown because humans have stoped counting the years. Since humans conquered illness, disease, age, and decay, they are now immortal beings whose lives are semi-permanent. An artificial intelligence, known as The Thunderhead", governs the worlds population and has led to poverty, racism, war, and crime being nonexistent.
The only thing controlling the rising population and death rate are the Scythes - an organization of trained men and women who have the power to glean (kill). Scythes live lives of solitude and are not permitted to see their family, have a spouse, or children. They are also stripped of their earthly possessions, other than their robes, and given immunity-granting rings. These Scythes live their lives by a code of Ten Commandments and are required to kill a certain amount of people each year to meet their quota
The story begins with two teenagers, Citra and Rowan, who are later chosen to be Scythes apprentices by Scythe Faraday. Faraday is a strict Scythe who gleans based on statistics from the Age of Mortality, only gleaning those who would've died if not for immortality. Citra and Rowan are trained under these codes and learn the emotional impact that the life of a Scythe can have on a person.
While Scythe Faraday is an overall good Scythe who understands the importance of taking lives, not all Scythes are as good. Some Scythes glean for political advances while others glean because they enjoy to kill. When Citra and Rowan are separated to train under different Scythes and compete against each other, they learn how different ideologies and personal agendas can make a Scythe.
Citra and Rowan were both chosen to be Scythes for their morals and beliefs. These beliefs are tested throughout the book as they are forced to compete against each other, winner take all. Since both characters are driven by their desire to do the right thing, they are often put in situations where they help each other, regardless of the consequences.
Aside from the characters, the moral questions the author addresses in this novel are both complex and interesting to discuss. In a world where death is no longer a threat, crime and poverty don't exist, and a persons every need is met, what becomes of humanity? How has humanity changed with the lack of mortality? What have people become without these challenges?
If you haven't added this book to your TBR list by now, you might want to. I can promise that you won't be disappointed. I loved this book and it really was a great story to end the year on.
Scythe takes place in the future, the exact date is unknown because humans have stoped counting the years. Since humans conquered illness, disease, age, and decay, they are now immortal beings whose lives are semi-permanent. An artificial intelligence, known as The Thunderhead", governs the worlds population and has led to poverty, racism, war, and crime being nonexistent.
The only thing controlling the rising population and death rate are the Scythes - an organization of trained men and women who have the power to glean (kill). Scythes live lives of solitude and are not permitted to see their family, have a spouse, or children. They are also stripped of their earthly possessions, other than their robes, and given immunity-granting rings. These Scythes live their lives by a code of Ten Commandments and are required to kill a certain amount of people each year to meet their quota
The story begins with two teenagers, Citra and Rowan, who are later chosen to be Scythes apprentices by Scythe Faraday. Faraday is a strict Scythe who gleans based on statistics from the Age of Mortality, only gleaning those who would've died if not for immortality. Citra and Rowan are trained under these codes and learn the emotional impact that the life of a Scythe can have on a person.
While Scythe Faraday is an overall good Scythe who understands the importance of taking lives, not all Scythes are as good. Some Scythes glean for political advances while others glean because they enjoy to kill. When Citra and Rowan are separated to train under different Scythes and compete against each other, they learn how different ideologies and personal agendas can make a Scythe.
Citra and Rowan were both chosen to be Scythes for their morals and beliefs. These beliefs are tested throughout the book as they are forced to compete against each other, winner take all. Since both characters are driven by their desire to do the right thing, they are often put in situations where they help each other, regardless of the consequences.
Aside from the characters, the moral questions the author addresses in this novel are both complex and interesting to discuss. In a world where death is no longer a threat, crime and poverty don't exist, and a persons every need is met, what becomes of humanity? How has humanity changed with the lack of mortality? What have people become without these challenges?
If you haven't added this book to your TBR list by now, you might want to. I can promise that you won't be disappointed. I loved this book and it really was a great story to end the year on.