Scan barcode
A review by caseyundercovers
Scythe by Neal Shusterman
adventurous
dark
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
3.75
I liked this book more than I thought I would going into it.
The government in this world has been eliminated and nearly all power has been surrendered to The Thunderhead (a supercomputer of some kind) that manages the needs of humankind. The Thunderhead reminded me of Brainiac from Superman, which I'll keep in mind when I continue the series. The only area where The Thunderhead does not reign is where death is concerned, that is where the Sythedom comes in. Scythes are tasked with "gleaning" people, that is killing them for good. In a world where diseases have been eradicated, injuries even of the most severe nature can be healed in a matter of days, and aging can be reversed, it has been left to the Scythes to decide who should be gleaned as well as how, when, and why they should be gleaned. They have a code of commandments, but each has their methods for choosing victims.
Our main characters are Citra and Rowan, two teenagers who have been chosen by Scythe Faraday as his new apprentices. As they begin their training under Scythe Faraday they learn various weaponry, combat, poisons, histories, etc. After several months as apprentices, the trio attends the seasonal conclave of Scythes where the obvious villain of the story, Scythe Goddard calls outrage that Scythe Faraday has taken on two apprentices and it is decided that only one apprentice may advance to sythehood in the end and their first act as a Scythe will be to glean the other.
Let's backtrack to Sythe Goddard, this man might as well be Emperor Palpatine walking around he is so obviously evil. We meet him as he and his disciples mass glean a passenger plane and then later a mall food court. He believes that the rules of the Scythedom are outdated, quotas are no fun, and his preferred method for selecting gleaning victims is to recreate mass death events. Fun guy.
To prevent his apprentices from having to glean one another, Scythe Faraday gleans himself believing that Citra and Rowan will be released from the apprenticeships and be able to return from their families. However, Emperor Goddard Palpatine attempts to claim both apprentices as his own but is stopped by Scythe Marie Curie, a legendary Scythe who takes Citra on as her apprentice. The apprentices will not be spared their final conflict, but now they will be prepared in wildly different ways.
My favorite part of this book was the world-building in this book. The technology that has eliminated the ailments of mankind is really interesting. What I wouldn't give for the painkilling nanites! Imagine a world without headaches or cramps!
My least favorite part of this book was the romance between the two main characters, it was a forced proximity situation, a build-up for future installments of the series I'm sure, but I just didn't need it in this story. Friends to rivals if that's your sort of thing, it's in here.
I do look forward to continuing the series. I think the future of Rowan and Citra's rivalry and/or romance will be interesting in this world. I also know that The Thunderhead has to come into play in a big way in future installments and that I am most excited to see.
The government in this world has been eliminated and nearly all power has been surrendered to The Thunderhead (a supercomputer of some kind) that manages the needs of humankind. The Thunderhead reminded me of Brainiac from Superman, which I'll keep in mind when I continue the series. The only area where The Thunderhead does not reign is where death is concerned, that is where the Sythedom comes in. Scythes are tasked with "gleaning" people, that is killing them for good. In a world where diseases have been eradicated, injuries even of the most severe nature can be healed in a matter of days, and aging can be reversed, it has been left to the Scythes to decide who should be gleaned as well as how, when, and why they should be gleaned. They have a code of commandments, but each has their methods for choosing victims.
Our main characters are Citra and Rowan, two teenagers who have been chosen by Scythe Faraday as his new apprentices. As they begin their training under Scythe Faraday they learn various weaponry, combat, poisons, histories, etc. After several months as apprentices, the trio attends the seasonal conclave of Scythes where the obvious villain of the story, Scythe Goddard calls outrage that Scythe Faraday has taken on two apprentices and it is decided that only one apprentice may advance to sythehood in the end and their first act as a Scythe will be to glean the other.
Let's backtrack to Sythe Goddard, this man might as well be Emperor Palpatine walking around he is so obviously evil. We meet him as he and his disciples mass glean a passenger plane and then later a mall food court. He believes that the rules of the Scythedom are outdated, quotas are no fun, and his preferred method for selecting gleaning victims is to recreate mass death events. Fun guy.
To prevent his apprentices from having to glean one another, Scythe Faraday gleans himself believing that Citra and Rowan will be released from the apprenticeships and be able to return from their families. However, Emperor Goddard Palpatine attempts to claim both apprentices as his own but is stopped by Scythe Marie Curie, a legendary Scythe who takes Citra on as her apprentice. The apprentices will not be spared their final conflict, but now they will be prepared in wildly different ways.
My favorite part of this book was the world-building in this book. The technology that has eliminated the ailments of mankind is really interesting. What I wouldn't give for the painkilling nanites! Imagine a world without headaches or cramps!
My least favorite part of this book was the romance between the two main characters, it was a forced proximity situation, a build-up for future installments of the series I'm sure, but I just didn't need it in this story. Friends to rivals if that's your sort of thing, it's in here.
I do look forward to continuing the series. I think the future of Rowan and Citra's rivalry and/or romance will be interesting in this world. I also know that The Thunderhead has to come into play in a big way in future installments and that I am most excited to see.