Author: Neal Shusterman

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Pages: 435

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Synopsis

In a future with no disease, no hunger, and no war, death has been conquered. But the population growth is to be kept under control, so the Scythedom is created. Scythes are now the only ones who can kill a human being.

When Citra and Rowan are chosen as scythe’s apprentices, they have to leave their old life behind and learn everything about death.

“You see through the facades of the world, Citra Terranova. You’d make a good scythe.”

Citra recoiled. “I’d never want to be one.”

“That,” he said, “is the first requirement.”

Then he left to kill their neighbor.

My Thoughts

It was one of those books with which I needed a pile of post-its while I read because there were so many awesome quotes! The main theme, death, was approached in such a reflective way I kept interrupting my reading to just think about what I’d just read.

There were a lot of great plot twists. (Spoilers to come.) I was truly panicking when Scythe Faraday died, and I really didn’t know if he were truly dead until late in Citra’s searches. I was kind of hoping he would be really dead, though. Not that I didn’t like him, but it would’ve built even more tension.

Death makes the whole world kin. Rowan wondered if a world without death would then make everyone strangers.

(More spoilers.) I loved it when the stakes were heightened between Citra and Rowan (only one of them would become a Scythe, and the winner’s first gleaning would be the loser.) But in the main time it reminded me a little too much of Katniss and Peeta. I was kind of expecting them to threaten to glean themselves at the end, but the finale was just perfect! I’m really wondering what the second book will be about now that all the bad guys are dead! I can’t wait to read it!

(No more spoilers.) I have a feeling, or I hope, that in the second novel we’ll learn more about the Thunderhead. I LOVED it so much when Citra had a conversation with it!

Good-bye, Citra. I do hope we
speak again.

But I’d have to be dead for that
to happen.

I’m sure you could arrange it.

---

That’s it for me! Now I want to hear your thoughts!

Did you root for Citra or Rowan or both?

Did you think Rowan would become Scythe Goddard’s pawn or stay true to himself?

What was your favourite/least favourite scene?

Let me know in the comments! 🙂